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Geotour

Yerevan

Armenia · City

Getting there
About 275 km (5–6 h including the Sadakhlo–Bagratashen border) from Tbilisi on paved roads through the Debed canyon
Best time
April–June, September–October
Recommended stay
1–3 days

About Yerevan

Yerevan is the capital of Armenia, a city of pink and ochre volcanic tuff on the Hrazdan river, with Mount Ararat on the horizon across the Turkish border on clear days. It is about 275 km (5–6 h including the border) from Tbilisi. Spend a day on Republic Square, the Cascade stairway with its sculpture garden and view, the Matenadaran manuscript collection and the Genocide Memorial at Tsitsernakaberd, then use the city as a base for Garni, Geghard, Etchmiadzin, Khor Virap and Lake Sevan.

Tours Including Yerevan

See the tour

Must-See Attractions

  • Republic Square

    The oval square of pink tuff buildings designed by Tamanyan, with the National History Museum and National Gallery.

  • Cascade

    A giant stairway of terraces and fountains with the Cafesjian sculpture garden and a view of Ararat from the top.

  • Matenadaran

    The repository of ancient manuscripts, with illuminated Armenian gospels on display.

  • Tsitsernakaberd

    The Armenian Genocide Memorial and museum on a hill above the Hrazdan gorge.

  • Erebuni Fortress

    The Urartian citadel of 782 BC with a small museum.

  • Yerevan Brandy Company

    The Ararat brandy cellars, with tours and tastings.

Nearby

  • Etchmiadzin

    The mother cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church, about 20 km west (30 min).

  • Garni Temple

    The Greco-Roman style temple above a basalt gorge, about 30 km east (40 min).

  • Geghard Monastery

    A partly rock-cut monastery, UNESCO-listed, about 40 km east (50 min).

  • Khor Virap

    The monastery facing Mount Ararat, about 45 km south (50 min).

  • Lake Sevan

    The large high mountain lake with Sevanavank monastery, about 65 km (1 h).

Location40.1792° N, 44.4991° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 275 km (5–6 h including the Sadakhlo–Bagratashen border) from Tbilisi on paved roads through the Debed canyon; Zvartnots International Airport is about 12 km (20 min) from the centre.

Best time

April–June, September–October

Best time

Spring and autumn are warm and clear, with the best chance of seeing Ararat; July and August are hot and dry, often above 35 °C, and winters are cold.

Recommended stay

1–3 days

Border and passport

You cross from Georgia at Sadakhlo–Bagratashen with your passport; check the visa rules for your nationality, and we confirm them when you book.

Money

Armenia uses the Armenian dram (AMD); cards are widely accepted in Yerevan, but carry some AMD for markets and taxis.

Language

Armenian is the official language, and Russian is widely understood.

Heads-up

Many museums close one day a week; we plan around their hours.

Time needed

At least one full day in the city, plus day trips.

History & culture

Culture

Yerevan is a city of cafés, music and evening walks: fountains play on Republic Square in summer, and the weekend Vernissage market sells carpets, crafts and Soviet memorabilia. Every 24 April, huge crowds walk to the Tsitsernakaberd memorial to commemorate the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Most people speak Armenian and Russian, and younger people often speak English.

History

Yerevan traces its founding to 782 BC, when King Argishti I of Urartu built the fortress of Erebuni on a hill at the south-east edge of today's city; a cuneiform inscription records the date. Over the centuries the town was held by Persians, Arabs, Mongols and Ottomans, and it was taken by the Russian Empire in 1827. It became the capital of the first Armenian Republic in 1918 and of Soviet Armenia, when the architect Alexander Tamanyan replanned the centre around what is now Republic Square. Since 1991 it has been the capital of independent Armenia.

Local Cuisine

Try khorovats (Armenian barbecue), tolma (stuffed vine leaves), lavash baked in a tonir oven, and gata pastries, with Armenian brandy or wines from the Areni area. The covered GUM market in the centre sells dried fruit, sujukh (walnut and grape sweets) and spices.

Accommodation

A wide range: international chain hotels around Republic Square, many mid-range and boutique hotels in the walkable Kentron centre, and guesthouses and hostels. For walking, stay in Kentron between Republic Square and the Cascade.