Welcome to the landlocked mountainous country in South Caucasus between the black Sea and the Caspian Sea referred to as Armenia. This is a beautiful country with a sophisticated people and a rich cultural history that has resulted to an intriguing tourist destination. The capital city is Yerevan and the official language is Armenian. Armenia is usually referred to as a sunny country where the climate ranges from dry subtropical to cold. The summers are hot and winters are short but cold. The mountain peaks are covered with eternal snow while their slopes are lined by alpine meadows. If you are planning for a trip to this country, the best time to visit is spring or autumn.



The traditional Armenian cuisine has a large variety of richly flavoured dishes. Fresh vegetable and meat is considered to be the most favourite food in Armenia. No Armenian table can be imagined without the most favourite barbecue, kyufta, dolma or ghapama. There is also a traditional dish called khash which foresees a great ritual, starting from its preparatory process till the last moment at the table. There are also many restaurants serving the dishes of different world-known cuisines.Yerevan has a booming restaurant scene with cuisine available from every corner of the globe. Along Paronyan Poghots (Barbeque Street), you'll find a number of places that serve the famed Armenian dish, khoravats (grilled meats).

Much Armenian cooking is based on lamb, either grilled and served as shashlik with flat bread or prepared as soup or stew often in combination with fruits or nuts. A meal usually starts with a large spread of hors d'oeuvres, which may include peppers and vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat, pickled and fresh vegetables and various kinds of cured meats (basturma). Drinks include Brandies Dvin, Kotayk and Kihikia which are Armenian beers; Areni red wine is particularly liked.

You can book a hotel earlier for you to reside in as you travel to different places in Armenia. This is a country that has the most luxurious affordable hotels. The rooms have facilities like private bathrooms and toilets, working desks, towels, private doctors, hair dressers and driers among others. Some of the hotels include Congress Cotel, Yerevan Hotel, Arma Hotel and Ani plaza Hotel. In these places, you will get great services.

Where else can one tour? Why not sample Yerevan's impressive array of cultural sites, including the National Gallery and the Yerevan library of ancient manuscripts which houses over 13,000 texts? Don't miss to visit the State Museum of Armenian History in Yerevan, which houses the country's best collection of historical artefacts and also make a pilgrimage to one of Armenia's most dramatic sights, the Geghard Monastery as you visit Garni Temple where repeated earthquakes have destroyed most of the original structure.

Yerevan has a variety of nightclubs and restaurants that host local bands playing different music from soft jazz to hard rock. Some of the biggest clubs play techno and trance until dawn, sometimes with DJs from different countries. The capital also has a forlorn strip of casinos on the road to the airport. Opera, theatre and ballet performances are of a high standard and tickets are cheap. Folk music, featuring the ubiquitous duduk (a double reed wood instrument) is often organized at traditional Armenian restaurants and other tourist venues. There are often concerts at the Philharmonic, Chamber Music Hall and Opera & Ballet House in Yerevan.