Sights

Yerevan is a city particularly developed in recent years and has nothing to envy from several big cities. Start your tour at Democracy Square with its magnificent fountains and the country's historical museum, then head north via Northern Avenue towards the imposing Opera House with the final destination being the unique Cascade complex or if you have more to give, walk until the Victory Park where the statue of Mother Armenia is located. The city has a wealth of excellent museum spaces such as the Matenandaran with its rare manuscripts, the National Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art. It's worth visiting one of the factories where the famous Armenian brandy (Ararat, Noy) is produced. Finally, you should not miss Tsitsernakaberd hill, where the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum are located.

The Sanakhin and Khagpat Monasteries are considered as treasures of Armenian architecture and are located in the northern part of the country, quite close to the borders with Georgia. The two monasteries have attracted many tourists in recent years as more and more tourist agencies include them in their program. These places were important educational centers during the Middle Ages. They belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church and are among the few places which have several Khachkars; characteristic of medieval Christian Armenian art. Sanahin and Khagpat monasteries have been included in the UNESCO list as World Heritage Sites.

The Cathedral of Zvartnots is a 7th-century, quadrangular-style Armenian Church, built by order of the Catholic Nerses the Builder between 643-652. It's located very close to Yerevan International Airport on the outskirts of Vagarsapat city. In the archaeological site you will find the ruins of the ancient temple and a small archaeological museum.

Etchmiadzin Cathedral is the cathedral of the Catholic Church of Armenia and is located in the city of Vagarsapat, about 20 kilometers west of Yerevan. It was built between 301 and 303 by Saint Gregory the Illuminator and is considered the oldest cathedral in the world. The entire religious community of Etchmiadzin is one of the most important sites in Armenia and is also called the "Vatican of Armenia", and since 2000 it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Lake Sevan is the largest water place in Armenia and Caucasus area. It's located at an altitude of about 1,900 meters and is one of the largest alpine lakes in Eurasia. It's about 65 kilometers far from the capital and essentially considered to be a summer destination for Armenians since the country has no access to the seaside. In addition to swimming and water sports there are several interesting places that you can visit such as the Sevanavank monastery with its wonderful view of the lake or the medieval cemetery of Noratus with about 900 Khachkars (Armenian cross stone or Armenian cross stone) which due to their symbolism and craftsmanship they have been included in the list of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage.

One of the country's main tourist attractions is the ancient temple of Garni, also in the UNESCO World Heritage List and it's about an hour east of Yerevan. It is a Hellenistic temple built in the first century AD and is the only building of its kind left, not only in Armenia but in the entire former Soviet Union.