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Voykit pocket guide · Armenia
Aparan
Ապարան
Skip unless you are driving the M-3 to Gyumri or Tbilisi and want a 30-min stop for the 4th-century Kasagh Basilica and the Genocide memorial.
Aparan is a small town on the main Yerevan–Gyumri–Tbilisi road, best known for the Kasagh Basilica of the Holy Cross, one of the oldest surviving churches in Armenia, and the Renaissance Memorial Complex. The town itself has limited services and no major attractions beyond these two sights. Most travellers pass through in under an hour.
- Country
- Armenia
- Local name
- Ապարան
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (snow, cold)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AMD
- Money
- Armenian dram (AMD, ֏): cards are widely taken in Yerevan; carry cash for taxis, markets, small cafés and anything outside the city.
- Daily spend
- Budget AMD 8,000–12,000 excl. bed · Mid AMD 15,000–25,000 excl. bed · High AMD 30,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Team (ex-Beeline), Viva and Ucom sell SIMs with a passport; cheap and fast.
- Emergency
- Police 102 · Fire 101 · Ambulance 103 · General emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European plugs fit.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Check for a service charge; otherwise 10%.; Drivers and guides: AMD 2,000–5,000 a day.
- Water
- Tap and fountain water in Yerevan is generally drinkable (check); bottled is cheap.
- Toilets
- Cafés and malls; basic at monasteries.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a roadside café | AMD 500–800 |
| Lavash bread | AMD 200–400 |
| Bottle of water (1.5 L) | AMD 200–300 |
| Taxi Aparan–Yerevan (one way) | AMD 8,000–12,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EVN · Zvartnots International Airport (Yerevan)
- About 1 h 15 min by car via the M-3
Typical fares
- Yerevan → Aparan by car
- about 50 km (31 mi), 1 h on the M-3about 31 mi (50 km), 1 h on the M-3
- Taxi Aparan → Kasagh Basilica
- about AMD 500–1,000, 2 km (1.2 mi)about AMD 500–1,000, 1.2 mi (2 km)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable. The basilica and memorial are within 1 km (0.6 mi) of each other. A car is needed to reach Aparan from Yerevan or other towns.The town is walkable. The basilica and memorial are within 0.6 mi (1 km) of each other. A car is needed to reach Aparan from Yerevan or other towns.
See and do
Known for
- Kasagh Basilica of the Holy Cross (4th century)
- Renaissance Memorial Complex
- Holy Cross of Aparan (33 m high)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yerevan | Car via M-3, about 50 km (31 mi)Car via M-3, about 31 mi (50 km) | About 1 h |
| Ashtarak | Car via M-3, about 25 km (16 mi) southCar via M-3, about 16 mi (25 km) south | About 30 min |
| Tsaghkadzor | Car via M-3 and H-5, about 40 km (25 mi) eastCar via M-3 and H-5, about 25 mi (40 km) east | About 50 min |
| Gyumri | Car via M-3, about 70 km (43 mi) northCar via M-3, about 43 mi (70 km) north | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Aparan town centre
- A few guesthouses and a hotel; limited options, best for a single night if you are breaking the drive.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Բարևbarev |
| Thank you | Շնորհակալությունshnorhakalutyun |
| How much? | Ինչ արժե?inch arzhe? |
| Where is the church? | Որտեղ է եկեղեցին?vortegh e yekeghetsin? |
| I need a taxi | Ինձ տաքսի է պետքindz taksi e petk |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; cheek kiss among friends; avoid: Refusing hospitality
- Churches: Light a candle; cover up; avoid: Loud talk
- History: Listen and ask; avoid: Turkish or Azerbaijani framing of the genocide or Karabakh
Scams and watch-outs
- Kasagh Basilica may be locked; ask at the nearby shop or house for the key.
- No ATM in Aparan (check); bring cash from Yerevan.
- The M-3 has heavy truck traffic; drive carefully.
Aparan is safe. The main risk is traffic on the M-3; do not walk on the road at night. In winter, the road can be icy.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Aparan yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kasagh Basilica of the Holy Cross (4th century)
- Renaissance Memorial Complex
- Holy Cross of Aparan (33 m high)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Aparan, revision 5300596 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5300596
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
AparanԱպարան
Այս հասցեով, խնդրում եմ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The nearest embassy is in Yerevan. Most countries have embassies there.
No ATM in Aparan; bring cash from Yerevan.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/aparan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.