Minsk is a green and spacious city, nice to stroll about the streets in the shelter of omnipresent trees. The local gay life revolves around cruising places in vast parks and forests within the city limits. Due to the policy of the orientation to the East implemented by Belarus authorities, Minsk has been subjected to the Westernization to a much lesser extent than Moscow or even Kiev.
Despite valiant efforts of local gay activists, the development of a gay community has not yet begun. The state regulated economy foresees no place for the gay business, while the public attitude is far from tolerant. Several endeavors to run a gay club failed due to the lack of money; predominantly gay clientele in one of them has alledgedly been a cause for the early termination of its lease agreement; there is at least one documented report of a violent and brutal police raid on a gay club.
Gay Minsk may be worth exploring, but we advise you not to venture on your own, unless you are fully self-confident, aware of local customs and speak fluent Russian or Bielorussian.
6A
Address: 6a Partizanskiy pr. Tel.: +375 (29) 860-24-98, +375 (29) 168-46-52
Opening time: ?
Notes: the club is situated at the location of the very first t Byelorussian gay club "Vstrecha". Wild parties and the air of alcoholic freedom is what makes the club attractive to many.
Chelsea
Address: 36 Nemiga str. Tel.: +375 (29) 609-40-00
Notes: this downtown restaurant-club is not declared gay, but a quick glance will easily reveal the strata that make the party lavish and festive. The second floor hosts the most sophisticated and well-being gay people in Minsk.
Yabloko
Address: 32 Karastoyanovoy str. Tel.: +375 (29) 290-13-36, +375 (29) 391-00-45
Notes: karaoke and dancing parties attract both gay boys and girls, still the air is lax and peacefull. Here you'll find hip young crowd not departing to remote towns back home when the morning strikes.
Internet
http://www.english.gay.by - both English and Russian
http://sunshine.by - Russian only.
