Mir Castle looks like it belongs in a fairy tale, though the people who owned it were serious and sometimes violent. Work began in the early sixteenth century for the Ilinich family, in a Gothic style with corner towers and brick walls, and the castle passed to the powerful Radziwiłł family, who added Renaissance and Baroque touches, ramparts and a park with a pond. Today it stands in the small town of Mir in western Belarus, which has only about 2,500 people, and the whole complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The castle has had a hard life. It was damaged in the wars that swept the region in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, left in ruins for a long time and used by the Nazis as part of a ghetto in the Second World War, when many local Jews were held there before being killed. After the war it was restored, and it now houses a museum. The red brick, the turrets and the reflection in the moat make a strong picture, especially in the soft light of early morning.
The ride across this part of Belarus is flat and calm. Roads are generally well surfaced and the landscape is a mix of fields, birch and pine woods and small villages with painted wooden houses. Traffic is light outside the larger towns, and there are cameras and police checks, so keep to the speed limits. Autumn colour is lovely, while winter can bring snow and ice. Before you go, check current entry rules, insurance and border conditions for your passport, as these have changed repeatedly and visas, registration and road tolls may apply.
Mir is small, and the nearest bigger town with a full range of shops and fuel is Stowbtsy, about 18 km away, while Navahrudak, a historic town linked to Adam Mickiewicz, is a worthwhile detour for a ride. Cafés near the castle serve local dishes such as draniki, potato pancakes with sour cream, and dishes made with mushrooms, pork and dill. Pause for a walk around the moat and the park, and allow a couple of hours if you want to see the inside of the castle. The villages around hold a quiet, rural character.