10 Things You Must Do in Yerevan

more than a year ago

Yerevan has grown immensely over the last century and a bit, from a small market town into the largest city in the country, a thriving mass of humanity that offers plenty to visitors of all interests. Every city has a bucket list of things that must be done when in town and Yerevan is no different, and we here at In Your Pocket have been kind enough to put it all together for you. How lovely of us…

Climb the Cascade

It might look daunting from the bottom but trust us, the 572 steps of Yerevan’s limestone Cascade staircase demand conquering. The views of Mount Ararat and the city centre are the best you’re going to get, unless you somehow manage to grow wings and become a bird. The gardens in front are pretty delightful too.

© Ana Flasker Shutterstock.com View over cascade stairs and Tamanyan park, famous spot in Yerevan, Armenia

Pay your respects

The Armenian Genocide remains a bone of contention around the world, a political pipe bomb that encourages passionate opinions from all sides. The Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum is dedicated to those lives lost is one of the most impactful that we’ve come across, an absolute must when in Yerevan.

Learn an old new script

The Armenian alphabet can seem impenetrable at first glance, a confusing mixture of scribbles that are about as far away from our safe Latin as it gets. The script was devised by the great Mesrop Mashtots way back in the 5th century, and Yerevan’s Matenadaran is home to an quite incredible collection of old manuscripts. Consider visiting the Armenian Alphabet monument for even more inspiration.

Souvenir shopping at the market

Vernissage is Yerevan’s open air market, a fascinating world of bargains and hidden gems, perfect for a bit of souvenir shopping or just some good old fashioned exploring. If you want to discover the heart and soul of Yerevan, head to Vernissage.

Gorge on grilled meat

Yerevan is one of the world’s most underrated cities when it comes to food, especially if you’re into grilling meat and devouring as much as possible with copious amounts of drinks on the side. Keep an eye out for Khorovets and then eat as much as you can. You can find our favourite Armenian restaurants in Yerevan here.

Hang out with history

Formerly called Lenin Square, Republic Square is the central meeting point of Yerevan, a massive square featuring some gorgeous buildings and masses of people. Find the spot where the Lenin statue once stood and consider what should take its place, all while doing your best ‘Lenin looking off into the distance’ impression.

Drink the cognac of kings

Ararat Cognac is one of the world’s great spirits, a drink that has been enjoyed by some of modern history’s most powerful people since its creation in 1887. The brandy makes for a great souvenir and a visit to the factory is all sorts of fascinating, not to mention photogenic — the massive ArArAt sign on the building is one of our favourite images in Yerevan.

All apricot everything

Armenia is home to the greatest apricots in the world, fruit so tasty that you’ll probably have to give up eating the things anywhere else. The scientific name for the apricot is Prunus armeniaca (Armenian plum) and the yellowy-orange delights are all over the place.

Explore the library

Mirzoyan Library is more than you standard house of books. The library is home to one of our favourite cafes in the city, along with one of the region’s most impressive collections of photo books. Wandering the halls of this place is enough to get the creative juices flowing.

Follow in Bordain’s footsteps

When the much-missed Anthony Bourdain visited Armenia he was expertly guided by System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, and the two visited a number of authentic restaurants in the city. Among them was At Gayane’s, a fantastic church of Armenian cuisine right in the heart of town. If Bourdain liked it, you know its good.

Yerevan