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Yerevan Travel Guide

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Asia : Caucasus : Armenia : Yerevan
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Yerevan City is in its own administrative area as the capital of Armenia.

Contents

Understand

Get in

By plane

Western airlines flying to Yerevan are: British Airways from London Austrian Airlines from Vienna Czech Airlines from Prague Lufthansa from Munich AirFrance from Paris

and the Armenian airline ArmAvia flies twice a week from Paris

By train

By car

By bus

You can reach Yerevan by bus from Tbilisi (Georgia) fare costs 15 lari and whole journey can took about 12 hours. More expensive is to take minibus (price is about 30 lari) but is shorter (about 6 hours).

By boat

Get around

On foot

The center of Yerevan is extremely compact and easy to get around by foot. Watch your step, however, as potholes, construction sites, and ruthless drivers abound.

By metro

The metro system in Yerevan is quite reliable and relatively modern, having been built in the early 1980s. It is the quickest way around town, and at 50 dram (US$0.10), the cheapest aside from walking. There is only one line, however, so the convenience of the metro is largely dependent on where you are going.

By minibus

More than hundred of minibus routes exist that criss-cross the city and travel to the suburbs and beyond (such as to Georgia or Karabagh). At 100 dram (US$0.20) a ride, they are a bargain. The minibuses are often overcrowed, and one may find themselves standing, crouched without a seat during 'rush hour'.

By bus or trolleybus

Image:Skoda14Tr Erywan.jpg
Yerevan trolleybus in may 2006

Jerevan has few lines of trolley system, trolleybuses and "big" buses are operated by company Yergortrans. The fare is right (50 dram) and vehicles are not so crowded. You can go also on some ex-west Europe buses (for example: ex-Firenze, ex-Lyon). Payment is done when you get out bus or trolley. Using minibus is not advised, there is a lot unknown routes, vehicles are crowded and drivers ride like devils.

By taxi

Abundant throughout the city, a taxi ride anywhere downtown shouldn't cost you more than 1500 dram (US$3-4), although it is not unknown for drivers to try to get more out of foreigners. A car and driver can often be rented for day trip outside of Yerevan, for as little as $20 plus gas.

See

Do

Make sure to see the main square. Perhaps considered the finest example of Soviet era architecture as far as squares go (only rivalled by Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan).

For music fans attend the Opera and/or the Chamber Music Orchesra performances.

Learn

Work

Buy

Eat

Budget

Mid-range

There is a local company named "CheeZLer" that makes wonderful cheesecakes. Cheesecakes are sold in most of the big supermarkets in the centre of Yerevan city. You can even order cheesecakes online only for 7.5 $ (per 1 kg cake). The web site is http://www.cheezler.com .

Splurge

Drink

Sleep

Yerevan has a wide variety of accommodations but for the most part they are over priced. If you're staying for an extended period of time, rent an apartment. Check the AUA (American University of Armenia) or real estate brokers for rental listings.

Budget

  • There is a dormitory/hostel at 52 Mashtots Poghota that I've been using for years. They are very kind and it is very clean.

The only hostel in Yerevan is the Envoy Hostel (http://www.envoyhostel.com) (corner of Pushkin and Parpetsi) which opened in September 2005. It is large, immaculate and costs 6,000 AMD with breakfast.

Mid-range

It is almost impossible to sleep cheap in Yerevan. The cheapest hotel will generally run $15 to $20 per person. Hostels do not exist as they do in Europe but a good alternative is home stays with Armenian families that rent out rooms. There are many of these places and they cost from $8 - $12 per night per person. Many are located in the center of Yerevan and if you can handle not having your own “space” they are a wonderful way to truly see Armenian hospitality up close. You can get a list of these home stays by writing the Armenian Information Center at http://www.armeniainfo.am.

Splurge

The main western standard hotels are the Marriott Hotel Armenia, located in Republic Square, Hotel Yerevan (Golden Tulip) on Abovyan, and the Congress Hotel, a short walk from Republic Square. The Congress is one step down in price but offers the same western feel as the Marriott, and has a large outdoor pool. The Golden Palace, which claims 5 stars, has recently opened (July 2005). It is at the top of the Cascade.

The Hotel Ani and Bass Hotel are nice and offer more realistic prices for western style accommodations. The specialty niche has the Tufenkian Hotel which tries to give you western standards but be true to the Armenian culture. It is high up in the Nork district of Yerevan, and you will be lucky if your taxi can find it easily. Olympia Hotel is situated in one of the most prestigious parts of Yerevan. The outstanding view from your balcony (you’ll see Mountain Ararat, Mountain Aragats, Razdan valley and hear the voices of the waterfall just in front of you ).

Contact

Stay safe

Yerevan overall is quite safe city and unless you hang around alone at night far from center you are safe. In crowded places and full loaded transport beware of the pickpocketing.

Cope

Get out

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