Until now, Russian citizens could enter internal passports only to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, as well as to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Since March 2017, the list was replenished with Armenia.
Well, the great news for 72% of Russian citizens, which, according to the survey of the Levada Center, still do not have foreign passports.
Everyone who happened to be in Armenia will confirm that a trip to this beautiful ancient country will give an unforgettable impressions, no matter how time you stay here.
How to get there, where to stop
It is possible to arrive from Russia to Armenia without a passport only by air. When choosing other types of transport, a passport will inevitably be required, since there is no direct border between Russia and Armenia. Without transplants to Yerevan, you can fly from:
- Moscow (several flights from Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo);
- Yekaterinburg (on Saturdays);
- Krasnodar;
- Mineral water (on Mondays and Thursdays);
- Rostov-on-Don.
There are a lot of accommodation options, the prices are adequate already in Yerevan itself, and the farther from the capital, the more democratic they are. At the same time, the owners of even the hostels, not to mention the establishments of higher categories, are very, very, very much more expensive for their rental housing, and therefore the cleanliness, care and (if desired) delicious national dishes for breakfast are guaranteed to you.
How to get there, where to stop
All planes arrive at the only airport in the capital Zvartnotz.
Zvartnets airport, new building
The airport terminal is located 12 kilometers from Yerevan, so get from here to the capital and not for long and inexpensively: in 40 minutes and for 250 drams (30 rubles), bus No. 201 will deliver you to the Liberty Square to the Opera and Ballet Theater, which the Yerevans themselves are just called “Opera”:
Opera and Ballet Theater in the evening
However, buses run only from 07:30 to 18:00, so if you arrive earlier or later, then you will have a choice of minibus No. 107 and No. 108, the travel in which will cost the same amount, but the travel time will be reduced to half an hour. But they run not around the clock, but from about 6 a.m. to 20 pm.
Therefore, the most convenient (and most importantly, round -the -clock) remedy to get to any point of Yerevan from the Zvartnitsa is a taxi. If you arrived by the company 4-5 people or found partners in a fold, then the passenger’s passenger is not much more expensive than a minibus for each passenger. By the way, as elsewhere in the East, bargaining is not only appropriate, but also required. Travel time will take about 15-20 minutes. You can order a taxi here.
Yerevan is not a very large, but very magnificent city with very friendly people. Security is absolute! It seems that thieves and rowdy bypass both the capital and the whole country. There are many places where during unhurried walks you can make a lot of interesting photographs as a keepsake.
The city is full of monuments that you come across suddenly and most often you admire them or smile at the interpretations of the authors:
Musical “Trio” decorated with grass and flowers opposite the opera.
Monument to composer Arno Babajanyan.
And this is a quite classic monument to the composer Committee before the conservatory of his own name.
The largest cathedral of St. Grigory of the Educator in Armenia, and a little in front and on the left of the monument to the commander (“Thunderstorm of the Turks”) Zoravan to Andranik.
The Mother Army monument in Victory Park.
Exposition in the Garden of Sculptures “Cafesjian”.
Mount Ararat is considered the main symbol of Armenia, to which, according to the Old Testament, Noah moored his ark. But not everyone knows that Ararat was referring to the jurisdiction of Turkey under the Russian-Turkish Treaty on Friendship and Brotherhood, signed on March 16, 1921 in Moscow between the Government of the RSFSR and the Great National Assembly of Turkey.
Mount Ararat and the ancient Christian monastery choir virap (V-VI centuries)
Meanwhile, every Armenian in the soul continues to consider Ararat a national treasure, hence the country in the country so many labels of the same name, from the famous brandy and ending with perfumes, textiles … And so on up to penny magnets for the refrigerator.
Where to eat and how to have fun in Yerevan
In the evenings, both Yerevaners and guests of the city fill the streets, boulevards, squares and, of course, the famous cascade-a unique architectural complex of stairs, sculptures, fountains and flower beds, which they began to erect in the 70s of the last century, but still did not finish. Yes, the cascade is unfinished. According to the plan, he was supposed to be married to the highest observation platform with the obelisk “revived Armenia” (managed to install it). But first, the Karabakh war prevented the stairs to the very top, then the blockade of the city and other financial and political troubles.
Now, according to the cascade, you can climb 675 steps from a small square near the opera, periodically stopping at the intermediate viewing sites, from where these photos are taken.
Elderly tourists, as well as people with poor health, are best used to use the elevator inside the complex, which will raise them to the penultimate observation deck.
On the main square of the republic, with the beginning of twilight, ordinary fountains turn into colored, singing and even dancing, and people willingly observe rainbow overflows, simultaneously communicating with each other:
It is nice to see “live” confirmations of how strong the sympathy of the Armenians to our common past: the main cinema in the center of Yerevan is called “Moscow”,
… And the most popular Double-cafe is the complex under the two signs “Caucasian captive” and “gentlemen of good luck”, where the heroes of the mentioned films cast in bronze are flaunted under each.
City of museums, galleries, parks and gardens
Only in the city’s capital at least thirty museums. We list the most significant and visited from them:
The Institute (and, in fact museum) of ancient manuscripts Matenadaran (site) with a monument to the creator of Armenian writing – Mesrop Mashtotsa. Over 17 thousand ancient parchments of the V-VI centuries and manuscripts of the IX-X and later centuries are stored inside. The most valuable exhibit is the fully preserved Gospel of Veamora (Virgin Mary),
dated to the VII century.
Institute of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran
The building of the museum complex on the Republic Square divides the National Historical Museum of Armenia (site) and the art gallery of Armenia (site). In the first, exhibits are represented since the time of primitive people of the Neolithic era. Here you will find rare evidence of cultural and trade relations with other “old-timers” countries: the Hittite kingdom, Assyria, Egypt, Iran, the state of Seleucids, Rome and the Byzantine Empire.
Museum complex on the Square of the Republic
In 1995, the 80th anniversary of the tragic events, in Yerevan the Armenian Genocide Museum was opened (site),
telling visitors about the great massacre arranged by Ottomans, as a result of which about 15 million Armenians died and tens of millions hastened to emigrate to different countries, where there are now extensive Armenian diasporas.
Museum of the Armenian Genocide
Fans of classical music simply cannot but visit the memorial museum of composer Aram Khachaturian (one of the most famous works – “Dance with Sabers” from the last action of the ballet “Gayan and dozens of other musical creations). The museum building (site) houses an exhibition and concert halls, as well as a scientific center. The exposition has about 18 thousand items collected in 55 countries. The phonotex includes 3.5 thousand discs.
Museum of Sergei Parajanov (site)-the famous Armenian director and scriptwriter (“Grenade color”, “Shadows of forgotten ancestors”, “Ashik-Kerib” and many other films popular in the 20th century). It is noteworthy that Parajanyan himself (the real name of the filmmaker) was born in Tbilisi and never lived in Armenia, but he bequeathed all his works to the country of his ancestors.
The remaining museums of Yerevan:
- Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve “Erebuni” (the name of the city in the ancient state of Urartu, founded in 782 BC, from which the city of Yerevan grew) (site)
- Museum of Ovanes Tumanyan (site)
- Center for Folk Art named after Ovannes Sharambeyan (site)
- Yerevan Museum of Contemporary Art (site)
- Military Museum of Mother Army (site)
- Museum of Literature and Art named after Egish Charenets (site)
- House-Museum Egish Charenets (site)
- House-Museum Avetik Isaacan (site)
- Committee Museum-Institute (site)
- Museum of Yerward Kochara (site)
- House Museum Martiros Saryana (site)
- House-Museum of Alexander Spendiaryan (site)
- Museum-Institute of Alexander Tamanyan (site)
- House-Museum-Sharl-Aznavura (site)
- State Museum of Nature Armenia (site)
- Museum of Wooden Art (site)
- Yerevan Museum of Russian Art (site)
What to bring home from Yerevan
For the choice of souvenirs, in addition to the purchase of Ararat and Noah (as well as amazingly tasty wine from grenade berries),
We recommend that you go to the central market, where you will find a lot of national dishes, and capable of stored outside the refrigerator for weeks.
What to enjoy in early summer
At the end of May, famous local apricots appear in Armenia; By the end of June, they are sold literally at every corner at a price of 20 rubles per kilogram.
And in conclusion. Perhaps the only thing you cannot find in Armenia is:
- sobering – since they were not spinning here, no and will not, due to the lack of drunkenness;
- snub -nosed girls – except for the fruits of interethnic marriages;
- McDonald’Sov – which at first causes bewilderment, which, after the first meal in the Armenian institution, easily comes to naught. Although, no one canceled local fast foods.
Convenient site for finding hotels – Onetwotrip.
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