Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. It has been the capital since 1918, the fourteenth in the history of Armenia and the seventh located in or around the Ararat Plain. The city also serves as the seat of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese, which is the largest diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the oldest dioceses in the world. The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BCE, with the founding of the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BCE by King Argishti I of Urartu at the western extreme of the Ararat plain. Erebuni was "designed as a great administrative and religious centre, a fully royal capital".

The principal symbol of Yerevan is Mount Ararat, which is visible from any area in the capital. The seal of the city is a crowned lion on a pedestal with a shield that has a depiction of Mount Ararat on the upper part and half of an Armenian eternity sign on the bottom part. The emblem is a rectangular shield with a blue border.

Yerevan features a continental influenced steppe climate "cold semi-arid climate", with long, hot, dry summers and short, but cold and snowy winters. This is attributed to Yerevan being on a plain surrounded by mountains and to its distance from the sea and its effects. The summers are usually very hot with the temperature in August reaching up to 40 °C (104 °F), and winters generally carry snowfall and freezing temperatures with January often being as cold as -15 °C (5 °F) and lower. The amount of precipitation is small, amounting annually to about 318 millimetres (12.5 in). Yerevan experiences an average of 2,700 sunlight hours per year.

Medical services in Armenia, except from maternity, are not subsidized by the government. However, the government annually allocates a certain amount from the state budget for the medical needs of the socially vulnerable groups. Yerevan is a major healthcare and medical service centre in the region. Several hospitals of Yerevan refurbished with modern technologies, provide healthcare and medical researches.

Armenia is among the top 10 safest countries where one can wander around and go home alone safely at night. Yerevan prides itself on having connections 24/7 as taxis are available at any time of the day or night. Taxicab service companies cover the entire city in addition to many online taxi service providers, including GG Taxi, Utaxi and Yandex.Taxi.

Ani Plaza Hotel, Yerevan

Conveniently located just fifteen minutes’ drive from Armenia’s Zvartnots International Airport, our central Yerevan hotel is within walking distance of the city’s most important sites. Shop along the nearby pedestrian Northern Avenue on your way to Republic Square with its enchanting light show of singing fountains and National Museum of History and Art; visit the Matenadaran to explore the history and fine art within the ancient collection of intricate manuscripts; and discover the best places to dine beneath the steps of the Cascade open-air museum at some of the city’s finest bars, restaurants and cafes, all within walking distance from our Ani Plaza Hotel.

Ani Plaza has been considered the best hotel in Yerevan since before the collapse of the Soviet Union, and nearly fifty years after it first opened its doors, continues to offer its guests unparalleled sophistication and charm. Our 262 spacious rooms are stylishly furnished and equipped with all the modern facilities our discerning guests have come to expect, including air-conditioning, 40-inch smart LCD televisions with satellite channels, minibars, Wi-Fi, telephones and safety deposit boxes.

Booking and info

A passport is required to enter the country.

Participants have to book directly the Hotel by mail at Ani Plaza Hotel, Yerevan, the code for the special price is: