Yerevan, Armenia: travel guide
Armenia's capital on the Hrazdan and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities — Erebuni, the Urartian fortress of 782 BC, is reckoned its birthplace, and Tsitsernakaberd is the national genocide memorial.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
- Country
- Armenia
- Currency
- AMD
- Time zone
- Asia/Yerevan
- Nearest airport
- EVN
Top places to visit in Yerevan
Garni Temple
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 0.8 h · entry AMD 1,500
Hellenistic-style colonnaded temple, the only Greco-Roman temple standing in the former Soviet Union, above the Azat River gorge.
Geghard Monastery
Monastery · 4.8 rating · about 0.8 h
UNESCO-listed monastery partially carved into the cliffside, famed for chambers hewn directly out of the mountain rock.
Khor Virap Monastery
Monastery · 4.8 rating · about 1 h
Monastery on a hillock with the closest classic view of Mount Ararat, built over the pit where St. Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned.
Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral
Church · 4.7 rating · about 0.5 h
One of the largest Armenian Apostolic cathedrals in the world, consecrated in 2001 for the 1700th anniversary of Armenian Christianity.
Erebuni Fortress & Museum
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · entry AMD 1,500
Urartian fortress ruins founded 782 BC on Arin Berd hill, considered the origin point of modern Yerevan, with an adjoining museum.
Republic Square
Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 0.8 h
Central oval plaza ringed by pink-tufa government buildings, the National Gallery and History Museum; nightly musical fountain show in summer.
Yerevan Opera House (Alexander Spendiaryan Theatre)
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 0.5 h
Neoclassical opera and ballet theatre and city landmark surrounded by the Swan Lake plaza, a hub of central Yerevan nightlife.
Cafesjian Center for the Arts
Museum · 4.7 rating · about 1.3 h · entry AMD 2,000
Contemporary art museum built into the Cascade complex, with galleries of glass sculpture and rotating exhibitions.
Vernissage Market
Market · 4.5 rating · about 1 h
Sprawling open-air weekend market for Armenian crafts, carpets, carved wood backgammon sets, and Soviet-era antiques.
History Museum of Armenia
Museum · 4.4 rating · about 1.3 h · entry AMD 2,500
National museum covering Armenian history from prehistoric artifacts through the medieval and modern periods.
Cascade Complex
Viewpoint · 4.7 rating · about 1 h
Giant limestone stairway of terraces linking Kentron to Monument Park, home to the Cafesjian Center for the Arts and outdoor sculpture garden.
Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial
Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 1 h
Hilltop memorial complex with eternal flame monument and the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, commemorating the 1915 genocide.
Things to do
- Ararat Brandy Factory Tour Food Drink · 1 h · from AMD 10,000 per person
- Garni & Geghard Day Tour Cultural · 6 h · from AMD 15,000 per person
- Khor Virap & Mount Ararat Views Tour Cultural · 4 h · from AMD 12,000 per person
- Yerevan Old Town Walking & Food Tour Food Drink · 3 h · from AMD 18,000 per person
- Cascade & Cafesjian Art Tour Cultural · 1.5 h · from AMD 8,000 per person
- Yerevan Vernissage Market Craft Tour Cultural · 1.5 h · from AMD 6,000 per person
Day trips and tours
- Khor Virap, Garni & Geghard Day Tour 8 h · from AMD 15,000
- Yerevan City Highlights Walking Tour 4 h · from AMD 6,000
Where to stay in Yerevan
- Kentron (City Center) about AMD 45,000 per night
Yerevan's central district around Republic Square — the best base for first-time visitors, with walkable access to the Cascade, Opera House, Vernissage Market, and the city's best restaurants and hotels.
- Cascade District about AMD 38,000 per night
The area around the Cascade Complex and Cafesjian Center — an upscale, walkable neighbourhood popular with art and design travellers, close to Kentron but slightly quieter.
- Arabkir about AMD 20,000 per night
A quieter, more residential district north of the center — a budget-friendly base with easy access to central Yerevan by taxi or bus, popular with longer-stay and local-style visitors.
Hotels
- Alexander Hotel, Autograph Collection 5-star · AMD 85,000 to AMD 150,000 per night
- Envoy Hostel AMD 3,500 to AMD 15,000 per night
- Golden Tulip Yerevan City Centre 4-star · AMD 40,000 to AMD 65,000 per night
- Ibis Yerevan Center 3-star · AMD 22,000 to AMD 35,000 per night
- Grand Hotel Yerevan 4-star · AMD 35,000 to AMD 55,000 per night
Where to eat
- Lavash Restaurant Armenian, Traditional · about AMD 7,000 per person
- Dolmama Armenian, Fine Dining · about AMD 12,000 per person
- Tavern Yerevan Armenian, BBQ · about AMD 6,500 per person
- The Green Bean Cafe, International · about AMD 3,000 per person
- Sherep Restobar Armenian, Fusion · about AMD 8,000 per person
- Our Village Restaurant Armenian, Homestyle · about AMD 6,000 per person
- Anteb Restaurant Armenian, Middle Eastern, Grill · about AMD 4,500 per person
- Square One Cafe, International · about AMD 3,500 per person
Getting around
- Metro main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Minibus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Ride Hail main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Unofficial Taxi Overcharging
Zvartnots Airport arrivals hall and Republic Square
Unlicensed drivers approach arriving tourists offering rides at several times the normal fare, often quoting a flat price with no meter and no app. Some also claim card payment is unavailable to push cash payment at an even higher rate.
How to avoid it: Book through GG (Yandex Go equivalent used in Armenia) or Yandex Go app for a metered, tracked fare, or use the official airport taxi counter. Agree on price before entering an unmetered cab.
Unofficial Currency Exchange Shortchange
Street changers near Republic Square and Vernissage Market
Individuals offering better-than-bank exchange rates on the street count out cash quickly or use sleight-of-hand to shortchange tourists, and the notes cannot be reversed once the exchange is done.
How to avoid it: Exchange only at licensed bank branches or official exchange kiosks (widely available in central Yerevan) which post official rates and give receipts. Count cash before walking away.