Armenia is an amazing destination located in the Caucasus region, quite literally at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion (with so many stunning monasteries to prove it), it has a very long and rich history. It’s an amazing destination that is not on enough travelers’ lists.
I loved my short week in Armenia for a travelers’ convention and can’t wait to return to explore the rest of this beautiful mountainous country.
It’s also quite inexpensive, being one of the 34 best affordable countries to travel to for $40 total per day. To continue our accommodation prices feature, we’ll share a separate post with many lodging price examples for these Armenian destinations soon.
Here are the 7 best destinations in Armenia.
Map of the 7 best destinations in Armenia
Armenia is a small country, slightly more than half the size of Nova Scotia. Its population is 3 million, which is about one-third of Québec.
Here’s a map to locate all the destinations in this post.
1. Yerevan
Yerevan is Armenia’s capital and largest city. It’s a pretty city famous for its gorgeous backdrop and its distinctive pink tuff stone buildings and it’s one of the world’s oldest cities, over 2,800 years old — even older than Rome!
There’s a lot to do in this big city — with around 1.4 million people in its metropolitan area, Yerevan is about the size of Ottawa, Calgary, or Edmonton. Make sure to visit Republic Square, the heart of the city, and the Cascade Complex, with its giant decorated staircase and great views of the city and Mount Ararat.
Make time to eat delicious Armenian food in Yerevan. The city has plenty of more unusual attractions too. Katoghike Church is a building that was lost and rediscovered and Levon’s Divine Underground is a massive cave dug by an ordinary citizen. You can easily spend days exploring all the history, with many museums and monuments.
Many of the destinations below aren’t very far from the city, but 2 ancient sites highlighting Armenia’s rich religious heritage are very close. The Garni Temple is a colonnaded symbol of pre-Christian Armenia while the Geghard Monastery is 1 of 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country.
2. Vagharshapat
Vagharshapat (also called Ejmiatsin) is located just a few minutes outside Yerevan, so if you prefer, you can definitely also visit it on a day trip or on either end of your trip, as it’s near the airport.
It’s considered the country’s spiritual capital and is home to another UNESCO Site, the Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin, listed along with the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots nearby. The cathedral is considered the oldest in the entire world!
If you head north, you can also visit the 10th-century Amberd Fortress, the Armenian Alphabet Monument, the Spitakavor and Hovhannavank monasteries, or the Byurakan Observatory.
3. Lake Sevan
Often called the “Jewel of Armenia,” Lake Sevan is a huge lake in the Armenian Highlands at an altitude of over 2,000 meters. It’s one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in the world! It’s home to yet another stunning monastery, Sevanavank (which used to be on an island before the lake was drained a bit).
The lake’s peaceful blue waters and beautiful mountain views are the main attraction. It has the only beaches in Armenia and is also a great destination for fishing, boating, and swimming. Around the lake, you can eat delicious fresh fish.
Not too far is the Tsaghkadzor resort and spa town, a popular destination for sports (skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and paragliding) and self-care (thermal baths and massages) in the picturesque Tsaghkunyats Mountains.
Just north of Lake Sevan, you’ll reach Dilijan, a cozy and beautiful town nicknamed the “Switzerland of Armenia” for its natural beauty; it’s surrounded by Dilijan National Park. In the other direction, you can admire khachkars (intricately carved stones) in a cemetery in Noratus.
4. Lori
Lori is one of the most beautiful provinces in Armenia. It is located in the north near Georgia and is known for its natural beauty and — surprise — historic monasteries.
While you’re in the area, you should see the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Haghpat and Sanahin monasteries. Other monuments include the well-preserved Akhtala monastery and its scenic surroundings, the Kobayr Monastery on the brink of a deep gorge, the Odzun church with a unique obelisk, and the Lori Fortress.
You can explore natural attractions like Debed Canyon and cultural ones like those in Alaverdi, renowned for its rich industrial history. You can explore it through local landmarks like the historic Sanahin Bridge and museums like the one dedicated to the designer of the first Russian fighter jet.
5. Syunik
The Syunik province is the southernmost in Armenia, only attached to the rest of the country by its narrow northern part and surrounded by Azerbaijan on both sides and Iran in the south. This is a beautiful region full of stunning landscapes and cultural treasures… don’t skip it!
The Shaki Waterfall is ideal for a peaceful nature break, unique in that they turn it off after visiting hours to provide hydroelectricity. You can explore the town of Goris for the local culture, Khndzoresk to explore ancient cave homes, Carahunge to see “Armenia’s Stonehenge” or Tatev to see the Devil’s Bridge and the Tatev Monastery.
That monastery is one of the best, with stunning views and medieval charm. You can get there on the Wings of Tatev, the world’s longest non-stop double-track cable car. The monastery was an academic center, one example of which is the Gavazan Column, a tilting pillar used over 1,000 years ago to measure earthquakes. Okay, maybe that’s cool to me just because I’m a structural engineer.
6. Ararat and Vayots Dzor
The Ararat province is just south of Yerevan and is home to Khor Virap Monastery and its panoramic views of Mount Ararat, while the neighboring Vayots Dzor province is the country’s least populated and is a welcoming wine region.
In Vayots Dzor, you can discover the archeological finds at Areni-1 cave complex. The Areni-1 winery was just recently discovered in 2007 and is one of the oldest in the world. The Areni-1 leather shoe found in these same caves dates back over 5,000 years and was in great condition!
And don’t leave the region without seeing one of the most visited monasteries in the country, Noravank, and the impressive cliffs and landscapes around. If you leave towards Lake Sevan, there’s the historic Orbelian caravanserai along the mountain pass, where travelers have been stopping for hundreds of years.
7. Gyumri
Gyumri is Armenia’s 2nd-largest metropolitan area, but it’s still pretty small. It’s located in the northwestern part of the country and has some of the best authentic urban Armenian architecture, for example, its Kumayri historic district. Due to its history, it also has a stronger Russian influence.
The city is considered a major cultural hub of the country, with many museums, art galleries, and venues. Gyumri lost a huge portion of its population due to a major earthquake in 1988 that destroyed much of the city. Before that, the city had welcomed many refugees from the Armenian Genocide of the early 1900s, including 22,000 orphans.
Gyumri had long been the gateway to Türkiye before the border was closed in 1993 and is now the gateway to Lake Arpi National Park. And the Marmashen Monastery nearby has something unique, being one of the rare ones not built in an elevated location.
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Summary
Armenia, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is rich in history and culture, It’s also an affordable destination with amazing natural wonders, such as mountains, lakes, and waterfalls. If you like beautiful ancient monuments like monasteries, there’s arguably no better place.
What would you like to know about destinations to visit in Armenia? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: Tatev Monastery, Armenia (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
