Ijevan

Just 25 minutes north of Dilijan, Ijevan has a much different feel. More of a real town, built along a river, and less of the forested resort feel. The market along the highway is the biggest in the area, and very active. There are some really cool buildings, and nice parks and homes in town, with the river and cafes a great place to stop and enjoy the local scene. There is a Tourist Information office in town, though you shouldn't count on them having an English speaker on hand necessarily.

Minibuses run from Yerevan's northern bus station (3 hr, 1,500 dram, hourly), they pass Dilijan along their way (300-500 dram, 40 min from Ijevan). A few buses to Vanadzor (700 dram, 1.5 hr).
Shared taxi, taxi.

• Bus station

Walk, or grab a cab. One of the taxi services - Taxi "Larg" 374-263-34000.

The town is very nice to explore on foot. Some cool old Soviet architecture, from the old hotels to the chess house are quite cool. Many old homes are of a very nice traditional style, and the river is quite good aside from the litter. There is even a sculpture park, an old ferris wheel needing repairs, and a semi-abandoned botanic garden. Aside from just exploring a bit on foot, there isn't much in the way of specific sites. It's just a pleasant town with some good places to explore in the region.

• Ijevan church

• Ijevan Local Lore museumSmall ethnographic museum.

In the vicinity of town

• Makaravank Monastery

  address: Achajur Village
  The biggest monastery near Ijevan (if you count Goshavank as part of Dilijan's turf), this purple and green stone complex in the forest above the village is a popular spot for a picnic.

• Yenokavan Canyon

  phone: +374 263 3-14-65, +374 91 36-54-37 (Ijevan land line)
  address: Yenokavan Village
  This canyon is a like a time machine, where once you're past the top of the village, traces of modern life disappear. You are left with beautiful cliffs, forests, rivers, cascades, caves with deep carvings resembling Mayan or Aztec work, and a small camping area with a tree-house, a tiki-style bar, and other shelter made from the sticks and logs of the canyon. It's an awesome place where a guide will take you in, and set up your camping and food for you. Just call!

• Srveghi Monastery

  address: Srveghi Village
  This red brick monastery is covered in the Shamshadin section surrounding Berd, but it's quite close to Ijevan.

• Holy Mother of God Church

  address: Voskepar
  This 7th-century Armenian church in the ruined Azeri village of Askipari, is in Azerbaijan. Armenia now controls the territory now and the church is easily seen from the new highway, which is wholly in Armenia.

• Misc. Churches around IjevanSome smaller and less significant or impressive churches in the area include the village churches of Gandzakar and Yenokavan, the smaller monastery or Moro-Dzoro near Lusahovit, and Ijevan's own smaller new church.

• Gandzakar church

Kirants and Acharkut villages

Visiting the following monasteries can be done via Kirants and Acharkut villages, following the mud road through the lush forest along the river, you first come to the turnoff to Arakelots Monastery on your right, then to the bridge on to your left to get to Deghdznuti Monastery, then further past the bridge is Kirants Monastery. All three are well worth a visit, and combined it's an awesome day.

• Arakelots Monastery

  address: a few kilometers north of Ijevan near Kirants village
  13th-century monastery. It was abandoned after Armenian genocide of 1915 and then blown up in 1960s. Today it's no more than ruins.

• Kirants Monastery

  address: 10 kilometers southwest of Kirants village
  8th-century Armenian monastery.

• Acharkut and Kirants Valley

• Ijevan Shuka (Central Market)Great farmers market. Fresh produce, dried fruits and nuts, local homemade fruit vodkas to taste and buy.

• Ijevan Wine-brandy factory

  phone: +374 77 22-66-44
  address: 9 Yerevanyan St.
  Free wine tasting tours are possible to arrange here, but you need to call in advance. There is also a shop.

• Ijevan Dendropark

  phone: +374-94-525688
  address: 88 Usanoghakan St.

• Sculpture Park

  address: Valansi St
• Horse riding in Apaga resort (see #Sleep section)

The tourist information office sells some local handicrafts, from wood carving to small carpets. There is also a local wine factory you might be able to visit and pick up some wine from and some excellent homemade fruit vodkas called oghi that you can sample and buy at the farmers market along with preserves, dried fruit, nuts and honey.

There are a few places in town to get some food, near the market (shuka).

Same as the places to eat.

• Hotel "Otevan"

  phone: +374 77 203088
  address: 45 Yerevanyan st.
  Free WiFi, on-site bar, private parking. Rooms come with flat-screen TVs and private bathroom.

• Hotel Mosh

  phone: +374 263 35611
  address: 3 Yerevanyan st.
  8 moderately small rooms equipped with cable TV, computers and kettles. Some of the rooms have a separate seating area. Also some rooms have a private bathroom, others - only shared bathroom. There is a shared kitchen at the property. Probably, not the most perfect option.

• Guest House Anahit

  phone: +374 77 012274
  address: 4 Tavrizyan st
  Typical guest house with OK rooms that come with TV, seating area, Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are shared or private. Nicely decorated outdoor common area, fully equipped shared kitchen. Very high ratings on a booking sites.

• B&B Kamar

  phone: +374 93 191200
  address: 2 Nalbandyan St
  Simple, a bit smallish rooms are equipped with a TV, wardrobe. Hotel has a fully-equipped kitchen, luggage storage, ironing service and laundry.

• Karimar B&B

  address: 26 Tavrizyan st
  WiFi.

• Dok Hotel

  phone: +374 10 25 31 41
  address: 40 Ankakhutyan str.
  It has adjacent bar and restaurant.

• Geghetsik Rest-House

  phone: +374 263 34603, +374 263 32195, +374 93 992202
  address: Spitak Lakes territory
  This building is on a hillside, looking out over a forested landscape. It is 5 km from Ijevan. Visitors can avail themselves of the many mountain hiking trails in the area. Amenities: The bed, wardrobe, chair, cold water, heating, bathroom, toilet , TV set(in some rooms) and 2 TV sets general in the lobby, hot water is also available at certain hours.

Out of town

• Apaga Hotel

  phone: +374 77 004413
  address: Yenokavan village, Apaga Resort
  Upscale hotel located in the picturesque area near Ijevan with a superb views over nearby mountains. It consists of about ten detached houses with 22 rooms in total. Most of the rooms offer mountainous view, and all of them have private bathrooms. Hotel has sauna, restaurant, barbecue facilities, a stable with 45 horses. They organise horse riding. WiFi.

• Park Village Lastiver

  phone: +374-94-603010
  address: Lastiver, Yenokavan village
  Extremely bizarre hotel located in a forest, offering small cottages placed on top of a trees. Facilities are extremely basic (e.g. no electricity) but, hey, they literally allow you to live on a tree. Horse riding, cycling and fishing are offered by the owners.

• Mayisyan Kamurdj Hotel

  phone: +374 93 405242
  address: crossroad of highway Ijevan-Noyemberyan and Ijevan-Berd
  Surrounded by forest this hotel offers an outdoor pool, restaurant, garden, children's playground and a terrace. Big and decent rooms are all equipped with a flat-screen TV, air conditioning, refrigerator, private bathrooms.

• Milena Guest House

  phone: +374 263 3 21 01
  address: Getahovit village
  2-story house with 4 bedrooms, 8 beds, has 3 balconies with picturesque scenery.

Tourist Information office, or city hall.

• Berd - surrounding region is a hikers and bikers paradise
• Dilijan - center of Armenia's "Little Switzerland" area, and very popular place for locals to get away from the city.
• Noyemberyan - small town near the border with Georgia, featuring 2 small nearby monasteries
• Vanadzor - Armenia's 3rd largest city with Soviet industrial architecture, although it has a few nice churches