The Armenian capital is full of parks, grand buildings, outdoor eateries and a good market. Unfortunately for us, two of its major attractions were closed when we visited.
If you're passing from north to south, you'll probably need to visit Yerevan, where you can see this incredibly old transportation unit.
It's located in the excellent History Museum of Armenia.
One of the other good things Armenia's capital is blessed with is some interesting markets.
It's also got a fairly good selection of restaurants.
And with some friendly people, it gets a thumbs up from me.
One of its markets is located immediately outside the main railway station, even spilling out onto the platforms.
Buses for the south of Armenia, to places like Goris, leave from a parking lot close by.
Like other parts of the country, Yerevan is full of fresh and cheap fruits, including bucket loads of berries and boxes of apricots.
But the main event for market nerds is the originally named Armenia market.
Smaller than the grand silk road bazaars found in desert countries further east, this is substantial for the Caucasus.
Churchkhela, fruit wrapped walnut snacks in string form are common around these parts, but the ball-shaped goodies may be an Armenian thing.
Definitely an Armenian speciality is "horats panir" (pot or buried cheese), a sharp, salty cheese, buried in pots under ash to mature for months.
Checil, the string cheese which auntie here is selling makes for good hiking snacks.
Add some salami or other dried meat and some bread, and you've got a meal.
Armenians struck me as more open and friendly than their Georgian neighbours. These markets confirmed that view for me.
The Armenian Market is a good place to see lavash being made and sold in huge volumes, too.
Other Caucasus staples you'll find here are pickles and old ladies.....
...and wine and its derivatives like brandy and cha-cha.
Yerevan naturally has its share of grim Soviet apartment blocks, but there are plenty of grand European buildings on boulevards and in parks.
Linking the lower city to the northern hills, The Cascades is one of the world's most interesting public spaces. Essential stairs, but bloody big ones, the project was conceived in 1920s, re-imagined in 1970s, begun and abandoned in 80s, and opened in 2011.
One of the city's grand buildings is the purpose built museum, which has a history of its own, as well as millennia of cool, old stuff.
Luckily we made the time for this, because unfortunately, due to bad timing we missed two of Yerevan's must see attractions.
One was the Matenadaran, the library or museum of Armenian manuscripts, a gigantic building right near our guest-house. Closed for 3 days.
The other, the Armenian Genocide Museum was also closed for a public holiday when we visited. It documents one of the darkest chapters of human history, the 20th century holocaust perpetuated by the Turks.
Many Armenians settled in Syria, and generations later were uprooted again. One such lady runs Yerevan's Lahmajun Gaidz. In a city with lots of big and bold, this tiny, humble restaurant hits the spot.