Yerevan

Vernissage is an open-air market-exhibition in central Yerevan, running along Hanrapetutyan Street from near the Republic Square metro station toward the Vardan Mamikonyan monument. It began in the 1980s as a spot where artists exhibited work near the Yerevan Opera House, and gradually grew as woodcarvers, jewelers, and sellers of antiques, carpets, and ceramics joined in; after the 1988 earthquake, it became an important source of income and a symbol of resilience for local craftspeople. Its name comes from the French "vernissage" (the preview of an art exhibition). It's busiest on weekends, when the largest number of artisans set up, but is open daily. What you can do there: browse and buy handmade Armenian crafts — ceramics, wood carving, small khachkars, lace and needlework, traditional dolls, paintings, jewelry (including Armenian-alphabet pendants and mythological symbols like the tree of life and pomegranate), carpets, backgammon/chess sets, folk clothing, books, and antiques (including old Soviet-era telephones, radios, and household items)

Yerevan

Northern Avenue is a modern pedestrian street in central Yerevan, connecting Republic Square and Freedom Square (by the Opera House) diagonally through the city center. The avenue was originally envisioned in architect Alexander Tamanyan's 1924 master plan for Yerevan but was never built during the Soviet era; construction finally began in 2001 and the street opened in 2007. It runs about 450 meters long and 27 meters wide, lined with high-end boutiques, well-known brand shops, an underground shopping mall, and numerous cafés and restaurants with outdoor seating. What you can do there: stroll the avenue between the two main squares, shop at boutiques and brand-name stores, sit at open-air cafés and restaurants, and enjoy street musicians and occasional dancing, which are common in the evenings, especially on warm nights.

Yerevan

The Alexander Spendiaryan House-Museum, founded in 1963 and opened to the public in 1967, was Armenia's first museum dedicated to a musician. It occupies the apartment where composer Alexander Spendiaryan lived during the final years of his life (1926–1928), in a building that is itself a protected monument of republican significance (architect Nikoghayos Buniatyan). The museum's founder was the composer's daughter, Marina Spendiarova. Its collection of more than 1,400 items — personal belongings, documents, photographs, letters, and creative works — is displayed across "Life Path" and "Creative Path" halls, and his preserved office looks as it did during his lifetime. A section is devoted to the stage history of his opera "Almast," Armenia's first national opera. What you can do there: view Spendiaryan's restored office and personal belongings, try the interactive "Virtual Conductor" program, listen to a recording of the composer's violin, play a "Spendiarophone" instrument, explore exhibits on the "Almast" opera, and take a guided tour in Armenian, Russian, or English; the museum also hosts concerts, lectures, and educational programs (including the ongoing "Children Masters" project), and can arrange evening visits with concerts/refreshments by prior appointment. Price: Entrance ticket: 1,200 AMD Pupil/student/pensioner ticket: 600 AMD Free for children under 12 Guided tour: 3,000 AMD (Armenian) / 3,500 AMD (English or Russian) — book in advance

Yerevan

The Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, also known as Yerevan Cathedral, is the largest cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the largest religious buildings in the South Caucasus. Built on the initiative of Catholicos Vazgen I, construction began on April 7, 1997, and the cathedral was consecrated on September 23, 2001, marking the 1700th anniversary of Armenia adopting Christianity as its state religion — the first nation in the world to do so, largely through the efforts of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. Designed by architect Stepan Kurkchyan and built of orange tufa from Ani, the complex comprises the main cathedral (seating 1,700), two smaller chapels dedicated to Saint Tiridates the King and Saint Ashkhen the Queen (150 seats each), and a belfry with more than 30 arches; the total complex is about 3,822 square meters, and the cathedral rises 54 meters to the top of its cross. It houses relics of Saint Gregory the Illuminator brought from Naples, and Pope John Paul II visited shortly after its consecration. What you can do there: visit the main cathedral and its two chapels, view the stained-glass windows and altar, see St. Gregory's reliquary in the narthex, and attend a service (major liturgies and church feasts are held here); candles may only be lit in a separate building on the southeast side.

Yerevan

TUMO is a free educational center for 12–18-year-olds specializing in design and technology, with its flagship location in Yerevan at the edge of Tumanyan Park (the center's name is inspired by the park, named for writer Hovhannes Tumanyan). Founded in 2011 through the Simonian Educational Foundation (led by Sam and Sylva Simonian), the Yerevan center — designed by architect Bernard Khoury — also serves as TUMO's global headquarters and currently has around 15,000 active students. Students pursue self-directed learning, courses, and workshops across 14 creative-technology fields (animation, filmmaking, photography, programming, robotics, music, writing, and more) What you can do there: as a visitor (rather than an enrolled student), you can join a guided tour of the striking building and program to see the labs, workshops, and student work in action; tours are generally arranged for outside visitors/groups by advance request rather than a walk-in basis.

Yerevan

The Armenian National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, named after composer Alexander Spendiaryan, traces back to an opera studio founded in 1927 at the Yerevan State Conservatoire; the National Opera Theatre itself was established by government decree in 1932 and opened on January 20, 1933, with the premiere of Spendiaryan's opera "Almast." In 1935, Armen Tigranyan's "Anush" became the first opera staged on its dedicated stage. The theatre moved into its current building — designed by renowned Armenian architect Alexander Tamanian on Freedom Square — in 1940, and gained National Academic status in 1956. The complex houses two halls: the 1,200-seat Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet stage and the 1,400-seat Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall. What you can do there: attend an opera or ballet performance in the historic Tamanian-designed building, see the auditorium and grand staircase, and (outside show times) view the building and the surrounding Freedom Square/France Square area

Yerevan

The Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall is part of the same Tamanian-designed complex as the Yerevan Opera House, on Freedom/France Square, and today seats about 1,300 (317 amphitheater, 580 stalls, 320 balcony, plus smaller loge sections) as home to the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra. Tamanian originally envisioned combined winter/summer halls seating 3,000 — a design that won the Grand Prix at the 1937 Paris World Exhibition — but his death in 1936 and technical constraints meant it was never fully realized. The hall underwent full restoration in 1981–1983, with later renovations adding Armenian marble, new seating, updated chandeliers, and modern stage equipment. In front of the hall stands a 1999 monument to composer Aram Khachaturian by architect Yuri Petrossian. What you can do there: attend a classical music concert (symphony, chamber, competition galas such as the Khachaturian International Competition) performed by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra or visiting artists.

Yerevan

Malkhas Jazz Club is widely regarded as the unofficial home of jazz in Armenia, opened in January 2006 by legendary pianist Levon Malkhasyan, who formed Armenia's first jazz trio back in 1963 and had previously built a jazz following at the "Poplavok" café. Armenian jazz itself dates back to 1938, when the country's first state jazz orchestra was founded, and Malkhas Jazz Club carries that tradition forward — an estimated 700 different groups, including international stars, have performed on its stage over the years. The intimate venue has warm lighting, wooden tables, and a menu of Armenian and European dishes alongside an extensive wine list, and Malkhasyan himself still performs with his Malkhas Jazz Band, typically taking the stage after midnight. What you can do there: watch live jazz and improvised jam sessions nightly, dine on Armenian/European cuisine and drink wine or cocktails while listening, and — if you stay late — catch a set from Levon Malkhasyan and his band.