Northern Avenue and the Cascade

Feels:

A pedestrian axis with galleries and terraces

Suits:

Evening walkers and gallery-goers

Best time:

Late afternoon and evening

Watch out for:

Noon in summer.

In short:

A pedestrian avenue leads to the Cascade; cafés and galleries line the route.

Yerevan’s centre is Kentron, a ring of streets around Republic Square. North of it runs the Cascade axis with Northern Avenue, and beyond it Mashtots Avenue climbs to the Matenadaran. The Tsitsernakaberd hill is west of the centre across a gorge, and the Erebuni fortress is to the south-east.

This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.

How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Yerevan districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.

• First visit

  best of 2

  The Cascade at the end of the avenue.

• Families

  best of 2

  Pedestrian streets.

• Light sleepers

  best of 2

  Pedestrian, quieter than Kentron roads.

• Night owls

  best of 2

  Many bars and cafés.

• On a budget

  2nd of 2

  More expensive.

  Better for this: Kentron

Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.

• Cascade ComplexBook a time

  Go late afternoon: take the escalators inside up, walk the terraces down, and be on the top terrace before sunset if Ararat is clear; the outdoor stairs are free and always open, the galleries have their own hours.

  Entry:

  Free

What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.

• Dolmama

  Sit-down Armenian lunch or dinner on Pushkin Street: dolma, khorovats and local wine; book a table for dinner and weekends, walk in at lunch on weekdays.

• Northern Avenue & Opera$$$

  Quieter evenings, larger hotels with lifts and a door the car can reach; the Cascade is a walk away and the square is 10 minutes south.

  Rooms: ֏35,000–65,000 (check)

  Skip this if: Pricier; fewer everyday shops at the door.

  6–10 min walk to Cascade & Northern Avenue · 12–18 min walk to Republic Square & Kentron

Lines from the Yerevan drinking guide that name this district.

• Northern Avenue and Pushkin Street bars · Cafés, bars and wine bars · until LateBest on warm evenings.

Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.

In the day plans: Day 1 — Republic Square, the Cascade, a 13:00 lunch table (Yerevan in 3 days)

• Top terrace of the Cascade

  Light: Sunset

  Ararat and the city spread out below.

Street names that appear in the addresses of this district’s places and eats: useful to type into a map or show a driver.

• Tamanyan Street
• Pushkin Street
• Northern Avenue

• Cascade and Northern Avenueday: oknight: ok

  Steps and darkness on the upper terraces late.

• Quiet nights

  Pedestrian, quieter than Kentron roads.

• Nightlife

  Many bars and cafés.

• Late arrival

  Good reception.

• KentronWalk south down Northern Avenue, about 15 min
• Mashtots Avenue and the MatenadaranWalk or car north-east, about 12 min
• Tsitsernakaberd hillAbout 1.8 km away in a straight lineAbout 1.1 mi away in a straight line