Belarus: When to Go

If you're prepared for it, travel in winter is recommended: the snow makes for a picturesque landscape and the insides of buildings are kept warm. Avoid, though, the first snows (usually in late October) and the spring thaw (April), which turn everything to slush and mud.

Early summer and autumn are many people's favourite periods for visiting Belarus. By May temperatures are pleasant, while the golden autumnal colours of September and early October are stunning.

July and August are the warmest months and the main holiday season. These are also the dampest months in most parts of Belarus and European Russia, with as many as one rainy day in three. It's always low season in Belarus, so don't fret too much about being overwhelmed by your fellow tourists.

Weather

Belarus has a continental climate which becomes marginally more severe as you move from southwest to northeast. Average January temperatures are between -4°C and -8°C (25-18°F), and there's frost on the ground 7 to 8 months of the year. The warmest month is July, when temperatures normally reach 19°C (66°F). It's wettest in June and August, and there's snow cover from December to April.