Things to Do in Armenia: City Guides & Audio Tours

Armenia is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus and the Armenian highlands, set between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Shaped by an unusually long and layered history, its highlands were once home to peoples such as the Hayasa-Azzi, Shupria, and Nairi, before the rise of the first Armenian state, Urartu. A defining moment came in AD 301, when Armenia became the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion. The Armenian Apostolic Church remains the country’s primary religious establishment and the world’s oldest national church. Over the centuries, Armenian lands were divided between the Byzantine and Sasanian empires, restored under the Bagratuni dynasty, and later split between the Ottoman and Persian empires. The modern republic also carries the memory of devastating loss from the systematic extermination of up to 1.5 million Armenians during World War One, followed by a period in the Soviet Union before regaining independence. Neywo offers free audio guides for 2 cities in Armenia, covering 176 narrated places across 9 walking tours.

What to see and do in Armenia

Understanding Armenia begins with its landscape. It is a highland country of mountains, swift rivers, and open stretches with few forests. The terrain is mostly mountainous, with Mount Aragats rising to 4,090 metres, and even the lowest points sitting well above sea level. Elevation shapes daily weather: summers are hot, dry, and sunny from June into mid-September, with low humidity and cooling evening breezes from the mountains. Spring is brief, while autumn lasts longer. Fast-flowing rivers cut through the landscape, making stone an abundant local resource that heavily influences the country’s architecture.

Armenian culture is carried through its distinct language, church music, folk instruments, and work in stone. Armenian is the sole official language, written in a unique thirty-nine-letter alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots, which includes additions from the Cilician period. Christianity’s deep roots are linked in tradition to the apostles Thaddaeus and Bartholomew, while Armenian chant, the duduk, the dhol, and the influence of the eighteenth-century bard Sayat Nova shape the musical landscape. Because of limited forests and frequent earthquakes, Armenian architecture developed as low-slung and thick-walled structures built from plentiful stone.

Creative life also thrives in everyday settings. In the capital, the Vernissage arts and crafts market gathers hundreds of vendors on weekends and Wednesdays. To explore further, visitors can discover the best cities to visit in Armenia through its urban centers:

• Yerevan: The capital city features 156 narrated places on Neywo, including the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, the Blue Mosque, and the History Museum of Armenia, alongside the bustling Vernissage market.
• Gyumri: A historic city with 20 narrated places on Neywo, featuring landmarks such as the Dzitoghtsyan Museum of National Architecture, the Mher Mkrtchyan Museum, and Vartanants Square.

Explore Armenia with Neywo audio tours

Experience Armenia with Armenia audio tours from Neywo. The app provides free audio guides for 2 cities in Armenia, featuring 176 narrated places in total across 9 walking tours and narration available in 11 languages.

Each story plays automatically as you reach the place, allowing you to explore completely at your own pace with no group and no schedule. Download Neywo to uncover the history, culture, and architecture of Armenia step by step as you walk.