Thousands of runners pour through central Minsk each September for the half marathon, and the broad avenues feel built for a party. Between races come smaller rituals, like coffee under the tiled roofs of the Trinity Suburb, an evening walk along the Svislach and a plate of draniki with sour cream.
Farther out, the National Library rises like a giant glass diamond with a viewing deck on its roof, and on warm weekends locals head for the beaches of the Minsk Sea. Summers are mild and green, while winters are cold, snowy and often foggy. A Local Friend opens doors you would not have knocked on yourself, from a quiet courtyard café to a favorite stretch of riverbank.
