Even if a full vacation is not expected before the end of the summer, this does not mean that you should stop traveling. Embrace the idea – just three hours and you will be in sunny Yerevan. Editor-in-chief of BURO. Margarita Doroshevich flew to the capital of Armenia over the weekend and compiled a short guide especially for those who also have only a couple of days to explore the city.
Someone chooses Yerevan as a destination for a mini-trip, someone flies through Armenia past those countries with which there is now no direct communication. In both cases, our two-day plan can come in handy: even if you’re passing through Yerevan, take the opportunity to explore the iconic places of the city.
GOVERNMENT BUILDING OF ARMENIA SAN GREGORIO CATHEDRAL THE ILLUMINATOR WATERFALL
Direct flights from Moscow to Zvarnots airport are operated by various airlines, prices for the near future are an average of 12,000-14,000 rubles one way. It flies for 3 to 3.5 hours. Russians do not need a visa to visit Armenia. You can get from the airport to the center of Yerevan by taxi in 20 minutes, there are also buses and minibuses. Or you can book a transfer at the hotel you are booking; we did it because we arrived late at night.
MY GUIDE IS FOR TWO DAYS.
During this time, you will hardly have time to get out of the city and explore the picturesque surroundings (and there is something to see: beautiful Lake Sevan, mountain monasteries, the Garni Museum-Reserve), but you will definitely see the main sights. From the capital
If you stay in the center, you can walk to most of the interesting places in Yerevan: the city is generally very conducive to walking, at every step there are parks and squares with numerous fountains, artificial ponds, bridges, small cafes where you can relax and drink cold mineral water, if you are tired. But you have to take into account the weather. During my trip, at the end of July, it was 35 degree heat, so it was easier to get to some places by taxi. It is convenient to use the Yandex Go application – it is inexpensive, and, as a rule, cars arrive in a few minutes. In addition, you can pay for the trip with a Russian card. By the way, it was not difficult to change cash either – there are many banks in the center, and even despite the day off, they were all open.
If you stay in the center, you can walk to most of the interesting places in Yerevan: the city is generally very conducive to walking, at every step there are parks and squares with numerous fountains, artificial ponds, bridges, small cafes where you can relax and drink cold mineral water, if you are tired. But you have to take into account the weather. During my trip, at the end of July, it was 35 degree heat, so it was easier to get to some places by taxi. It is convenient to use the Yandex Go application – it is inexpensive, and, as a rule, cars arrive in a few minutes. In addition, you can pay for the trip with a Russian card. By the way, it was not difficult to change cash either – there are many banks in the center, and even despite the day off, they were all open.
BUREAU OF ELECTION.
I can recommend the hotel Messier 53, where we stayed: modern, close to the center, good breakfast with lots of fresh fruits and berries. There is a small spa with a pool, hammam and gym. A double room for two nights with breakfast costs about 109,000 Armenian drams (just over 25,000 rubles).
First of all, we go to the Republic Square, on foot from the hotel about 10 minutes. The square somehow reminded of Moscow (probably, the monumentality of the surrounding buildings, built on a Soviet scale) and at the same time the European capitals. The architecture is very beautiful: the buildings are made of red tuff, a stone that is considered part of the national culture of Armenia. Many buildings in Yerevan are made of this material, so the general palette of the city is pink, which will be very noticeable when you look at it from a height, but more on that later.
REPUBLIC SQUARE FOUNTAIN IN REPUBLIC SQUARE
From the square, you can continue towards Avenida del Norte. This is a pedestrian street with restaurants and shops, which also reminded me of several European cities at once.
NORTH AVENUE “CHAIHONA” “CHAIHONA”
The sun complicates the city tour, so we first stop at the very atmospheric Chaihona, where we sip an icy cocktail, then head down to the underground Tashir shopping arcade. It’s cool and you can look in a couple of shops – there are souvenir shops, toys, cosmetics and all sorts of little things.
But we waste no time and continue our way, straight ahead: Swan Lake, an artificial reservoir in the park next to the Opera and Ballet Theater (hence, by the way, the lake’s name “ballet”).
SWAN LAKE MONUMENT TO ARNO BABADZHANYAN MONUMENT TO ARNO BABADZHANYAN
Here you will see a monument to the composer Arno Babajanyan. There are many sculptures of all kinds throughout the city, you will notice them everywhere, almost all of them are unusual. This monument also depicts the composer not static, but in motion, expressively playing the piano. The sculpture is so extraordinary that it was even hastily dismantled at first, due to the discontent of Babajanyan’s fans, who considered it a caricature. Then, however, they opened it again, and people who knew the composer, including Maya Plisetskaya, said that the monument conveys his character, and the musician himself would definitely approve of it.
After sitting in the shade of the trees right on the grass near Swan Lake, we continue our journey. Not far from here is another important and very photogenic attraction: the famous Cascade. This is a complex of fountains, sculptures and art galleries, in fact, an entire open-air museum of contemporary art.
CASCADE OBJECTS OF ART IN THE INTERIOR OF CASCADE OBJECTS OF ART IN THE INTERIOR OF CASCADE
The construction of the Cascade began in the 1970s, and since 2009 the Cafesjian Center for the Arts has been inaugurated here, where the personal collection of its founder, Gerard Levon Cafesjian, an American philanthropist of Armenian origin, is presented. Among the exhibits are works by artists from different countries, including Marc Chagall and Andy Warhol.
The waterfall consists of five terraces, you have to climb stairs (more than 500 steps) or escalators located inside the building. Climbing the stairs is a good idea – in Armenia you will definitely eat a lot, because everything is very tasty, so the cardio load will not hurt. But we, all for the same heat, chose the easy path – along the escalator. It is also interesting, because while you ride it, you look at the art objects located on all floors and between them.
From the top of the Cascade, a beautiful view of the city opens, and if you are lucky and the weather is clear, you will see Ararat. By the way, luck did not smile on us – the famous mountain peak disappeared in a thick fog.
VIEW IN YEREVAN “THREE DIVERS”
The upper terrace is decorated with the composition “Three Divers” by Scottish sculptor David Martin, one of the hallmarks of Yerevan and one of the most popular photography spots in the city.
TERRACES OF THE WATERFALL TERRACES OF THE WATERFALL
Go down and look at the sculptures in front of the Cascade. Among the most famous are three works by the Colombian author Fernando Botero: “Woman who smokes”, “Cat” and “Roman Legionary”.
“WOMAN WHO SMOKING” “CAT”
A bright spot in the background of all objets d’art is American Peter Voytuk’s giant blue kiwi bird. Another very unusual inhabitant of the park is a lion made of recycled tires, which was created by the South Korean artist Ji Yong Ho. By making art objects out of what is usually sent to landfill, the author tries to draw the world’s attention to the environment, in particular to the problem of polluting the planet with garbage.
“LEV” “QIWI”
You can have lunch or dinner without going far from the Cascade: there are many different establishments on both sides. If you still feel like walking, you can walk, for example, to the Yerevan tavern with stone walls, large wooden tables and just a huge selection of Caucasian dishes. It’s easy to understand the names – here, as in many other city restaurants, the menu includes photos of dishes, so you don’t have to wonder for a long time what tolma, khash and khorovats are. Do not hesitate to ask the waiters for advice – they will tell and show you everything. They will also help you order the wine list: in each of the price categories they will recommend the best ones. We tasted medium-priced wines – 6000-8000 Armenian drams (1400-1800 rubles) per bottle – and everything we tried turned out to be of excellent quality.
Snacks at the Yerevan Tavern Singing Fountain
In the afternoon, return to the Plaza de la República, from where this day’s route started, to contemplate the singing fountains. The show starts at 9:00 p.m. and lasts for two hours. The music sounds very different, from classical and Armenian songs to the soundtrack of Disney’s The Lion King. The spectacle is really fascinating, especially if you manage to take a place in the center of the square, where the effect of the most enveloping sound is created.
You can complete the first day’s program in one of the bars overlooking the fountains. For example, on the open terrace of the Meeting Point in the majestic building of the Mariott Hotel, the former Hotel Armenia, built under Khrushchev. Try in this place one of the types of the famous Ararat cognac (for example, apricot or coffee) – how can you live without it in Yerevan! – and delicious plum ice cream.
ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING
We continue to explore the sights of Yerevan and in the morning we go to the Cathedral of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. It was built in the early 2000s and is the largest cathedral in the city. The architecture of the temple is interesting with its geometric shapes and the restraint of the shadows. It is worth going inside – everything here is also strict and concise, there are only a small number of icons, there is no wall painting, but the high dome (the height of the building is 54 meters) and a huge chandelier add majesty to El inside.
We continue to explore the sights of Yerevan and in the morning we go to the Cathedral of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. It was built in the early 2000s and is the largest cathedral in the city. The architecture of the temple is interesting with its geometric shapes and the restraint of the shadows. It is worth going inside: everything here is also strict and concise, there are only a small number of icons, there is no wall painting, but a high dome (the height of the building is 54 meters) and a huge chandelier add majesty to the interior.
CATHEDRAL OF SAN GRIGORIO THE INCULATOR
Another city park is located around the temple, leaving which you will find yourself next to another popular tourist spot – the Vernissage fair. It’s time to shop for souvenirs and a variety of authentic gadgets. Here you will find everything that will later remind you of the trip home and with which you can please your friends, from traditional fridge magnets and handmade toys to dishes, antiques and carpets, for which Armenia is also famous.
Lovers of unusual accessories are also welcome here: jewelry made of stones and wood, traditional-style bags and other inexpensive but original details can be bought at an open-air fair. Of the benefits – the lack of a crowd, the feeling of a “market” and intrusive sellers. It’s nice to stroll slowly through the rows here, looking at the various knick-knacks, even if you’re not in the mood for shopping.
I liked to explore the parks of Yerevan; then leave the already familiar Republic Square to Vazgen Sargsyan street and go straight: one after another there are several squares with all kinds of fountains and sculptural compositions at once.
FOUNTAIN IN THE “TEA HOUSE” IN SHAHUMYAN SQUARE
We did not have time to visit all the parks, so we refreshed ourselves with lemonade in the “Tea House” in the middle of one of the squares and we went to the next point on the route, the Blue Mosque.
This is the only working mosque in the city; It was built in the middle of the 18th century, when Armenia was under Iranian rule. In the Soviet years, a Yerevan museum was organized inside the building, and then the main prayer hall was completely turned into a planetarium. Later, the Blue Mosque was restored as a Muslim temple, there is also an Iranian cultural center, and the colorfully decorated facade and cozy courtyard attract tourists. Once the mosque was surrounded by four minarets, but only one has survived to this day. It is interesting that ordinary residential buildings are located around the temple, it is almost invisible from the street: only when you enter the courtyard through the arch, you feel the full power of the contrast between the bustle of the city and the tranquility of the quiet garden nearby. from the mosque.
BLUE MOSQUE BLUE MOSQUE BLUE MOSQUE BLUE MOSQUE
The journey is nearing its end, and at the end it would be necessary to visit somewhere more colorful. We are going to celebrate a successful trip to the restaurant “Caucasian Prisoner”, in which literally every corner quotes the famous Soviet comedy. It is better to reserve a table in advance: it is quite crowded here, there is a chance that there will be no places. The atmosphere of the institution is thought out to the smallest detail: cult phrases from the film, references to its events and images of heroes are everywhere. In the middle of lunch, a show program with Caucasian dances can suddenly begin, to which visitors immediately join. In general, a place from the category “better to visit once than hear a hundred times.”
The menu here also has a large number of traditional dishes, Armenian and not only. As a rule, you do not expect gastronomic masterpieces from places popular with tourists, but in the Kavkazskaya Prisoner, oddly enough, the visual component got along with the taste – I liked all the dishes, the portions were large, so much so that I also had what to take to take A very substantial dinner for three with wine cost about 30,000 drams (just under 7,000 rubles).
This trip came to an end, and only on the way to the airport did we finally see Ararat – a majestic sight.
Of course, two days are not enough to truly feel the atmosphere of the city and the country, but surely after a short trip to Yerevan you will soon start planning a longer trip around the country, because there is definitely something to see, taste . and love in Armenia.
