The Prokhorovka battlefield memorial, about 60 km north of Belgorod, is the main day trip destination for anyone interested in the Battle of Kursk. The village of Prokhorovka marks the site of the largest tank engagement of 12 July 1943, where the German offensive was finally halted. The memorial complex includes a museum, open-air tank displays, and the dramatic Bell of Unity tower. The site is sobering in scale — the fields around it look utterly ordinary, which makes it more rather than less affecting.
The chalk landscape of the Belgorod region has several areas of walking interest, particularly along the Seversky Donets valley north of the city. Local buses run to some of the outlying villages, though a car gives far more flexibility.