Armenia – more than just the neighbour of…
I would forgive you if Armenia isn’t at the top of your bucket list or would only be considered an add-on to a trip to the region. Notably, Georgia has seen a massive increase in popularity in the recent decade, and rightfully so, which makes Armenia quite often overlooked or simply an afterthought to its more famous northern neighbour as the main objective.
After visiting myself recently, I wanted to take the opportunity to show you why the country is more than just an add-on and why a trip to Armenia alone is more than justified by the diverse mountain scenery, incredible sights and perhaps the friendliest people in the region.
Yerevan
Let's begin with the incredible capital city of Armenia: Yerevan. Its friendly vibe with cafes and terraces, beautiful hotels and restaurants make it a place to spend at least two days. If you love a good museum, a visit to the Matenadaran (the largest repository of ancient Armenian manuscripts) and the Armenian Genocide Museum are essential. The two competing brandy distilleries in the city centre make for an interesting visit too - cheers!
Tip: for higher chances of seeing the impressive backdrop of Mt Ararat from virtually anywhere in the city, visit in cooler months with less haze blocking the view (or right after a rainy storm).
The Green North
No matter where you find yourself in Armenia, chances are very high (I’d say 100%) that you’ll see a mountain. In the northern part of the country, there are rolling green mountains (at least in summer) and around Dilijan, they are covered with endless forests and wildflower meadows.
The hub for hikes in nature is the village of Dilijan with lakes, monasteries, and forests all nearby. Go in the early summer for more wildflowers and bees than you could possibly ever count. Don’t forget your mosquito spray for those forest walks though, consider yourself warned!
The Rocky South
Crossing the Selim Pass and its ancient caravanserai into southern Armenia, you will see a dramatic change in scenery. The greener north turns into more rugged terrain and mountains. This region has it all: tough mountain hikes to fortresses and monasteries, vineyards, cave towns (Khndzoresk), the monoliths of Karahunj and the beautiful village of Goris.
The Monasteries
Since King Tiridates the Great accepted Christianity in 330 AD, making Armenia the first official Christian country in the world, religion has played a central role in the country’s history and architecture. To this day, Armenia feels very religious and its monasteries aren’t just beautiful remains from a long bygone era but incredibly popular by domestic visitors and most still in use to this day.
There’s no way around it, you will visit a monastery when travelling through Armenia and although you may think too many of them may get boring, they are all unique in their setting and natural surroundings.
A few great examples are Khor Virap, Noravank, Goshavank and Tatev.
