Staraya Ves

The farmstead "Staraya Ves" provides several types of services in the field of rural tourism. The farmstead features the museum of insects and apiculture, where guests get full range of services for recreation, accommodation and food in country area. Museum of insects and bee-keeping " Staraya Ves" was opened in September 2006 in a village Voronichi, Zelva region, Grodno region, in the west of Belarus. Minsk is 240 km from "Staraya Ves", Grodno is 105 km, Zelva is 7 km. There is railway station "Staraya Ves" in the village.

The museum has three expositiones. The first exhibition displays the apiary with more than 30 families of bee colony in six different designed beehives. The guests will khow how is organized the apiary, differecies between them, bee colony life, pollen collection, care of bees. The second exhibition is dedicated to the history of apiculture. Visitors learn about the history of apiculture from ancient Egypt till the present, biology and ethology (the science of animal behavior) bees. The exhibition has the tools and implements of beekeeper, different types of frames, honeycombs, industrial products of beekeeping as well as confectionery, candy, alcoholic beverages, medicine based on propolis, bee venom, cosmetics, products of the chemical and other industries. Visitors can find medicine for treatment and prevention of diseases of bees. The hosts show shelf of honey samples collected from all over the world. At the conclusion we offer a cup of tea from samovar from dried lime tree flowers or mint and taste various varieties of honey. Enormous collection of insects is the second room, it was collected by the owner of the museum for more than forty years. The exhibition has more than 3500 of specimens of insects, mostly it’s butterflies, and practically all the insects were caught in Belarus. All things in the museum have design connected with insects. It’s souvenirs, tableware, tulle, wallpaper, ceramic tile in the bathroom, lamps, books about insects and special literature, photo album, vase, watches, bedding, towels, napkins, a bottle of wine and much more. On the coffee table you can find selection of newspapers and magazines, which tell about the museum and a photo album reflecting the history of the museum.

As the hosts, as by guests themselves meal is possible. There is well-equipped kitchen with tableware.

The farmstead house has all modern conveniencies, including a shower, a toilet, hot water, also shower and WC out. The house is capable of accommodating up to 6 persons. Summer house in the garden was created to accommodate 2 people and equipped with a huge bed, a refrigerator and DVD. If necessary, an extra bed is possible. It is possible to do camping in the ground.

There are an apiary, fruit and vegetable garden. It is possible to buy here seedlings of coniferous nad ornamental garden plants. There is a sunshade, 2 portable tables, brazier and BBQ facilities. Offering three cycles and one mountain bike. The village is set on the edge of the mixed forest rich in berries and mushrooms. Zelva water reservoir is 5 km, the nearest ponds are 3.5 km away. The terrain with big changes in elevation encourages winter sports activities such as skiing.

Children's playground with swing, children's slide, inflatable pool with many toys are in the old garden in the shade of the old apple trees.

TUT.BY release recognize it as one of 15 the most unusual museums in Belarus. Many guests from Belarus, Russia (Moscow, S.Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Volgograd, Kazan, Syktyvkar, Severomorsk, Murmansk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski), Ukraine, Poland, Germany, England, Ireland , Holland, Denmark, France, the USA, Canada, all Baltic countries, Turkmenistan, China, Australia and Argentina visited this museum. Traditionally, the participants of Bike Ride by highway P-99 Baranovichi - Grodno goes 4 km away to the farmstead to spend the night. They can take a shower, rest, have dinner and sleep, also do excursion and buy souvenirs.

The Tour takes approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. If the group is big (40-45 persons), the first half can rest and enjoy tea, the other half do excursion. The hosts arrange visit to the famous fortified church in the village Synkovichi (35 km away), and Zhirovichi Holy Assupmtion monastery (45 km away) by private car or by one of the hosts's.