‘Oldest Christian country' Armenia offers monasteries, mountains and mouth-watering food
Masses of basalt columns rise vertically from the valley floor for 100 metres and more, as if glued together like gigantic organ pipes.
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The geological phenomenon in the Garni Gorge is called the 'Symphony of Stones', natural works of art in the country of Armenia, which markets itself as a land of 'hidden wonders'. It attracts visitors with mountains, monasteries, ruins and vineyards, but it is not overrun by tourist crowds.
Yerevan is the gateway to Armenia. The capital city is a balancing act between the old and the avant-garde, between sober Soviet architecture and hip designer bars.
Outside the city limits, you rumble over patchworks of tarmac, through mountain landscapes and fertile valleys.
Along the road, friendly locals sell their mini harvests of apples, tomatoes, watermelons and potatoes from baskets and cardboard boxes.
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They need every dram (one-quarter of one US cent) they earn from selling them. Incomes are low – the monthly wage of a teacher is equivalent to one night in a luxury hotel in Yerevan. This explains why there are more Armenians living abroad than in their homeland of three million people.
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