5 reasons to travel to Armenia
Feel like taking a trip to Armenia but are still not quite sure? Here are 5 good reasons to choose this still little known destination.
- Discover the rich history of the first Christian country
- Meeting a warm population
- Taste a gastronomy born of multiple influences
- Give a taste of adventure to your trip
- Admire the authenticity and variety of the scenery
Is this the destination for you?
I strongly advise those of you fascinated by impressive man-made sites and natural locations tomake a trip to Armenia, a country in which man has managed to construct some exceptional buildings in quite wonderful natural locations.
You should go if
- Do you have a sensitive appreciation for religious art and/or spirituality?
- Impressed by mountain landscapes, high rocky plateaus, extinct volcanoes and high altitude lakes, especially when these things are encountered when hiking?
- Are you comfortable with the idea of people going out of their way to be as hospitable as possible towards you?
- Do you have a weakness for Middle Eastern cuisine, banquets and restaurant dining?
- Are you open-minded enough to immerse yourself in a unique national culture that blends aspects of both the East and the West?
- Are you curious to discover and explore a post-Soviet country experiencing the very last stages of post-colonialism and which has a heritage that combines elements of communism with ancient traditions?
- Are you aware of and familiar with the great dramas and upheavals of history and prepared to reflect on and render homage to the memory of the Armenian genocide?
You shouldn't go if
- Do you like order and organisation? Yerevan is a gently chaotic city characterised by the sound of car horns, disorientation, bustling markets and a sense of improvisation.
- Do you like the sea, open plains and large Middle Eastern cities? Armenia is in many ways the entire opposite of all that.
- Ill at ease on high mountain roads and prefer travelling in comfort? Armenia's roads are often chaotic.
- Little or no interest in history and national cultures? These are to be found everywhere you go in Armenia.
- Not keen on talking to strangers and prefer travelling around on your own, blending into the background? Armenians love meeting new people!