Armenia
Welcome to the Armenia hub at David’s Been Here! In late September and early October of 2019, I traveled there for the first time. This landlocked country is located in Eurasia’s South Caucasus region, an area that straddles the border between Europe and Asia. Few countries around the world have taken hold of my heart the way this beautiful nation did. From the moment I landed in Yerevan, the capital city, I was greeted with beaming smiles and warm hugs, and by the time I left a week and a half later, I felt like I had gained a new family. I’ve always said “the people make the place,” and that was certainly the case in Armenia. Because of them and their kindness, warmth, and hospitality, I knew I’d be back someday.
I spent that week and a half on a lifechanging road trip that took me around nearly the entire country. As I toured cities like Etchmiadzin, Geghard, Garni, and Tatev, I learned about Armenia’s incredible past, from its early days as a pagan nation to it becoming the first country in the world to convert to Christianity in 301 A.D. I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit several early Christian monasteries, as well as pagan temples, ancient wineries, cave villages, adventure parks, and even cultural festivals!
Explore the map above to see all the cities, towns, and villages I visited in Armenia. Clicking on most of them will take you to my written travel guide about that location. You can also find the links to my travel guides below if you prefer. Below them are links to the videos in my extensive travel episode series about Armenia. They’re listed in order and are organized by city. I hope you find them entertaining and that they help you plan your trip to Armenia!
If you’re looking for tour companies to work with, I highly recommend Armenia Travel, who made my entire trip an enjoyable experience. And if you want a knowledgeable guide, contact my friend Lusine, who showed me around for the majority of my trip.
ARMENIA TRAVEL GUIDES
20 Things You Must See and Do in Yerevan, Armenia
5 Reasons Why You Must Visit Etchmiadzin, Armenia
Things to Do in Garni and Geghard, Armenia
What to See and Eat on Lake Sevan, Armenia
5 Reasons to Visit Dilijan, Armenia
What to See and Do in Tatev, Armenia
5 Things You Must Do in Areni, Armenia
Top 5 Things to See and Do in Gyumri, Armenia
ARMENIA TRAVEL EPISODES
Below, you’ll find all of my Armenia travel episodes in order, organized by location.
YEREVAN
Episode 1: Flying Qatar Airways to Armenia – The Best Economy Class in the World! Miami to Yerevan
Episode 2: Trying Armenian Lavash for the First Time + Visiting the Matendaran | Yerevan, Armenia
Episode 3: Armenian Food & Wine Tour on Saryan Wine Street + Sightseeing | Yerevan, Armenia
Episode 4: Traditional Armenian Markets Tour & Food Tastings | Yerevan, Armenia
Episode 5: Phenomenal Armenian Food at Sherep Restaurant – Citrus Lamb, BBQ Fish & Lavash | Yerevan, Armenia
Episode 6: Armenian Cooking Class & Feast Inside Megerian Carpet Factory | Yerevan, Armenia
ETCHMIADZIN
Episode 7: Armenian Basturma Skillet Omelet + Ancient Churches Tour in Etchmiadzin | Yerevan, Armenia
Episode 8: Unforgettable Armenian Food Experience + Smoking Fish the Traditional Way! | Etchmiadzin, Armenia
YEREVAN (REDUX)
Episode 9: Armenian Brandy & Craft Beer – Ararat Brandy Factory & Dargett Brewery Tours | Yerevan, Armenia
GARNI & GEGHARD
Episode 10: Baking Armenian Lavash + Touring Geghard Monastery & Temple of Garni | Garni, Armenia
LAKE SEVAN
Episode 11: Armenian Wild Crayfish Kebabs + Medieval Monastery Tour | Lake Sevan, Armenia
DILIJAN
Episode 12: Tasting Homemade Armenian Foods in Traditional Guest House + House Tour | Dilijan, Armenia
Episode 13: Baking Armenian Gata Bread + Huge Feast in Armenia’s Little Switzerland | Dilijan, Armenia
IJEVAN / YENOKOVAN
Episode 14: Extreme Sports Armenia – Zip-Lining & Off-Roading + Apaga Resort & Dinner | Yenokavan, Armenia
REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH
Episode 15: First Impressions of Artsakh “Nagorno-Karabakh” – Entering the Republic of Artsakh
Episode 16: Baking Artsakh Tonrav Hats & Artsakh Food + Monasteries Tour | Republic of Artsakh
Episode 17: Artsakh Food & Wine in Stepanakert + Wearing a Fire Helmet | Republic of Artsakh
Episode 18: Extreme Flight in Artsakh! + Hiking to Umbrella Waterfall | Stepanakert, Republic of Artsakh
Episode 19: Traditional Artsakh Food – Lavash, Trout, Lamb & Malberry Vodka | Shushi, Republic of Artsakh
GORIS
Episode 20: Local Armenian Food – Lavash & BBQ Chicken + Old Khndzoresk Cave Village Tour | Goris, Armenia
TATEV
Episode 21: Unreal Armenian Beef Kebabs! + Visiting Tatev Monastery & Cable Car | Tatev, Armenia
ARENI
Episode 22: The Ultimate Wine Festival Experience at the Areni Wine Festival | Areni, Armenia
Episode 23: Endless Armenian Food & Wine + The Oldest Winery in the World! | Areni, Armenia
ASHTARAK
Episode 24: Armenian Food & Wine at an Armenian Wine Yard + Making Vodka | Ashtarak, Armenia
Episode 25: Armenian Language – Learning Armenian Words and Phrases
GYUMRI
Episode 26: Armenian Food Extravaganza – Trout, Sturgeon & Caviar + Sightseeing | Gyumri, Armenia
YEREVAN (FINAL VISIT)
Episode 27: Traditional Western Armenian Food at Mayrig Restaurant | Yerevan, Armenia
That’s it! Those are all of my travel guides and travel episodes from my time in Armenia. I tried to be as thorough as I possibly could, but if you have any questions about traveling through Armenia, please don’t hesitate to contact me at david[at]davidsbeenhere.com or send me a DM on Instagram! I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!