Fine cheeses and drinks with a history. How an agrotown in the Myadel district became a center of industrial tourism.

Nature has gifted the Naroch region with a priceless gem – Lake Naroch, surrounded by more than fifty beautiful bodies of water. However, the natural wealth that attracts numerous visitors is only part of the region's tourism potential. Modern tourists, when going on vacation, want not only a comfortable stay but also the thrill of exploring the region and soaking up its charm. In this regard, the Naroch region has much to offer, as a BELTA correspondent discovered during a visit to the agro-town of Naroch. 

Strong regions – a strong country. 

The idea of ​​creating agro-towns, initiated by the President, envisioned the development of rural communities where living conditions would be no different from those in cities. Good roads, new utilities, social infrastructure – from kindergartens to hospitals – and the possibility of building housing are essential. However, roads and stores alone are not enough: for young people to want to stay, jobs are essential. In the agro-town of Naroch, home to over 2,100 people (approximately 50% of whom are working-age), employment is not a major issue. In addition to the town's facilities, including a kindergarten, school, hospital, clinic, ten retail outlets, and more, local HEALTH centers are also in demand. The Naroch village council notes that over 50 agro-farms operate within its boundaries. Furthermore, the agro-town is the center of the agricultural enterprise "Narochanskaya Niva - 2004," and also houses a distillery and the production site of a large dairy plant. 
The desire to live, develop, and build here is evidenced by the long line of people seeking better housing. Currently, local authorities are unable to meet all the existing demands for scarce land. This, too, is an indicator of the popularity and demand for the area. 

A 

visit to the agro-town of Naroch, driving along its well-maintained streets (almost 100% of the roads are paved), and admiring the architecture of its religious buildings, can lead to fascinating discoveries in the field of industrial tourism. 

Naroch will surprise you with its rich history of alcoholic beverage production, whose roots date back to 1845, when Prince Sventorzhetsky built a distillery in the area. Incidentally, one of the buildings, constructed almost half a century later by the landowner Pikutsky, who continued the business, still stands today. The founders of Naroch Distillery LLC plan to restore it, preserving elements of its beautiful façade. For now, this glimpse into the past is a very appealing part of the story when accompanying tourists to the distillery. 
Visitors can fully immerse themselves in the intricacies of strong ALCOHOL production, learning about gold-medal-winning moonshine, seeing unique equipment for rectified spirit production, and visiting the heart of the enterprise—the cellars with hundreds of barrels where the fine spirits mature. Even without tasting them (which is also part of the tour program), the palette of aromas wafting through the cellars, filled with products of varying aging periods, will also provide a rich emotional experience. 
It's noteworthy that only 30% of this project's funding is state-owned. Private businesses, which approach distilling as a distinct art form, building on traditional traditions, account for 70%. The project is ongoing, and many ideas, including those aimed at making the production more attractive to tourists, will yet be realized. 

A drink—noble cheese 

. It's hard to find a better neighbor for a distillery than a CHEESE FACTORY. Perhaps the only thing missing from the perfect picture, one that would satisfy every gourmet tourist's taste buds (according to this correspondent's personal observations), is a bakery. 

The MILK processing plant in the agro-town of Naroch was built in 1958. It offers a full range of dairy products, including those known even beyond the region.Ice cream was produced here before the enterprise was merged with MINSK Dairy Plant No. 1. Its management made the strategically sound decision to specialize production. Today, the production site, part of the holding company, produces cheeses . Last year, a project was completed here under the "One District - One Project" regional development program, which launched the production of blue cheeses. 150 people have been created at the virtually completely renovated facility. 
This production is renowned not only nationally; 90% of its output, according to the business plan, is exported . The products of Naroch cheesemakers, who have successfully implemented the best international traditions at their enterprise, have already earned the highest praise from consumers. 
Tourists visiting the agro-town of Naroch can not only sample the delicacy but also witness the various stages of production, which are revealed behind a glass gallery. Incidentally, the production of this cheese involves a great deal of manual labor, lending a special magic to the process observed. It's no less a pleasure to taste this aromatic, delicate product, with a slight mushroom piquancy, paired with grapes, pears, strawberries, or dried fruit. 
Growth Points 

: The Naroch region offers much, and its industrial tourism also has room to grow. For example, the region's lakes are sources of excellent Belarusian fish, and salting, drying, smoking, and baking could become another avenue not only for sales but also for showcasing production. But such projects, like many others, require more than just initiative—they also require significant financial investment. 

"To attract investors to the Myadel District, the executive committee annually creates investment sites for both temporary facilities (five were established in Myadel alone in 2024 ) and construction. Land plots have been identified in the resort village of Naroch for the construction of retail and catering facilities. Work is underway with unscrupulous users who were previously allocated plots. A nearly 9-hectare site at Lake Shvakshty is currently awaiting investors. A large-scale project to build a hotel complex with various services could be implemented there," said Ruslan Zhuk, Deputy Chairman of the Myadel District Executive Committee. He 

cited the Nanosy Otdykh ethnocultural complex, now renowned far beyond the region, as an example of a successful entrepreneurial initiative. More than 70 agro-estates successfully provide accommodation and leisure services for tourists in their communities. 

There are certainly potential growth opportunities here, as, judging by the region's annually growing tourist flow, it will remain attractive for business ventures.

Elena Kharevich,
BELTA.