Than Zelva surprise visa-free travelers?

In the Berestovitsa – «Museum of the Proteins» in the year of «the Swedish mountain» in szczuczyn – bunker during the First world war… As Zelva will attract tourists that from 10 November to explore the Western regions of Belarus without a visa?

For the first time, the visa-free regime was launched in the Grodno region in 2016. For three years, about 240 thousand foreign tourists visited Grodno and the Belarusian part of the Augustow Canal. But this is far from the limit. The expansion of the borders of the visa-free territory of Priemanje will significantly increase the influx of tourists. So from November 10, in accordance with the Decree “On the establishment of a visa-free entry and exit procedure for foreign citizens”, five more districts of the Grodno region (Berestovitsky, Volkovysky, Voronovsky, Lida and Schuchinsky) will be opened for individual tourists. And for a collective visit (in groups of 2 people and more), all corners of Priemanne will be available. Including the Zelva region. So what is the region ready to offer to foreign tourists today?

According to Natalya Gosporarik, the chief specialist of the sports and tourism department, guests of the region can count on original, “tasty” tourism in comfortable conditions.

Let’s start with comfort: tourists will be able to stay for the night at the Zelva or ZelvaTurSevis LLC (about 60 places). Another option is accommodation in estates, which are nine in the district. By the way, some of them have become not only objects of residence, but also the hallmark of the region.

So, for example, in the estate «Old Whole» you can visit the Museum of insects and beekeeping, which presents about 5000 thousand copies of insects, half of them are butterflies from different parts of the globe.

The estate “Veres” is known as the first agricultural estate in Belarus, and in 2015 it was recognized as the best in the country. «Veres» fascinates with beauty. In the warm season, a two-story house is literally «buried» in greenery. The owners of the estate created an arboretum, where about 250 species of trees grow.

Another feature of Veres is the promotion of the culinary heritage of Belarus. Here you can try and even learn how to cook authentic national dishes, such as Verashchaka, Kama z grybami, etc. By the way, there are similar treats in the menu of the region’s roadside cafes and restaurant.

Satisfying gastronomic desires, you can go to the cultural and historical heritage. Tourists have plenty to choose from. On the territory of the district there are 16 religious buildings, including the Holy Trinity Church in Zelva, the Derechinsky Transfiguration Church and others.

Arriving in Zelva, it is impossible to ignore the Synkovichi fortress church covered in legends. The Church of Nespost is called the pearl of architecture: Gothic and traditions of Byzantine culture are combined here. Massive, half-meter strata, powerful granite towers are the elements of the fortress that once stood on the bulk island.

The church, which has been closed for many years, is now functioning. Moreover, this is one of the most visited churches in Belarus. People from all over the world go to the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “The Tsaritsa”. Cases of healing seriously ill people from cancer and other ailments are frequent.

The church of the Most Holy Body of God and St. George in the village of Kremyanitsa is no less attractive. In 1617, the owner of local lands, the nobleman Nikolai Volsky, invited Lateran canons to the village from Krakow and built a church for them. In turn, the son of Volsky built with him a hospital for the poor and a library, in which there were more than a thousand rare books. Today, the tombstone of the XVII century Nikolai Volsky and his wife Barbara, the carved altar of the first half of the XVII century, the icon of the middle of the XVIII-beginning. XIX century.

In a word, Zelve has something to surprise tourists. A special Internet service grodnovisafree.by, developed in anticipation of expanding the borders of the visa-free territory of the Grodno region, will help guests to understand the cultural and historical heritage of Priemanye, the tourist infrastructure of the region.

Anastasia DUNETS