Braslav

Braslav is a resort town with a population of about ten thousand people. It is located in the northwestern part of Belarus, close to the border with Latvia and Lithuania.

Since 1995, the city has served as the administrative center of the National Park "Braslav Lakes". Within the boundaries of Braslav there are three lakes - Novyato, Berezhye and Drivyaty. The latter, with an area of 36.1 sq. km, has the status of the largest in the Braslav region and the fifth largest in the country. It is from here that many water hiking routes begin - Braslav is surrounded by a group of more than 50 lakes, interconnected by rivers and channels. Roads connect the city with Druya, Miory, Sharkovshchina, Vidzami, Daugavpils.

In 1919, Braslav was part of the Polish state. And a quiet place that traded in fishing, learned a tourist boom. Sandy beaches, dunes and picturesque lakes have made Braslav a resort area. The first tourists who came from Vilna were lovers of water travel. The tourist season with many sunny days in Braslav lasted from May to September, when the region was hot and dry. However, the resort was not empty at other times of the year. Consistently cold winters, coniferous forests and hilly landscape contributed to recovery and active winter recreation.

Hotels and restaurants are beginning to appear in Braslav. Local residents rent out rooms - courses on hygiene and proper nutrition are organized for tenants. A sports center and a cinema are being opened in the city, sports grounds are open, and summer camps are operating. The waterfront is alive. Yachts float along Drivyaty, gliders fly from Bald Mountain towards the lake, noisy holidays, dance evenings and sports competitions are held at the pier. The Braslav branch of the Polish Local History Society publishes a guide to the surroundings and postcards with Braslav landscapes. Braslav gets on tourist maps.

It all ends with the start of World War II. The infrastructure has been destroyed, and for a long time Braslav developed as a regional center. Now the city is again gaining tourist fame, gradually acquiring the infrastructure necessary for a resort place.