Things to do in Yerevan: A Complete Guide to Armenia’s Thoroughly Modern Capital

Tucked away in Armenia’s southwestern corner, in the foothills of Mount Ararat, you’ll find Yerevan, Armenia’s thoroughly modern capital. Known as the ‘Pink City’ for its pink tuff stone, its architecture lining wide boulevards and pedestrian streets is rosy and striking. We discovered an incredible arts scene, from the giant hillside Cascade steps to nightly light and music shows centred on the city centre fountains. Life in the capital is lived outdoors, thanks to Yerevan’s generous green spaces and warm climate. Expect parks and streets lined with lively café terraces serving excellent, generous portions, washed down with local wine and brandy.

This year-round getaway will easily fill around three days, but I’d recommend staying longer and using Yerevan as a base for day trips beyond the capital. If you’re ready to dive into this city’s delights, this guide, with a map of things to do in Yerevan, is for you. It also covers must-see sights and essential day trips.

This guide may include a few affiliate links. If you choose to buy something through one of them, I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting One Small Bag.

Map of Things to Do in Yerevan

Also accessible from Yerevan:

• Gyumri: Armenia’s Black and Apricot City
• Tbilisi: Capital of Georgia
• Batumi: Georgia’s resort city on the Black Sea

Yerevan Card

If you plan to visit museums in Yerevan or use public transport, there’s a Yerevan Card. I didn’t buy this, but I wish I had. At the very least, it would have made it easier to access the metro system. A modern cashless system sounds great until your foreign Visa and Mastercard won’t work at the barriers, the Telcell Wallet app requires an Armenian phone number, and the stash of Armenian emergency cash is totally useless.

If you buy the card, you’ll get free admission to around 30 museums, several free tours and transport (including from the airport), plus discounts around the city. The Yerevan Card also includes a free local SIM card, which, if I’d known, would have saved me from buying my own. Pick your duration from 24 hours to 10 days. Purchase it online or at participating museums.

1. Cascade Complex

The number one attraction for tourists in Yerevan. The locals love it too. Expect local gatherings, great views, art on every level, and plenty of selfie-taking. Open from early until late,

You might be wondering how such a massive structure ended up there. Architect Alexander Tamanian’s Master Plan for Yerevan (1924) included the Cascades as part of an ambitious project to transform Yerevan from a provincial town into a modern capital. Construction on the Cascades began in the 1970s and halted after the 1988 Spitak earthquake. The Cascades, as you see them today, were completed in 2009, and more may be added to the upper levels in the future.

The first thing that strikes you about the Cascades is their sheer size. And those steps! 572 of them, connecting 5 large terraces. For a welcome surprise, check out one of the doors on the left-hand side for escalators to take you up to each level from the inside. Unexpected, but welcome, especially in the full heat of the Yerevan sun.

Once you’ve made it to the top, enjoy the views across Yerevan. It’s great at any time of day, but if you arrive at dawn, you’ll have the best chance of seeing Mount Ararat straight ahead. And if you visit late, the entire Cascade complex is beautifully lit up.

Each level features fountains, statues, unique geometric reliefs, and carvings depicting scenes from Armenian history. Inside, there’s modern art on each level and alongside the escalators. The park area at the base has more, too. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

I instantly recognised the yellow ‘Poets’ on the tops of poles along the steps. A matching set from the same sculptor is in Andorra.

Once you’ve taken in the views at the top, explored the terraces, and stepped inside, I’d recommend stopping at one of the restaurants at the foot of the steps. Garten Restaurant and Brewery on the right-hand side was an excellent choice. A jug of local lemonade hit the spot, and although we didn’t stay to eat, the food looked and smelled delicious.

2. Victory Park and Mother Armenia

After the Cascades, the next unique thing to do in Yerevan is Victory Park, just north. You can walk uphill from the Cascades, or, if you’ve done enough walking, take a Yandex Go ride; they’ll drop you off at the park entrance.

Mother Armenia

When you enter the park, you won’t see Mother Armenia right away, even though she’s 22 metres tall and stands on a 29-metre pedestal. But she will appear as you start walking. Look for the khachkars along the way. These orange-coloured carved stone crosses are engraved with the names of military figures and arranged in groups 40 metres apart to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II. Armenian khachkars are on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and each one is unique. You’ll spot them throughout Armenia.

Mother Armenia hasn’t always topped the plinth. She replaced a huge Stalin statue in the 1960s. A small military museum sits inside her plinth, with an eternal flame in front. An impressive array of tanks lines either side. She’s overlooking some of the best views of Yerevan.

Amusement Park & Ferris Wheel

But the park has a lot more to see. A huge Ferris wheel is visible from across the city, along with a dino park and a lake. The amusement park was quiet for our visit. It’s popular in the evening, when the weather is cooler, and on weekends. If you want to try the local Kvass drink, which looks like beer but really isn’t, you’ll find vendors selling it. It’s made by soaking rye or sourdough bread in water and fermenting it with yeast, sugar and sometimes raisins. It’s non-alcoholic.

3. Opera Theatre Complex and Freedom Square

If you’re wandering through central Yerevan, it’s hard to miss this part of the city, filled with grand neoclassical architecture and prominent cultural monuments set in and around a large public square and gardens.

Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Theatre

The showpiece is a white circular building that houses the Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Theatre at one end and the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall at the other. Another example of the work of architect Alexander Tamanian, the city’s designer.

Check the concert and event listings for your visit for tickets to a concert, ballet, or opera, and a special way to enjoy your time in Yerevan. Expect to pay anywhere from 2,000- 28,000 AMD (£ 4- £ 55 or € 5- € 65

Martiros Sarian Park

Wander through Martiros Sarian Park, where the artists gather to sell their artwork. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, drop into Ponchik Monchik, an Armenian institution that sells a special style of doughnut popular across the Caucasus. Ponchiks are massive, hollow balls dusted with icing sugar and filled with cream, usually vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry.

Swan Lake & Sculptures

East of the square is Swan Lake, an artificial pond where swans swim in summer; in winter, it becomes an ice rink and is one of Yerevan’s main Christmas attractions.

4. Kentron (downtown) district

Kentron is the city’s vibrant heart. Northern Avenue is the central pedestrian spine, starting at the edge of the Opera Complex and running south to Republic Square and the dancing fountains.

Abovyan Street, Tumanyan Street and Pushkin Street are the grand avenues crisscrossing the centre, each with its own personality. I’ve added a few eating and drinking venues on the map, but here’s a little more about the main streets.

Northern Avenue

Unlike the surrounding historic streets, this avenue features upscale storefronts, trendy cafés and restaurants, and luxury accommodation. Locals stroll here, and street musicians perform. It also leads to Republic Square, where you’ll find the nightly dancing fountain show.

Abovyan Street

One of Yerevan’s oldest streets, with a Belle Époque feel. Look out for the beautiful black-and-red volcanic tuff stone buildings and hidden courtyards. It’s also home to Charles Aznavour Square, with the classic Cinema Moskva and the grand Stanislavski Russian Theatre.

Tumanyan Street

Tumanyan Street connects the Opera area to the Cascades and is home to the Hovhannes Tumanyan Museum. Both the street and the museum are named after Hovhannes Tumanyan, Armenia’s national poet. The street is characterful and packed with traditional restaurants, including khinkali houses and traditional bakeries.

Look out for traditional painted houses and apartment blocks in the traditional pink tuff stone.

5. Republic Square & The Dancing Fountain Show

Hard to miss, this striking square is surrounded by impressive buildings in a variety of styles, including the History Museum of Armenia and the stunning Marriott Hotel. In the evenings, the central fountains are the main event with a nightly show enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Arrive early to secure a spot and watch the fountains light up and dance to music. The city buzzed with energy at showtime. A definite Yerevan highlight for us.

6. Vernissage Market

Vernissage Market is the place to go for souvenirs. It’s located in the heart of Yerevan, near Republic Square, and leads to the circular park area. It started as an artisanal flea market for locals, but now it’s geared toward tourists, though you’ll still find some beautiful things here.

Wood carving is a definite theme, with beautiful chess and backgammon sets, wooden musical instruments and khoravats skewers with hand-carved handles. Paintings, handmade ceramics, embroidered textiles, and bags were everywhere.

Look around at some of the buildings bordering the market, including the Alexander Spendiaryan Specialised Music School, a Soviet industrial-style building made from the pink tuff stone that much of the city is built with.

7. Yerevan’s Museums

Yerevan has over 30 museums, so you’ll likely have to choose. My standouts are Tsitsernakaberd (The Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum), which is free and Matenadaran, the huge Armenian manuscript and book repository. I would get a Yerevan Card if you’re planning to visit several places; it also offers plenty of other benefits.

Tsitsernakaberd (The Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum)

The first is Tsitsernakaberd (The Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum), taking you through the years of oppression of the Armenian people. While this doesn’t sound like a fun holiday activity, I’m so glad I went, and I suggest you go too.

The memorial’s setting is striking, perched on a hill overlooking the city. Twelve massive stone slabs stand in a circle, leaning inward over an eternal flame (The Sanctuary of Eternity). They represent the twelve historic Armenian provinces that were lost to the Ottoman Empire. Adjacent is a 44-meter-high, needle-like obelisk pointing upward, symbolising the Armenian nation’s survival and cultural rebirth.

Once inside the Armenian Genocide Institute, you’ll find doors through to the Memorial Wall: A 100-meter-long engraved wall listing the names of towns and villages where massacres and deportations occurred. Then visit the museum, which takes you through Armenian history with films, storyboards, and exhibitions. Whether you are familiar with the history or, like me, had little idea, you will find it compelling. This isn’t a museum you rush through.

Matenadaran

Sitting grandly on Mashtots Avenue between The Cascades and Victory Park, Matenadaran is a huge yellow tuff stone building with a giant statue of Mesrop Mashtots, the medieval scholar who invented the Armenian alphabet, standing in front of it.

Matenadaran translates to ‘manuscripts repository,’ and with over 23,000 ancient manuscripts and over 500,000 documents in its archives, the title fits. The collection is included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. The Matenadaran is included in the Yerevan card.

Expect to see illuminated Gospels decorated with gold leaf, ancient maps, and centuries-old manuscripts. The highlight is the Msho Charentir, a massive manuscript weighing 27.5 kg, in stark contrast to one of the museum’s smaller specimens: a tiny 1434 church calendar weighing just 19 grams. Take a guided tour to make the most of your visit, or wander around on your own (free with the Yerevan Card).

Other Museums you might like to visit

Some other well-known museums in Yerevan. The Yerevan Card lists around 30.

• History Museum of Armenia: Right in Republic Square. It’s the country’s main collection of Armenian artefacts. The oldest known shoe is one of its more famous exhibits. The National Gallery of Armenia is also to be found in the same building.
• Erebuni Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve: The city’s founding site, with a fortress and remains dating back to 782 BC. It’s south of the city, beyond the station, on Ann Berd Hill.
• Sergei Parajanov Museum: a cultural house-museum dedicated to the life and cinematic genius of the famed Soviet-Armenian director.
• Komitas Museum-Institute: Opened in 2015. It tells the story of Komitas, an Armenian musician, who travelled to remote villages to write down thousands of traditional songs before they could be lost to history and his life following the Armenian Genocide. Also in the south of the city

8. Yerevan’s Religious Spaces

As the world’s first Christian nation, Yerevan has plenty of churches, from ancient medieval structures to modern revivals. So let’s start with the biggest of them all.

Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral

The largest Armenian cathedral in the world, it’s a massive structure built from local tuff stone that can hold up to 1,700 people. It commemorates the anniversary of Christianity’s adoption in Armenia and was consecrated in 2001.

If you’re interested in visiting more of Yerevan’s churches, I’ve marked the most notable ones on the map.

Blue Mosque

The only active Muslim place of worship in Armenia and a rare surviving example of the city’s 18th-century Persian heritage. Built in the classic Shia style, it’s restored and beautiful, featuring striking turquoise-and-yellow geometric tiles, intricate mosaics, and Arabic calligraphy.

9. The Circular Park

The Circular Park (also called Youth Park) is a 2.5-kilometre-long green space that curves around the eastern edge of downtown Yerevan, stretching from St Gregory the Illuminator in the south, around, and up to the Cascades. It’s another part of Alexander Tamanian’s 1924 vision of Yerevan as a modern garden city.

At its core, it’s a string of parks circling the centre. And it works. Yerevan is a city where the weather is warm for much of the year and life is lived outdoors. The parks offer shade during the day and space to meet, eat, and drink late into the evening, and that suits Yerevan’s night-owl culture. We visited several restaurants here. I recommend Flagman Cafe and Restaurant for its setting and food. The kitchen stays open late, which is especially useful if you arrive late and your accommodation is just across the road. I also rate Bardak Pub, with a huge fountain set in its outdoor space and cosy interior,

10. The Kond Neighbourhood & Pedestrian Tunnel

If the polished pink-tuff buildings of downtown start to feel a little too uniform, an escape hatch lies right under your feet. Hidden near the western edge of the centre lies the Kond Pedestrian Tunnel, a dimly lit, 460-metre concrete passage straight out of the Soviet era.

When you emerge on the other side, the modern city completely vanishes. You are standing in Kond, Yerevan’s oldest surviving neighbourhood. Dating back to the 17th century, this labyrinth of crumbling houses feels a world away from the grand avenues nearby. It is gritty, unpolished, and a part most tourists completely miss.

As we wandered the area, we did find a Craft Beer bar with an extensive beer fridge and a friendly welcome. We threw dice for prizes at the bar (we lost). Open till late. It serves food too. I’d recommend Gargoyle & Kruzhok Pub.

11. Hrazdan Gorge (Brandy District)

The Kond Tunnel also gives access to the Hrazdan Gorge, a dramatic, deep canyon that bisects Yerevan and is home to the city’s two renowned brandy factories. The two factories sit directly opposite each other across the gorge near the Victory Bridge and dominate the skyline. If you’re a brandy fan, add it to your to-do list. We’re not, so we skipped it. Of the two, Ararat is the easiest to tour.

Yerevan Brandy Company (ARARAT)

An active distillery, now part of the French spirits conglomerate Pernod Ricard. The state-of-the-art ARARAT Museum focuses heavily on the art of blending, production standards, and its prestigious worldwide presence. Explore the ageing cellars, inhale the aroma in the scenting rooms, and taste world-renowned blends such as Dvin (the potent blend famously favoured by Winston Churchill) and Nairi.

Noy Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory

On the opposite riverbank lies Noy Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory, where Erivan Fortress once stood. It has a more old-world vibe. Visitors descend into extensive underground cellars and hidden fortifications, passing walls built by Persian khans. Contact Noy directly to arrange a visit or a tasting,

12. Historic South Yerevan

Head south to find both Shengavit District and Erebuni. Both are modern commercial and residential areas, but they also contain some of Yerevan’s oldest remaining parts. The area is also home to Sasuntsi Davit train station, the GUM market and one of Yerevan’s main shopping centres.

Sasuntsi Davit Station

David of Sassoun Square, along Tigran Mets Avenue, sits on the border of these two districts, about a 30-minute walk from the centre, or you can take the metro directly. As a train fan, I loved this station. Very pink and very Armenian, with a central soaring clock tower. You won’t miss the statue of David of Sassoun on horseback out front.

Inside, it’s light and bright, with the Armenian sun streaming through the double-height glazed window. The white ceiling is decorated with intricate, traditional Armenian patterns. A cool, calm space, away from the heat and bustle outside.

Erebuni Fortress and Bronze Age Yerevan

To step back to Yerevan’s beginnings, visit this place. Arin Berd Hill (Erebuni) is the site where King Argishti recorded the city’s founding in 782 BCE. In the ruins, you’ll find a stone carving bearing the King’s inscription, remnants of a royal palace and temples, and evidence of ancient drainage systems and pebble-paved streets. A museum with thousands of artefacts excavated from the area completes the set. A good time to hire a guide to help make sense of it.

If you have more time in the south of the city, visit the Komitas Museum Institute, or pair the trip with a visit to the main Armenian GUM market and the ultra-modern shopping mall near the rail station. I’ve marked all these places on the map,

Day Trips from Yerevan

There’s no getting away from it: visiting Armenia’s major sites on public transport takes commitment, flexibility, time, and tolerance, plus a few taxi trips, too. But there’s another way. We took tours, and every one we took was exceptionally well organised and fantastic value,

Gyumri – Armenia’s black and apricot city

I highly recommend a visit to Armenia’s second-largest city, with its striking volcanic stone, tuff architecture, vibrant centre, its own Mother Armenia statue, and a black fortress with a totally unexpected interior. An organised coach trip to Gyumri will get you to the main sites quickly and efficiently.

It may leave you wishing you had more time, though. This is the one trip on this list you can also do by public transport. It’s easy to take the train from Yerevan to Gyumri, but I would stay over for a couple of days. Here’s my trip report on our time in Gyumri, with all the details on how to get there.

Yerevan: Echmiadzin, Hripsime, Gayane, Zvartnots Temple Tour

A short half-day tour that takes you to sites about 20 km from Yerevan: the two main stops are Etchmiadzin, one of the world’s oldest cathedrals, and Zvartnots Temple, a great spot for panoramic views of Mount Ararat. The tour also stops at the UNESCO-listed churches of Hripsime and Gayane.

Khor Virap, Garni, Geghard, Symphony & Charents Arch + Lavash

An 8-hour day trip to some of Armenia’s most iconic sites. If you only have time for one trip, you want variety, and you don’t want to be sitting on a coach all day, this one is the best choice,

Enjoy Khor Vrap, one of Armenia’s most iconic monasteries, right on the Turkish border, with some of the best views of Mount Ararat—the furthest point on the trip. Then return via the Geghard Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Garni pagan temple. Enjoy panoramic views at the Symphony of Stones, Charants Arch, and Azat Reservoir. A demonstration of traditional Armenian bread-making (Lavash) may also be included.

Sevan, Dilijan, Ancient Monasteries: Haghartsin & Goshavank

A northern loop of Armenia. At 10 hours, this trip, including Lake Sevan, is one of the longer ones. The trip includes a visit to Lake Sevan, one of the world’s largest high-altitude freshwater lakes. Then stop off at the ancient monasteries of Haghartsin & Goshavank (be prepared for plenty of stairs). Then enjoy the charm of old Dilijan, a mountain town with wooden balconies, stone houses, artisan workshops, cosy cafés, and a glimpse into 19th-century Armenian life.

From Yerevan: Tatev Monastery and Scenic South Armenia Tour

A southern loop of Armenia. At 14 hours, this was our longest day trip. If you don’t like long coach journeys or heights, this one isn’t for you, but I absolutely loved it.

Tatev Monastery is one of Armenia’s finest, and you can get there on the world’s longest reversible aerial cable car. A stop at the Khndzoresk Cave Village was a highlight for me. I like cave settlements. To get to it, you’ll need to cross a swinging rope bridge over a gorge. The tour also includes time to stretch your legs at Shaki Waterfall and a brief stop at the Areni wine factory. It’s a long day with a lot packed in.

Our food stops were at an Armenian transport spot, nothing fancy, but it was a revelation (in a good way, too).

Yerevan: Practicalities

Where to stay

Yerevan is a city of some size (1.2 million people), so staying central is key. But no matter where you stay, you won’t be close to everything. Yandex Go will get you where you need to go cheaply; whether it gets you there quickly depends on traffic, not driver availability.

We booked accommodation pretty late, and options were limited, so book ahead. Kentron (City Centre / Republic Square) or the Cascade & Opera District are a good choice, especially if it’s your first visit. Or pick Saryan Street & the Pushkin Street Corridor for wine bars and nightlife.

For a quieter, more laid-back experience with a neighbourhood feel, choose somewhere near the circular parks. We stayed on the east side at Yerevan Boutique Hotel. The setting was delightful, and the staff couldn’t have been more helpful. In hindsight, a more central location would have saved us the 30-minute walk to the tour bus departure point near the Opera Complex and other central attractions. Here’s an interactive map with some options.

How to get to Yerevan

We arrived in Yerevan on a direct flight from London (Luton) with European budget carrier Wizz Air. If you’re not flying in, you can enter Yerevan overland from Georgia or Iran. The borders with Türkiye and Azerbaijan are closed.

How to get around Yerevan

Yerevan has public transport, including a metro and buses. Still, Armenia is a city full of drivers, and many people don’t drive, so they often use car-hailing apps, especially Yandex Go, given the traffic jams.

If you do want to use public transport, including the metro, I’d recommend getting a Yerevan card, which is easily purchased regardless of where your credit card is from. I found the metro system required an Armenian phone number to use the app to buy tickets, and my UK bank card wasn’t accepted for tap-in and tap-out, and cash wasn’t accepted either. I ran out of ideas after that and gave up. A Yerevan card would have given me free public transport, a free eSIM, free access to many of the city’s attractions, and various discounts too.

Best Time to visit Yerevan

Expect a wide range of temperatures. Cold sub-zero temperatures are the norm in winter, dropping down to around -14C. Yerevan’s summer heat is intense, and temperatures up to 40C are common. The shoulder seasons, spring and autumn, are ideal. Armenian Christmas falls on 6 January, and the entire city undergoes a massive festive transformation that stretches from early December through mid-January.

Where to Next

Once you’ve explored Yerevan, why not look further afield into the wider Caucasus? Here are some ideas.

• Things to do in Yerevan: Armenia’s modern capital and pink city
• Things to do in Gyumri: A guide to Armenia’s Black and Apricot City
• Iron Fountain Gyumri: Armenia’s Extraordinary Soviet UFO
• Things to Do in Tbilisi: A Guide to the Capital of Georgia
• Things to Do in Batumi: Georgia’s Unexpected Black Sea Gem
• Things to Do in Kutaisi: A Guide to Georgia’s Ancient City
• Visit The Incredible Cave City of Vardzia, Georgia

I hope you enjoyed reading this. If you have any questions or comments, do let me know in the comments. Thank you for reading my blog.

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Bluesky
• Pinterest