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Voykit pocket guide · Armenia
Ashtarak
Աշտարակ
Go for half a day from Yerevan: Karmravor church, the gorge and the 1664 bridge. Sleep in Yerevan, not here.
Ashtarak is a small town 20 km northwest of Yerevan, at the fork where the roads to Gyumri and Yerevan split. It holds Karmravor, a 7th-century domed church preserved almost unchanged, plus four more old churches, a 1664 stone bridge and a river gorge. Two to four hours on foot covers the centre; most travellers come as a half-day trip from Yerevan, or fold it into a day with Echmiadzin or the monasteries north of the gorge.
- Country
- Armenia
- Local name
- Աշտարակ
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, dry), Dec–Feb (cold, icy paths)
- Stay
- 0–1 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 ֏8,000–14,000 excl. bed · Mid ֏14,000–25,000 excl. bed · High ֏25,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Team (ex-Beeline), Viva and Ucom sell SIMs with a passport; cheap and fast.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112 · Police 102 · Ambulance 103
- 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 or espresso in the centre | ֏500–1,200 |
| Simple lunch (khorovats or a pastry) | ֏2,000–4,500 |
| Minibus Yerevan → Ashtarak | ֏250–350 |
| Taxi Yerevan centre → Ashtarak | ֏2,200–2,500 |
| Anti-café, per hour with drinks and snacks | ֏1,000–2,000 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ֏3,000–6,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EVN · Zvartnots International (Yerevan)
- About 40–50 min by car or taxi; no direct bus to Ashtarak from the airport
Typical fares
- Minibus Yerevan (Kilikia) → Ashtarak square
- about ֏250–350, 30–40 min
- Taxi Yerevan centre → Ashtarak
- about ֏2,200–2,500
- Bus Ashtarak → Echmiadzin
- about 30 min from the bus station
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 centre is small enough to walk: Karmravor, Surb Mariné, the central square and the gorge are all within about 15 minutes on foot. Minibuses from Yerevan's Kilikia station (routes 502 and 503) stop at the main square if you ask; taxis from central Yerevan run about 2,200–2,500 dram. A car helps for the gorge monasteries and Oshakan.
See and do
Known for
- Karmravor Church (7th century)
- Kasagh River gorge and the 1664 bridge
- Surb Mariné and Surb Sarkis churches
- Cooking classes in old Ashtarak houses
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oshakan (Mesrop Mashtots grave) | Minibus or taxi south along the Kasagh, about 10 min | About 30 min |
| Hovhannavank Monastery | Car or taxi north to Ohanavan, about 20 min | About 40 min |
| Saghmosavank Monastery | Car or taxi east to Artashavan, about 25 min | About 45 min |
| Echmiadzin (Vagharshapat) | Bus from the Ashtarak bus station, about 30 min | About 45 min |
| Yerevan | Minibus 502 or 503 from the main square, or taxi | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Ashtarak centre (Sisakyan and Abovyan streets)
- One Soviet-era hotel and a few guesthouses; walkable to Karmravor and the square. Book ahead in summer.
- Yerevan
- The practical base: 30–40 min by minibus or taxi, dozens of hotels at every price.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Բարևbarev |
| Thank you | Շնորհակալությունshnorhakalutyun |
| How much is it? | Ինչ արժեinch arzhe |
| Please stop at the main square | Խնդրում եմ կանգնեք գլխավոր հրապարակումkhndrum em kangnek glkhav or hraparakum |
| Where is the church? | Որտեղ է եկեղեցինvortegh e yekeghetsin |
| Can I pay by card? | Կարո՞ղ եմ քարտով վճարելkaroğ em qartov vcharel |
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
- Minibuses may drop you at the bus station, about 1 km from the square: ask for Ashtaraki Hraparak.
- Some church interiors and the Perch Proshyan house museum keep limited hours: check before you go.
- Gorge paths and church steps are uneven and unlit; wear shoes with grip and do not walk the rim after dark.
- Buses to Vanadzor bypass the town to the north and do not stop in Ashtarak.
A quiet town and generally safe by day. The real risks are unlit gorge paths, uneven church steps, stray dogs near the cemetery, and fast traffic on the M1; walk the gorge rim in daylight only.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ashtarak yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Karmravor Church (7th century)
- Kasagh River gorge and the 1664 bridge
- Surb Mariné and Surb Sarkis churches
- Cooking classes in old Ashtarak houses
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ashtarak municipality (official site): ashtarak.am
- Armenia tourism — official portal: armenia.travel
- Wikivoyage: Ashtarak, revision 5300595 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5300595
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
AshtarakԱշտարակ
Այս հասցեով, խնդրում եմ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Ashtarak; most are in Yerevan, about 30–40 min away.
Carry small dram notes for minibuses and village shops; cards work in the larger cafés.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ashtarak). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.