Yerevan District

Yerevan District

Yerevan is a modern city with an ancient past. Any tourist will enjoy it for the way the ancient relics and the contemporary artifacts exist side by side. You can experience the antique in museums and at historical sites and visit modern art galleries, pop and jazz concerts. You can see mid 20th century buildings built of stone and those built in the style of contemporary architecture of concrete, metal and glass. And in the heat of the summer, you can relax beneath the trees, enjoy drinks in outdoor cafes, cool off in aquapark.

An extraordinary city founded at the site of the ancient city Erebuni, Yerevan is a city for the old and the young, for the married and the single, for people keen on the classical and those keen on the pop culture.  

General Information

Yerevan has long been undistinguished, until after 1828 it became the administrative center under the occupying Russian rule. The birth of Yerevan is dated to the 5th century AD. It became the capital of the Republic of Armenia in 1918.

The Yerevan District is the heart of Armenia: 30% of the population, 50% of the industrial power, 98% of higher educational institutions and research institutes of Armenia are concentrated in Yerevan.

Location

The Yerevan District is located in the center of Armenia, in the northern extremity of the Ararat Plateau. Its elevation ranges between 860 to 1400 meters above sea level. The Hrazdan River with its Getar, Jrvejh, Voghjaberd and Mushaghbyur brooks runs through the city.

The Climate

The climate of Yerevan is continental with cold winters and hot summers. In January, the average temperature ranges from -4C to -6C, in July from +25C to +30C. The annual precipitation in the district is between 250 and 370 millimeters.

The climate in Yerevan is tricky - in some winters, there might be rains and a warm weather, while in others it might be freezing with heavy snowfalls. Respectively, in some summers, it might be hot with scorching sun and absolutely sunny and dry for two months, while in others it can be cool and wet. The best time to visit Yerevan could be fall, when rain is scarce, days are warm and foliage is beautiful. Yerevan has a healthy dry mountainous climate with winds airing the city in the summer nights. 

The Zvartnots Airport

The Zvartnots Airport in Yerevan has been expanded in the last few years. There are direct flights to and from most of the European countries, Moscow and other cities in Russia, as well as Iran, UAE, Syria, Lebanon in the Middle East. 

Traveling from Yerevan to the neighbouring countries or vice versa is not always possible, but is convenient. There are flights between Yerevan and Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. In addition, there is a train going from Yerevan to Tbilisi. Also, buses go to Tbilisi and other cities in Georgia.

There are also flights from Yerevan to Iran. However, if you want to visit Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, then you need to fly to Moscow, Sochi or Tehran and from there fly to Baku. A direct flight between Yerevan and Istanbul exists.

There are flights from Yerevan to the following cities in Russia: Krasnodarsk, Sochi, Moscow and St. Petersburg. The flights to Moscow are scheduled twice or three times a day.   

Trips to the Provinces

Yerevan is well-connected with most of the major cities in the provinces of Armenia. Buses commute between Yerevan and the major cities every half hour or every hour, sometimes sooner, depending on how quickly the passanger seats are occupied. The buses leave Yerevan from Kilikia Bus Station, the bus station behind the Rossiya trade center, Abovyan Square Bus Station, Gai Bus Station, Khorenatsi Bus Station and other bus stations. There are also many transport companies that provide rental service of high-class tourist buses, minibuses and cars for travelling across Armenia.

What to See and Do in Yerevan

Culture

There are numerous museums, art galleries, theatres in Yerevan. The most popular museums are the National Museum of History, Matenadaran (the museum of ancient Armenian manuscripts) and Erebuni Museum. The most visited galleries are the National Art Gallery and the Children's Art Gallery. You can go to classical music concerts held in the Opera House - a building whose project design won a prize in France in the 1930s. In the fall, Yerevan is enlivened with music and performing art festivals, concerts and exhibtions.  

There are ancient sites in Yerevan. The Shengavit-Reserve Museum is in Shengavit Quarter, which is the oldest settlement in Yerevan. The museum showcases arrow heads, jewelry, stone, copper, bone and silver instruments dated to VI-IV millenia BC. 

Among many statues in Yerevan, Sasuntsi David (the hero of Armenian epic) has won the greatest acclaim. The statues of Vardan Mamikonyan, Gai, Alexander Myasnikyan, Komitas, Saryan and others are also worth seeing.    

Eateries

There is a wide variety of restaurants in Yerevan. There are fast food eateries, like AFC and Rostik's, buffets and bistros. There are specifically Armenian restaurants with special interiors and Armenian cuisine, live Armenian folk music and waiters and waitresses in Armenian national costumes where you can enjoy Armenian dishes. Yerevan also boasts many ethnic food restaurants, like French, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Arabic, Greek, Georgian and others. Probably the most striking feature of Yerevan are the outdoor cafes, which work from May to November. Most of these cafes are in parks, under trees and with plants and bushes around them, serving cold drinks, salads and hot meals. 

Nightlife

You can enjoy the evenings in bars, cafes and clubs. In the summer, when the nights are warm, people stay out until late, spending their time in outdoor cafes. Optionally, you can visit clubs and enjoy disco parties or go to bar for some cold Armenian beer. Karaoke bars have become very popular in Yerevan, so you can stop by one where you can always find lively parties. If you're keen on jazz music, then you must definitely go to Malkhas Jazz Club and Avangard Folk Music Club. 

Hotels and Apartments

The most popular hotels in Yerevan are Metropol and Ani. Optionally, you can stay in an apartment. There is a very broad choice of apartments in Yerevan. They are available in various quarters of the city and have everything a tourist might need.