"The best meat is on the bones, the best land is on the rocks" - the Armenians say about their country . The rocky soil of ancient Hayastan gave unusually generous fruits, the key word in describing them is "the oldest" . Great culture of Urartu, whose writings are still no one deciphered, the first state to accept Christianity, three thousand years of gastronomic traditions and even the world's oldest knot carpet - all this Armenia . As for the present, Armenia is a duduk and shish kebab, churchhela and lavash, carpets and Lake Sevan, apricots, Ararat brandy and mountain hospitality, toast ... In short, it's easier to see everything with your own eyes (and of course, taste and smell)!

The capital is Yerevan. The main cities are Gyumri, Vanadzor. Therapeutic and balneological resorts - Dilijan, Jermuk, Sevan. Mountain-skiing resort - Tsakhkadzor

How to get to Armenia

Aeroflot, Armavia and S7 Airlines zhednevno operate several flights to Yerevan from "Sheremetyevo", "Vnukovo" and "Domodedovo", respectively. Flight time is less than 3 hours. You can fly from the capital of our country to Gyumri. Citizens of Ukraine travel to Yerevan by flights of Aerosvit and Aeroflot with a transfer in Moscow or Air Baltic through Riga, and Belarusians on the wings of Aeroflot, S7 or Belavia also via Moscow.

Traveling by train from Moscow to Yerevan will take at least 4 days and pass through the territory of Azerbaijan and Georgia (a Georgian visa will be required.)

Visa to Armenia

Citizens of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus do not need a visa to visit Armenia.

Customs

Import and export of foreign currency is not limited, mandatory filling of customs constant declarations that you want to save before leaving the country. The amount of more than 10 thousand USD (or its equivalent in other currencies) can only be transferred by bank transfer. Importation and exportation of the national currency is prohibited. Permission is granted to import duty-free up to 2 liters of alcoholic beverages and up to 50 packs of tobacco products, personal items and other goods with a total value of not more than 500 USD. If the cost exceeds 500 USD, the customs duty is paid.

The import of drugs, poisonous and explosive substances, weapons and ammunition is prohibited. For the import and export of antiques, precious stones, coins, manuscripts and other works of art, the permission of the relevant authorities will be required.

Money and currency exchange

You can pay in shops and shopping centers only by national currency - dram. Points of currency exchange are located literally at every step, in them equally willingly accept and US dollars, and EUR, and Russian rubles. In addition, you can exchange money almost at any store or from a private trader - this is not considered illegal, and fraud is rare (although, of course, no one has yet abolished common sense). It is not necessary to submit a passport.

There are also no problems with ATM search. Among other things, there is a wide network of Western Union branches in Armenia

Useful telephone numbers

Embassy of Armenia in Moscow: Armenian first., 2; tel .: (495) 624-12-69, 624-14-41, 624-32-43 (consular department); website

Embassy of Russia in Yerevan: st. Grigor Lusavorich, 13 A; tel .: (10) 567-427, 545-218; web site

Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Gyumri: st. Garegin Nzhdeh, 1; tel .: (312) 345-33; website

Codes of some cities: Yerevan - 10, Gyumri - 312, Vanadzor - 322, Dilijan - 2680, Jermuk - 287, Sevan - 261, Tsakhkadzor - 223.

Fire service - 101, police - 102. , first aid - 103, airport information - 187, information service - 109, weather - 186.

Safety of tourists

Yerevan is one of the safest cities in the world, where you can walk around the streets even late at night. There are isolated cases of theft and pickpocketing, so it's always worth keeping your personal belongings and wallets in sight.

Armenia belongs to the few countries where it is possible to drink tap water - it is not only safe for health, but also tasty, as it comes from mountain springs. In addition, locally bottled mineral water of local production is sold at penny prices.

Transport

The most convenient way of traveling in Armenia is by bus. Between cities, the 14-seat minibuses are scurrying fast, the fare is more than moderate. Along the streets of Yerevan, almost without pauses, minibuses are used, where you can get to the right place only for 100 AMD. Taxi rides are also quite inexpensive - both in Yerevan and between cities. 1 km will cost the same 100 AMD; it is possible to rent a taxi for the whole day at an agreed price.

It is convenient to see the sights of Armenia within the framework of organized tours. Programs of such excursions are abundantly offered by local travel agencies. The cost is from 6 USD for a half day trip.

From the capital to Gyumri, Alaverdi and Lake Sevan can be reached by train, but the journey will be quite long due to low speed and with comfort "in Soviet style."

Internal flights between two airports in Armenia - in Yerevan and Gyumri - none

Car rent

Russian car hire is suitable for renting a car. The driver's age must be at least 21 years, the driving experience is from one year. In general, renting a car is not the most convenient way of traveling around the country: "buying" a taxi with a driver for a whole day will cost the same amount (if not cheaper) and at the same time eliminate the need to monitor the road and often unpredictable actions of other drivers, navigate in signs and lay a route.

Car rental in Armenia with a guaranteed best price

Armenia's climate

Armenia has a continental mountain climate: summers are hot and dry, winter, although short, but very severe. A characteristic feature is a strongly pronounced altitudinal zonality with significant temperature differences, even between closely located settlements. Within Yerevan, there is often a difference of a couple of degrees between the northern and southern outskirts. Rains are mainly in spring and early summer

In the Ararat valley and in Yerevan, the average July temperature is +26 .. 28 ° C, the maximum is +42 ° C, January -4 ° C. In the foothills in summer, the thermometer shows +24 .. 26 ° C, in winter - about +5 ° C. Mountainous areas can boast of a cool summer months - from +10 to +20 ° C, depending on the altitude, but in winter they are quite freezing - down to -14 ° C. The thickness of the snow cover varies from 30 to 100 cm, the snow lies for a long time. In the Lake Sevan area around +20 ° C in the summer and -12 ° C in the winter months.

In general, the optimal time for visiting the country is autumn with its warm weather, bright colors and an abundance of fruits. See also the current weather forecast for the most popular cities and resorts in Armenia for 10 days

Shopping

Supermarkets, large stores and most shops are open daily. The latter are often closed in the morning, but work until late in the evening. It is not accepted to bargain in the shops, but in the markets it is obligatory.

Number one souvenir is the famous Armenian cognac, many brands of which can be found in almost any store. The most famous varieties are Ararat, Armenika, Sayat Nova, Noah, Armenian Cognac. Cost 0, 75 liters of quality drink starts at 6500 AMD.

Be sure to pay attention to the amazing Armenian carpets with traditional motifs; they are traded not only in specialized and souvenir shops, but also from cars in the Yerevan market - here the biggest choice. Antique carpets can be purchased at the Vernissage, a giant flea market that unfolds every Saturday on the Republic Square in the capital.

Among other souvenirs are wood products (cognac bottles, vases and fruit plates), Jazve copper Turks , dolls-amulets and traditional dolls, woven in the technique of tapestry, glassware and Christmas toys with national motives, "tarosiki" - mini-gifts for guests at weddings, bronze statuettes of national heroes.

To ухня и рестораны

The basics of Armenian cuisine - chopped meat (mainly beef and lamb), fresh, stewed and stuffed vegetables. When preparing dishes, more than 300 kinds of aromatic herbs and flowers are used, and often they serve not even as seasonings, but in the form of the main component of the food.

The most popular dish, both on the Armenian table and in the catering outlets, is shish kebab. It is made from beef, pork, lamb or poultry, seasoned with spices and served with tomatoes, onions, eggplant, sweet pepper and other vegetables. The royal shish kebab "khorovats" consists of four types of meat, each of which is marinated in a separate sauce.

It is worth trying "kutap" - a trout stuffed with rice, raisins and ginger and baked in the oven. We mention the hearty "khash" and delicious "dolma", "kuftu" from chopped meat, a lot of cheeses with herbs, including twisted "cheshil", and of course the famous Armenian lavash - by the way, it happens not only white but also black, from mountain wheat of hard varieties

Lovers of dairy products will appreciate natural yoghurt " matsun ", okroshka and" rescued "- hot soup based on yogurt.

Sweet Toothsuckers candied apricots "shalah" and peaches stuffed with grated walnuts, sugar and cinnamon, as well as sweet churchel sausages

Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Armenia

Armenia has an abundance of churches and religious sites , the age of some reaches 1700 years . One of the pearls is the monastery of Khor Virap (17th c.), located on the outskirts of Yerevan, on the site of the city of Artashat, the ancient capital of Armenia . From here opens an extraordinary view of the biblical mountain Ararat (recall: is in the territory of Turkey) . Other religious monuments: the temples of Garni and Zvartnots, the monastery of Geghard and samples of rock architecture, the churches of Mesrop Mashtots, Tsitsenavor and Karmravor, the Etchmiadzin building complex (in the translation - "the site of the descent of the only begotten"): the main cathedral is the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church and three churches erected in honor of Christian martyrs: Surb Ripsime, Surb Gayane, Surb Shoghakat .

Very interesting feudal castles- Armenian fortresses - genera The possessions of local princes of the 10th-13th centuries: Amberd, Metsamor, Akhtala, Smbataberd, as well as the ruins of the citadels of the ancient kingdom of Urartu (8th in BC): Erebuni and Lchachen. Nature lovers can be offered trips to Lake Sevan, to Shakinsky , The Jermuk and Kasakh waterfalls, the Aparan reservoir and the Jermuk hot springs.

The State Museum of the History of Armenia and the State Picture Gallery, the Manuscript Museum "Matenadaran" and the Erebuni Museum dedicated to the Urartu era, the Museum of Folk Art, the museum Giotto, Armenian Genocide Museum. Popular tours around the city center are the Tsitsernakaberd Plateau, Republic Square and Victory Park, as well as a visit to the Yerevan Brandy Factory. You can view Yerevan from the top by visiting the observation deck at the "Cascade."

Photo of Armenia (176)