Tourists in Armenia are attracted by nature, traditions, cuisine, dances, beautiful places and, of course, the unique beauty of Armenian girls.
When tourists come to Armenia, they first want to get acquainted with the historical and cultural territories of Armenia.
What to show tourists in Armenia?
- Lake Sevan
The biggest lake in the Caucasus, located at 1899 meters above the sea level is one of the highest located lakes in the world. It’s part of the Sevan National Park, one of the four protected areas in Armenia.
Lake Sevan takes 3% of the country, 28 rivers flow into the lake but only one, Hrazdan, flows out. The lake is known for the variety of flora and fauna, including the most famous Sevan trout.
But the beautiful nature and views aren’t the only reason to visit Lake Sevan, you can find some amazing monuments here too.
Don’t miss Noratus cemetery from the medieval times. You will find there some of the most beautiful khachkars – the Armenian carved cross-stones, each of them saying the story of the person who is buried there. This is actually the largest cemetery with khachkars in the world and a truly fascinating place.
Around Lake Sevan, you should also visit beautiful monasteries, especially Hayravank and Sevanavank. They both are located beautifully above the lake, offering amazing views of Lake Sevan.
Hayravank was built between 9th and 12th century and Sevanavank complex (there are two monasteries and the third ruined one) was founded in the year 874.
Near Sevanavank you can also find one of the best examples of brutalist architecture in Armenia – the Writer’s House.
2.Dilijan
Located around 100 km north from Yerevan, in the heart of Dilijan National Park, Dilijan is often called “Armenian Switzerland”. This famous and important spa town was founded in 1544, however, the area was inhabited already in the Late Bronze and early Iron ages.
Dilijan is known for lush forests surrounding the city, perfect for the relaxation and long walks, but there are also a few other attractions.
From the town, you can go for a short hike to Jukhtak Vank, the semi-abandoned monastery from the 11th century, hidden in the forests surrounding the city. Not far from it there are ruins of another monastery, Matosavank from the 13th century, but this one is more difficult to find.
Not far from Dilijan there is another monastery worth visiting, Haghartsin, dating to the 13th century. This is actually the complex of three monasteries, the architecture is simple, a bit raw inside but still very impressive. From the monastery, you can admire a beautiful view of the surroundings.
3.Gyumri
The second-largest city in Armenia, Gyumri, was badly devastated during the 1988 earthquake and even today you can still see how badly the city was destroyed then. But despite the tragedy that the city still suffers from, Gyumri is so worth a visit.
In 1837 Russians built the fortress here, called Alexanropol (named after the tsar), soon after the city was built nearby.
Before the earthquake, Gyumri was known as the most beautiful city in Armenia, today you can see the remnants of the former glory when walking around the pleasant center, with its main square – Vartanants Square. While Yerevan is known for the pink tuff the city was built from, in Gyumri, most of the buildings are black thanks to the volcanic tuff that was used here.
You will find here another one, after Yerevan, Mother Armenia statue – this one has a more friendly look than the one in the capital. Gyumri is also home to some interesting museums, churches, bazaar and some cool Soviet sculptures, such as the iconic metal fountain.
4.Garni Temple
Located not far from the capital, this is probably one of the easiest day trips from Yerevan. The pagan temple dedicated to the sun god Mihr, this is the best example of the pre-Christian Armenia monuments and the only building in the Classical style in the country and the former Soviet Union.
Some sources say the temple was built in the 1st century AD, after Armenia’s conversion to Christianity in the early 4th century the temple was used as a summer house of the royal families. Other sources say this is not the temple but a tomb and therefore it survived the transformation to Christianity period.
Garni Temple was destroyed during the earthquake in the 17th century but the original stones were used when rebuilding. This is the main center of neopaganism in Armenia and one of the country’s main tourist attractions.
5.Geghard Monastery
The monastery complex from the 4th century is one of the Armenian sights that made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List. What makes it special is the fact that many of the churches and tombs were cut into the rock, showing the Armenian medieval architecture at its best.
Since the 12th century, when the relicts of Apostles Andrew and John were donated to the monastery, the place became a popular pilgrim destination. The main church – The Katoghike Chapel – was built in 1215 on the shape of a cross. It is covered by the dome with the hole in the middle – its purpose is to give the light to the interior.
The Geghard Monastery complex has a beautiful location, surrounded by the breathtaking cliffs that are part of the Azat River Gorge. Getting to the monastery is interesting itself as the road leading to the complex is stunning too, going through the gorge.
You can combine visiting Geghard Monastery with Garni Temple as these sights are not too far from each other.
6.Haghpat Monastery
The beautiful monastery, located near the city Alaverdi in Lori Province, close to the Georgian border, was built between the 10th and 13th centuries during the rule of the Bagratid’s dynasty. In the Middle Ages, it used to play an important role as the religious, spiritual, educational, cultural and scientific center.
Some sources say that the first monastery in this place was built in the 4th century, on the ruins of the pagan temple. The monastery complex is surrounded by medieval walls. Inside you can find four churches, the library, the bell tower, the tomb, and numerous khachkars.
The main church, the Cathedral of Surb Nishan, was completed at the very end of the 10th century and shows the typical Armenian architecture from that period.
The location of the Haghpat complex was chosen on purpose, halfway on the hillside, overlooking Debed River. Haghpat Monastery is another site in Armenia that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.
7.Sanahin Monastery
Sanahin Monastery complex is located not far from Haghpat Monastery and shares with it the inscription to the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was built in a similar time and for a similar purpose as Haghpat and is yet another architectural masterpiece in Armenia.
The name of the monastery, Sanahin, translates as “this one is older than that one”, probably to emphasize that it was created before Haghpat. In the monastery complex, there are 16 buildings and objects, including St. Gregory and St. Harutyun chapels as well as numerous khachkars decorated mostly in plants’ motives.
8.The Alphabet Monument
It is located on the side of the road north of Yerevan, near the village Saghmosavan, you can find here 39 giant Armenian letters carved of the stone and decorated in the local motifs.
The Armenian alphabet was created by Mesrop Mashtots at the beginning of the 5th century and consist of one of the most unique and beautiful letters you will ever see.
At the monument, the letters are strewn around and are such fun things to see and admire. In the back, you will see the statue of Mesrop Mashtots carefully looking after his work.
The monument was created in 2005, to commemorate the 1600th birthday of the Armenian alphabet. The location might seem to be random but the final resting place of Mesrop Mashtots isn’t far away from the place.
9.Etchmiadzin
The official name of the city is Vagharshapat but everyone still uses Etchmiadzin as that’s how the place was called between 1945 and 1995.
The city is known as the spiritual capital of Armenia and is connected with Saint Gregory the Illuminator who built between 301-303 the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in the world (back then it was a vaulted basilica). Over the centuries the church was rebuilt and enlargened but the altar still stands in the same place, where Saint Gregory the Illuminator saw the sunray that he read as a sign.
Other important places you can’t miss in Etchmiadzin are the Churches of Saint Hripsimé, Saint Gayane, and Saint Shoghakat, as well as the archaeological site of Zvartnots. They all are of a huge religious, historical and cultural importance and together with Etchmiadzin Cathedral, they all made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
10.Noravank
Noravank monastery complex is located at the end of the long and narrow gorge and is surrounded by high cliffs of beautiful orange and red colors.
The complex itself dates to the 13th century and shortly after became the seat of Syunik’s bishops and the important religious and cultural center of the country.In the complex, you can visit twelve different objects, including two-floors Surb Astvatsatsin Church, Surb Karapet Church, and Surb Grigor Chapel as well as numerous khachkars. The monastery was partially destroyed by the earthquake in 1840 but was rebuilt still in the 19th century.
What to feed tourists?
- Zhingyalov hats
Zhingyalov hats are a traditional fried flatbread from Artsakh, located in the southeast of the Armenian Highlands.
The dough, which is made of flour and sour cream, is filled with seasonal greens such as cilantro, parsley, spring onions, dill, spinach, lettuce, and beet tops.
It is then fried on a dry pan for about 5 minutes until both sides are golden. Zhingyalov is a great food to try in Armenia from street vendors.
2.Manti
Manti is one of those Armenian dishes that will make you come back for more. It is a dish of tiny little boats of dough, filled with meat.
The dough filling mainly includes ground lamb or beef, shredded onion, and parsley.
The mantis are roasted in an oven until golden. Red pepper and tomato paste are then mixed with water and used to baste the manti.
3.Lahmacun/Lahmajun
Lahmajun (also called Lahmajoon) is one of the country’s most loved comfort foods, and it is one you absolutely need to try.
The dough base is round and usually very thin. It is topped with sautéed minced beef, finely chopped onions, garlic, and peeled crushed tomatoes.
The dough is then baked in the oven until the crust is crispy. It is served with mint leaves and lemon, which must be squeezed on top of the dough before the first bite!
The combination of the crispy bread and the spicy beef make this a food with incredible flavor.
4.Gata
Gata or ”kata’” is a sweet bread that can be found in different shapes, sizes, and decorations, depending on which Armenian town or region you are visiting.
This delicious mildly sweet dessert consists of a dough made of milk, heavy cream, and eggs, and a filling of basically sugar and butter.
Gata is baked all year round and on every single important holiday in Armenia. It is a food loved by Armenians all over the country.
5.Ghapama
6.Tjvjik/Tzhvzhik
Considered a delicacy in some Armenian villages, tjvjik is a dish of fried beef liver. It is cooked with a large number of onions that are spiced and seasoned with salt and pepper.
The significance of this Armenian food in the country is reflected in a 1962 Soviet Armenian short movie.
Tjvjik is a very unique Armenian food that is difficult to find. But if you can befriend locals, they will know places to find it.
7.Sujuk (Churchkhela)
8.Shashlik and Kebab Assortment
These Armenian-style mouthwatering lamb kebabs are cooked with skewers on a grill, and they are truly delicious.
The lamb is cut into bite-size pieces and marinated overnight with onion, thyme, basil, and other herbs.
There are many variations, and you can try these kebabs from restaurants and street vendors across Armenia.
Some Armenian chefs don’t even marinate the meat! But one thing is for sure – making juicy shashlik that is grilled to perfection requires a lot of practice.
9.Armenian Bulgur Salad
Armenian bulgur salad, called ‘’Itch’’ or ‘’Eech’’, is similar to the Lebanese tabbouleh. This refreshing and delicious grain salad can be enjoyed both for lunch and as a side dish.
It is made by sautéeing garlic, onions, green pepper, and tomatoes, then mixing the ingredients with cooked bulgur.
Once cooled, lemon juice is added, and the dish is then topped with green onion and fresh parsley.
10.Kefir
Holydays and traditions in Armenia.
1.New Year
Armenians celebrate New Year’s at the same time as the rest of the world does- on January 1. Armenian children receive presents from Santa Claus- Dzmer Papik- on this day. New Year’s is a time when Armenians like to go all out. It’s mandatory for Armenian families to have a pig’s thigh- khozi bud- on the table. We also have salads, ttu (marinated vegetables), all kinds of cakes, dried fruits, and more. Armenians visit one another all until Armenian Christmas, which is on January 6th. It isn’t uncommon for there to be so many guests at your house that you don’t know what to do!
2.Armenian Army Day
This holiday, celebrated on January 28th, is in honor of the establishment of the Armenian Army in 1992. As a nation plagued by war over Artsakh, the army plays a very important role in the everyday lives of Armenians. There is no family who does not have relatives serving in the army, or worse- who does not know someone who died in the war. So, Armenians celebrate and honor the army with parades and a day off of work.
3.Women’s Month
If you’re a woman, you’ll be bound to hear, “Congratulations on your one month” all throughout March and April. Women’s month kicks off in Armenia on March 8th, which is International Women’s Day. Women all over Armenia are given flowers and gifts by their male relatives and colleagues. One month later, April 7th, is celebrated as Mother’s Day. If you’re a man, make sure that you get the women in your life flowers, chocolates, or other small gifts, or else…!
4.Easter
For any Christian country, Easter is one of the most important religious holidays of the year. And Armenia is no exception. The exact days vary each year, but it usually falls in the month of April.
The celebration starts on Good Friday and lasts through the weekend. Eggs are colored in red, which symbolizes the blood of Christ, but some even color them in different colors nowadays.
5.Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
Armenians commemorate the anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th of every year. On this day in 1915, Armenian intellectuals were rounded up and killed in Constantinople, which is why Armenians commemorate it on this day. Armenians all over the world march in protests to demand recognition of the genocide, as well as hold commemorative masses and symposiums. In Armenia, people march to the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial and lay flowers by the eternal flame. A candlelight procession is held in the evening.
6.Trndez
Trndez (Candlemas Day) is celebrated 40 days after Christmas, on Valentine’s Day. It’s particularly a great holiday for newly married couples, who receive gifts and jump over a fire together. It is originally a pagan holiday and symbolizes fertility and the upcoming spring.
Trndez frequently coincides with the feast day of the Armenian patron saint of love and youth, St. Sargis. People who are unmarried eat salty bread without drinking water and then go to sleep. It’s said that they will receive a dream from St. Sargis where they will see their future husband or wife.
7.Independence Day
In 1991, a national referendum was held in Armenia on its withdrawal from the Soviet Union. On September 21, the third and independent Republic of Armenia was created. Thus, ever since, the country celebrates its “birthday” on this day. There’s a parade in Yerevan, and various events scheduled throughout the day.
8.Day of Remembrance of Victims of the 1988 Earthquake
On December 7, 1988, the Armenian city of Spitak had a devastating, 6.9-magnitude earthquake that killed thousands of people, injured even more, and left hundreds of thousands homeless. The earthquake even destroyed a good deal of Armenia’s infrastructure.
9.Day of Maternity and Beauty
Like March 8, the Day of Maternity and Beauty is also to honor Armenian women. Marked on April 7, children give flowers and small gifts to their mothers and grandmothers. It is also quite likely that women and girls get flowers from complete strangers in the streets.
Girls and women get flowers on International Women’s Day and on Maternity and Beauty Day in Armenia | © Hannah Rodrigo / Unspalsh
10.Vardavar
And finally, one of the most beloved holidays in Armenia- Vardavar. As with many other religious holidays, Vardavar has its origins from pagan times, originally dedicated to the goddess of love, Astghik. Now, it is celebrated on the day of Christ’s Transfiguration, 14 weeks after Easter.
Now, people all over Armenia enjoy splashing water on one another. Don’t expect to leave your house that day and stay dry. All throughout Yerevan, people splash others of all ages, in many unique ways. People in apartments splash those walking down below. Children gather to splash one another. This is a fun holiday that especially helps people to cool down during the hot summer. Many people particularly try to go to Armenia to partake in Vardavar.
Armenian holidays are fun and special occasions for all. It seems as though Armenians live for the holidays. There are lots of cool events throughout the year to participate in while in Armenia. Don’t feel bad if you don’t understand everything- Armenians are very hospitable people and will make sure to make the experience memorable for you too.
Armenian Wedding Traditions
Armenian wedding traditions form the basis of one of the most important events in traditional Armenian communities.
The magic begins at the engagement party. After a couple has decided to get married, the groom’s family visits the bride’s family to ask for her hand in marriage. In olden times, the groom would be routinely rejected once or twice before the bride’s family finally said yes.
The wedding day itself starts early in the morning when the groom and his relatives go to the bride’s home with flowers, decorated fruit baskets, sweets, wine, Armenian brandy, shoes and perfume. Upon arrival, they are treated to a delicious feast.
According to one of the oldest wedding traditions in Armenia, the godparents of the groom must pay a ransom for the bride before he is allowed to see her. In another fun tradition still observed at weddings today, one of the bride’s shoes is stolen as she is getting dressed. After long negotiations and joyful bargaining, the shoe is returned to the young lady, often with money inside as a symbol of wealth.
The ceremony at the church is one of the most important Armenian wedding traditions and is followed by a celebration at the bride’s house or a restaurant. Before entering the building, however, the newlyweds must first break plates with their feet.
Armenian weddings are always punctuated with loud music and dancing. One of the most traditional parts of the celebration is a dance called sabbath. During the sabbath dance, guests gather around the bride and slip money into her hands while she dances, an interaction which symbolizes abundance in the newly formed family.
Among the more tangible weddings traditions in Armenia are the small souvenir boxes for guests, called tarosiki. The boxes symbolize love and are personally handed out to single guests by the bride and groom in order to wish their happiness upon the recipients. According to local belief, single girls who receive tarosiki can expect to see their future husband in a dream the following night.
During the wedding celebration, which continues late into the night, guests enjoy delicious food, music and dancing. They all take turns wishing the couple happiness through the recitation of colorful, poetic toasts, the most beloved of which is “May you grow old on one pillow!”
1. The Khosk-Kap
It is respectable for the groom to ask the bride’s family for her hand in marriage before he proposes. This ‘asking of the hand’ is called a Khosk-Kap and entails a formal dinner organised by the families of both the bride and groom-to-be. It is usually held at the bride’s house and the families are expected to bring floral arrangements, chocolate and Armenian Cognac. Tea is served at the start, but no one should drink it until the bride’s family has agreed to the marriage. If agreed, both sides of the family then talk to one another and start to plan the wedding.
2. The Engagement Ceremony
Engagement parties are usually not an essential; however in the Armenian culture, it is a necessity! During the engagement soiree; a ring, a bracelet, earrings, a red dress and a veil would be put into a tray in front of the groom to present to his bride. Each item symbolises a vow that the bride is going to take. The bracelet on the wrist indicates she will be faithful to her husband and the red dress and veil is a promise that she will be a true bride to the man she is marrying.
3. The Pillow Sharing
A popular Armenian saying that is used regularly is “May you grow old on one pillow.” This is a way to wish that the bride and groom will stay together forever and stitching this on a pillow as a wedding favour is extremely common in the Armenian culture.
4. The Red Dress
Traditionally, Armenian brides wore a red silk dress with a red and green cardboard crown. The crown is shaped like wings and covered with feathers which symbolises a dove. Doves are an important part of an Armenian wedding, with these birds released during the reception to show love and fortune throughout the newlywed’s married years. The colour palette of red and green is a symbol of life and sacrifice to your groom, making it the perfect palette for the bride-to-be.
5. The Brother Pays Up
While the bride is getting ready, her brother will sneakily place money inside her shoes as a sign of good luck. Another Armenian pre-wedding tradition is that the bride should write the names of her bridesmaids on the sole of her shoes and cross the names off as each bridesmaid gets married.
6. Coin Toss
As the bride and groom walk back up the aisle after the ceremony, guests throw coins at the couple as a symbol of wealth and success.
7. The Armenian Bride’s Emergency Kit
Before the bride starts getting ready on the big day, the best man sings and dances his way to the bride’s house with a sini – a traditional Armenian gift-wrapped basket filled with goodies for the wedding day including perfume, flowers, chocolate, brandy and shoes.
Armenian National Dances
Kochari
Kochari is best known Armenian group dance inscribed on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Kochari is the imitation of ram’s movements and symbolizes strength, power and ram fighting soul. Initially it was the dance of military or ritual victory and was performed by men. Nowadays it is performed during different celebrations by people of any age, gender and social status. There are dozens of types of kochari because every region of historical Armenia had its type of this dance such as Karno kochari and others. Kochari is one of the rare traditional dances whose chain of transmission has never been interrupted.
To promote folk dances among the people all over the world and in honor of 2800th anniversary of capital Yerevan and 100th anniversary of the First Republic of Armenia in 2018 “Ari pari kochari” (“Let’s dance kochari”) project was started. The project is actually a flesh mob during which all over the world Armenians gather in squares and parks and dance kochari altogether.
The legendary kochari was danced at the walls of Reichstag in Berlin in 1945 during the 2nd world war by Armenian men as a symbol of victory.
Yarkhushta
Yarkhushta is an Armenian military dance performed only by men in Sassoun province of Western Armenia. According one of the several etymologies of the word “yarkhushta” it means “the friend of a weapon”. In ancient times the army used to dance it before the battle. The dance looks like a single combat between two soldiers attacking each other. Yarkhushta is a warrior dance known from early Middle Ages mentioned in some Armenian historians’ works such as Movses Khorenatsi (5th century AD).
Yarkhushta is one of the Armenian traditional dances which hasn’t undergone a lot of modifications having passed through the centuries.
Berd
Another famous Armenian military dance is berd which translates in English as “fortress”. The dance comes from an old Armenian city called Vaspurakan. People say that before becoming a dance it was a game named Gmbetakhagh (Dome game). The dance is performed by men only. The main feature of the dance and the reason why it is called so is that at the culmination part of the performance the dancers stand on each others’ shoulders thus making a defensive wall of the fortress. This is the only dance in the world which has such a unique structure.
Shavali
Every event in ancient Armenia had its traditions and dance. Shavali is a dance which was performed by the relatives of the bride during the weddings. The dance was mainly danced in Karin province of Western Armenia. Usually during the wedding the relatives of the bride were more passive and they did not dance much. So, this dance is a must wedding dance during which the dancers, who must be only happy and married persons, stand in a circle (the head dancers “parbashi” were the bride’s parents) and dance holding each others little fingers. Shavali was performed both by men and women of average age.
Ejmiatsin
Ejmiatsin is a cult worshipping dance originated in Karin province. Although it comes from pagan times (supposedly the dance was dedicated to the worship of Sun) now it is called by the name of the main Cathedral of Armenian Apostolic Church in Vagharshapat city- Holy See of Ejmiatsin. Ejmiatsin is danced in circle which is becoming narrow and widens back. Narrow circle symbolizes sunset and when the circle becomes wide again it symbolizes sunrise. 12 steps with bending movements (6 to the right and 6 to the left) were the worshipping signs to the zodiacs in pre-Christian period or 12 apostles after adopting Christianity. As right side was the symbol of luck and left- ill-luck it is supposed that dancers making steps to the right and forward wanted to save luck inside the circle/community and going to the left they refuse everything negative. In other words, Ejmiatsin dance is kind of pray of the church or community.
Papuri
To push away everything negative ancient Armenians danced papuri, where papara means to break, crush or punish. The dance is full of movements hitting the ground or clapping which according to the ancient beliefs helped to get rid of evil or negativeness. Papuri is performed by people of all ages, gender and social status. The dancers stand shoulder to shoulder and move to the right making steps and hitting the ground. The first part of the dance is slow then it becomes more active and the steps transfer to jumping movements. The main meaning of the dance is to make a community and unite people against evil.
In Armenian culture dance is a way to make people united and help to get positive energy. Along with unity dance is a way to teach patriotism. To promote and make popular Armenian national dances among young people and all population in some schools around the country the children are taught those dances.
“We and Our Dances” is another wonderful initiative organized by Karin Folk Song and Dance Ensemble in the frames of which the dancers of the ensemble with its founder and creative director Gagik Ginosyan teach Armenian National Dances all who wish. The event takes place on the last Friday of every month since 2005. During summertime people can join them in Cascade complex in Yerevan.