Northern Armenia

North of Yerevan are the marz (provinces) of Kotayk, Aragatsotn, Shirak, Lori and Tavush. To their west lies the province of Gegharkunik, which links Lori and Tavush with the southern provinces along the edge of Lake Sevan.

Explore Northern Armenia

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northern Armenia.

  • Fortress

    Lori Berd

    On a promontory between the gorges of the Dzoragets and Miskhana Rivers, this ruined fortress has huge towers and massive stone blocks along its exposed…

  • Monastery

    Haghpat Monastery

    Occupying a commanding position overlooking the gorge, this monastery has atmosphere and architectural splendour in spades. Founded around 976 by Queen…

  • Monastery

    Haghartsin Monastery

    Hidden in a verdant valley 13km northeast of Dilijan, Haghartsin ('Dance of the Eagles’) was built between the 10th and 13th centuries and has three…

  • Monastery

    Akhtala Monastery

    Akhtala, a small village 20km northeast of Alaverdi, has one major claim to fame: the magnificent frescoes in its 13th-century church. These include a…

  • Monastery

    Sanahin Monastery

    Sanahin is a World Heritage site packed with ancient graves, darkened chapels and medieval study halls. The inner sanctum of the cross-shaped Surp…

  • Monastery

    Goshavank

    Founded in 1188 by the saintly Armenian cleric Mkhitar Gosh, who was buried in a little chapel overlooking the main complex, this monastery features a…

  • Monastery

    Kobayr Monastery

    Perched above the hamlet of Kobayr is the 12th-century monastery of the same name. The main church has some partially restored Georgian-style frescoes and…

  • Church

    St Astvatsatsin Church

    Built on the site where legend tells us St Thomas buried Christ's swaddling clothes in the 1st century, the core of St Astvatsatsin dates from the 5th…

  • Lake

    Parz Lake

    About 13km from Dilijan, Parz Lich (meaning clear lake) is an attractive sight that explodes with tourism during the summer months. Lakeside attractions…

  • Museum

    Mikoyan Museum

    This Soviet-era museum is a shrine to brothers Anastas and Artyom Mikoyan. Anastas was in charge of administering food in the USSR and survived 60 years…

  • Winery

    Ijevan Wine Factory

    Put aside all expectations of a picturesque winery, because Ijevan's wine factory is just that – a large industrial complex where the local grape harvest…

  • Museum

    Vanadzor Museum of Fine Arts

    There are nearly 2000 works of art on display at this three-floor branch of the National Gallery of Armenia, including paintings, sculptures, drawings,…

  • Church

    Russian Orthodox Church

    Formally known as the Church of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary, this gold-domed church dates from 1895 and serves the city's small Russian Orthodox…

  • Market

    Shuka

    Vanadzor's market is the largest in the Lori region and includes fresh produce, dried fruit, cheeses, flowers, nuts and spices.

  • Forest

    Stepanavan Dendropark

    This cool and tranquil 35-hectare arboretum 11km south of Stepanavan was established in the 1930s and has a vast array of conifers and deciduous trees. It…

  • Area

    Dilijan Historic Centre

    This Disneyfied collection of stone and wooden traditional buildings includes the Tufenkian Old Dilijan Complex, workshops for local craftspeople,…

  • Monastery

    Hnevank

    Travelling between Stepanavan and the Debed Canyon, one of two possible routes passes the monastery of Hnevank, located on a winding road 7km from Kurtan…

  • Museum

    Stepan Shahumian Museum

    This Soviet-era edifice was constructed in 1978 on the site of the modest timber home of Stepan Shahumian and his wife Ekaterina Ter-Grigoryan, and the…

  • Museum

    Hovhannes Tumanyan House Museum

    Those who have already visited the Hovhannes Tumanyan Museum in Yerevan will find this timber house where he grew up interesting, but those unfamiliar…