Karakilisa Church

Old khachkars in Vanadzor

Vanadzor (Armenian: Վանաձոր) is the capital of Lori Marz, in the North Central part of Armenia.

Understand

Vanadzor is Armenia's third largest city, with a population of about 105,000 people. There are a few old churches, however big part of the city has been built during the time of the Soviet Union with a grand central square, a humongous old Soviet chemical factory which has been idle for decades, and a river running through the somewhat narrow valley, surrounded by hills.

Most of the attractions in Lori are along the Debed River canyon to the north, or around Stepanavan, and although Vanadzor can be used as a base to explore these due to its perfect transport connection, finding a place closer to them might be preferable.

Get in

By train

The city lies on the railway connecting Tbilisi and Yerevan. Railway station. Provides sitting area, cachier desks, toilets, some simple snacks. Taxis are abundant. (updated Jun 2015)

By bus

• Vanadzor bus station (adjacent to the train station). Vanadzor is well connected by bus from all cities in northern Armenia. (updated Nov 2019)

Specific connections:

• Tbilisi – 4,000 dram (updated August 2018) (14 Georgian lari), daily at 08:30, arrives in Tbilisi at 12:30-13:00.
• Yerevan – Marshrutkas are inexpensive (1,200 dram), and will take you to Vanadzor in a couple of hours. They depart from Kino Rosia, above the Zoravar Andranik metro station, across from the national cathedral in Yerevan.
• Ijevan – 1,000 dram
• Gyumri – 500 dram
• Stepanavan – 400 dram
• Alaverdi – 500 dram
• Dilijan – 500 dram. From Dilijan at 09:30, and 11:30.
• also from/to Byrd, Akhtala, Odzun, Spitak, Tashir, Noyemberian

By taxi

Shared taxis in Yerevan leave from the same spot as marshrutkas, and are a bit more comfortable, fast and a little more expensive. Virtually any taxi in Yerevan will take you there for 100 dram/km, which adds up to about 12,500 dram, unless you're a good negotiator.

Get around

On foot

The center of the city where lies almost all main attractions is quite miniature and walkable. You'll need to get a transportation if heading to some outer monasteries or perhaps to Botanical Garden (which is about 1.5 km from the center).

By marshrutka

Always available.

By taxi

Available and practical for visiting sites in the nearby area. The majority of the taxis are equipped with a meter, but you might want to agree on the price beforehand to avoid being scammed, but it's close to impossible here. Taxis running on gas are less expensive than those on petrol. Expect to pay about 100 dram per km plus a starting fee of 500 dram (2015).

See

Russian Church

Saint Gregory of Narek Cathedral

The Prelacy of the Diocese of Gougark

Vanadzor Palace of Culture

• 1 Church of the Holy Mother of God (Karakilisa Church) (by the river on the north end of town). Very old black and orange stone Armenian church. It is one of the nicest examples of historic architecture in Vanadzor. It was built in 1831 and then renovated in 1999.  
• 2 Russian church of the Nativity of Virgin Mary (right next to the train station, and if you take a marshutni to Vanadzor, this is where you'll likely start your visit). A very nice old church with a golden dome built in 1895. 
• 3 Saint Gregory of Narek Cathedral. The groundbreaking service for the new cathedral of the diocese of Gugark took place in May 2002. In 2003, His Holiness Karekin II; the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, conducted the blessing service for the foundation of the cathedral. The construction of the cathedral was completed in 2005 and named after Saint Gregory of Narek, to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of his Book of Lamentations. 
• 4 The Prelacy of the Diocese of Gougark. The Diocese of Gougark is a diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church encompassing the northern Lori Province of Armenia. It is named after the historic province of Gugark; the 13th province of the Kingdom of Armenia. The modern-day province of Lori was one of the cantons of historic Gugark. The diocesan headquarters are located in the city of Vanadzor. The seat of the bishop is the Saint Gregory of Narek Cathedral. Until December 2010, the churches of Tavush Province were under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Gougark, when the new Diocese of Tavush was founded by Catholicos Karekin II. (updated Jun 2015)
• 5 Train Station. If you want to get a taste of the Soviet Union, head to the train station right by the Russian Church. Classic Soviet architecture of its time, which has remained virtually untouched since the collapse of the USSR. The train which used to connect Vanadzor with all of Eastern Europe and the world, now only gets you as far as Tbilisi, so the crowds are gone, but the shell is still there. 
• Mashtots Hill Archaeological Site. Archaeological site dating back to the 4th-3rd millennia BC. (updated Jun 2015)

Museums

Art Museum of Vanadzor

• 6 Lori-Pambak archaeological museum, 1 Tigran Mets st.. Museum shows items found in Lori region and as itself is divided into 3 departments: archaeology (covering the earliest periods of human civilization in this area, displaying items such as swords, furniture, ornaments), ethnography (agricultural equipment, rugs, carpets) and new history department which focuses on the 19th-20th centuries and prominent people of that time. 
• 7 House-museum of Stepan Zoryan, 24 Stepan Zoryan st., ☏ +374 51 43093. Tu-Sa 09:00-17:00, Su 09:00-15:00. Stepan Zoryan was a Soviet Armenian writer. The museum in his honor was opened at the writer's own house in 1972. It shows how author lived and wrote his works. (updated Jul 2015)
• 8 Vanadzor Museum of Fine Arts, 52 Tigran Mets, ☏ +374 322 43938. Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 10:00-16:00. 1,700 paintings and sculptures are exposed to public in this 3-floor Soviet building. They are mainly works of local artists of wide range of genres. 500 dram, guided tours 2000 dram. 

Do

Parks

Vanadzor Central park

• 1 Vanadzor Botanical Garden. It was established in 1935, occupying southern hilltops of a town where more than 600 species of plants are found. 
• Vanadzor Central park. 
• 2 Park. It has a pond where lots of locals swim in its murky waters. Peddle boats are available for rent. There is also a small cafe serving coffee, drinks and desserts. (updated Jun 2015)
• 3 Sayat Nova park. 
• 4 Discover Vanadzor on two weels, boomtbpark@gmail.com (90/2-3 Myasnikyan St, Vanadzor 2001, Armenia), ☏ +374 91 10 77 74, boomtbpark@gmail.com. 1-3 hours, Tours are available 7 days a week, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (spring and autumn), 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (summer) Reservations must be made 48 hours in advance. Emma Petrosyan and Vaghinak Karapetyan are young bike enthusiasts who decided to resettle in Vanadzor. Vanadzor has both urban spaces and mountainous landscapes, which is why Emma and Vaghinak fell in love with the city. Encouraged by their experience in other countries, they founded the Boo Mountain Bike Park Project to develop mountain biking in the town. Their example has inspired local youth to stay and develop their hometown as one of the most popular biking destinations in the Southern Caucasus.
  They suggest two tours Explore Vanadzor's Soviet heritage on two wheels or Bike to Soviet youth camps through mountains. 

Buy

• Vanadzor Market. Open air market where mainly food is sold. (updated Jun 2015)

Eat

• 1 Lav Teh, Tumanyan street 11a, ☏ +374 94 44 59 90. Friendly, nice and quick restaurant. 4600 dram for two. (updated Feb 2015)
• 2 Pizza "Tashir", 65a Tigran Mets. Popular Armenian restaurant chain serving mostly pizzas, salads, soups, desserts. Pizza slice 250 dram, salad 700 dram. (updated Jun 2015)
• 3 Restaurant "Tiflis". (updated Jun 2015)
• 4 Restaurant "Nshkhark". (updated Jun 2015)
• 5 Restaurant "Tagavoranist". (updated Jun 2015)
• 6 Cafe "Lori". (updated Jun 2015)
• 7 Restaurant "Oasis", Tigran Mets Ave. Big portions, tasty dishes, one of the best options to eat in town. European and Armenian cuisine. Open air terrace. Salad bar 2000 dram per plate, mains 2000 dram. (updated Jun 2015)
• 8 Jazz Cafe. 09:00–22:30. Quite decent food, desserts and alcohol cocktails. Pianist plays in the evenings and jazz band on Saturdays nights. Mains 1500 dram. (updated Jun 2015)
• 9 Restaurant "Elkani", ☏ +374 322 41919. Claimed to be a 5-star restaurant. (updated Jun 2015)

Sleep

Hotel "Gugark"

• 1 "Green House" Hotel, 8d Banak Str, ☏ +374 322 40015, +374 322 20932, +374 91 310070, +374 91 428611. A 5-minute walk from the centre of Vanadzor, Green house hotel is a first-rate building surrounded by the green park with beautiful trees and flowers. Stylish furniture and modern design in the 15 nicely furnished rooms. 10,000-25,000 dram. 
• 2 "Argishti" Hotel, 1 Batumi Str, ☏ +374 322 42556, +374 322 42557, +374 322 42558. The hotel "Argishti" is a three-storey building, located in the center of Vanadzor Town. The interior part of the hotel has been designed with the elements of the national style and coloring. The hotel rooms have bathrooms, with all necessary components, refrigerators, color TVs, satellite, telephones and hair-driers. It has an International telephone communication. 25,000-35,000 dram. 
• 3 "Gugark" Hotel, central square (At the corner of the central square, a block or two from the bus station), ☏ +374 322 41510. Good no-frills budget option. 10,000-15,000 dram. 
• 4 B&B MagHay, ☏ +374 91380305, marined61@rambler.ru. A back deck with mountain views, large living room, aside deck overlooking
  
  the lush perennial garden. Homemade breakfast. Will make restaurant and tour reservations. (updated Jun 2015)
• 5 Vanadzor Spa and Hotel Complex, 31 Zakaryan St. (close to Botanical Garden). Double from 18,000 dram. (updated Jun 2015)
• "Gross" Hotel, ☏ +374 322 4 15 53. (updated Jun 2015)
• 6 Kirovakan Hotel, 1 Mashtotsa St., ☏ +374 322 47010, +374 98 417010. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Rooms have cable TV, free WiFi, private bathroom. Splendid views of the mountains. 24-hour front desk. Table tennis. Double 14,000 dram. (updated Jun 2015)
• 7 Hotel Laguna, 68 Yerevan Highway (A bit out of town, 3.5 km from the town center), ☏ +374 322 5-00-09. Offers an outdoor pool, sauna, free WiFi. Very high ratings on a booking sites. Double from 15,000 dram. (updated Jun 2015)

Cope

Laundry

There is only one laundry in Vanadzor.

• Bakmar Laundry, Tigran Metz Avenue (After you pass the main square of Vanadzor, "Gugark" Hotel and main Post Office, follow straight along the main street. In around 8-10 minutes of walking on the right side of the road, you will see a sign with painted Dolphins. That's the entrance to Bakmar Laundry. Or just simply ask locals, everybody in town know where Bakmar Laundry is located). 09:00-18:00. 600 dram/kg. 

While the cheapest option could be if you stay in "Gugark" Hotel, where you can ask for laundry service. Cost depends on negotiation, but could be as little as around 500 dram for one washing machine.

Go next

• Alaverdi
• Dilijan
• Gyumri