Tatler Asia: Unlocking the mystery of Armenia, a must for 2020

PanARMENIAN.Net - Mountains, monasteries and a whole lot of mystery await in Armenia, a must-visit in 2020, says Tatler Asia – the British Tatler magazine’s Asia edition – in a fresh article.

The feature starts with Yerevan, the capital: "Lined with pastel-hued buildings mostly made out of tuff (a volcanic stone available in a range of colours from pink to purple), it has a dynamic cityscape that looks straight out of a Wes Anderson film one minute then from a Soviet-era playbook the next."

The myriad architectural styles are remnants of Yerevan’s long history, which is one of the oldest cities in the world at 2801 years, the piece says.

"With streets radiating like the sun from the glorious Republic Square, Yerevan is designed for flânerie," the magazine says, recommending Vernissage, a weekend market teeming with local crafts, and Cascade, an open-air promenade full of public art, fascinating fountains, as well as buzzing restaurants and bars.

"The city also has an up-and-coming food scene that largely features the local bounty."

To truly experience Armenia’s deep history, the article goes on, one must venture outside the city to see the ancient temples, churches and monasteries dotting the country, such as the Temple of Garni, Geghard Monastery, Sanahin Monastery and Haghpat Monastery.

In early February, Tatler Asia unveiled its picks of essential places to visit in 2020, and Armenia was one of them.

Yerevan and Armenia have been included in 2020’s hottest destinations lists by National Geographic Traveller, Forbes, Financial Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Booking.com, to name a few. The country was recently recognized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as one of the world’s fastest growing tourist destinations.