On the map: Braslav Lakes – a place of power for holidaymakers in Belarus

You are facing a real miracle of nature – a unique chain of lakes, which are located on the territory of the largest natural national park of Belarus – Braslav Lakes. Local guides say that you can drink water here even from the lake! It's all thanks to the amazing properties of the blue clay. Moreover, avid travellers compare Braslav region with Finland and Switzerland!

The origin of this place is fascinating: about 18 thousand years ago, the 70,000 hectares of land were covered by ice instead of lakes. It was several metres thick. When the glacier descended, the water gradually melted and formed a complex system of rivers and lakes. This is exactly how today's Braslav Lakes were formed!

Otherwise, they are also called “the blue necklace of Belarus”. Thus, there are almost 300 unique lakes: equally beautiful, but very different! It is the largest lake region. It includes many things marked “the most”.

For example, the largest lake is called Drivyaty. It's 10 kilometres long and almost 4 wide! During the warmer months, you can take a boat trip on it – it's almost like being on the sea. There are also many smaller and larger Belarusian islands. One of the most unique is the Strusto Lake. Here you can catch a meter-long pike of 10 kg!

Not far away is the second largest island in Belarus, Chaichin. It's inhabited by a large colony of seagulls!

In general, 200 bird species live in the Braslav lakes national park. Among local birds the mute swan is especially famous. Besides more than 800 various kinds of plants grow here. Some of them are listed in the Red Book (The Red Book of the Republic of Belarus is an annotated list of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna in Belarus).

If you are visiting the area, we recommend to look at South Voloso Lake, the deepest lake in the country. It is more than forty metres deep. The transparency of water varies up to eight metres. It is an incredibly beautiful and clean place, which has long been popular with the natives.

The Braslav Lakes National Park and the neighbouring areas are rich in attractions. Especially notable among them is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, a church located near Castle rock (A mountain in the Grodno region of Belarus). It was built in 1897 in the Neo-Romanesque style.

Another decoration of these places is the white-stone Church of God's Providence (The heart of Jesus), which is appreciated for its iron door jambs with floral motifs and the colourful painting of the church's interior.

There is also Klyashtor Island, which used to be the location of a male monastery, located on Nespish Lake. According to the legend, it was built thanks to an appearance of the Virgin Mary.

The Braslav Lakes are more than just a national park. It is a place of power, a "mecca" for holidaymakers in Belarus. The scenery is incredible and attractive: there is so much exoticism, mystery, expression, and at the same time universal serenity. Especially if you look at them from the height of a bird's flight!