Want something new? something different and maybe better place? But don’t know where to go? My dear lost traveler, I have something to offer you something new, better and different. A mix of European and Asian, but rather Armenian country with unique breath and atmosphere, welcomes everyone and always happy to see foreigners.
A small Armenia has more to show and worth to be discovered again and again every time from a different side. A country that has his own color, taste, smell and of course voice. Perhaps you think you can see here, only ancient churches and so on, But I’m here today to confirm that you don’t know Armenia yet.
So, here are the top 5 must place to visit in Armenia.
Yerevan
You know where is the heart of Armenia? Of course, it is Yerevan, the mother city of the country and the young looking capital of all the time. It’s hard to believe but the Pink City older than Rome. still looks stylish and charming. Like a girlish a sentence that we always love to say “Age is just a number”.
One and only capital of Armenia never stops to admire everyone who ever visited here. Even if you would be far far away you would remember Yerevan’s Pink color, atmosphere, the voice and unique smell as every flower has.
Being in Armenia and not visiting Yerevan is like going to Paris and not visit Eiffel tower or just being near the Great Wall of China but not walking over it. Armenia and Yerevan are inseparable things. Want to feel Armenia then visit Yerevan.
Start your day from very Yerevanian breakfast, drink your coffee or tea and go ahead, let your adventures begin. In the morning when Yerevan wakes up, it looks like a home with full of people, who are doing regular stuff in the morning. The shops are opening their doors, cafes are busy by ordering their tables and chairs, the cars are moving and Yerevan gets up.
After enjoying your morning coffee, start your walking tour from the Republic Square which is an oval-shaped wholeness with the most important buildings inside. But don’t stay here too long because believe me you must come back here in the evening to be part of the extraordinary concert not with the participation of the singers but the singing fountains.
At the left side of the main building, you will see another fountain, to be more accurate it is drinking fountain. By the way, during your tour, don’t buy water, because wherever you go you will find tasty, cold and fresh drinking fountains.
From that fountain go up a little bit and turn left where starts the most stylish and luxurious street Northern Avenue. It is like a vertical boulevard with straight walking area and boutiques, luxurious shops, cafes, restaurants both side of it.
Walking up you will see a beautiful building of Opera Ballet Theater. Here you have three variants of continuing your way; Forward, Left, and Right. In front of you is the Freedom Square with beautiful architectural wonder. Next to it is the Swan Lake, a copy of Lake Sevan only with a much little area. The surroundings of the manmade lake are beautifully decorating trees, and benches where you can enjoy your rest.
Here is enough, now it’s time for cultural enjoyment and prepare yourself to visit a museum under the open sky. Near Opera’s building is the Saryan’s Park. For getting there you need to walk through the Opera’s Yard, turn right walk till the crossroad, turn left and will appear in front of the “museum. Here is another coloring of the City where you will feel the atmosphere of a real Yerevanian soul. A “Shop” Gallery for the painters but the museum for the visitors.
After this park, the other must place of the city is the Cascade complex. A real wonder of Yerevan waits for you and ready to astonish with all his beauty and uniqueness. Up from the stairs, you will see the breathtaking view of the city.
P.S. Don’t forget to have a real Armenian dinner with national dishes.
Paragliding over Sevan Lake
In the eastern part of Armenia situates a blue Beauty and the only Sea of the Republic, Lake Sevan. Oh wait, you’re confused, not understanding what is Sevan actually, lake or sea? Ask any local – it is a sea for us and who said that we don’t have a sea? We have only you don’t see.
Think you came here for swimming? No, My dear, you’re here to make sure that it is Sea, not just a lake.
Nothing traditional! A second must place is Lake Seven only above from the skies. The only way of doing it is paragliding over the lake. It will make your journey unforgettable and should give you memories that never will be forgotten. So why not to try?
Don’t worry because your aerial experience will accompany the expert paraglider pilot who will take care of the launch, flight, and landing.
Yell Extreme Park
As you understand from the title yes it is a park with extreme activities which you will remember so long. Continuation of your adventurous journey is located an hour and a half drive from Sevan to Yell Extreme Park. Being located in the northern part of Armenia, in the bosom of a greenish forest, the first amusement park attracts everyone’s attention.
Zipline
The Zipline with 5 different lines (135m, 268m, 200m, 375m and 750m with the height 200-300 m above the ground. The height, fastness, green surroundings and extremal feelings.
PRICES:
Weekdays: 11.000 AMD per person (22$)
Weekends and holidays: 15.000 AMD per person (31$)
Group (4 and more people): 13.000 AMD per person (27$)
Zipline is not enough for you and you want more extreme?
Rope Park
Paragliding
Zorbing
Paintball
Horseback Riding
Rock Climbing
Off-road Tours
Mountain Biking
Via Ferrata
Decide which one you choose, without going outside of the complex.
Old Khndzoresk’s bridge
After those experience and unforgettable memories, you will think that nothing can astonish you in Armenia. You’re wrong!
Right in the deep Gorge of Khor Dzor situates a swinging bridge, another adventurous and enjoyable place in Armenia. For getting and walking over Khndzoresk’s Bridge you need to step down numerous stairs. Here you have two choices either enjoying the breathtaking surrounding or minding your steps because you can easily appear right in the gorge not knowing how and when. It was a joke, of course, you will not appear below you will just fly from there to down.
Okay, enough jokes!
At the end of the stairs will start The Khndzoresk’s Bridge which connects Old Khndzoresk and New Khndzoresk. And you will stand in front of the bridge. The first two and three steps are scary because you feel how the bridge is swinging slowly, but the astonishing natural beauty will definitely attract your attention and you will forget that you are standing in quivering bridge.
But if you look down you will hold your breath and understand that you are 160 m high above the ground. At the opposite side of the bridge, you will see Old Khdnzoresk’s caves in a green forest which is a historic cave village on the slope of a deep gorge with natural caves.
So the forest is yours, go ahead and start your hiking adventure which is full of mysterious caves. When you get near the old church a man or local guide will meet you and will tell you interesting stories about that church.
Tatev’s Wings
The end of your adventures and extremal holidays should over in Tatev. Maybe you don’t know but the world’s longest Ropeway and holder of the record for Longest non-stop double track cable car is here. It is 1 hour and 10 min drive from Khndzoresk. So for being, in a world record cable car worths to anything.
The Ropeway (5752 m) connects Halidzor and The Monastery of Tatev and is the shortest, the most picturesque and impressive route to Monastery. The flight lasts 12 minutes during the flight the audio guide will accompany and tell about the history in three languages (Armenian, English, and Russian). A nothing can be compared with the beauty of the surrounding nature, the rising hills, the admiring Vorotan Gorge with curved roads, deep gorges, different trees and the all-time beauty Tatev Monastery, in the edge of the high canyon.
The monastery’s history dates back to 9th century. Undoubtedly, it is one of the oldest and the most famous complexes in Armenian history. The main church of the monastery was built in 895 by Hovhannes Bishop and the help of Syunik’s dukes Grigor Suphan and Dzagik.
Of course, Words cannot express the whole beauty of the extraordinary country, you need to see it yourself. Come Armenia and I will promise, you would like to return here again and again.