Things to do in Armenia

You can’t visit Armenia without touring at least a few of the country’s 4,000 or so monasteries and churches. The most prominent of these ancient buildings continue to be maintained by devout communities and income from tourists. Many have been conscientiously restored, while others are little more than ruins. Top trumps would have to include the Tatev Monastery, reached by cable car; Sevanavank with its limestone green cross on the shore of Lake Sevan; and of course the Echimiadzin Church, considered to be the oldest cathedral in the world. Then there is Khor Virap, framed against majestic Mount Ararat, and the pink walled Odzun Church in northern Armenia. While exploring the monasteries themselves might lose its fascination after a handful, they are almost always accompanied by extraordinary viewpoints.