karavitour

15 MUST-DO’S IN YEREVAN

  • The first thing you should do is visit the famous cellars of the Yerevan Brandy Factory. It’s wonderful to see how real Armenian brandy is made, to taste the spectrum of vintages, learn how to distinguish real brandy from imposters, find out which part of the brandy is given to the angels and how Armenian brandy earned the right to be called cognac.
  • The second thing to do is to hit a pub and order a dozen crayfish from Lake Sevan accompanied by a cold, local draught beer. You can’t help but be amazed when you find out that Armenians have been brewing beer as far back as Xenophon’s days.
  • Then you should visit the Cascade. Admire the impressive modern works of art, and climb the 572 stairs to the observation area to enjoy a fantastic view of Yerevan on the backdrop of biblical Mount Ararat. Take in the moment and the emotions. You may not even feel that Ararat is on the territory of modern Turkey.
  • Next, you should feel like a true Yerevan resident. Order ad eastern coffee made on scorching sand and sit up till late at night in one of the cafes near the Opera.
  • Feel like a traveler! Stay up late again, this time, under the playful splashes of the fountains at Republic Square. Watch the two hour light show of singing, dancing and color-changing foutains.
  • Listen the marvelous jazz by Armenian musicians while enjoying a few drinks at Malkhas Jazz Club or in the open air, at Poplavok Café. Learn to whistle to express your delight.
  • Visit the Matenandaran, where more than 17.000 ancient manuscripts are kept. You will see the largest and the smallest Armenian manuscripts and appreciate masterpieces of Middle Age calligraphy and miniature painting. You’ll realize that no electronic reader can substitute a real book.
  • You simply must drink water from a small drinking fountain in the street. The water in Yerevan is cold, fresh and, as opposed to bottled water, free of charge.
  • Taste real Armenian steaming hot barbecue at a traditional restaurant. If you ask them how they manage to make it so tasty, you’ll be surprised to hear that all they add is onion, salt, and pepper.
  • Visit the Central Market, bargain with the vendors and leave with your hands full of purchases: aromatic fresh fruits, unique dried fruits, delicious sudjukh and basturma, sweet gata and the thinnest Try not to eat all of them once!
  • Next you should visit both Vernissages on a Saturday morning. At the Painters’ Vernissage, next to the Saryan monument, you can buy a painting of Mount Ararat, ad at the larger Vernissage, near the Vardan Mamikonyan monument, you can buy a small Armenian hat. Do not forget to wear the hat at home and show off the painting to your guests.
  • Eat a lots of sweet berries. Pick them off the black and white mulberry trees in the street. Just try not to stain your shirt and to resist the strong urge to drink cold water afterwards.
  • After lunch at a restaurant with local friends, try to pay your portion of the bill. Realize you’d better not have tried. Listen to a verbose lecture about Armenian hospitality. Give up.
  • Do not forget to find time to visit the surrealistic rooms of the Parajanov Museum, where you will realize that art can be made from any material. Learn what shape Federico Fellini used for the silver medal at the Rimini Film Festival.
  • On the Vardavar holiday, go out in nice clothes and get showered with water from head to toe. But don’t get angry or call the police – splash them back! Soaking each other with water is the utterly indelicate (but fun) tradition of the Vardavar holiday, which is celebrated on the 98th day after Easter.