It is located in the west of the country, where one of the largest rivers of Belarus, the Neman, flows. In this regard, the entire Grodno region is called Neman land. This area also borders with Poland and Lithuania.
The Grodno region has rich tourism potential. On its territory there are many natural, cultural and historical resources that attract tourists from all over Belarus and other countries.
Grodno region includes 18 regions in which such large cities as Novogrudok, Lida, Slonim, Volkovysk, Smorgon and many others are located. The population of the Grodno region for 2020 is 1,025,800 people.
The administrative center of the Grodno region is the city of Grodno. It ranks 5th in the ranking by population of cities in Belarus for 2021.
Grodno is a separate part of the history of Belarus. The city is very popular among tourists. In Grodno you can visit the oldest shrines, monuments of architecture and art. Also in the city of Grodno, various festivals and holidays are held, and the sounds of live music are heard from the cozy courtyards. Very often Grodno is called the city of churches and monasteries, as there are about 400 objects of historical and cultural heritage in it. This is the largest number of attractions among all Belarusian cities.
The visiting card of the city is the Cathedral of Francis Xavier. But also in Grodno you can visit a huge number of attractions such as:
The most ancient city of the Grodno region is Volkovysk. It is also in the top 5 of the oldest cities in Belarus. The most popular attractions in Volkovysk and Volkovysk region are:
About 80 rivers flow through the territory of the Grodno region. The largest of them are Neman, Viliya, Shchara, West Berezina
The region also has 34 lakes, such as White, Rybnitsa, Svityaz, Albertinskoe, Ozeryanskoe
It should be mentioned that there is the Augustow Canal on the territory of the Grodno region. This is a monument of hydrotechnical architecture, located in a specially protected area of UNESCO. It connects the Vistula and Neman rivers through the Polish rivers Biebrza, Netta and Black Gancha.
Preserved on the territory of the region and large forests Nalibokskaya Pushcha, Lipichanskaya, Grafskaya, partially Belovezhskaya Pushcha
In the Grodno region, specially protected natural areas make up 9.8% of the entire territory of the region. The most famous objects of cultural and educational tourism in the region are:
Also on the territory of the region there are 15 nature reserves of republican significance, 95 natural monuments.
For all those wishing to restore their physical health and take a break from the bustle of the city in the region are located the sanatoriums «Ozerny», «Raduga», «Pearl».
Tourists also have a chance to visit the Neman glass factory, where they will be given an excursion to the glass museum, as well as shown how the craftsmen blow glass.
If you want to try something unusual, then you should visit the Ratov snail farm. The owner will personally lead the tour, tell the story of the creation of the first snail farm, share the secrets of growing snails, and also tell about their useful properties. There is also a unique snail tasting opportunity. But if the guests of the regions prefer the national Belarusian cuisine, then the agrotourist complex «Korobchitsy» is offered to visit, where meat dishes prevail in the menu.
On the territory of the Grodno region there are 2 objects that are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. These are Mir Castle and Struve Geodetic Arc.
According to the Order of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated August 7, 2019 No. 300 «On Establishing a Visa-Free Procedure for Entry and Exit of Foreign Citizens» and Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of the Republic of Belarus No. 699 dated October 14, 2019 No. 300, on the territory of Grodno and the entire Grodno region there is a visa-free regime, you can read more about it here.
__________________________________
The period of visa-free stay of foreign citizens in certain districts of the Brest and Grodno regions is 10 days, in accordance with Decree No. 462 «On Establishing a Visa-Free Procedure for Entry and Exit of Foreign Citizens» dated December 26, 2017.
According to the document, in the territories of Brest and the Brest region, Grodno and the Grodno region, the number of checkpoints for visa-free entry for tourist purposes to Belarus for foreign citizens is increasing at the expense of checkpoints located at railway stations and airports. Also, the period of temporary stay for tourist purposes of foreign citizens is established for up to 10 days; the territories for the temporary stay of foreign tourists are expanding.
Foreign tourists of the park «Augustow Canal» are allowed to stay on the territory of Grodno and the entire Grodno region, for visitors to the National Park «Belovezhskaya Pushcha» - on the territory of the tourist and recreational zone «Brest» (Brest City, Brest, Zhabinka, Kamenets and Pruzhany districts of the Brest region, Svisloch district of Grodno region). At the same time, to visit the Augustow Canal or the tourist and recreational zone «Brest», foreign citizens should have a valid document for traveling abroad and a document granting the right to an individual or group visit to the relevant territory.
These rules apply to citizens from 77 countries.