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Part of a larger journey: This focused Armenia guide is adapted from my complete Caucasus itinerary. Use this page for the Armenia day-by-day detail; use the complete trip for the cross-border route through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia.

I reached Armenia from Georgia in 2019, at the end of a larger journey across Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. I did the four-day route below; add the Gyumri detour at the end to turn it into a comfortable week.

Itinerary done quick

🇦🇲 Armenia

That’s it! Click the destination names to jump to each day.

Day 1 Alaverdi

Cross into Armenia and base yourself in Alaverdi for the UNESCO-listed monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin. From Tbilisi, take a Yerevan-bound bus and ask to stop in Alaverdi. You will probably be the only crazy person doing that, but UNESCO sites are worth it!

The monasteries were difficult to reach and I needed taxis, which I don’t personally like. Honestly, this stop was complicated and exhausting. It may be easier now, but confirm transport locally rather than trusting an old timetable.

From Alaverdi’s central bus station, local information currently points to bus 3 for Sanahin, followed by a 15-minute walk, and marshrutka 063 for Haghpat. Services can be infrequent, so check the timetable at the station. Spend the night in Alaverdi: the border crossing from Georgia is slow.

Day 2 Yerevan

Take a marshrutka from Alaverdi to Yerevan. Confirm the departure point and time the day before, because the connection does not have a dependable online timetable. Allow most of the morning and possibly early afternoon.

Start at Republic Square, walk north towards the Opera, then climb the Cascade for its views, sculptures and Cafesjian Center. Near the Cascade is a park full of painters; it felt like an older, better version of Paris. The Opera and Freedom Square are especially worth seeing at night. I also warmly recommend walking south to Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral.

Day 3 More Yerevan

Visit Etchmiadzin Cathedral. I shared a taxi there with a Chinese friend, then locals helped us find the bus back. We also crashed a wedding. Fun times.

Afterwards I visited the Matenadaran manuscript museum and took care of my friend, who got sick. With more time, add the Ararat Distillery or another Yerevan museum.

Day 4 Garni and Khor Virap

My day was complicated but possible with a mix of public transport and taxis. I took a marshrutka to Garni, walked to the sites, returned to Garni for lunch, then went back to Yerevan. From there I joined friends and shared a taxi to Khor Virap, which took the rest of the afternoon.

For Khor Virap independently, take a marshrutka towards Ararat or Yeraskh from Yerevan’s Southern Bus Station and ask for the junction. From there it is about four kilometres to the monastery. Check the route locally.

This Khor Virap, Garni and Geghard day tour (affiliate link) is a simpler guided alternative and adds several sites. I did not use that operator.

More days? Planned vs Done

Gyumri: my original plan

When I planned the Caucasus journey, I expected to have one more week for the whole trip. My original Armenia route therefore included Gyumri, but fewer paid-leave days forced me to cut it.

From Alaverdi, take a bus or marshrutka to Gyumri and use the first afternoon to settle in and begin exploring the centre. Stay overnight, then give Gyumri a full day: that makes roughly a day and a half in the city. Walk around Vardanants Square and the historic Kumayri district, look for the black-tuff architecture, visit the museums that interest you and enjoy the city’s slower pace.

After the full day, stay a second night and travel from Gyumri to Yerevan the following morning by train, bus or marshrutka. Check schedules locally because they change. This detour adds about two and a half days to the route and fits naturally between Alaverdi and Yerevan.

After Armenia, I flew home through Istanbul. You could instead continue overland towards Türkiye or build a longer regional trip.