South Caucasus - Day 3 🇦🇲

We got up and enjoyed morning tea and coffee with beautiful views of Mt. Ararat from our apartment.

We headed out to visit our first stop of the day, Khor Virap. This is a monastery and pilgrimage site that offers stunning views of Mt. Ararat and the Turkish border area.

It was a climb to the top, and we saw many intricate khachkars (cross-stones) along the way.

While it was lovely to spend time there, it became increasingly hot and crowded as the morning progressed.

We drove from there and stopped at Van Food Court for lunch, which was conveniently located right on the highway.

We wrapped up the meal with local desserts and pastries, including Baklava, Gata/Gatha, and Ponchik.

Our next stop was the Garni Temple, famous for its classically Greek colonnaded design. The site also features the ruins of 3rd-century Roman baths and provides a wonderful view of the Garni Gorge.

On the drive back to Yerevan, we stopped to see Charents’ Arch. It framed a perfect view of Mt. Ararat in the background.

Once back in the city, we visited the Mother Armenia Monument. Luckily, we found parking nearby.

From there, we drove toward the entrance of Victory Park on Azatutyan Ave. After finding street parking, we visited the Memorial to the 50th Anniversary of the October Revolution.

We then walked down the pathway to the Cascade Complex. It is an impressive multi-level staircase structure featuring terraces, fountains, sculptures, and exhibition halls.

The interior escalators and stairs are surrounded by various art exhibits, which people can enjoy while traversing the Cascade.

At the base of the structure are gardens filled with more sculptures and the Monument to Alexander Tamanian. From here, two of us went back up to retrieve the car while the rest took a taxi to the Airbnb.

After regrouping at the Airbnb, we headed to Republic Square to see the Singing Fountains. Since I wasn’t sure about the parking situation, we decided to take a taxi.