The capital and its day trips
Every trip starts in Yerevan, a lively capital of pink tuff stone, wide boulevards, cafés and wine bars, with Mount Ararat filling the skyline on clear days. It is also the best base for the classic day trips: the Greek style temple at Garni, the rock cut monastery of Geghard, Khor Virap below Ararat and the mother cathedral at Echmiadzin. Plan three or four nights here at least.
The lake
An hour north east, Lake Sevan is one of the largest high altitude freshwater lakes in the world, with the small monastery of Sevanavank on its peninsula, summer beaches, fresh trout and the field of carved cross stones at Noratus. Most people stop here on the way to Dilijan, but a night by the water is lovely in summer.
The green north
Through the Sevan tunnel the landscape turns to forest. Dilijan is a spa town in a national park, with a restored old street, the forest monasteries of Haghartsin and Goshavank and some of the best hiking in the country. It is the easiest place to feel the cool, wooded side of Armenia.
The old western city
Gyumri, the second city, is a two to three hour trip from Yerevan by road or train. Its Kumayri historic district of black and red stone houses, its churches, workshops and humour make it feel very different from the capital, and it has its own airport with some international flights.
The deep south
The long road south passes the wine villages of Areni and the monastery of Noravank before climbing into Syunik. Tatev and Syunik is the reward: Tatev monastery on its cliff, reached by one of the world's longest reversible cable cars, the cave villages of Khndzoresk and the standing stones of Zorats Karer. Check current travel advice for this region before you go, as some roads run close to the border.
How to combine them
A first week usually looks like Yerevan with day trips, then Sevan and Dilijan, then back through Yerevan to the south. Gyumri works as a day trip or an overnight stop. Use the free trip planner to shape your own route, and our places to visit list to fill each day.