Activities

Food

Yerevan wine-bar crawl (Saryan St)

Yerevan

Martiros Saryan Street in Yerevan's Kentron district has become known as the city's "wine street," sometimes nicknamed "Yerevan's Montmartre." The transformation is largely credited to In Vino, which opened in 2013 as Armenia's first specialized wine club/shop/bar at 6 Saryan Street, with a collection that's grown to over 1,000 labels of Armenian and international wine. Its success drew other wine-focused venues to the same stretch, including Wine Republic (a larger bar with extensive food pairings and outdoor seating), Voskevaz Wine Time (a rustic spot for Voskevaz wines and small bites), and Enoteca (a boutique bar with curated tasting flights, artisan cheeses, and sommelier guidance). What you can do there: hop between several wine bars on one walkable street, sampling Armenian and international wines by the glass, pairing with cheese/charcuterie boards or Armenian snacks, and enjoying outdoor terrace seating on a lively evening street.

Food

Wine tasting at In Vino (Saryan St)

Yerevan

In Vino opened in 2013 as Armenia's first specialized wine club, shop, and bar, and is widely credited with turning Martiros Saryan Street into Yerevan's "wine street." Its collection has grown to more than 1,000 labels spanning top Armenian producers as well as wines from France, Italy, Spain, and beyond. The interior evokes a classic European enoteca, with floor-to-ceiling wooden wine racks and warm lighting, and guests can drink in or buy a bottle to go. The venue regularly hosts meet-and-greets with winemakers and themed tasting evenings. What you can do there: taste wine by the glass with guidance from the bartenders/sommeliers, pair with imported cheeses, cured meats, olives, nuts, or baguette sandwiches, sit on the summer terrace overlooking Saryan Street, attend a winemaker meet-and-greet if one's scheduled, or buy a bottle to take away.

Food

Noy Brandy-Wine Factory tour & tasting

Yerevan

The Noy brand is produced at the Yerevan Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory. The on-site museum holds close to 900 exhibits related to the history and production of Armenian brandy, wine, and vodka, and offers guided excursions in Armenian, English, and Russian. Visitors touring the museum can pair their visit with a tasting of Noy brandies of different ages, priced according to which labels are included. Entry with brandy tasting, 5,000, 10,000, or 15,000 AMD depending on which brandies (and their age) are included in the tasting. Children under 9, free. Visitors under 18 cannot take part in tastings. What you can do: Tour the factory museum's nearly 900 exhibits on Armenian brandy, wine, and vodka production history.

Cultural

Sundukyan National Academic Theatre play

Yerevan

The Gabriel Sundukyan National Academic Theatre, located at 6 Grigor Lusavorich Street in Yerevan's Kentron district, was founded on February 25, 1922, making it the first state theater in Armenia and one of the country's oldest continuously operating theatrical institutions. Named after Gabriel Sundukian, the playwright credited with founding the Armenian school of realistic drama, the theatre received academic status in 1960. Over its history it has staged classical Armenian works alongside international plays by authors such as Chekhov, Brecht, and Camus, and its building features sculptural elements by renowned Armenian artist Ara Harutyunyan. What you can do there: Attend a rotating repertory of dramas, comedies, tragicomedies, and children's productions performed in Armenian; buy tickets at the box office or through local platforms such as tomsarkgh.am and ticket-am.com

Cultural

National Puppet Theatre show

Yerevan

The Yerevan State Puppet Theatre was founded on June 1, 1935, by Sofia Bejanyan, painter Gevorg Arakelyan, and actors Pavlos Boroyan and Araksia Arabyan; it was renamed after writer Hovhannes Tumanyan in 1938. The theatre closed between 1950 and 1957 before reopening on July 27, 1957, and has operated at its current location on Sayat-Nova Avenue since 1975. Its repertoire spans classic children's fairy tales (both Armenian and international, like Pinocchio and Thumbelina), shadow-puppet productions, and occasional adult/dramatic works — including pieces addressing more serious themes, such as productions referencing the 2020 Artsakh war. What you can do there: watch a puppet or shadow-theatre performance (most weekend shows are family/children's fairy tales, with occasional evening productions for older audiences), typically running multiple showtimes on Saturdays and Sundays.

Cultural

Live jazz at Malkhas Jazz Club

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.

Cultural

Concert at Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall

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.

Cultural

Opera or ballet at the Opera House

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