Yerevan, the capital metropolis of Armenia is commonly overshadowed by the extra touristy Georgian capital of Tbilisi to the north. Nonetheless, after spending every week in Tbilisi, I have to say that I actually liked Yerevan. Yerevan is completely underrated as a metropolis and there’s a lot vitality and vibe on this city.
It’s a really historic metropolis being one of many oldest regularly inhabited cities of the world. Located alongside the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the executive, cultural, and industrial heart of the nation. Yerevan noticed big growth and enlargement within the twentieth century as Armenia got here below Soviet rule. These days, it’s a vibrant metropolis with loads of eating places, bars, nightlife and extra.
I actually liked Yerevan due to how compact and walkable it was. Tbilisi was so sprawled out that I simply felt like I used to be taking experience hailing cabs in all places. Yerevan has a vibrant metropolis heart and life revolves round it. It’s positively grow to be certainly one of my favourite new locations. Additionally, costs in Yerevan are loopy reasonably priced!
HOw to get to Yerevan from Tbilisi
There are just a few methods to get from Tbilisi to Yerevan (and vice versa). This can be a very fashionable route for vacationers to go to the entire Caucasus international locations collectively. Right here is how one can get to Yerevan from Tbilisi:
By In a single day practice
I took the in a single day practice to Yerevan from Tbilisi metropolis. This practice experience was extremely talked upon and I actually loved it. The trains have really been upgraded lately and is nothing like the previous soviet trains that ran right here. It’s definitely nothing like my practice expertise from Belgrade to Bar Montenegro.
The trains depart every single day at 20:20 from the Tbilisi practice station. It arrives in Yerevan at round 7am within the morning. There may be no meals or water bought on this practice in any way so be certain to purchase all the things earlier than hand.
There are three lessons you possibly can e book: personal rooms (for 2 individuals), 2nd class (4 individuals to a room), and financial system which is bunk beds shared with extra individuals. I booked a firstclass personal room and there was nobody else within the room with me which was nice. I paid 170 GEL a technique for this ticket. The financial system ticket was less expensive at 100 GEL.
Be aware, that you may solely e book tickets on the practice station. You can’t e book tickets on-line for worldwide practice journey sadly. You may both e book the ticket on the Tbilisi practice station beforehand, or on the Batumi practice station beforehand. As I used to be highway tripping by means of Georgia, I used to be already in Batumi and swung by the practice station on the way in which out of the town to purchase my tickets. This saved me loads of time as I didn’t need to have to enter Tbilisi metropolis as it could have been out of the way in which.
By Bus from Yerevan to Tbilisi
There are each day buses that make the journey from Tbilisi to Yerevan on Infobus. I used to be tempted to take this route because it was really a lot sooner than the practice at solely 6 hours (in comparison with the ten hours on the practice).
Buses depart every single day each two hours from 9am to 5pm.
Learn how to get round Yerevan
Yerevan is sort of a small metropolis. The primary components of the town are all accessible by foot. From one finish of the previous city to the opposite is barely 25 minutes by foot.
For all the things else, merely use the Yandex App. This can be a experience hailing app from Russia and is utilized by everybody within the metropolis. It’s extremely low-cost and prices about 500-1000 AMD per experience. It’s ridiculous actually however I suppose you simply should get pleasure from it?
Airport from Yerevan airport to the town
To get from the Yerevan airport to the town is sort of straightforward. Merely obtain the experience hailing app Yandex. I’d advise setting this up earlier than arriving in Armenia because the airport wifi is questionable. With the App, you will get round anyplace round Yerevan.
How a lot is it from Yerevan airport to the town heart? Nicely this one will shock you. The value is between 1,500-2,000 AMD. Sure actually, that’s $3-4. That’s one of many least expensive airport switch costs I’ve seen anyplace on the earth. I don’t understand how they earn money provided that petrol prices in Armenia are close to the world averages. I didn’t even hassle taking a look at buses or trains to the town as a result of at $3-4, there’s nothing to contemplate. Even essentially the most broke backpacker on the earth will pay these costs!
Finest time of 12 months to go to Yerevan
Yerevan enjoys temperate climate 12 months spherical. It’s infact one of the crucial sunny locations on the earth getting over 300 days of solar a 12 months. The temperatures can get extremely popular within the summers (40+) and chilly however not freezing within the winter months (0-5 levels on the coldest).
Yerevan is horrible for its smog nonetheless. Being situated in a valley between mountains means the prevailing air pollution simply stays in place stopping you from seeing a lot of the town’s magnificence. My hope was to see the town of Yerevan with Mount Ararat within the background however that by no means occurred.
The place to eat and drink in Yerevan
Yerevan has no scarcity of locations to eat and drink. Armenian meals is totally scrumptious combining influences from the Caucasus, Turkish meals, Lebanese meals and the like. Being the center of the silk highway between east and west signifies that all the very best components of each tradition made it right here. The meals is totally mouthwatering.
My favourite meals right here is unquestionably the lamb BBQ with contemporary herbs served on lavash bread. This extremely skinny oven baked bread is the right vessel to scoop up your meat. As a result of it’s so gentle, you don’t really feel utterly stuffed after consuming which I liked.
Afrolab Cafe for breakfast
Definitely, Afrolab is the final word cafe in Yerevan. This can be a comparatively new cafe on the town however it’s positively essentially the most fashionable. It has lovely inside decor and a really inviting environment. The espresso is scrumptious and the breakfast choices are additionally fairly tasty. It’s positively on the pricier aspect however it’s nonetheless fairly affordable in my view.
Additionally they have a restaurant and a cocktail bar in the identical constructing as a part of the identical restaurant group.
Minas Bar
Positioned in the identical constructing and part of the identical restaurant group as Afrolabs, Minas Bar is a really elegant cocktail bars serving scrumptious drinks. The bartenders right here actually knew what they have been doing provided that there isn’t any menu in any respect. I simply informed the man I like a negroni and he made me a model with mezcal that was completely scrumptious. Costs are on the upper aspect (between 3000 and 3500AMD per drink).
Lavash Restaurant
Lavash might be essentially the most well-known restaurant in Yerevan. It has 1000’s of evaluations on Google Maps with excessive rankings. This restaurant is a part of the identical household of eating places as Sherep and presents conventional Armenian delicacies in a extra fashionable setting. Lavash is the well-known Armenian type bread and this restaurant has an on website oven making lavash for you.
I had the walnut paste which was completely scrumptious (much like hummus), and varied lamb dishes. Considered one of my favourite issues in Armenian delicacies is the choices of contemporary herbs to go along with your meat and lavash. Put your lamb meat with these herbs within the lavash bread and it’s absolute heaven.
Extremely suggest this restaurant.
Kong Cocktail Bar
For the very best cocktails on the town, look no additional than Kong Cocktail Bar. This cocktail bar is situated in an previous constructing with a really inviting inside. The bartenders right here actually know their stuff and I had a number of the tastiest cocktails with gin and mezcal in a very long time.
Costs are fairly excessive right here however properly price it for the standard in my view.
Sherep Restaurant
Sherep is probably my favourite restaurant in Yerevan. This barely upscale restaurant serves conventional Armenian delicacies in a classy setting. I obtained the hummus with lavash bread, and varied lamb meat dishes. Lamb is the meat of option to attempt in Armenia and I had no issues with that. Lamb kebab and lamb chop meat is the secret right here.
Be sure that to make a reservation right here!
Artashi Mot
Artashi Mot is a neighborhood grill home serving scrumptious grilled meats. You may see the open coal grill within the restaurant and also you select your meat. Additionally they have an enormous schawarma grill providing scrumptious roasted meats. Be sure that to get the lamb kebabs and the lamb ikibir (small cubes of meat). All the things is served in lavash bread with herbs. Very tasty and really low-cost.
Anteb Restaurant
Anteb restaurant is one other fantastic Armenian/Lebanese restaurant situated within the metropolis heart. This informal spot serves scrumptious grilled meats, hummus, and mante soup. If you wish to attempt Armenian type dumplings, that is the place to do it. It is rather completely different than the khinkali of Georgia however you have to attempt it as properly.
What to see and do in Yerevan
There aren’t too many sights to see in Yerevan I’ll be trustworthy. Town isn’t “lovely” compared to different European capitals however it has its attraction.
Strolling across the metropolis, you’ll see examples of Gothic and Soviet structure in all places. There are a variety of parks
Go to the native weekend market
The weekend Yerevan Vernissage is a big open-air market that sits alongside Aram and Buzand streets, close to the Republic Sq. metro. The market opened within the Nineteen Eighties by a bunch of native artists to show and promote their work.
The Yerevan Vernissage has grow to be so massive and fashionable that it moved from its authentic dwelling subsequent to Charles Aznavour Sq. to the place it’s right this moment. It stretches from the Republic Sq. metro station to the statue of Vardan Mamikonyan.
This can be a excellent spot to grab up a wide range of conventional Armenian artwork work, corresponding to rugs, wooden carvings, work, musical devices and jewelry. One other excellent spot to buy work is at Saryan Park.
Cascade Monument
The Cascade monument is indubitably the preferred and well-known vacationer attraction in Yerevan. It’s situated close to the northern fringe of the town heart and you’ll’t miss it.
It’s a big pyramid like construction with virtually 600 steps that’s adorned with quite a few trendy artwork sculptures. The monument was constructed throughout Soviet occasions as a option to commemorate the Armenian allegiance to the Soviet Union. The monument by no means completed attributable to corruption as the steps have been supposed to increase all the way in which as much as the victory monument.
After the autumn of the Soviet Union, more cash and work was put into finishing the monument because it was such a integral a part of the Yerevan skyline. Quite a few artwork galleries, sculptures, and gardens have been added to the combination. These days, it’s an extremely fashionable attraction in Yerevan with vacationers and locals strolling its steps soaking within the views.
Throughout good days, you possibly can see Yerevan with Mount Ararat within the background. I believe this could be completely beautiful however sadly, I couldn’t see the mountains attributable to intense smog once I visited.
Free strolling Tour
The free strolling excursions in cities are a few of my favourite actions. I like to do these excursions once I arrive simply so I can get acquainted with the town. Then I can plan the place I need to return to as I’ve a greater understanding of the town.
The free strolling tour in Yerevan is every single day at 2pm and meets on the Republic Sq.. The information was fairly informative speaking concerning the historical past of the Yerevan. He additionally went into element concerning the modern-day conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in addition to the shortage of relations between Turkey. I discovered the fashionable day issues far more fascinating because it pertains to how we stay our lives now and completely extra relatable.
Go to the Armenian Genocide Museum
The Armenian genocide museum is a kind of issues that it’s important to go to it doesn’t matter what you want doing. Just like the genocide memorial in Kigali, this museum is devoted to the Armenian genocide by the hands of the Ottoman empire.
The Armenian genocide might be one of many least recognized genocides in lease historical past. Nationalist actions within the Balkans noticed them efficiently overthrow the Ottomans on the flip of the twentieth century. This led to the Ottomans fearing the Armenians would have an analogous rebellion because the Ottoman empire was just about close to its finish. Earlier than something may really occur, the Turks compelled hundreds of thousands of Armenian girls and youngsters to stroll by means of the Syrian desert with out meals or water making certain their deaths. 1.5m Armenians have been massacred in 1915 by the hands of the Ottoman empire.
These days, Turkey and Azerbaijan nonetheless vehemently deny this genocide attributing it to only commonplace conflicts of that period. 30+ international locations around the globe acknowledge it as a genocide with the remainder of the world simply taking a impartial stance.
The memorial itself may be very spectacular. As you enter, you’ll see there’s a pine tree forest. Every tree was planted by dignitaries of nations that acknowledged the genocide. The bigger timber imply they have been planted a few years in the past with the smaller timber indicating it was not too long ago planted (and therefore extra not too long ago acknowledged).
April 24 is nationwide genocide day. In case you’re in Yerevan round this era, positively take into account visiting the memorial and paying tribute to the lives misplaced.
In any other case, the memorial is open 12 months of the 12 months and open to the general public. The museum itself is open Tuesday to Sunday and admission is free. You may rent an English talking information for 5000 AMD.
Day journey to Khor Virab, Noravank, and Wine Cellars
Yerevan is a superb metropolis that’s completely underrated however I’m not going to lie and say that there aren’t extra lovely issues that await you exterior of the town.
The countryside of Armenia is sort of lovely. There are spectacular mountain landscapes all about with monasteries and church buildings in essentially the most idyllic of locations.
Khor Virab
Khor Virap is Armenia’s most sacred monastery, situated 32km south of Yerevan on the foot of Mount Ararat. Khor Virap has been repeatedly rebuilt because the fifth century. It was a fortress and royal dungeon proper close to the traditional Armenian capital of Artashat round 180 BC. Legend says the pagan King Trdat III imprisoned St Gregory the Illuminator (Surp Grigor Lusavorich) right here for 12 years.
This was the primary cease on the day journey. The monastery is sort of lovely inside with an underground dungeon that you may go to. Nonetheless, the smog was overwhelming and sadly you couldn’t see the well-known Mount Ararat within the background that provides it such a wonderful view.
Noravank Monastery
The following cease on the day journey to Armenia’s countryside is the well-known Noravank monastery. That is most likely essentially the most beautiful and delightful church in your complete nation. It’s in actual fact, one of the crucial lovely monasteries I’ve seen anyplace on the earth.
It’s situated excessive up within the mountains enclosed by purple rock cliffs. The setting is totally beautiful reminding me of the American southwest.
This monastery was constructed within the thirteenth century and have become one of many largest non secular institutes in Armenia. There are two church buildings right here, the primary being inbuilt 1216 named St John the Baptist. The second church was inbuilt 1275 and named Surb Grigor Church.
You may take some superb photographs each in entrance of the church buildings and from afar. I particularly liked the Grigor chuch which has these slim steps main as much as the chapel.
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