Just across the border from Poland, Brest (pop. 347,576) is an important industrial, transportation and transit hub. It's the usual entry place from points west (Warsaw is only three-and-a-half hours away by train). Though it's an old city (founded in the 11th century), it had to be rebuilt after the period of wars and parts of it are quite new. At 200 mi/320 km southwest of Minsk, it's worth an overnight visit to see the Brest Fortress and other war memorials to the city's heroic stand against the Nazis. Brest's archaeological museum displays remnants from some of the first buildings of the city. Nearby Pinsk makes a good day trip.
About 64 mi/100 km north of Brest, on the border with Poland, the Belovezhskaya Forest is Belarus' premier nature reserve. It's home to many rare species, including the European bison. An excellent area for camping and hiking, it's also good for fishing in the famous blue-lakes area.
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