Between the festival and the cosmic trip, I didn’t actually have a clear day for sightseeing in Yerevan itself. So I had to make the most of my arrival afternoon. Top of my list was the Cascade Complex – a vast hillside structure that is both artwork and art gallery. My meandering route there ticked off a number of other places of interest – most notably Republic Square and the Opera – before reaching the sculpture garden at the foot of the stairs.



I think that if this was somewhere in Europe, it would be world famous – I found it more impressive than, say, Rome’s Spanish Steps. But fortunately relative obscurity means – at least on a Thursday afternoon in winter – that it wasn’t at all crowded, and I could easily get photos as I slowly worked my way up the levels. If you only have time for one thing in Yerevan, this should be it!

I had time and energy for more, however, so pressed on even higher: a little past the October Revolution memorial, an underpass allows access to Victory Park. Here a walk through the gardens, with views across the city, leads to the Mother Armenia statue. No meek monument to maternal instinct this, for she wields a sword the size of a school bus and looks ready to dispatch any threat to the nation.

Later in the week I also took an extended lunch break from the ETF to hike out to another hillside monument – the more sobering Armenian Genocide Memorial at Tsitsernakaberd. This was trickier to get to on foot, but worth the effort.

Overall, I found Yerevan surprisingly accessible. The central district, Kentron, is highly walkable, with an attractive collection of parks and squares dotted with cafes. It could easily be mistaken for a European city, although the use of distinctive tuff stone gives the capital a unique architectural identity. Visiting in mid-October, the weather was mild – warmer than home, mercifully cooler than Dubai – and my monolingualism was rarely a hindrance. Food was tasty, cheap and plentiful – I particularly enjoyed Lahmajun, usually translated as Armenian pizza but more of a flatbread.

If these have caught your interest, a larger collection of photos from my wanderings can be found here.

So this was an encouraging second step out of my European / North American bubble. I definitely wish I’d had more time here and less in Dubai, and would happily return to the region: whether to explore Armenia further, or perhaps try one of its neighbours.