Day 1 in Yerevan
We landed in Yerevan around 12:30 on a Wizz Air flight. The tickets cost 400 RON (about €80) for two people, return. After passport control I bought a SIM card with an Armenian number and unlimited internet (4,500 AMD – about €10.50). Using the Armenian number, I installed the Yandex Go ride-hailing app, set it up and ordered a car to the hotel (1,900 AMD – about €4.40).
After checking in at the Andor hotel (about 500 RON, roughly €100, for the whole stay), we set off on foot towards the Cascade Complex.
Since it was already past lunchtime and we were quite hungry, we stopped at Yerankyuni Yerevan Home – Restaurant, near the Cascade. As it was our first encounter with Armenian cuisine and we were rather hungry, we ordered several dishes.
The one that impressed me the most was “Artsakhi Hagani”. Later, looking for more information, I discovered that “Artsakhi Hagani” is actually a traditional Armenian dance, not a dish.
With full bellies and not exactly great fitness, after photographing the Cascade Complex we dared to climb it as well.
Below are a few photos of the views at different stages of the climb.
After catching our breath at the top of the “staircase complex” and taking some photos and videos, we headed towards Victory Park.
On the way, though, we stopped at Yerevan Viewpoint, a huge abandoned concrete terrace. From here we also photographed the Memorial to the 50th Anniversary of the October Revolution (Memorial To 50th Anniversary Of October Revolution), a Soviet-era monument marking the Bolshevik victory and the beginning of the Soviet Union.
Once in Victory Park, we headed for the Eternal Flame and the “Mother Armenia” statue, two powerful symbols of national identity and memory.
The Eternal Flame is a place of remembrance dedicated to the heroes who fell in the Second World War, while the imposing Mother Armenia statue watches over the city as a symbol of the strength, protection and dignity of the Armenian people.
After our walk through the park, we took a Yandex Go to Republic Square, paying about 10 RON (around €2) for the ride. We spent a few dozen minutes there admiring the impressive architecture and the lively atmosphere of central Yerevan, then strolled along the famous Northern Avenue, a modern, busy area full of shops, cafés and street artists.
We ended the evening with dinner in our hotel room, enjoying a plum compote and Armenian sweets we bought at a supermarket on the way back.
Day 2 in Yerevan
We woke up quite late and around 11:30 headed to the metro station near the hotel – Marshal Baghramyan. We took the metro three stops to Zoravar Andranik.
From there we walked for about 10 minutes, in light rain, to the Armenian Market. It felt like going back to the ’90s, to a market in Romania. We spent more than 30 minutes exploring the stalls, tasted all kinds of dried-fruit products, drank fresh pomegranate juice and, because the rain wouldn’t stop, ate at a small eatery next to the market.
To use the metro, we bought two TelCell cards from a machine at the entrance. Later we found out there’s also the TelCell Wallet app, which can be used for payments and transport.
A metro ride costs 150 AMD.
From the market we headed to the Cathedral of St Gregory the Illuminator and then, passing through Luna Park, reached the Vernissage Market.
After a bit of shopping at the Vernissage Market, we went to Republic Square and then on to the Cascade Complex to see it in the evening as well.
We had dinner on the pavement-turned-terrace of the Tun Lahmajorestaurant. There we made friends with two Armenians and chatted with them until 1 in the morning.
In the meantime we booked a trip for the next day via WhatsApp.
Day 3 – a day trip around Yerevan
We started the day with a walk from the hotel to Falafel Food Court, where we each had a coffee. We withdrew cash nearby to pay the 10,000 AMD (for two people) for the trip we were about to take. At 9:50 we reached the meeting point with the organisers.
There, the cars were allocated depending on the number of people for each trip. For the one we chose there were only three of us: the two of us and a Ukrainian. We got a driver who didn’t speak any English, so the Ukrainian acted as our translator for the whole trip.
We visited, in turn: Charents’ Arch , Geghard Monastery, Garni Temple and the Symphony of Stones
Before visiting the Symphony of Stones, the driver stopped at a restaurant in the area, probably one he had a deal with. We ordered food, went to see the site, and when we came back the dishes were ready. The price was a bit steep, but the food was very good.
The trip lasted until about 15:30, so once we were dropped off in the centre we went back to Falafel Food Court, where we had a shawarma and a grilled khachapuri each – a baguette made from a dough similar to a pretzel, filled with cheese, with a sensational taste.
After eating we walked through Martiros Saryan Park, where we also bought two paintings. Since we still had enough time, we also visited the Blue Mosque – the only mosque in Yerevan.
We walked from the mosque back to the hotel and, once there, packed our bags for the next day.
Day 4
We slept in and checked out at exactly 12. From the hotel we took a Yandex Go to Tsitsernakaberd – the Armenian Genocide Memorial, from where we finally managed to see Mount Ararat.
After taking plenty of photos, we took another Yandex Go to Republic Square, where we ate at Sherep Restaurant. Both the food and the restaurant were very good.
After lunch we took a Yandex for the last time and headed to the airport.
One last photo before saying goodbye to Armenia, a country I came to without high expectations, but one I will most likely return to.
For us, Armenia was the kind of destination that pleasantly surprises you when you least expect it. From the authentic atmosphere of Yerevan and the welcoming people to the spectacular landscapes and places steeped in history, every day had something special.
One of the biggest advantages was the cost: the whole trip for two people came in under 2,500 lei (about €500), including flights, accommodation, meals and activities. For the experience you get, the value for money is excellent and makes Armenia a great choice for a different kind of city break.
It’s a destination worth discovering unhurriedly and with an open mind, and it will most likely make you want to come back.
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