Yerevan

Most of tourist Yerevan is concentrated in the city centre, which very compact and easily walkable, with endless dining and entertainment options. The rest of the city is mostly sleeping or business quarters, so a typical tourist will not have much incentive to leave the centre.

• Kentron, Centre City, City Centre or Downtown - is central Yerevan, locally known as Kentron or just Kaghak (meaning 'the city'). This is the heart of Yerevan and indeed Armenia. Though Kentron's architecture is diverse, ranging from Belle Epoque to Soviet Panel blocks, the great majority of the centre is in Beaux-Arts tradition. The city centre follows Tamanyan's plan for a circular city with two hubs - grand Republic Square, and the more elegant and soft Opera district (Opera house, Freedom Square and the Swan Lake Park). The two are linked with newly constructed pedestrian-only Northern Avenue. Kentron is also home to the University City, where the campuses of State University, Medical University, Engineering University, Agricultural University, Economics University, Pedagogical and some other universities come together in one big group. Virtually all of the museums, hotels and popular places to eat and drink are in Kentron, so most visitors will probably not venture much past it.
• Barekamutyun - Meaning friendship, Barekamutyun is the area around the metro stop of the same name. This hub is home to Hayastan Hanrakhanut (department store) which is more of an indoor bazaar than an actual department store. The hub branches off to Kievyan and nearby Komitas streets.
• Monument - At the top of the Cascade steps rests the towering monument to Soviet victory in WWII. Directly adjacent is the Cafesjian Museum, which houses a large collection of contemporary art, including perhaps the best glass art collection in the world. Beyond the monument is Victory Park, and the neighborhood around it is known as Monument as well.
• Erebuni - In this district are ruins of fortress of Erebuni, founded in 782 BC by King Argishti.
• Bangladesh - Not to be confused with country in Asia! Not much to offer a tourist, the name however is worth an explanation. At the time this was one of the furthest new districts built in Yerevan, and because of the distance, locals quickly began calling it Bangladesh, which has stuck to this day. The biggest outdoor bazaar of Yerevan is located in this district.
• Nor Nork district is the last Soviet project of residential expansion of Yerevan. It consists entirely of standardised Soviet Panel blocs. However, every tourist crosses this district on the way to 'obligatory' Garni temple and Geghard monastery (as the highway to that direction is connected to the main avenue of this district). The main attraction of this district would be the statue of Gay (or Hayk) Nahapet, the legendary founder of the nation; he's depicted as a muscular half-naked man with a drawn bow, but the name has nothing to do with homosexuality (to avoid this interesting misunderstanding most often the name of the avenue and statue is Romanised as Guy).

Even though the history of Yerevan dates back to the Erebuni fortress, making it at least 2,800 years old, little remains of what was small settlement saving the excavations at Hrazdan river gorge, Erebuni, Karmir Berd and Avan. These sites have been excavated, and the artifacts found are in museums today. Being on a strategically important place Yerevan was a constant war stage for rival Ottoman, Persian and Russian Empires. It has been repeatedly ruined by those wars or natural disasters (e.g. an earthquake in 17th century almost entirely destroyed the town). Few buildings of the old Erivan survived to the present-day Yerevan.
At the time of Armenia's independence in 1918, when Yerevan was made the capital of an independent Armenia, Yerevan was a town of just 20,000. Large scale construction began, which took a more holistic approach under the new city plan laid out by Alexander Tamanyan. The plan involved the demolition of much of what existed, in favor of concentric circles, parks, and taller structures. He planned for Yerevan to become a metropolis of 200,000 people.

Read

Michael Arlen, Passage to Ararat, an autobiographical account of an American-Armenian's first visit to Soviet Armenia.

People

Yerevan is a very ethnically homogeneous city, though tiny Yezidi and Molokan (Russian) minorities exist. Because the population of the city was only 20,000 a century ago, the vast majority of the Armenians are immigrants themselves, from all over the world. From the villages and towns of Armenia, from Tbilisi which was the centre of Eastern Armenian culture before 1918, from Western Armenia as genocide survivors poured in, and even from the middle east and Europe in a large, post-World War II wave of immigration. Since independence, the city has become the heart of the entire Armenian world, as the divisive communist governments demise has allowed the Diaspora – larger in number than the population of Armenia itself, to embrace the city as its own.

Religion

Many visitors will be surprised to know that Armenia is not just an outcrop of Christianity in the Caucasus, but it is the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion. The king declared Christianity the state religion in 301 AD. Christianity has been uninterruptedly practiced in Armenia ever since in its own traditions.
The Armenian Apostolic Church, or just Apostolic Church, is the National Church of Armenia. It is very traditional; in practices (but not history) is similar to Orthodox and Catholic movements, and to the Reformed Churches, e.g. the Church of England. At the same time the Armenian Apostolic Church has some strikingly different practices, like allowing animal sacrifices or celebrating Christmas on January 6 along with Theophany.
The great majority of Armenians identify themselves as Apostolic Christians and have their own Catholicos (religious leader, like the Pope for Catholics). Today, the vast majority of Armenians do not attend church each Sunday, with visits revolving around weddings and baptisms, or occasionally dropping in to light a candle. Soviet restructuring of the city left Yerevan with very few churches: though many new ones have been built, and old ones rehabilitated, since independence.
The Protestant (Evangelical) Armenians are rather few in number and have only one church on Nar-Dos street.
Anglican (Episcopal) Christians congregate at (Armenian Apostolic) Surb Zoravor church for Sunday Eucharist.
Orthodox Christians maintain one church in Kanaker district of Yerevan. A new, large-scale, onion-domed Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Cross is under construction at Yerevan Lake district, visible from the highway coming from the airport. However, this will have mostly symbolic structure as the Orthodox Christians are very few in number.
Yezidi (a religious and ethnic minority in Armenia) religious rituals, as most of that religion, are kept secret, so their practices cannot be observed by outsiders. The largest Yezidi temple in the world is under construction in a village outside of Yerevan.
Muslims are steadily growing in numbers since the collapse of the Soviet Union, fueled by Iranian immigration. There is one mosque on Mashtots Ave.
Many Christian sects are also present in Yerevan, and they congregate in schools, sport clubs, concert halls and the like.

Climate

With a semi-arid climate, Yerevan experiences long hot summers, and cold snowy winters, both with little precipitation. The winter is not a good time to visit Yerevan, due to icy sidewalks and smoky restaurants, any other time of year is worth a visit. Spring offers mild but sometimes wet weather, and lots of green hills and wildflowers. Summer is very hot, but the long, late nights at the cafes, and the fruits and vegetables are amazing. Autumn is the most popular, with perfect weather, and great farm fresh foods.

Tourist office

• Tourist office

• Tourist office

Checkout the tourism magazine for useful information: https://www.yerevan.am/en/tourism-magazines-of-yerevan/

By plane

• Zvartnots International Airport

  phone: +374 10 493000
  This is the main gateway to Armenia, with direct flights to Athens, Beirut, Berlin, Dubai, Istanbul, Kiev, Minsk, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Qatar, Riga, St Petersburg, Tbilisi, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Vienna and Warsaw. No domestic flights, as the country is too small.
  The airport is small, with relatively few flights, so navigating it is simple. Free Wi-Fi access is available in the departure terminal. On arrival there's a currency exchange before passport control, then another in Arrivals: both are good value with only a 3% spread between "buy" and "sell" for major currencies, the same as downtown exchanges. Several decent cafes, ATMs, bank and post branches are all available at the 1st and 2nd floors of the airport. There's a tourist information desk and a touch screen information stand in Arrivals.

Getting there/away:

• Marshrutka 18 runs to the airport from Yeritasardakan bus stop, in front of SAS Supermarket. The cost is 200-250 dram.
• A taxi costs 5,000 dram. The official provider is "Airport Services" (+374 98 828200, +374 10 595900, +374 60 430000), and they have a booking desk in Arrivals. There are also people who will ask you if you need a taxi as you exit the terminal. They will often offer a better price (about half price) than the official taxi as they have already dropped off a passenger and are looking for any possible fare back—though you will have to walk a bit further to get to their cab. However, if they try to charge you anything more than the agreed price at the end, claiming a misunderstanding or anything else, absolutely refuse and threaten to call the police. They will accept the agreed price. Also, see the warning at #By taxi.
• Yandex.Taxi (ride service app) offers competitive and honest prices, from about 1,400 dram (Oct 2017). Also, gg operates in Armenia, but Uber and Bolt are not available.
• In 2017, a new shuttle service was started, conducting regular round trips between Zvartnots Airport and downtown Yerevan. A bus leaves every half hour between 07:00 and 22:00, and every hour between 22:30 and 07:00. Operated by Elitebus, a one-way fare costs 300 dram and the bus makes stops in downtown Yerevan where passengers can board or disembark at Yeritasarkadan Metro, the Abovyan and Sayat-Nova street intersection, Republic Square, Amiryan Street, and Mashtots Avenue. (See also shuttle bus entry in 'FAQ' on airport website.)

By train

• Yerevan Train Station

  address: Tigran Mets Avenue
  This is a Neoclassical building, a small-scale version of the Stalinist "wedding cake" skyscrapers such as Moscow State University, with a red star twinkling from its spire. The building, square and statue are impressive, but with so few trains the station is often ghostly quiet. The station includes the 'Museum of Railway Transport of Armenia'.

Yerevan is the hub of Armenia's small domestic rail system, with services once a day to Armavir (1 hr), Ararat (70 mins) and Gyumri (3 hr, plus a faster train F-Su). These, plus the Tbilisi train, also serve intermediate stations such as Echmiadzin and Vanadzor, but are seldom a good way of getting there. Passenger trains to Sevan and Dilijan have been axed. See the online timetable - timetables at stations are only in Armenian script.
An international overnight train runs between Tbilisi and Yerevan, taking 11-12 hr—see Tbilisi#By train for all the details.

By bus or marshrutka

Marshrutkas (aka minibus aka converted delivery van) are the chief mode of transport within Armenia and internationally.

• Central Bus Station

  phone: +374 10 565370
  address: Tsovakal Isakovi Ave, 6 Building
  Marshrutkas from here run north to Echmiadzin, Gyumri, Vanadzor and Tbilisi, east to Stepanakert in Nagorno-Karabakh, and southeast to Sisian, Goris, Kapan and Meghri near the border crossing for Iran. Local services ply to the airport, Zvartnots town and Echmiadzin.

• Northern Bus StationNorthern towns such as Sevan and Dilijan are served by this station. It's quite a way out, and if you're trying to reach Sevanvank and other Sevan Lake churches, they are a further taxi ride from Sevan. The station building is huge and empty, a gaunt mausoleum to the Soviet era

• Gai Bus Station

  address: Gai Ave
  Buses to Garni, Goght and Geghard run from here. It's just an open square.

• Southern Bus StationServes destinations south like Khor Virap (bus 452, 467, 468 ... 300-400 dram), Artashat, Ararat, and Vedi.

Specific destinations:

• Tbilisi, Georgia – Some five or six marshrutkas run daily, taking 5-6 hr (via Vanadzor & Debed Canyon) and costing 6,500 dram or 35 lari. They depart in the morning to a very approximate timetable, setting off when full or when the driver so pleases, with the last departure around 13:00. Change in Tbilisi for destinations across Georgia, Turkey and (if you're sure of your welcome) Azerbaijan—these no longer have any direct services to Yerevan.
• Iran – There are regular buses. You can get dropped off in Tabriz or Tehran. Tickets can be purchased at Tatev Travel, and other places.

By car

The usual approach by road is from Tbilisi, Georgia. Follow Highway 6 / 7 south for an hour to Sadakhlo / Bagratashen border post, then continue on M6 winding up the beautiful Debed Canyon (great hiking and fantastic string of monasteries, a couple of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites) to Vanadzor then over the plateau to Yerevan. Reckon 5 hours: the canyon road is being completely rebuilt and widened. It's a much better road after Alaverdi. (Just beyond Bagratashen, another road branches east, close to the Azerbaijan border. Seek local advice before attempting this road, as there are occasional exchanges of gunfire across that border.)
You can also cross between Georgia and Armenia at Gogavan / Guguti and Bavra / Ninotsminda: these routes are trouble-free.
The other approach is from Iran, crossing at Nordooz / Agarak. From there it's a six hour drive to Yerevan: interesting places along the way are Meghri, Kapan, Goris, and Sisian.
Do not even think of trying to cross into Armenia by road direct from Turkey or from Azerbaijan.

On foot

The center of Yerevan is compact and easy to get around by foot. Watch your step, however, as construction sites, potholes and aggressive drivers abound. Cross the street only at designated spots and be careful of distracted or aggressive drivers who do not yield the right of way to pedestrians.

By metro

The metro system in Yerevan is quite reliable and modern, having been built in the early 1980s. It is the quickest way around town, and at 100 dram, the cheapest aside from walking. Tickets are not issued, you buy plastic tokens and use these to operate the entry turnstiles. But it's underused, as most citizens find buses more convenient.

The metro is a single J-shaped line covering 12 km. Trains run every five minutes from 06:30 until 23:00: platform indicators count up, from 00:00 when the previous train departed. Due to Yerevan's uneven landscape, the stations are mostly very deep, but sometimes the line runs overground. As with other ex-Soviet metro systems, stations are elaborately decorated, blending Armenian national motifs with late-Soviet architecture. Photography is not allowed. Plans to build two further lines (forming a triangle, like Budapest) have so far come to nothing.
The metro stations from north to south are:

• Barekamutyun

  address: Marshal Baghramyan Ave

• Marshal Baghramyan

  address: Marshal Baghramyan Ave

• Yeritasardakan

  address: Isahakyan St

• Hanrapetutyan Hraparak

  address: Republic Square

• Zoravar Andranik

  address: Tigran Mets Ave

• Sasuntsi David

  address: Sevan St

• Gortsaranayin

  address: Street Bagratuniats near to intersection of Arshakuniats Arshakuniats Ave

• Shengavit

  address: 9th St

• Garegin Nzhdeh

  address: Garegin Nzhdeh Square,

By marshrutka

More than a hundred marshrutkas routes criss-cross the city and travel to the suburbs and beyond (such as to Georgia or Karabagh). At 100 dram a ride in Yerevan, they are a bargain. The marshrutkas are often overcrowded, and you may find yourself standing, crouched without a seat during rush hour. The route number is displayed prominently in the window, along with Armenian text listing the major landmarks and streets of the route. The Opera (ՕՊԵՐԱ) is an easy Armenian word to recognize on these signs, and is the main crossing point of many of the lines. When you want to get off, you should say “kangnek” or “ijnokh ka” for the driver to hear, or else, just say “stop” in English. The numbers of the marshrutkas are written on the bus stations though and the webpage of the tourist information has the whole list with destinations. Pay when leaving a marshrutka.

• Transport for ArmeniaAn amazing journey planner website and non-government project run by volunteers to improve public transport, both for Yerevan as well as the rest of the country. Since this service is also available in English and Russian, this website is not just great for locals but travellers likewise. They also have all the prices available. FB .

By bus or trolleybus

Yerevan also has trolley and regular bus lines, operated by "Yergortrans." The fare is very inexpensive (50 dram for trolley and 100 dram for regular bus) and the vehicles are not too crowded. Pay when leaving a bus.
Checkout the Transport for Armenia journey planner, as described above. Also, there is Yerevan Routes for iPhone, which does not give you exact bus schedule but has all the bus, trolley, and marshrutka routes: app.

By taxi

Abundant throughout the city, a taxi anywhere within the center should not cost more than 600-1,000 dram. Almost all taxis with company names on the sides have meters, and prices tend to be competitive among taxi companies. To flag an empty one down on the street, just hold your arm out and pat your hand in the air, if they’re free they’ll stop. Taxis without a logo on the side tend to charge more, and may to try to get more out of foreigners. To avoid being ripped off, either call a taxi from a big company or head for the most modern looking ones which usually have a meter. Make sure that the driver switches it on when you start and politely remind him to do so if he has "forgotten" it. If taxi has meter and the driver hasn't turned it on, in most cases passenger can not pay for the trip. Carry some coins to prevent the drivers from telling you that they have no change on them. Standard price is a minimum of 500 dram for the first 5 km and 100 dram for every further km. A car and driver can easily be rented for day trip outside of Yerevan, for as little as US$20 plus fuel.
The local Uber is called gg (yes, lower case; you'll see the black-on-white stickers in the rear windows all over the city); it does require an Armenian or Georgian SIM card to register, but if you have it (or have a friend who has it), trips within the center are charged a flat rate of 600 dram.

By car

Possible, but largely pointless - taxis being so cheap. If, however, you are renting for side trips to the countryside, but are based in the city, take note of the local driving habits. The residents are not aggressive (if you don't count black Mercedes SUVs with Russian plates - these are downright crazy), but not accommodating either. You'll be calmly cut off or overtaken; prepare for turns and lane changes in advance. Police are very thorough; they patrol the center constantly, with flashing lights but no sirens, and pounce when they see a violation (such as crossing a solid line). Traffic jams occur because everyone rushes onto the intersection on green, are then stuck there as the light turns, and then the crossing traffic repeats the same exercise.
Parking in the center is mostly paid (except nights and weekends), but not particularly tight; there are clear instructions in English on the parking columns, but do yourself a favor and buy a weekly pass at the rental agency - at only 1,000 dram, it's a ridiculous bargain (your plate number is then entered into the database and the meter maids check against it). The curbside parking may be at a premium in some places and at certain times; nearby establishments then commandeer the portions of the road out front, and a semi-official-looking "assistant" in a reflective vest might be waving you into a spot if he sees you intending to park there. Accept the offer; the payment for the services is not expected until you depart, and then for the 100 dram coin he will venture out into the traffic and stop it, allowing you to safely back up and drive away.

Churches

Churches in Yerevan are open from early morning till very late evening. There is no entrance fee ever charged. If you manage to find the priest you can ask him to bless you and any object (of non-violent usage) that belongs to you (including friendship and other relationships).

• Katoghike

  address: corner of Sayat-Nova Ave. and Abovian St
  The oldest surviving church of Yerevan. It is a tiny structure constructed in typical Armenian style. Katoghike means "cathedral"; the reason for the incongruity is that the present-day church, dating from XIII century, was incorporated whole into the XVII century basilica - but that one was pulled down in 1936. In 2015, the Catholicos consecrated the large white-and-pink Surp Anna church that is now adjoining Katoghike.

• Katoghike Tsiranavor Church of AvanThis is the city's oldest surviving church, which was completed in the 6th century.

• St Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral

  address: Yervand Kochar St
  Completed in 2001 to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of Armenia as a Christian nation. The holy relics of St Gregory the Armenian were given back to the Armenian Church by the Vatican in 2001 and placed in this cathedral. The building is a megalomaniacal exaggeration of traditional Armenian Church Architecture. As opposed to all other churches in Yerevan (and Armenia) the cathedral is full of light and does not carry any stand for candles. The candle-house is a separate structure next door. However, the complex is vastly and visibly unfinished.

• Saint Sarkis Cathedral

  address: Israyelyan street
  From the Victory Bridge (or alternatively the Brandy Factory building) there is a beautiful view on the church and surroundings (structures of different shades constructed in immediate proximity to the church during the Soviet years of forced secularisation). The church is always crowded. Usually there are also many young people as St Sargis (or St Sergius in Western churches) is the patron saint of young people and of lovers.

• St Astvatsatsin of Nork

  address: Nork-Marash (Նորք-Մարաշ) administrative district, near to Olimpos Educational Complex
  This is the replica of a beautiful 18th-century St Holy Mother of God (Sb Astvatsatsin in Armenian) church destroyed during the Soviet years of forced secularisation. Because of the sudden death of the benefactor the church complex was never finished.

• St John The Baptist Church

  address: Saint Hovhanes Street

Landmarks

• Erebuni Fortress

  phone: +374 10 432661
  address: Erebuni St.(Էրեբունի փող), 38
  The excavations, recreations and museum of the nearly 3,000-year-old fortress that established Yerevan. Fairly well- (and maybe the best-) preserved fortress of Urartian Period in Armenia.

• Republic SquareThe city's main square is a grand example of Soviet public architecture. The early buildings (the Houses of Government, the Ministry of Communications and the Marriott Hotel) are Neo-Classical with Armenian hints. The later buildings (the Foreign Ministry and Art Gallery) are Modernist imitations.
  Within the square, the Singing Fountains perform most evenings April-Oct, dancing and frothing to classical and contemporary music. In Oct 2018 the city mourned the passing of Charles Aznavour with impromptu shrines, images and sound tracks here and elsewhere: the Singing Fountains danced pretty much the same to his best-known tunes as they'd previously done to Rossini's or Sinatra's.

• Northern AvenueImpossible to miss, this pedestrian avenue was opened in 2008 connecting Opera with Republic Square, the two hubs of central Yerevan. It's a post-modern response to post-World War II Soviet Yerevan architecture. It is emerging as the shopping district, together with Sayat-Nova ave., Terian st., Tumanian st. and Abovian st.

• Abovian street

  address: Kentron district
  It's home to very few remaining Belle Époque period structures of Republican Armenia. Some gems of Art Nouveau, early Modern (constructivist and the like), and Moorish Revival style can be found in the backyards of Abovian, Nalbandian and Hanrapetutian streets. Most often they are in a very poor condition due to neglect. Hanrapetutian st. might get a special attention if you are not time constrained.

• Freedom (or Theatrical) SquareNorth side of the square is the Opera House, followed by a park full of open air cafés on the eest, from south it borders the Northern Avenue, and on the east the square slowly transforms into park with Swan Lake.

• Mashtots avenue

  address: Mashtots Ave
  It's the 8-lane highway of the city which somehow also accommodates a pedestrian zones on the sides (result of standard Soviet planning of main 'Prospekts'). It is overly noisy because of the heavy traffic (mostly unorganised public transportation) but the parts close to The Opera is a favourite hangout place for the locals. There are three buildings on the avenue which are well worth attention - Matenadaran, the covered market (the interior is now a modern supermarket and mall, but the highly-decorated original exterior survives) and Blue Mosque.

• MatenadaranHouses the world's largest collection of Armenian illuminated manuscripts, and one of the largest such collections of any kind in the world. A display room has a sampling of some of the finest works, and the additional cost of the guided tour is worthwhile. The building is dug into the hill and can withstand a nuclear attack. The white stone statue in front is of Mesrop Mashtots, teaching the Armenian alphabet, his invention, to a rapt disciple (Koryun, Armenia's first historian and biographer), and looking down at the street of his name.

• Yerevan Metro

• Cascades, Sculpture Park and Cafesjian Museum

  phone: +374 10 541932
  address: 10 Tamanyan Street
  The Sculpture Park is a small green zone in the immediate North of the Opera. Sculptures from Botero and other artists of international fame decorate the park. The park is part of Cafesjian Museum - the Armenian version of Guggenheim. The main part of the museum is in the Cascades - an Art Deco version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon stretching nearly the height of the Empire State Building. It's a massive white stairway up a hillside of central Yerevan, decorated with green stretches, fountains and waterfalls. Higher level of the Cascades give a spectacular view of Mount Ararat and panorama of central Yerevan with its hilariously multi-colour roofs. The first floor and the bookstore of the museum as well as the indoor escalators to the top of the Cascades are free of charge.

Museums

• Aram Khachaturyan House Museum

  phone: +374 10 589418
  address: 3 Zarobyan St.

• The National Art Gallery

  address: Republic Square
  Located in the same building as the History Museum of Armenia. Features several floors full of mostly paintings, organized by their country of origin. The Armenian collection is the best and of very high quality, the Russian is quite good (Kandinsky, Serov, Chagall), and art lovers will enjoy the European collection as well.

• History Museum of Armenia

  phone: +374 10 520691
  address: 4 Republic Square
  A roundup of the nation's history from early settlements to the twentieth century. Lots of archaeological exhibits and pieces of art give an impression of each period. If you would like to move along the timeline then start at the top of the building. The early periods are amply annotated, but the English (and Russian) tags thin out considerably by mid-XIX century, reappear in the exhibit dedicated to the Great Catastrophe of 1915 (though it's very disturbing even without a single word), and are missing completely for the Soviet era, so if you're interested in the more modern history of the country and don't speak Armenian, a guided tour may be advisable. A "strictly no photography" policy applies.

• Cafesjian Museum of Modern Art

  phone: +374 10 541932
  address: 3 Tamanyan St.
  A modern art museum, house to the collection of Gerard Cafesjian. It has Arshile Gorky, Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall and other big names on display. The collection is very rich in Glass Art, has many pieces of Libenský-Brychtová couple, including specially made 'For Armenia' series. A separate floor is devoted to Swarovski Chandelier collection. Entry can be made at any level, but the pay desk, information, shop and facilities are at the bottom.

• The Yerevan History Museum

  phone: +374 10 568109
  address: 1/1 Argishti Street
  Presents all periods of the life in Yerevan starting from paleolithic settlements (50,000 years) to modern days. Ancient maps and the pictures of the lost city, pre-Soviet Erivan, are of special interest. Lift and sloping floors for people who use wheelchairs.

• Contemporary Art Museum

  address: Martiros Saryan St

• Erebuni Museum of History

  address: 38 Erebuni St,
  The museum stands at the foot of the Arin Berd hill, on top of which the Urartian Fortress Erebouni has stood since 782 BCE. The City-Fortress was excavated, some parts of the structure were reinforced and restored, and the fortress was turned into an outdoor museum. The city was built by Argishti I the King of Urartu in 782 BCE. The temple of God Khaldi occupied an important place in the fortress. The walls of the temple were decorated with numerous frescos. The museum houses 12,235 exhibits. It has two branches in Shengavit and Karmir Blur with 5,288 and 1,620 exhibits respectively in stock.

• Parajanov Museum

  phone: +374 10 538473
  address: 15&16 Dzoragyugh 1st st.
  The House-Museum of Sergei Parajanov, a famous Soviet film director. The museum is best known for special Parajanov collages and art that everybody loves and enjoys. It is equally highly appreciated by children, teenage and most demanding art critic. Many highest level official informal meetings are conducted here. It is a must-see!

• Martiros Saryan House-Museum

  phone: +374 10 58 05 68
  address: 3 Martiros Saryan St
  If you are a lover of bright colours and enjoy Impressionist art then the House Museum of Martiros Saryan is a place for you. It's a 3-floor structure, designed by the artist and built during his lifetime, both as his home and a house for his heritage after his death.

• Armenian Genocide Memorial (Genocide Museum & Tsitsernakaberd Monument)

  address: Tsitsernakaberd hill
  An austere monument & museum commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The permanent collection documents the 19th C community, then its ruthless destruction circa 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.
  Tsitsernakaberd (meaning "Fortress of Swallows") is probably best reached by taxi. Walking from town, follow Athens St past the Hrazdan Stadium to Brazil Square roundabout, where a little lane branches north up the hill.

• Museum of Woodwork

  address: Paronyan 2
  Houses some artifacts of Armenian historical wood carving culture (doors, furniture and the like), and wood-based sculptures by modern day artists.

• Hovhannes Tumanyan Museum

  phone: +374 10 560021
  address: 40 Moskovyan Street
  Dedicated to renowned prominent thinker, writer, poet, fabulist and humanist Hovhannes Toumanian, with 18,000 exhibited items. Rooms of the Apartment are: Study Room, Guest Room, Dining Room, Children’s Room, Nvard Toumanian’s Room, Balcony, Olga’s Room,

• Armenian Railways Museum

  phone: +374-60-463444 , +374-99-400128 (mobile)
  address: Yerevan Railway Station, Armenia, 0005, Yerevan Sasuntsi Davti Sq.
  Presents the history of the Armenian railway, from 1895. Exhibits are labelled in Armenian and Russian, but not English. Several large exhibits are in an adjacent garden, accessible from the museum. A steam locomotive and carriage stand in the station, and are accessed by crossing the tracks at the Yerevan end of the platforms.

• Eduard Isabekyan Gallery

  address: Mashtots Avenue, 7a
  Small but good art museum, commemorating the eponymous artist. Housed in an interesting round building in Brutalist style.

• Ervand Kochar Museum

  address: Mesrop Mashtots Avenue 39/12, Yerevan, Armenia
  Small museum dedicated to the eponymous sculptor and artist.

Fountains

• Fountain of David of Sasun

  address: Tigran Mets Ave
  Built in 1948, around 460 m².

• Zodiac Fountain of Aznavour Square

  address: Charles Aznavour Square

• Fountains of Saryan Post ParkTons of fountains - including a huge splash pad that kids love to run through in the summer.

• 2,750 fountains of Shahumyan ParkWhen Yerevan celebrated it's 2,750th birthday, this park opened a water feature with a fountain for each year of Yerevan's history.

• Singing FountainsThe big fountains of Republic Square with a music, light and of course dancing water show every evening.

• Sunken FountainAt the foot of the Cascade complex, which itself has many fountains, this sunken fountain with lots of seating is one of Yerevan's coolest spots to escape the heat of summer.

Other

• The Ararat Cognac Factory

  phone: +374 10 547048
  address: 9 Argishti St, 9 Admiral Isakov ave
  The oldest factory in Armenia. Offers tours and tasting, but the people there are very uptight and the place is overrun by tourists.

• Levon's Divine Underground

  address: Village Arinj 5th St, 9
  Levon Arakelyan's wife asked him to dig a potato storage cellar, but instead of this he created a complex structure of stairs, corridors and rooms inside a rock. It took him 23 years to do this until he died in 2007. His wife now organises excursions showing these undergrounds.

• Mother Armenia

  address: Victory Park, Saralanj Ave
  Erected in 1967, replacing the monumental statue of Joseph Stalin.

• National Assembly of Armenia

  address: Baghramyan Ave. 24
  Parliament building.

• Yerevan City Hall

  address: Argishti St., 1

• Walk of Fame

  address: Charles Aznavour Square
  Stars, embedded in the pavement, commemorating twelve Armenian actors and musicians.

• Hrazdan Gorge partyingVisit one of the themed restaurants in the Hrazdan Gorge to see the locals partying. The food does not tend to venture far from barbecue and crayfish, but it is usually good barbecue, and the prices range from very reasonable to the unreasonable. Check the prices on the hard liquor and wines before ordering a bottle if you’re price sensitive.

• Climb the Cascades(or - before 20:00 - take the escalators inside the art gallery, stepping outside at each level) one evening for the great views of the city and Mt. Ararat, then head across the street to the amusement park inside Victory Park for some cotton candy and a ride on the rickety Ferris wheel.

• Catch a concert

  address: multiple
  on the Cascades or the Lover's Park, and an art exhibition at Swan Lake park or Lover's Park.

• Water park "AquaWorld"

  phone: +374 10 638998
  address: 40 Myasnikyan Ave
  A water park popular with the locals in the summers, it consists of a big open-air water park and a much smaller indoor one. Anybody can cool down there as in total it offers 7 outdoor and 3 indoor pools. There are also wall-climbing facilities. During winter time, the largest pool of the park is turned into an ice skating rink.

• Yerevan Zoo

  phone: +374 10 562362
  address: Myasnikyan St., 20
  Zoo is home to about 3,000 animals mainly representing South Caucasus and Armenia: bears, goats, snakes, Armenian mouflon and black vultures. Also from other parts of the world: lions, tigers, hyenas and an Asian elephants. It was upgraded and renovated to the modern standards back in 2014.
• Watch football ie soccer. Yerevan is home to seven of the nine teams in the Premier League, the top tier of Armenian football, so there's sure to be a game in town during the winter season. The likeliest to be involved in European fixtures is FC Alashkert. They play at the 6850-capacity Alashkert Stadium, which they share with FC Ararat Yerevan; it's 3 km west of the centre off the road to the airport.

• Spartak Stadium

  address: Agatangeghos St
  This is a mixed-use sports & athletics stadium just south of city centre.
• Medical procedures. Yerevan offers some world-class medical treatments for fraction of the price in the west. The most common are heart surgeries, fertility treatments, nose jobs, hair removal and laser eye surgery.

Parks

• Botanical garden of YerevanThe collection includes more than 200 species of endemic, rare and declining plants. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union due to insufficient funds the condition of the park started declining and now it needs a lot of improvements.

• Czerny Fountain ParkPopular among the locals

• Children's Railway Park

  address: Hrazdan Gorge

• Children's Park

  address: Kentron
  Yet another beautiful remnant of Soviet urban planning in Yerevan. The park, opened in 1937, is situated in a gorgeous canyon of Hrazdan river and features a children's railway. Though the park and the railway still function, most of the infrastructure is horribly deteriorated. On the other hand the deterioration gives the feeling of a 'ghost park from a fairy tale' even though it is always populated. To find it you will need directions from a local.

• Circular park

• English park

  address: Alek Manukyan St

• Park of Komitas Pantheon

  address: Arshakunyats Avenue

• Lover's Park

  phone: +374 10 224437
  address: Marshal Baghramyan Ave., ~21
  The oldest park of Yerevan. Renovated in tradition of Japanese landscaping with Armenian spirit. It often hosts open air art exhibitions and concerts. It is best reached by metro, station 'Marshal Baghramian' - perhaps the most underused building and allegedly the best in Modernist style.

• Lyon Park

  address: Argishti, Sasuntsi Davit St

• Oghakadzev park

  address: Khanjyan str

• Opera park

  address: Mesrop Mashtots Ave
  Spend a late night at a café in the Opera park, and outside the Melody Café for some of the best people watching in Yerevan.

• Paplavok ParkChill out in Yerevan Green Belt.

• Saryan Park

  address: France square
  A triangular park with a statue of the painter Martiros Saryan is where painters gather to sell their work. Many more on the weekend than on weekdays.

• The Swan Lake park

  address: Teryan St and Tumanyan St
  ends with the controversial statue of the composer Arno Babajanyan, which already was majorly reshaped twice during the first year of its placement. The Swan Lake park usually hosts various open air art exhibitions. Ice-skate with many locals at the Swan Lake (next to the Opera House) during winter months.

• Tumanyan parkPart of its the Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies.

• Yerevan reservoir

  address: Admiral Isakov ave.
  Built in 1963, total area is 57.45 ha.

• Victory Park- Amusement park. Features a huge monument of Mother Armenia as well as some Soviet military equipment on display. Very nice view of the city centre.

Theaters

• The Opera HouseThe building is perhaps modeled after SemperOper of Dresden, however it is supposed to be double as beautiful as the Yerevan building is two sided: One side (entrance from the Theatrical/Freedom square) is home to Opera and Ballet Theatre, while the street side houses the Khachaturian Concert Hall. For music fans, attend cheap and excellent performances at the Opera or the Chamber Music Orchestra. If a national dance group is performing, don’t miss it.

• Moscow theatre

  address: Abovyan St

• Sundukyan State Academic Theatre

• Yerevan Circus

Events

• Vardavar is the pagan holiday of water (now a church holiday). It is a summertime movable feast that is mostly enjoyed by virtually everyone, grown and child alike: litres of water is poured on everyone by everyone. Some parks have administered events.
• Trndez is the pagan holiday of fire (a church holiday). It is observed on the February 13. Huge bonfire can be observed in each courtyard with people merrily singing around, youngsters jumping over and the like.

• Yerevan BirthdayYerevan is celebrated on the second Saturday of each October. That's usually a huge event, with central Yerevan being pedestrian only: many stages all over the city for theatrical or music (usually thematic - ethnic minorities, folk, jazz, rock, pop and classics) performances with a culmination on Republic Square. The festival is centered around the Erebuni fortress, since it is the cradle of Yerevan. It is hard though to find out the exact dates for the festival, 2019 seems to be Oct 19th, celebrating year 2801. 2020 will be year 2802.

• Golden ApricotA fairly well-established international film festival, usually held in July. Armenians take pride in it.

• ReAnimaniaAn emerging international animated film festival held in autumn.

Itineraries

Most of the sights in Yerevan are concentrated in the centre, which is very walkable. Spending a few days visiting the major sights should be enough time, and try to get in a trip to Vernissage flea market on the weekend. Also there are number of day trips can be done from Yerevan.

Diaspora Armenians may obtain a residency permit to live and work in Armenia without a problem. A 10-year visa/permit for US$350 is available, or for those with the right paperwork, citizenship can be had for free. Non-Armenians should have an invitation, or establish a business to get a work/business visa.
Volunteering in Armenia may be a suitable for those wanting the experience. Armenian Volunteer Corps can organize a volunteer placement and visa for you.
For those of ethnic Armenian descent, there are programs such as Birthright Armenia, which will pay for your trip if you participate in their program.
Tutoring in English is always an option for native English speakers. Demand to learn, and practice, English conversation is high.

• Utopianlab- A coworking space in central Yerevan, convenient to meet local, mainly IT people.
• Impact Hub - A coworking space in central Yerevan. A number of organizations are also based out of this space.

The Loft and Aeon are decent spaces to work out of during the day with wifi. They have wifi and pay by the hour, with free drinks and snacks. The people do tend to be younger though, especially in the evenings, and not everyone goes to work, so they aren't the perfect fit for everyone.

Markets

• Yerevan Metro
• Yerevan Metro

• Yerevan Metro

Malls

• Dalma Garden Mall

  phone: +374 60 461111
  address: 3 Tsitsernakaberd Hwy
  Western-style indoor mall with food court and movie theater.

• Yerevan Mall

  phone: +374-11 888 888
  address: 34/3 Arshakunyats Blvd.
  Western-style indoor mall with food court, movie theater and play area. Anchored by Carrefour.

Souvenirs

• Armenian brandy (locally called Cognac as well) is considered one of the world's finest brandies and is accordingly a popular gift to take home for tourists. It was actually Winston Churchill's brandy of choice. There are many stores within central Yerevan centre devoted solely to brandy from the Ararat Cognac Factory; the airport is also a good place to stock up at duty free. As a rule, the more aged the brandy, the more refined the taste and the more expensive. But regardless the series of brandy, in Yerevan it will be an excellent value.
• Armenian rugs, new and old are popular. New carpets can be purchased at the Mergeryan Rug Factory for a good price. More upscale is the international brand “Tufenkian Carpets”, with a shop on Tumanyan near Abovyan. Both will add your name or inscription request into an existing rug, or do a custom rug for you. There is no problem with exporting these. Old rugs are found in stores all over town, or in Vernissage. Be sure the seller obtains an export certificate from the ministry of culture for you – or you’re taking a chance that it may be confiscated. Negotiate to have the certificate delivered to you as part of the purchase price, and buy your rug a week before you go to give them time to obtain this certificate. New rugs do not require certification, but keep your factory certificate as proof that it is new.
• More fragile, but maybe worth the effort are some of the more exotic jams and preserves made in Armenia. From walnut preserves, to “Sea Buckthorne” (Chichkhan), virtually everything that grows in Armenia is canned!

• L'atelier Restaurant Salon Imperial Russian Antiques

  address: Mashtots 37

Stores

• General Market

  phone: +374 10 550785
  address: 7/4 Yervand Kochar St
  A supermarket.
• Yerevan Metro

• Subterrranean bookshops at Khanjyan St

  address: Khanjyan St and Vardanants St

Currency

Exchange kiosks at Zvartnots Airport have only a 3% spread between "buy" and "sell" for major currencies, so these are very good value, and downtown is similar. (Western high-street exchanges have about 15% spread, and airports 30% or worse.) However, for less common currencies e.g. Turkish lira the spread is much wider: exchange only the minimum at the airport then shop around for better rates downtown. Stores and restaurants will frequently accept US dollars, euros or western credit cards.
Cash in Armenian dram can be withdrawn from numerous ATMs in the city, but you may have to try several machines before getting money. You can also withdraw money from your card at a bank, but it may take visits to several before you find one that will let you do so.

Budget

Stands selling Armenian-style "pizzas" called "lamehjun" or "lahmajoun" are prevalent throughout Yerevan. This cheap snack consists of a thin layer of dough topped with an herb and meat paste.

• Design cafe

  phone: +374 10 531333
  address: 42 Toumanyan st.
  A place to eat and relax, signature interior, delicious food, perfect service, Internet cafe second hall, free high speed Wi-Fi.

• Mer Tagh

  address: Tumanyan St. west of Abovyan
  A small lahmejun joint on Tumanyan, and their lahmejuns have a big following.

• Tumanyan Khinkali

  address: Tumanyan 21 (west of Abovyan)
  Khinkali (sturdy soup dumplings, similar to xiao long bao that came to Caucasus over the Silk Road) with meat or cheese filling is the name of the game here. You can have them boiled or fried; they are priced per dumpling, and 6-8 should be enough for an average appetite. If you try using knife and fork, you'll end up with a pool of soup on your plate; grab the dumpling by the bunched top, bite out a notch in the side and slurp in the liquid, then eat the rest (tops are not for eating, and the dough in them may even come out undercooked). Appetizers (soups, salads and a variety of homemade pickles) are delightful too. There are two bronze figures at the entrance welcoming you to step down, and a giddily over-the-top interior in plush and chintz, with televisions playing Armenian music programs of the Soviet era.

• Lagonid

  address: Nalbandyan St
  A Middle Eastern restaurant with sandwiches starting from 600 dram (ask to see the sandwich menu specifically). Besides of this serve lots of other Arabic and Lebanese dishes.

• Melody Cafe

  address: Freedom Square
  Cheap restaurant, lots of food options and drinks. Very central, next to the Opera at the Freedom Sqare. Free Wi-Fi.

• Abovyan 12

  address: Talan
  cheap, with a shaded courtyard for outdoor dining. Entrance is via a gift shop, and easily missed.

Mid-range

• Anteb

  address: Koghbatsi St
  A family-run cafe that serves a huge variety of kebabs in a very casual cafe-type setting. The Adana and Urfa are a bargain at about 800 dram each and the Iskender, though slightly more expensive (3,000 dram) rivals the best. The rice pudding is pricey but tasty. Cheap drinks and free fresh hot pocket bread.

• Artbridge

  address: Abovyan St. north of Tumanyan St
  Good breakfasts and lighter fare, and the French toast is a must. A nice selection of foreign language books and Western periodicals if you need new reading material.

• Artashi Mot

  address: Spendiaryan St, across Mashdots Ave. from the Opera
  Is considered by many to be the finest place for khorovats (BBQ) in Armenia. Judge for yourself, but not before trying the horti (beef) and sunki (mushroom) barbeques. They are both delicious, when they have them. Other nice alternatives include the fish barbeque and the piti soup. Whichever barbeque you get, get some of the tomato sauce mix that Artash makes to put on your meat, or just to dip your bread into.

• Café Central

  address: Abovyan St., south of Moscovyan
  Good place for a meal, reminiscent of a Viennese café

• Caucasus

  address: Hanrapetutyun near Sayat Nova
  Extensive menu of Caucasian dishes in 5 languages plus photos. You can order fish straight from the aquarium.

• Charentsi 28A fully restored two-story house turned restaurant, serving a variety of dishes from Mediterranean, Indian, Thai, Western Armenian, to continental cuisines. They manage to do all of these justice. There is also seating outside in the summer and fall, on the balcony or front-yard courtyard.

• Mer Gyugh

  address: Sayat Nova, west of Teryan Street
  Traditional Armenian cuisine with a village atmosphere. The chicken "Ararat" comes with a dried fruit pilav that is quite a treat! Menu items are often unavailable, so have a backup in mind when ordering. The restaurant often features traditional folk music in the evenings.

• Old Yerevan

  address: 2 Northern Ave
  Offers traditional food, songs, dances and the décor will make you think Disney has come to town. Almost a must for any visitor.
• Yerevan Metro

• Temurnots

  phone: +374 11 787777
  address: Tamanyan Street 2/67
  Affordable spot at Cascade, with a selection of local and regional dishes.

• Twelve Tables

  address: 4 Spendiaryan St, Yerevan
  Very cozy spot with 12 tables, smoke-free, good menu with nice salads, soups, comfort food, and great desserts and teas. Non-smoking.

• Wine Republic

  phone: +374 55 001100
  address: 2 Tamanyan St.
  Menu has pasta, starters, and even Thai, plus of course good wine options. Nice atmosphere and service. Non-smoking.

Splurge

• Dolmama

  address: 10 Pushkin St
  Fusion Armenian-World cuisine. Excellent food, service and ambience. The outdoor seating out back is a way to experience the old courtyards that filled central Yerevan in the past.

• The Club

  address: 40 Tumanyan St.
  Has some excellent Western Armenian dishes, including manti, su borek and the amazing midia dolma. The underground space is very hip, and the tea room, when not too smoky is a good place to sit on a bean back and chat.

• Voskevaz

  phone: +374 60 706262
  address: 8 Saryan St.
  Good menu of meats, salads, starters, and wine.

• Gouroo

  phone: +374 11 222040
  address: 13 Saryan St
  Healthy, upscale, gourmet type food and drinks and a peaceful garden. Playhouse in the back corner for kids.

• Asador

  phone: +374 44 002200
  address: 28 Isahakyan
  Surf and turf. Steaks from around the world, and fresh seafood flown in. Excellent wine selection as well.

Armenia is a place to drink, with no prohibition against drinking in public. Cafés, bars, restaurants, clubs and the countryside on a picnic are all popular places for vodka, the usual drink of choice, with wine, beer, champagne and brandy all popular as well. Most restaurants only sell pilsner-style beers, of middling quality, but some brew pubs and craft beer outlets can be found. Restaurant wine is usually very good.
You can drink in a car, as long as you’re not driving. Drivers cannot have a drop of alcohol in them, with zero being the legal threshold – and the penalties for violating this are stiff.

Places for a drink

The most popular places to drink in the summer tend to be outdoor cafés and café/restaurants. The cafés by the Opera and Republic Square are always packed.
The following bars are popular spots with visitors.

• Calumet

  phone: +374 94 359229
  address: 56a Pushkin St
  Bohemian, friendly, alternative crowd. Insanely smokey (seriously). There is no outdoor section so if you're not a fan of cigarette smoke, it might not be the place for you. English speaking staff and solid drinks selection. A nice place to kill a night.

• Red Bull Pub

  phone: +374 10 580375
  address: 2 Saryan St.
  One of the oldest pubs in Yerevan, open since the 1990s. Friendly local crowd.

• Wild West Pub

  phone: +374 10 581664
  address: 25 Tumanyan st
  Good drinking hole by the Opera.

• Troll Pub

• Rock Bar ParpetsiPopular spots with visitors.

• Dolce Vita bar

  address: Golden Tulip Hotel, 14 Abovian

• Jazzve CafeA wonderful place to meet up with someone for a drink. Their strawberry coffee is wonderful, and is like no other.

• DIY

  address: Parpetsi street
  Its fun, funky, innovative, alternative and a place to drink, have fun, make music and meet people from every background.

Drinks to try

• Cognac – see the buy section above.
• Homemade fruit vodkas – these are not flavoured from fruit like most of the western vodkas but made from pure fruit. The most popular is the Tutti Oghi (Mulberry Vodka), but just as impressive if you can find them are the Cornelian Cherry (Hon), Pear, Apricot and Peach.
• Wine – Areni grapes are only grown in Armenia, which is in the oldest grape and wine producing part of the world. Old Yerevan is the best brand.
• Compote – if you can get it, this usually home made fruit juice is fantastic. Ask locals, and if some of them have it at home, they will drag you in to try.
• Tan – blended plain yoghurt with water and a dash of salt, this drink is often an acquired taste, and very refreshing. You can sometimes find bottled fizzy tan, which is an even more acquired taste.

Cafés

Yerevan has a serious café culture, and it can be hard to tell where one outdoor café ends and the next begins as they run into each other.

• Mirzoyan Library

  address: 10 Mher Mkrtchyan (Petros Adamyan)
  Started out as a space in a traditional courtyard with a collection of photography books, it's now a café with very nice drinks and creative and excellent bites and sweets. Free wifi.

Nightclubs

In Yerevan there are plenty of nightclubs, pubs, karaoke and strip clubs. Popular nightclubs are mainly in the centre, with longtime standbys such as Atlantic, Relax, Astral and Club One usually full on the weekends.

• Opera Club

  phone: +374 10 541222
  address: 54, Tumanyan St

• Kami Club

  phone: +374 10 519020
  address: 18, Abovyan st

• Champs-Élysées Club

  address: Northern Av

• Ego Club

  address: Kuryun st

• The Club

  address: Tumanyan st

• Tochka Club

  phone: +374 10 500441
  address: 1/1 Baghramyan Ave

• Stop Clup

  phone: +374 10 560780
  address: Moscovyan street, 37 Moskovian Str.

• Tornado Club

Karaoke clubs

• Mama-MiaLarge chain of karaoke clubs.

• 7notes

  address: Sayat-Nova st

• Iceberg

  address: Northern ave

• 96 Club

  address: Sayat-Nova st

Yerevan has a wide variety of accommodations but for the most part they are overpriced. If you're staying for an extended period of time, rent an apartment. Check the AUA (American University of Armenia), local travel agents (Menua tours, Hyur Service) or real estate brokers for rental listings.

Budget

There is a good selection of hostels and homestays in Yerevan to choose from for budget travellers.

• Anahit Stepanyan's B&B

  phone: +374 41 0568134
  address: 5 Sayat-Nova ave, apt.25
  The oldest bed and breakfast in the heart of the city with a view on the Opera house and the Swan Lake. Breakfast is included, there is free wifi in the apartment. They speak English, Russian, Italian and Arabic.
• Yerevan Metro

• Envoy Hostel

  phone: +374 10 530 369
  address: 54 Pushkin Str.
  Winner of 'Best Hostel in Armenia' Award by HW 2010&11&13. Is centrally located, large and comfortable with free internet/wifi access, breakfast and tea/coffee facilities. All the rooms and common areas are air conditioned and spotlessly clean. English speaking staff is efficient and knowledgeable about traveling in Armenia and the regions. They also have a hostel in Tbilisi and offer weekly tours from Yerevan to Tbilisi with sightseeing and BBQ-lunch included.

• Grammy Hostel

  address: 15 Aghayan st.
  A hostel, with a travellers' desk, free internet access, breakfast just for extra 500 dram, laundry, TV, a relaxation room where you can chill out and escape from the Yerevan hustle and bustle of the city, and a little garden where you can soak up the sun and relax on a bench.

• GuestHouse

  address: Mashtots 52
  They are very kind and it is very clean. However, they are almost always full.
• Yerevan Metro
• Yerevan Metro

• Theatre HostelA small and cozy hostel 5 minutes walking distance from the main square. It is very clean, has many free facilities, such as Wi-Fi internet access, bicycle parking zone, etc.

• Yerevan Metro

Mid-range

• Ani Plaza

  phone: +374 10 589500
  address: 19 Sayat-Nova Ave, Yerevan 0001
  Boxy 4-star, good accommodation for the price.

• Bass Hotel

  phone: +374 10 221353
  address: 3/1 Aygedzor St
  Small affordable 4-star.

• Hotel Europe

  address: 38 Hanrapetutyan St
  Nice little central 3-star hotel.

• Erebuni Hotel

  phone: +374 10 580505
  address: 26/1 Vazgen Sargsyan St
  3 star, good value for price, comfort and location.

• Hotel Latar

  address: 58 Fifth Street
  Way out on edge of city, you'll need a car. The massive circular pool is a sight to behold.

• Mia Casa Hotel

  phone: +374 11 355355
  address: Shara Talyan Street 13
  Small 3-star.

• Hotel Olympia

  phone: +374 10 271850
  address: 64 Barbusse Street
  2 km northwest of centre but compensated by great views over river gorge towards Aragats.

• Royal Palace Hotel

  phone: +374 10 31-91-19, +374 10 31-94-84
  address: 17/1, 4th St, Silikyan district
  Small hotel, in a quiet area of the city.

Splurge

• Ararat Hotel

  phone: +374 60 511000
  address: 7 Grigor Lusavorich St, Yerevan 0015
  Four star going on 2 or 3, many negative reviews.

• Armenia Marriott Hotel

  address: Republic Square
  International hotel with fine rooms and facilities, great location.

• Best Western Congress Hotel

  address: 1 Italy St
  The Congress is one step down in price but offers the same western feel as the Marriott, and has a large outdoor pool.

• Golden Palace Hotel

  address: 11 Northern Ave
  Pleasant central 5 star hotel.

• Grand Hotel Yerevan

  phone: +374 10 591 600
  address: 14 Abovyan St.
  5 star hotel with old charm and modern amenities: roof top pool, elegant guest rooms, restaurant, conference halls, winter garden with 24-hr bar and other services.

• Tufenkian Historic Yerevan Hotel

  phone: +374 60 501030
  address: 48 Hanrapetutyun St
  4 star hotel with restaurant near to Vernissage market.

Yerevan is generally safer than many western-European cities, and crime and street violence is almost non-existent. Nevertheless, as in the most cities of its size, in crowded places and transport beware of pickpockets.
The traffic can be quite rough, so pay close attention when crossing the street, especially in non designated area. There are about 3,000 dram fine for jaywalking.

Smoking may appear to be the national pastime, and indeed, Armenia has one of the highest rates of smoking in all of Europe. To avoid the smoke, stick to restaurants with outdoor seating, let your taxi driver know it is not okay to smoke (they're not supposed to). There are a number of good non-smoking options, many of which can be found on this map of non-smoking places in Yerevan. The government has announced that smoking will be banned in restaurants and cafes beginning in November 2018, though legislation still has not passed.

• Main Post Office

  address: Saryan Street

• Internet – Stores offering internet access with PCs are called Internet Club in Armenia. One of them is "CyberStars" located at 18 Avetik Isahakyan Street.

Embassies

Many details can also be found here: https://www.embassypages.com/armenia

• Artsakh / Nagorno-Karabakh

  phone: +374 10 249705
  address: 17A Nairi Zaryan St
  It can take up to 7 hr for the visa to be issued. So. go there in the morning an come back in the afternoon. If you do not have a photo, it's not that big of a deal.

• Belarus

  phone: +374 10 275611, +374 10 22 02 69
  address: 12/14, Nikol Duman st.

• Bulgaria

  phone: +374 10 45 82 33
  address: 16, Sofia str.

• Canada

  phone: +374 91 401238
  address: Amiryan 1

• China

  phone: +374 10 560663
  address: Baghramyan 12

• Finland

  phone: +374 91-401623
  address: Tamanyan 6/14
  Consulat

• France

  phone: +374 10 591950
  address: Grigor Lusavorich 8

• Germany

  address: Tscharenz 29

• Greece

  phone: +374 10-530051
  address: 6 Demirchian Str. 375002

• Italy

  phone: +374 10-542-335
  address: Viale Italia 5

• Poland

  phone: +374 91-426-885
  address: Hanrapetutyan 44a

• Romania

  phone: +374 10-275-332
  address: Str. Barbusse, nr. 15, Cartierul Arabkir

• Russia

  phone: +374 10 567197
  address: Grigor Lusavorich 13a

• Swiss

  phone: +374 10 524088, +374 10 529860
  address: 2/1, Melik Adamyan str.

• Turkmenistan

  phone: +374 10 221029, +374 10 221039
  address: 52, Yerznkyan str.

• United Kingdom

  phone: +374 10 264301
  address: Baghramyan 34

• United States

  phone: +374 10 464700
  address: 1 American Ave

Easy day trips
Many of Armenia's top sights are clustered close to Yerevan and are easy day trips, though you'll need your own transport for several:

• Garni, 15 km east of Yerevan, has a Hellenistic temple and religious / royal complex, perched atop a canyon.
• Geghard Monastery, 5 km further, is carved into the canyon side.
• Khosrov Forest State Reserve is in the mountains above Geghard. Several monasteries, caves, and Kakavaberd ancient hill fortress.
• Echmiadzin (now called Vagharshapat), 15 km west of Yerevan, is the Canterbury of Armenia, with a monastery and cathedral compound. 3 km east are the ruins of Zvartnots cathedral.
• Ashtarak 15 km northwest has St Hovhannes Karapet Cathedral perched over the Kasagh gorge.
• Artashat 20 km south has Khor Virap Monastery. Take bus 452, 467, 468 from the Southern Bus Station for Khor Virap; 300-400 dram.
• Armash, 60 km south east, has fish lagoons that have become an important bird habitat. It's up against the closed borders with Turkey and Nakhchivan, so expect official suspicion. Photo ID is mandatory for entry.

Further out, more suited to overnight trips (lots of tours available):

• Around Mount Aragats are Amberd castle and Church.
• Noravank Monastery, Noravank Canyon and Areni Wine Country are 80 km south-east.
• To the north around Lake Sevan are Tsakhkadzor, Sevanavank and Hayravank Monasteries, Noratus Khachkar Cemetery, and Dilijan old town.
• Jermuk, Sisian and Tatev monastery are further down the road southeast.

Beyond Armenia

• Artsakh or Nagorno-Karabakh is a de facto separate republic, not internationally recognised. The only way in and out is by road from Armenia.
• The obvious next destination is Tbilisi. On the way, try to see the canyon and monasteries around Alaverdi.