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Envoy Wins HOSCAR 2021

HOSCAR 2021

For 19 years, the HOSCARs have acknowledged hostels from all four corners of the globe with the highest customer reviews and ratings. This year, with the world in lockdown and travel put on hold, the HOSCAR awards have been restructured to recognise the incredible work hostels have been doing in their communities, and to support the industry, during the global pandemic.

Fabrizio Giulio, Chief Supply Officer at Hostelworld, said: “This year’s HOSCARs not only commemorate a difficult year for the hostel industry, but allow us to celebrate the incredible efforts our hostel partners have taken during this time. We wanted to recognise all their achievements.  

The HOSCARs are equally valuable to our community.  They provide a trusted way for our customers to identify the experience they want from their travels, and where to find it. It was important that our customers were still a crucial part of the awards and involved in selecting the hostels that deserve to be recognised for their excellence and extraordinary efforts.” 

You can find full list of winners here: www.hostelworld.com/hoscars 

Envoy Wins!

Representing Armenia, Envoy Hostel was crowned most EXTRAORDINARY Community and Social Impact Hostel by a panel of expert travel judges and more than 20,000 votes by hostel travellers all around the world.  

This HOSCAR award recognises envoy’s heartfelt charity efforts especially in 2020. In response to the war that broke out on the border of Armenia in late September 2020, many fled the war zone. Some of these refugees, somehow, found their way to envoy in Yerevan. Naturally, we accepted them with open hearts and did our best to look after all their needs. This included food and other essential needs like winter clothing. Most had fled without having the chance to bring much supplies. Many couldnt return even after the war ended. So we continued to look after these vulnerable families until they had proper housing to go to. Our efforts also included:

  • Fundraising efforts across the globe to collect enough funds to support all the families we were helping.
  • Entertaining the children to keep their spirits high. Most had their fathers, brothers, uncles fighting in the war so it was important to keep their minds busy. We would arrange entertainment, celebrate their birthdays and even take them on excursions around the city, to the zoo and to historic sights outside of Yerevan.
  • Arranging family dinner nights. We would purchase ingredients and together as one big family would cook meals to enjoy together. This would lift the spirits of all staying at envoy.
  • Visiting refugee families not staying at envoy. We took essential items and food to them. We also bought fire wood so they could survive the harsh winters.
  • One family we found (not staying at envoy) had 10 children. They were very poor and the mother of the family was suffering from serious illness. We bought them an oven and a washing machine so they can cook meals and improve their hygiene.
  • Helped start a small business! We bought a sewing machine for a young lady who had just learnt how to sew. She started to sew linen and sell the sets to earn an income.
  • We found work for a couple of people staying at envoy who were looking for work.
  • Joined a Dear Santa program, taking gifts to children affected by the war. Once little girl had asked for a desk as she loved to study and wanted to become a bank manager in future. Another little boy had asked for a bicycle. It was a joy to see their smiling faces when we delivered their gifts.

Envoy would like to thank Hostelworld judges and to all those who voted for us. Envoy has received HOSCAR’s 9 times in past years (recognised as Best Hostel in Armenia 7 times and also twice in Georgia). However, this years award is more important to us as it is a special international category and under difficult circumstances of both the covid pandemic and a war. Our team feels encouraged and committed to do more good in our communities and to help those in need.

We also want to say a huge thank you to all our networks, friends, family members, past guests and friends of friends who all helped in these difficult times. This award was possible thanks to each and everyone of you. Thank you for being there when we needed help.

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Projects - Current

Finding Families in Need

Volunteers entertaining refugees

Finding Families in need

There are many families in need in our region. Life is not easy and many can have genuine needs. Our first step in starting a project is to identify which family is more need than others. This is done in cooperation with other charity organisations we trust who have databases of families in real need. Once a few families are identified, envoy team members go and visit these families, one by one. We get to know them and form a relationship with them so we can understand their needs in more detail and know how best to help.

Help with Diginity

Help needs to be wanted. As we chose a family to help and build a relationship with them, we get to know them better. We understand their needs. We also understand their skills and capabilities. We discuss with them what help they may want and make sure we are able to provide appropriate help. If we are not able to help in an appropriate way, we wont take on the project. Both the family and us need to be committed and ready to start the project.

Envoy’s Next Project

We are currently visiting families to be able to select the next project. To be able to fund the next project we will soon be organising a fundraising event. We are hoping to start the next project in July 2021. We hope you will be able to support us in our next project. To do so please donate, knowing that 100% of funds raised go to the project.

 

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Taking in Refugees

Volunteers entertaining refugees

The Experience of Taking in Refugees

As soon as the war broke out, Envoy volunteered on taking in refugees. We knew it was the right thing to do. Our aim was to provide a safe place to stay and to look after all the needs of the families staying with us. Families were mainly women and children since the men had stayed stayed back to protect their teritorry.  Realising the concern of families about their loved ones who had stayed back as well as the uncertainty about their fate, we wanted to offer for than a refuge for all those staying with us. Our mission extended to offering care and creating a happy environment. We wanted to fill them with hope for the future and bring smiles in these difficult days.

Celebrating Life Events

We had the opportunity to celebrate the birthdays of a few of the children during the days of the war.  Making the children feel special during these difficult times certainly went a long way to bring smiles to them and their families. 

Excursions by Envoy

In the first weeks of staying at envoy, all schools were cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The children were spending almost all their time without any organised activity. So Envoy team members arranged a few outings to give the opportunity for the children to get out and about.

Getting into the spirit of what envoy knows best, we arranged a walking tour of Yerevan. All the mums and their children came along on an orientation tour around the city. We revealed some of the history and interesting facts for the children to learn more about Yerevan. Together we visited some of the major sights around the city and had a lot of fun together with our special guests.

On another occassion we took the children on an outing to the Yerevan Zoo. This was a wonderful experience for the children as many had never been to a zoo before. They enjoyed seeing all the different creatures and learning about them.

On another evening we took the children out for ice cream. This certainly brought smiles to their beautiful faces. Who doesnt love ice cream? 😀

Events at Envoy

All the local community came together during this difficult time and was offering help in many different ways. This included visits to the  families displaced by the war.  At Envoy we had a couple of events which definitely brought a smile to the children. 

The first event was a few volunteers who came to sing folk songs with the children. All the children gathered around in the envoy common room and sang familiar as well as new songs together. It really inspired a wonderful mood and smiles all around.

We were also visited by a locally renown artist/actor. It was a treat for the children to meet a celebrity who had taken the time to visit and encourage them.

We are very grateful for all who have volunteered their time. It has been wonderful to see the community come together. The support has been in many different ways, bringing hope, love and smiles to all affected by the war.

Some of the families we had the pleasure of taking in as refugees have returned to their homes after the war. This has allowed us to accept new families and extend our care to more people. This has been made possible by the many people around the world who have been donating funds to Envoy, whom we are extremely grateful for.

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Projects - Completed

Sample Project – Completed

Volunteers entertaining refugees

The Experience of Taking in Refugees

As soon as the war broke out, Envoy volunteered on taking in refugees. We knew it was the right thing to do. Our aim was to provide a safe place to stay and to look after all the needs of the families staying with us. Families were mainly women and children since the men had stayed stayed back to protect their teritorry.  Realising the concern of families about their loved ones who had stayed back as well as the uncertainty about their fate, we wanted to offer for than a refuge for all those staying with us. Our mission extended to offering care and creating a happy environment. We wanted to fill them with hope for the future and bring smiles in these difficult days.

Celebrating Life Events

We had the opportunity to celebrate the birthdays of a few of the children during the days of the war.  Making the children feel special during these difficult times certainly went a long way to bring smiles to them and their families. 

Excursions by Envoy

In the first weeks of staying at envoy, all schools were cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The children were spending almost all their time without any organised activity. So Envoy team members arranged a few outings to give the opportunity for the children to get out and about.

Getting into the spirit of what envoy knows best, we arranged a walking tour of Yerevan. All the mums and their children came along on an orientation tour around the city. We revealed some of the history and interesting facts for the children to learn more about Yerevan. Together we visited some of the major sights around the city and had a lot of fun together with our special guests.

On another occassion we took the children on an outing to the Yerevan Zoo. This was a wonderful experience for the children as many had never been to a zoo before. They enjoyed seeing all the different creatures and learning about them.

On another evening we took the children out for ice cream. This certainly brought smiles to their beautiful faces. Who doesnt love ice cream? 😀

Events at Envoy

All the local community came together during this difficult time and was offering help in many different ways. This included visits to the  families displaced by the war.  At Envoy we had a couple of events which definitely brought a smile to the children. 

The first event was a few volunteers who came to sing folk songs with the children. All the children gathered around in the envoy common room and sang familiar as well as new songs together. It really inspired a wonderful mood and smiles all around.

We were also visited by a locally renown artist/actor. It was a treat for the children to meet a celebrity who had taken the time to visit and encourage them.

We are very grateful for all who have volunteered their time. It has been wonderful to see the community come together. The support has been in many different ways, bringing hope, love and smiles to all affected by the war.

Some of the families we had the pleasure of taking in as refugees have returned to their homes after the war. This has allowed us to accept new families and extend our care to more people. This has been made possible by the many people around the world who have been donating funds to Envoy, whom we are extremely grateful for.

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Extending Help

Visiting the family of 9 in Meghratzor

Extending Help beyond Envoy

Thousands of families left their homes in Artsakh because of the recent war and found temporary homes in villages in Armenia. Some people have provided their vacant houses to complete strangers who also need help for food and other basic items. Envoy has been extending help to a few families in villages close to Yerevan and we have delivered food and hygiene items to them several times. The support for these families will be continuous as they are in real need and some even struggle with health issues.

Families that Envoy Currently Supports

Besides opening our doors to those who lost homes, Envoy has also reached out to families not staying with us. We have shown help to a few families temporarily residing in villages close to Yerevan.  Throughout the winter months, we have helped several families with first necessity products and helped them cover utility fees. From buying Christmas gifts for Bulghadaryan family kids in Nor Geghi to getting food items for Sahakyan family in Kanaker, we are trying to reach out to as many as we can.

From War to Dire Straits

Among all the families we are helping, the Yedigaryan family of 11 ( 2 adults and 9 kids) are the most needy. They are deprived of basic living conditions. The whole family shares a rickety house with only one room in Meghradzor village. Anahit, the mother of the family, currently battles breast cancer and may undergo surgery. Envoy will be helping her cover the medical expenses. Our team members have provided them with a washing machine so as to ease their daily household work. We also bought an oven for them so they can bake their own daily bread. Our team is constantly in touch with the family and we deliver food items in bulk as needed. The family wants to move back to Artsakh but it will depend on Anahit’s health condition. We will keep supporting them until they are back on their feet.

Big Thank You to Donors

All of this has been possible thanks to the support of our many friends who have generously donated funds to Envoy. Your kindness and compassion go a long way.

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Wishes Come True

Making Wishes come true

Wishes of children from Artsakh

A peaceful and happy childhood. This was something that thousands of children from Arthakh lost because of the war that erruted late September 2020. At a very young age, they had to wake up under the terrifying sounds of bombing. Forced to flee their homes and cities they had lost hope of safety. Many had wishes they believed can never come true. We had the mission to bring hope and joy to their little hearts. 

Focus on our mission

We actively reached out to various individuals and organizations to find information about the families who fled from Artsakh. We aimed to reach those families who found shelter outside of Yerevan and were less likely to get extra support. One of the very first families we contacted was Artyom’s family, temporarily living in the Kotayk region. 

Artyom’s long wanted bicycle  

10 year old Artyom, his mother and his sister are living in the sports complex of Tsakhkadzor along with many other families from Artsakh. They lost their home in Hadrut, and only after moving to Armenia, they were able to find a temporary shelter in Tsakhkadzor. Artyom’s mother, Ramela, lost her husband years ago and had to raise her kids alone. She told how her son wanted a bicycle for a long time, but she could not afford to buy it. Knowing about Artyom’s desire, we decided to surprise him on Christmas.

Thanks to our donors, we were able to get Artyom’s long wanted bicycle and visit his family. Seeing the joy in his eyes was all we were aiming for. Excited and super keen to try his new bicycle, Artyom Ignored the cold weather and snow covered streets and started riding immediately. He loved his new bicycle and promised to take good care of it. He also said he would teach his 12-year-old sister Meri to ride as well. 

 

Big Thank you to Donors

All of this has been possible thanks to the support of our many friends who have generously donated funds to Envoy. Your kindness and compassion go a long way.

Wishes do come true

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Christmas 2020

Santa visits Gohar for Christmas 2020

Christmas 2020 with Envoy

2020 was a tough year for Armenians, especially for those living in Artsakh. Due to the war, many lost their homes and fled to Armenia. Many families found shelter around Yerevan and in different regions of Armenia. We wanted to reach out to them, meet the children and make their Christmas wishes come true. And so that’s exactly what we did!

Become a Santa 

Finding the initiative called Դարձիր ձմեռ պապ (Become a Santa) was fantastic. By contacting the organizers, we received a list of refugee children from Artsakh who had written to Santa. After selecting the letter to respond to, we found out the destination where our Santa sleigh would be travelling to. Little Gohar was waiting for us in Haykadzor village which is 2 hours drive away from Yerevan. Excited to bring Christmas joy to her and her family, we happily started our journey.

Gifting a desk to the future bank manager

In Haykadzor, we met 8 year old Gohar and her family. They left their village’ Vurgavan in the Kashatagh region the day after the war broke out. Gohar and her 2 siblings, 7 year old Manvel and 4 year old Daniel, were extremely excited to see us. They were telling us about their new school in Haykadzor in Armenia and how much they wanted to go back to their village in Artsakh. Their mother, Meline, was very nostalgic, showing us the pictures of their house, friends, and school back in Vurgavan. Now living in their relatives’ old house, in the small village of Haykadzor, they were trying to restart their lives with the hope for a better future.  

Gohar loves studying and dreams of becoming a bank manager one day. She asked Santa to have her own desk at home to be able to do homework and perform well at school.

All of us at Envoy hope and pray that Gohar’s dreams of becoming a bank manager will come true.

Christmas 2020

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Wishes Come True #2

Wishes of Children from Artsakh

Christmas is the season of joy and gift-giving. For many children from Artsakh Christmas 2020 was a challenging period. The war that broke out in September 2020 changed the plans of thousands of families. Many left their homes and said goodbye to everything they had, including their hope for a better future. Many of the children had wishes and dreams they thought would never come true. We wanted to make sure that the kids kept believing in the miracles of Christmas and that they were not forgotten. 

Action to Help Out

We cooperated with various individuals and organizations. They directed us to families that fled from Artsakh and found temporary shelter in Armenia. Our main focus was to help those families that lived in villages and had less access to resources and support than those living in Yerevan. The Bulghadaryan family were one of the families selected for us to visit.

Christmas Gifts for Kids  

When the fighting intensified, Sargis Bulghadaryan decided to move his wife Anna and their 7 children from the village of Talish in Artsakh to Armenia. Sargis then returned to Artsakh to fight in the war. A doctor was kind enough to shelter the family in his summer house in the village of Nor Geghi. During one of our visits when Envoy took food products for the family, one of the children mentioned that Christmas would be very different this year, and Santa would probably not visit Armenia because he might be scared of the war.  We made sure that the kids wrote a letter to Santa  with all their wishes and passed it on. Luckily Santa managed to send us the gifts in time for us to get them to the children for Christmas. In addition, the presents not only pleasantly surprised them but also restored their hope in the importance of the season. 

Big Thank you to Donors

Christmas is the time of giving and sharing. All of this has been possible thanks to the support of our many friends who have generously donated funds to Envoy. Your kindness and compassion go a long way. Thank you for enabling us to reach out to those in need and helping their wishes come true.

Wishes do come true

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Fundraising

Fundraising Efforts

We have had an amazing amount of support from everyone around the world in support of envoy’s efforts to help support the displaced families from Artsakh. This includes past envoy guests whom we already consider an extension of our family. Especially our beloved ex-PCV’s (Peace Corp Volunteers). We have also had an outstanding community response from friends in Sydney where envoy has very strong connections. Though each of these individuals who have held fundraising events have done so from the heart and don’t expect any publicity, we want to honour and thank them by sharing their amazing efforts.

 

Pizza Luna

Thanks to Armond and the Hayrapeti family, an amazing pizza lunch fundraising event was organised at Pizza Luna. The turn out was overwhelming! So many family, friends and friends of friends attended. They not only enjoyed delicious pizza but also supported the cause with their donations. All funds raised was donated to help look after the needs of the families from Artsakh.

 

Crack a Frap

Over a couple of weeks Carla, Michael and their friends at Crack a Frap brought a smile to the community serving up freshly brewed ice coffees, smoothies and Greek style donuts. Their efforts not only raised much needed funds for the cause but it also brought the community together. Gathering at the Ryde Ararat Scout Hall, young and old

Plan B

More fitting to be Plan A, our friend Alexander Apanian hosted a trivia night at Plan B. Serving tasty burgers for dinner to a full house then followed by a game of trivia. Competition was fierce with all teams trying their best to win. It was a fun night and a great way to raise funds for the cause.

Health Focus Chiropractic

Our dear friend Raffi at Health focus ran an afternoon fundraiser offering professional chiropractic services. People came to support the fundraiser but also received a chiro session.

 

Sydney Hosanna

Sydney Hosana with a mission focus to build up people and share the gospel, celebrated their year end festivities with a fun fundraising event.

Everyone who came to the event brought any of their unwanted items from home which was then acutioned off. The concept being someone elses trash is another’s treasures. There was a wide variety of items ranging from paintaings, Tech items, kitchenware and beauty products. The bidding was a lot of fun and competition was intense at times – but all for a great cause. Everything got sold and everyone went home happy with their new treasures. All the money raised was donated to Envoy’s charity work in Armenia towards the refugee families.

Cruise for Artsakh

Several car rallies had been organised in Sydney to raise awareness about the war and what was happening in Artsakh. Funds were raised through these Artsakh cruises, some which were donated to envoy to use for the needs of the Artsakh families displaced by the war.

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Sharing Food

Preparring to make specialty bread

Sharing Food at Envoy

The word for friend in Armenian which sounds as ‘enker’ (ընկեր in Armenian) means ‘to eat together’ or ‘to share food’. After sheltering refugees at Envoy, we moved on to provide the families with food and help them feel at home.  Our team members quickly became friends with the families staying with us. Naturally, we started doing what Armenian families do best: cooking in large amounts and sharing the food. Besides sharing a roof, we are now sharing food with each other at Envoy. 

What’s Cooking?

A morning favorite of the kids before leaving for school is freshly-baked bread our staff get from a nearby bakery. The fun part starts when the kids are already at school. The women start cooking to make sure lunch is ready when the kids return. A popular item on the menu is zhingyalov hats. It is a local specialty from Artsakh; a wonderful flatbread filled with different types of herbs. It is a little challenging to find all the herbs that grow in the mountainous lands of Artsakh in Yerevan. Luckily we have been able to source the main ingredients and enjoyed mouth-wateringly good zhingyalov hats a few times. Nothing can beat the taste of zhingyalov hats from the food market in Stepanakert. Managing to make the flatbread in Yerevan and sharing it with around 40 friends comes very close. 

The men have now taken up the challenge of cooking. They have promised to soon prepare khash which is a traditional Armenian thick broth with cow hooves. Men stay up and cook it all night long to enjoy it for breakfast with liberal amounts of garlic and vodka. Soon we will sharing not only a roof but also a hoof 🙂

None of this would have been possible if not for the support of our thousands of friends who have donated funds to Envoy. We appreciate your generosity more than our words can express. 

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Yerevan Room & Rates

Single Bed Private (ensuite bathroom)

Enjoy total privacy in a bedroom suitable for 1 person, offering:

  • Single bed
  • Wardrobe
  • Air conditioning / central heating
  • Towels and linen
  • Free wifi
  • Private ensuite bathroom
  • Hairdryer
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Tbilisi Room & Rates

4 Bed Female Dorm (shared bathroom)

Stay in a comfortable 4 bed female dorm offering:

  • Bunk Beds designed for adults
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared female bathroom
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Yerevan Room & Rates

4 Bed Female Dorm (shared bathroom)

Female dorm, offering:

  • Bunk Beds designed for adults
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared female bathroom
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Tbilisi Room & Rates

Double Bed Private Room (shared bathroom)

Enjoy total privacy in this room with a view equipped with: 

  • Double bed
  • Balcony with a view
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lighting
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Tbilisi Room & Rates

Twin Bed Private Room (shared bathroom)

Stay in style with this twin bed room and quirky furniture. The room offers:

  • 2 single beds
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Tbilisi Room & Rates

Triple Bed Private Room (shared bathroom)

This triple bed room with a balcony offers:

  • 3 single beds
  • Balcony with a view
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Tbilisi Room & Rates

4 Bed Family Room (shared bathroom)

Travelling with family or a group of friends? Then this 4 bed family room provides the perfect balance of privacy and comfort. It offers:  

  • 2 loft beds and 2 single beds
  • Private lounge room 
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Tbilisi Room & Rates

4 Bed Mixed Dorm (shared bathroom)

Stay in a comfortable 4 bed dorm  offering:

  • Bunk Beds designed for adults
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Yerevan Room & Rates

Double Bed Private (ensuite bathroom)

Enjoy total privacy in a bedroom suitable for 1 or 2 people, offering:

  • Double bed
  • Wardrobe
  • Air conditioning / central heating
  • Towels and linen
  • Free wifi
  • Private ensuite bathroom
  • Hairdryer
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Yerevan Room & Rates

4 Bed Room Private (shared bathroom)

Travelling with friends or family? Suitable for 1 to 4 people, this room can be booked as a private room, offering:

  • Bunk beds
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Bunk beds designed for adults
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Yerevan Room & Rates

8 Bed Standard Mixed Dorm (shared bathroom)

Standard dorm rooms are smaller in size and dont have a window – perfect for budget conscious travellers with:

  • Bunk Beds designed for adults
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Yerevan Room & Rates

4 Bed Superior Mixed Dorm (shared bathroom)

Superior dorm rooms are more spacious and have a window, offering:

  • Bunk Beds designed for adults
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Armenia Rooms

1 or 2 person private (shared bathroom)

  • Modern room with 1 bunk bed and small balcony
  • Private locker (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Bunk bed designed for adults
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free WIFI
  • Shared bathroom (shared between 2 rooms only)
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Armenia Rooms

Double Bed Private (ensuite bathroom)

Enjoy total privacy in a modern room offering:

  • 1 double bed
  • Private bathroom facilities
  • Hair dryer
  • Wardrobe
  • Air conditioning / central heating
  • Towels and linen
  • Free wifi
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Yerevan Room & Rates

8 Bed Superior Mixed Dorm (shared bathroom)

Superior dorm rooms are more spacious and have windows:

  • Bunk Beds designed for adults
  • Private lockers (need own padlock)
  • Personal bedside shelf, electrical outlet and lamp
  • Air conditioned / central heating
  • Towels and linen provided
  • Free wifi
  • Shared bathroom (separate for male / female)
  • Discount offered on envoy tours
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Hostel BLOG

Meaningful Art

When does art become meaningful? Art is quite subjective. An artwork can raise an emotion or move one person and leave another perplexed. However it may be, we recently had the joy of experiencing a unique moment in the history of envoy where a foundation of friendship and fellowship was cemented with a unique and very meaningful art.

A Spark is Lit!

Recent renovations at the hostel included an upgrade of our rooftop terrace. Its a space our guests love to hang out. In addition, the panoramic views of Tbilisi from the terrace makes it a place you just don’t get tired of.  So it made perfect sense to make this an even more comfortable space for our guests. The plans included adding a small bar, aptly named megoBARi. Megobari in Georgian literally means friend. So its the perfect place to make new friends 🙂

After finishing majority of the renovations, we were left with one stretch of wall that seemed empty. This space was calling for something eye catching, something colourful… so the idea of a wall mural started to develop.

Meeting of Minds

Later that same day the idea had sparked, Dominic, one of our dear guests staying at Envoy as part of a group of German pastors declared that he had had such a blessed time that he wanted to say thanks by creating an artwork for us in the form of graffiti!! You can imagine our surprise and amazement at his suggestion! It was indeed the meeting of minds!

Step 1: Plan

In the famous words of Benjamin Franklin  “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” So immediately we started to chat and decide how to tackle this project. We had the artist, now we needed a concept, a canvas and of course paint! All this in a tight time frame meant there was no time to be lost.

We managed to get all the essentials sorted quickly. We even found professional spray paint in a wide range of colour choices. As far as the concept, we were thinking something inspired by nature.

Hidden Hurdles

Any project has its challenges! Some you can predict in advance but some you come to face unexpectedly. This project was no exception.  First it was the weather that concerned us.  The whole day had been sunny and warm but as we started to get ready to do the painting, clouds gathered and rain was imminent. This brought on urgency to ensure our canvas wouldn’t get wet. We decided to lift the canvas to the rooftop to work on it under the covered area to stay dry.

As we tried to take our canvas to the rooftop where it was going to be painted and hung, we realised it was going to be trickier than we had thought. It took German ingenuity and a lot of teamwork but we successfully lifted the canvas at last!

Meaningful Art

Face to face with a blank canvas, spray paint in hand, question is, what should we paint? Following the inspiration of nature we searched for a meaningful muse. As we all love travel and enjoy the feeling of freedom when travelling/ flying, we started to focus on birds. However what type of bird would suit best? We remembered that the legend of Tbilisi involved a falcon (where King Vakhtang Gorgasali was hunting and his falcon caught a pheasant but both birds died in the nearby hot spring). This thought lead to the idea to paint an eagle as they also appear in the bible prominently and inspired by the specific biblical verse:

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

And so our meaningful art project came to fruition! Dominic skilfully painted as we all watched in amazement. This artwork has so much depth of meaning to us, linking Tbilisi legends and our faith through to a constant reminder of our new formed friendships which we hope will last forever.

Thank you Dominic for this beautiful gift we will always cherish. Above all we thank God who lead you and your friendly group to our hostel, gave us the inspiration, motivation and of course talent to create this masterpiece. Praise God for His wonderful ways!

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Hostel BLOG

Making Armenian Coffee

You travelled to Armenia and enjoyed the local coffee. Now you are wondering how to recreate and enjoy this drink back home? Well, we are going to teach you step by step how to make Armenian Coffee at home.

So what is Armenian Coffee anyway? A thick and delicious coffee enjoyed in this region which is certainly not for the faint-hearted. This small cup of coffee packs a punch! It gives you a caffeine boost that will keep you going for a while 🙂 This strong traditional coffee is how most Armenians kick-start their day.

But first here’s a little background on the traditions of this coffee.

Social Brew

We all know that food and drink brings people together. Similarly, this is not an exception for the Armenian coffee. It is very much a social drink, although you can enjoy it solo too, it certainly tastes better when shared. 🙂 It gives a reason for friends and family to gather around the table for a few minutes to enjoy this special drink together. Normally enjoyed in the mid-morning but there is no reason why it can not be enjoyed at other times of the day too. Regardless of time of day, it’s a cup best shared!

Art of Brewing

This coffee is fairly simple to make. However it has one critical step (Step 5 in the instructions below). The art of making this coffee is learning when to remove it from the heat. So if you master this timing and perfect your technique, you will be an Armenian Coffee barista. 🙂

How important is learning this art of brewing the perfect coffee? Well, in the ‘old days’, it was considered ‘time’ for a young person to marry once they could make this coffee with a nice head of crema on it. (This brings a deeper meaning to the phrase ‘for the love of coffee’)! So you can see how important coffee means to the local culture!

Its probably worth noting that it gets harder to create the perfect crema when making multiple cups of coffee. So once you perfect making a couple of cups, test your skills on making 5 cups or more!

Warning! For Coffee Lovers Only!

If you are not a coffee lover or don’t like strong coffee then this is certainly not the drink for you! This is a thick and strong coffee served in an espresso size cup. However if you love coffee then welcome to a new taste and texture sensation. It has a thick, almost grainy texture. For this reason, it is best to sip the coffee slowly. This allows the excess coffee to sink and sit at the base of the cup. You are not supposed to drink this sludge type sediment at the bottom of your cup (not even for the serious coffee lovers), it’s just too thick and dense to consume. So you are done with your cup once you reach this thick base.

Tools of the Trade

To make a good coffee, you need to have the right tools. The key to making this coffee is to own a ‘jazve’ coffee pot. We highly recommend you invest in one while you are in Armenia (many home ware shops sell these but also you can easily find them at the Vernissage Markets). A jazve makes for an impressive souvenir from your trip too (especially if you pick up an antique Soviet era jazve from the markets)! Imagine serving your coffee to friends back home in an authentic coffee pot! It’s guaranteed to be a conversation starter!

All the items you need to make the perfect cup of Armenian coffee.

Jazve-s come in different cup sizes. The key is to select the right size jazve. This will promise best coffee results. A good cup of Armenian coffee is one that has a nice head of froth (crema) on top. This is why choosing the right size jazve is important. Too big a jazve and the froth will not form well. If you were to ask us what size jazve you should invest in, we would recommend a 2 cup (although there is even a single cup size too). You ask why? Well, as mentioned above, this is definitely a social drink and you will almost always have a partner in crime to enjoy the coffee with 🙂

So you say you left Armenia without investing in a jazve? What to do now? Simple – plan your return visit 🙂 Setting jokes aside, the best alternative is to use a small stove top variety milk warmer. Otherwise, look up a Middle Eastern store in your neighbourhood. The joy of embracing multiculturalism in the world means it is most likely to be a store you can source an authentic jazve from close by!

Key Ingredients

First of all, you will need the star ingredient: coffee! This fine ground coffee takes different names when buying it from overseas. The coffee will appear as Armenian, Greek, Turkish or Lebanese coffee, as all these nations enjoy this form of coffee. Note that Lebanese coffee is often cardamom infused. If so it will have a distinct flavour, different to the Armenian coffee, but still delicious and unique.

Other ingredients are simple to find, just sugar (if using) and water.

Now you are ready to start!

Making Armenian Coffee

Here’s a step by step guide on making Armenian Coffee:

Step 1

Measure 1 (slightly heaped) teaspoon of coffee and place in the jazve.

Add one teaspoon of coffee to the Jazve.

Step 2

If using sugar, measure desired amount and add to the jazve. Note that using one teaspoon of sugar will make a sweet coffee. Most locals drink with little or no sugar. So the amount of sugar is entirely up to your taste.

Add sugar to the Jazve

Step 3

Using the espresso cup, measure one cup of cold tap water and add to the jazve.

Add one cup of cold water to the Jazve.

Step 4

Place the jazve on the stove top on low heat. Stir to make sure all ingredients combine well and remove the spoon. (if you accidentally leave the spoon in the coffee, it may heat up and burn your hand. It also effects the formation of the crema, so it is best to remove it).

Place the jazve on low heat on the stove. Stir to ensure all ingredients are well mixed.

Step 5

Wait! Seriously 🙂 This step is the linchpin of the art of making Armenian coffee! Not only does it teach patience but it also tests your skills of making the perfect brew. As the coffee warms up and brews, it starts to slowly rise (this is when the right sized jazve helps as you will see the coffee rise in the narrow opening of the jazve). Let the coffee rise but do not let it boil over. Removing the coffee from the heat at the perfect moment, makes the difference of excellent flavour and creates a nice thick crema on top. If the coffee boils over, the crema almost completely disappears and the flavour of the coffee is compromised. So watch over the coffee during this step to pick the perfect moment.

Watch over the coffee as it brews.
As the coffee brews it rises. Remove from heat before it boils over.

Step 6

Pour the coffee gently into the cup to ensure the crema gathers on top undisturbed. Call your friend or next door neighbour as its time to share your cup of coffee. 🙂 Best served with a delicious Armenian pastry’ gata. YUM!

Pour the prepared coffee and call your neighbour to enjoy the coffee break together 🙂

Enjoy!

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Hostel BLOG

Monti the Traveller!

monti

Weighing 7 kg and looking really cool! Meet Monti the traveller – the world’s most travelled Lion, as well as International Lion of Mystery.  Originally from Serengeti, Tanzania he has already visited almost 100 countries in 5 continents.

The mysterious lion enjoys discovering the world. His passport is quite enviable as he has truly been to some stunning location. More than that, he is a good photo blogger. You can find around 2 000 amazing photos of his trips all over the world.

Envoy Hostel Tbilisi and Yerevan hosted the famous Lion on his 98th and 99th countries.  We totally loved our mysterious and symbolic “guest”.

Stayed tuned with Monti

Like most of the travellers and bloggers, Monti is active on Social Media. Follow his Flickr account and enjoy beautiful landscapes, picturesque places, famous architecture, as well as many little-known places  worthy of your attention. 

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About Georgia

Terrific Tbilisi View

Terrific Tbilisi view

An amazing rooftop terrace with a terrific Tbilisi view offers a new level of comfort. And this is where Envoy guests love to chill after their full day of sightseeing, lapping up the beauty of the Georgian countryside, sampling delicious Georgian food & wine.

Envoy’s terrace is positioned in the heart of the old town area. It offers panoramic views of the city below and boasts the commanding Narikala fortress above it. This is the ideal place to hang out in the evenings, a cold ‘Natakhtari’ beer or ‘Saperavi’ wine in hand, appreciating the terrific views of Tbilisi. You can watch the cable cars go past above your head. Often you see fireworks at night celebrating special events.  And did we mention the amazing sunrise and sunsets? Make sure to have your camera ready for that perfect instagram shot to make all your friends inspired by your travels!

Terrific Tbilisi View, terrific experience!

We have added custom designed furniture to our terrace. Cleverly designed and crafted with a balance of creativity and practicality. Masterfully created by our very own talented team members. So now you can now enjoy stretching out on our day bed, watching the city from our ‘bar’ table or chatting to some new friends you’ve made. And this is what makes our guests enjoy about envoy most of all. New friends! Come and enjoy this view with us 😉 

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Hostel BLOG

Georgian Food Party

Georgian Food

Food is to be celebrated and if you taste Georgian food you would understand why! You would plan a return trip just because you will miss the food (and wine 😉 )! The Georgian food range has unique dishes including the Khinkali, khachapuri, ojakhuri and many more. Let’s face it, tasting local food is one of the highlights of travel. Pronouncing the dishes is another story altogether as some of the local dishes can be somewhat of a tongue twister! However a glass of wine will make that easier too!

To help our guests ‘take home’ a bit of the local taste with them, our super talented Beqa led a ‘Chvishtari Masterclass’. A delicious traditional corn bread flavoured with grated cheese is a staple food in the Georgian kitchen. Accompanied by a bottle of local Saperavi red wine and you have a cause for a celebration. And why not? Shouldn’t every day be celebrated?

Chvishtari is a simple dish however a fair bit of preparation is required. Following the instructions of our master chef’ Beqa, the cheese was grated, the dough was prepared and the Chvishtari was lovingly formed. After teaching our guests the basics, seems like the artistic talents started to overflow! It took the traditional Chvishtari to another level altogether with a range of creative versions including heart shaped (our favourite as it reflects our love of Georgian food!). Well done to our talented guests! Every time we’ll make heart shaped Chvishtari in future, we’ll think of you! We hope you’ll do the same too!

FUN EVENTS

Planning to stay at Envoy Hostel Tbilisi? Make sure to join us at our fun food events. Learn to create delicious dishes, make new friends and enjoy your evening in Tbilisi with the Envoy Crew. Of course you will also take home new recipes as a unique souvenir of your travels. So whenever you have “Georgia on your mind” you can recreate these flavours to celebrate the day and reminisce your travel memories!

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Hostel BLOG

Love Travel

Love Travel Envoy Club Tshirt
We love travel! It is what drives us at envoy! If we are not working, we’d rather be travelling. In fact being passionate about travel is what gives envoy hostel it’s special vibe! It gives us a deeper understanding and connection with our guests. It is the basis for all our services and offerings. From the design of the beds to the itinerary and experiences offered during our tours. Everything we do is designed such that we ourselves would like to have experienced if we were on the go!
 
However the best thing about our work is that we are always surrounded by like minded travellers who also love travel. This in turn drives us to be in tune with our guests. Every idea, suggestion made, we take note. We always look for ways to improve what we offer. To make our place a home away from home for our many guests who visit us.
 
Some of our guests who stayed at one of our hostels, ended up going to the second and even the third envoy hostel. This made us stop and think. We felt humbled by the loyalty and love shown by these guests who in different corners of the world have chosen to stay with us.
 

Envoy Club Shirts

To share and celebrate this love of travel and to thank the loyalty of our guests, we designed limited edition Travel T-shirts. A design you are bound to love in a heartbeat! To receive one of these shirts you need to be an ‘Envoy Club’ guest. One of the select few who has stayed at all 3 of our hostels (Yerevan’ Armenia | Tbilisi’ Georgia | Phnom Penh’ Cambodia). Already a few of our guests have been rewarded with this unique souvenir. Hope you will be next 🙂
 
And if you are planning your next trip to one of our regions, let us know if you have any travel questions! Whether its about sights, tours, events or accommodation in the regions, let the Envoy crew help you discover our corners of the world. We’re here to help!
 
Happy travels everyone!
 
 
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Hostel BLOG

Yerevan Map – your extra tour guide at hand

Yerevan map

At Envoy Hostel, we are all about providing value and new services for our guests; this time Yerevan Map.

We are always looking for ways to serve our guests better. Thus we have just developed our very own handy city map of Yerevan. Not only will you easily find places around town, but thanks to our partners, you will also enjoy discounts at select café’s, eateries and entertainment hubs. This map is so handy, with tips and information, it’s as if you have one of our team members as a guide alongside you all the time 🙂.

Yerevan Map – free for our guests

By the way, the map is absolutely FREE for guests staying at Envoy Hostel Yerevan!

Come, stay and enjoy envoy with us!

 

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Hostel BLOG

Bond greater than work

You may have noticed that our team members tend to be the friendliest you come across in our region. Wonder why? Here is the secret. All Envoy team members are selected not only with an intention to be part of a working team but also part of our Envoy Family. We truly feel connected with a bond greater than work.

“Next level” bond

This bond has gone to the ‘next level’ recently. And the fantastic news did not make us wait long. Our wonderful Grigor and Hranoush announced they are engaged to be married!  

Envoy family wishes

May God bless you two abundantly, feel with His everlasting love and joy. Let your bond become stronger and stronger!

We hope that everyone at Envoy will be as engaged at work as you are 🙂

Here’s some images from our envoy engagement party celebrations for them. Oh, look at these shiny eyes! 

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Hostel BLOG

Dream has come true

Dream and act

Sometimes life gives you opportunities that you need to seize at once. Recent guests of Envoy Hostel Phnom Penh, Luca and his cousin Andrea’ originally from Italy found themselves on a dream journey of a life time when they only set out to buy a car!

Dream car from Sardinia

Luca has a deep passion for motorbikes and an insatiable desire to discover the world. He bought a car from Sardinia, an island in Italy. The shipment of the car to Turin, where the two cousins live, was too expensive. Thus Luca suggested to collect the car from Sardinia themselves. They picked up the car and spent a beautiful week in Sardinia. They camped, appreciated the beautiful scenery and enjoyed the wonderful weather without a tourist insight! After this short trip, when they were already close to Andrea’s place, both of them thought it would be a shame to go straight back home. Why not to head to Bangkok? They had caught the travel bug! And hence their adventure began.

10 months, 13 countries 

Andrea, a professional photographer, was inspired to this profession through his travels. The pair, already 10 months on the road, have explored 13 countries including: Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Emirates, India, Myanmar, Thailand and are now in Cambodia. Andrea says he ‘takes photographs of the world to better understand it, to understand himself’. He personally has traveled to around 30 countries.

“Collecting dreams”

‘Travel is our common passion, but we also made it a little bit challenging. We knew about a hospital in Turin’ Regina Margherita. It is home to many children with cancer. We wanted to dedicate our travels to children. Any country we go, we visit hospitals, orphanages, places where kids are around. We ask the children to paint their dreams. Later we collect the paintings. As we want to show through children’s dreams what our future is going to be like. We all know that children are the ones who create our future. Yes, we live in different places. We have borders. But we are all the same’, Andrea adds.

Now, the two cousins are traveling around the world. They collect children’s’ dreams and fund raise for children’s programs. Meanwhile, they enjoy discovering new places and meeting people.

From Italy to Japan

They intend to reach Japan as their final destination traveling in a 1965 Fiat. The pair proudly mentions that this car used to be ‘everyone’s car’ in Italy, and they want to show that everyone can do the same now. Everyone can travel around the world even in a small car. What you need is passion and eagerness to start.

http://berevolution.it/en/
https://www.facebook.com/BeRevolution.it/
Fiat – http://www.fiat.com/com/fiatpedia/heritage/fiat-nuova-500

 

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Hostel BLOG

Cool coffee shop in Tbilisi

Cool Coffee shop

Strolling through the beautiful cobbled streets of Tbilisi, lined with wooden laced terrace houses, you come across a cool coffee shop oozing with character. Two cheerful and friendly sisters are running this newly opened cool coffee shop. Not surprisingly, the place has quickly become a favorite pick for our team. Tastefully decorated, the Café L’Angolo serves delicious cakes and perfect cappuccinos.  It’s the ideal spot to relax after a walk up to visit the Sameba Cathedral’ the golden domed church dominating the city of Tbilisi. A must see attraction, to mention. 

Where to find the cool coffee shop?

Café L’Angolo is situated on Khivi Turn (Few doors down towards Avlabari from Wine Time). Open every day around 9 am till 9 pm (at time of writing).

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About Georgia

Holidays & Festivals in Georgia

Plan your trip around the holidays and festivals to make most of your travel time,

The following is a list of all significant dates noted in Georgia:

Date  Celebration  Detail
Jan 1 & 2 New Year Celebrations commence from Eve of 31st December
Jan 7 Christmas As celebrated by the Georgian Orthodox Church
Jan 19 Epiphany Baptism of the Lord Jesus as marked by the Georgian Orthodox Church
Mar 3 Mother’s Day Remember to always call your Mum even while you are travelling!
Mar 8 International Women’s Day Mother’s get double attention this week in March 🙂
Apr Easter The Orthodox Easter is typically celebrated a week after Easter celebrated by other churches. The date varies yearly.
Apr 9 Day of National Unity Commemoration of the April 9 tragedy 1989 (also known as Tbilisi Massacre, Tbilisi tragedy) when on Rustaveli Avenue, in Tbilisi an anti-Soviet demonstration was dispersed by the Soviet Army, resulting in 20 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
May 9 Victory Day Remembrance of war hero’s
May 12 St Andrea Day Celebration of day of Apostle Andrew the ‘first-called’, founder of Georgian Orthodox Church
May 26 Independence Day On May 26, 1918 National Council of Georgia declared national independence of Georgian people and creation of Democratic Republic of Georgia. The statehood of Georgia was restored after 117 years (from 1801)
Aug 28 St Mary’s Day Day of Assumption of Mary observed
Oct Tblisoba Celebrations for the city of Tbilisi falls in October. Date is announced usually very close to the date. The city comes alive with a celebration of the Georgian culture.
Oct 14 Svetitskhovloba Day of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (in Mtskheta)(Celebration of first Christian church in Georgia. According to chronicles, holy chyton (shirt) of Savior is buried under this church)
Nov 23 Saint George’s Day Saint George (in Georgian: წმინდაგიორგი, ‘’tsminda giorgi’’) is a patron saint of Georgia
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About Georgia

Georgian history lesson to provide a richer understanding

Georgian history lesson

Here’s a quick snapshot of Georgian history lesson as a form of introduction and orientation.  

Don’t worry, we wont test you on it 🙂 Its just to help provide a richer understanding while travelling through our region. So…

  • Roots of Georgians can be traced to the descendants of Noah (with the Ark landing on Mt Ararat)
  • Soon began to produce wine in this land with rich soil. Hence why Georgian wine is so good 😉
  • Georgian Kingdom of Iberia was established around 300 BC
  • Old Georgian was spoken and around 284 BC the alphabet was created
  • Christianity was declared as official religion in the 4th century
  • Many trials are experienced by the attacks of Persian, Turks and Arabs over centuries
  • King Bagrat 3rd establishes the Kingdom of Georgia
  • 15th century Georgia divided itself to 3 kingdoms (Kartli, Kakheti and Imereti)
  • In 1783 Georgians sign a treaty with Russia to be under their protection
  • 26th May 1918 Democratic Republic of Georgia is established
  • 25th Feb 1921 Georgia becomes part of the Soviet Union
  • 9th April 1991 Georgia declares independence from Soviet Union
  • 8th August 2008 war breaks out between Russia and Georgia
  • March 15 2012 Envoy Tbilisi is born
  • (significant history for us which is celebrated fondly each year 😉 )
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About Georgia

General Facts

So what currency is used in Georgia? Whats the population? Here’s a few main facts giving you a little background on Georgia.

Official Name: Georgia (in Georgian it is referred to as Sakartvelo)
Language: Georgian
National Flag:
Currency: Georgian Lari (GEL)
Head of State: President
Area: 69,700 sq km
Capital: Tbilisi
Population: approximately 5 million
States/Province: 12 (9 Regions, 2 autonomous republics plus Tbilisi)

 

For more general information visit:  Georgia (Wiki)

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Travel Tips Tbilisi

Main Sights- Tbilisi and its beauties to discover

main sights tbilisi

Tbilisi has been a cultural hub for artists, poets and authors for a period of history, shaping what it is today.  A melting pot of cultures and religions. In the Old Town area you will discover in minutes distance from each other Christian Orthodox churches (Georgian as well as Armenian),  a Synagogue, Mosque and even a Zoroastrian temple. You can easily stroll through the romantic cobble stoned streets and let the city reveal itself to you! However to help you discover some of the must see places, here’s our recommendations:

Sulphur Baths

Still operating today, the sulphur baths in the Old town area are not only refreshing for a dip (in the hot mineral waters) but also great for the photography enthusiast as these domed shaped structures are quite photogenic!

Narikala Fortress

Only a 5 minute stroll up from Envoy Hostel, this commanding 4th century Fortress overlooks the city, offering incredible views.  The Persian name Nari-Kala means “inaccessible fortress”. Make sure you take your camera for postcard worthy photos!

Sioni Cathedral

Named after Mt Zion in Jerusalem dates back to the 7th century. It is considered one of the most sacred places in Georgia and houses the holy cross of St Nino (the young woman who converted Georgia to Christianity in the early 4th century.)

Metekhi Church

Dating back to the 13th century, it is perched over the Mtkvari River and displays an impressive equestrian statue of the city’s royal founder. The church has been destroyed many times by the enemy. During the Tsarist regime there was a prison there and in Soviet times Metekhi was used as a theatre. In was only in the late 1980s that the church was reconstructed again.

To find out more interesting places in the Old Town area join our FREE (Free for Envoy Hostel guests/ 10 GEL all other patrons) walking tour of Tbilisi.

 

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Travel Tips Tbilisi

Museums & Galleries in Tbilisi

Georgian history lesson

Here’s a selection of Museums and Galleries to consider visiting while in Tbilisi:

Open Air Ethnographic Museum | In Tbilisi but no time to  travel to the countryside, or to cover a lot of ground, your best option will be to visit this museum. Spread over about 60 hectares of land in Tbilisi’s Vake region (close to the Turtle Lake), there are sample dwellings from all regions of Georgia as well as collection of traditional tools and household items.

Operates: Tuesday–Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (closed on public holidays and Mondays)

Entrance Fee: 20 GEL p.p.

For more information visit the Georgian National Museum website.

National Gallery | On Rustaveli Ave, is the home to many national treasures including the works of the famous Georgian painter Dimitri Shervardnadze and many 20th century artists.

Operates: Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Entrance Fee: 5GEL p.p.

For more detail including special exhibitions visit the museum website.

Fine Arts Museum | The home to the works of a wide range of artists you will discover artwork by Niko Pirosmanishvili, Lado Gudiashvili, Elene Akvlediani, David  Kakabadze and others. The museum also hosts a collection of Russian, Oriental (Persian) and Western Europe.

Operates: Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Entrance Fee: 15 GEL

For more info visit their website.

To find out about other museum and galleries of interest you may find the Georgian Museum website invaluable as it provides a comprehensive list.

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Travel Tips Tbilisi

Hot summers, mild winters – visit Georgia in every season

visit Georgia

Plan to visit Georgia? Then, find some things you need to know about the weather to plan your visit in the most suitable season for you. 

What many people enjoy the most is the hot summers. Georgia has charming seaside towns to make your summer unforgettable. Winter is usually mild, particularly in the southwest. Low temperatures are common in alpine areas. Heaviest rainfall is in the southwest region.

The landscape changes dramatically throughout the seasons, revealing breathtaking scenery year round. Those who love skiing would love the skii resorts like Gudauri.

Those who prefer warmer temperatures are best to visit between April through to October. 

 

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Travel Tips Tbilisi

Where to Shop in Tbilisi

Depending what you are looking for, whether its a unique souvenier or a new pair of shoes to replace the ones worn out by excessive travel 😉 there are many options of where to shop. Here’s just a handful to get you started:

Dry Bridge Market | Whether you are buying something or not, this place is a must to visit. Its mainly a second hand market stretched across the “Dry Bridge” its just as much a tourist attraction. You can find unique treasures here from bygone days.

 

Note the market is held on Saturdays and Sundays typically between 8am-2pm.

Rustaveli Street Souvenirs | This is more an informal collection of souvenir ‘stalls’ which line the Rustaveli Street. You can pick up a hand crafted felt hat right through to Georgian flags and key chains.

For more souvenir shops you can also check out the Old Town area (where Envoy is located) as its dotted with several shops. As well as the markets in Mtskheta if you are heading out for a day trip offer a wide range of handicrafts.

 

Shopping Malls | So you need a new pair of shoes or a new back pack? Head down to one of the a couple of European Style Shopping Malls around Tbilisi. These include Galleria (in walking distance to envoy), Qarvasla, Tbilisi Mall and the East Point shopping centre – a little far but houses quite a few clothing stores.

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Travel Tips Tbilisi

What to See in Georgia

A relatively small country in comparison to other’s in the world, but do not let size fool you. This is a land worth exploring! So much natural beauty – if you are a hiker/climber – you’re in heaven.  If you are an artist, inspiration is abounding!

This is by no means an exhaustive list – but only a hand picked selection of what we recommend:

Mtskheta | This UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world! It is known as the Holy City of Georgia. The 15th-century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Pillar of Life) stands strong and prominent in this charming city.  According to legend, the church is built on the spot where Christ’s crucifixion robe was dropped to the ground in AD328, having been brought from Jerusalem by a local Jew, and fragments of the robe are said to be kept inside the cathedral.

 

The city is built on the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, offering a spectacular view, especially if viewed from Jvari monastery on the adjacent hill.

Gergeti Sameba Church | This church perched up on a hill, overlooking the mountain town of Kazbegi, provides one of the most serene and breath taking experiences. The Georgian Military Highway (built by the Russians in the 19th century) leads to Kazbegi, passing by the famous ski resort town of Gudauri on the way.

 

Uplistsikhe | literally translating to ‘Fortress of God’, is one of the largest ancient cities made of a complex of natural caves. Inhabited from the sixth century BC to the 14th century AD has its roots in pagan periods later becoming a Christian city. The caves were gradually transformed into more sophisticated city structure with shops, wine cellars, theatre and even kings quarters as well as jails. It overlooks the Mtkvari river offering beautiful scenery.

 

Another similar well known cave city worth noting is Vardzia dating to the 12th century.

Batumi and Beyond | Batumi is a seaside resort and port on the Black Sea Coast. Close to the Turkish border (20km/12.5 miles), the town has a decidedly Turkish character. Its charm lies less in any particular sights than in its lush, subtropical setting, among citrus groves and tea plantations, with mountains rising up from the edge of the sea. Recent construction has developed this city into a more modern day holiday resort popular not only with locals but tourists as well. Along the coast there are many other less known but equally relaxing beach cities to choose from such as Poti and Kobuleti.

Davit Gareji | A monastery located on the border of Georgia and Azerbaijan. The complex is made up of a church, still operating today as well as a series of caves dotted around the hill side with boundless views on to Azeri territory. You will often find pilgrims visiting the cave complexes. Founded in the 6th century, some of the caves still portray intricate detail including frescoes. It holds layers of history from medieval periods right through to Soviet era and even current tensions being situated on a border.

 

Sighnaghi | Also known as the city of love. You are bound to fall in love with this quaint town complete with cobbled stone streets and wood laced houses. This is also wine country, so make sure you sample some of the local wines at a winery (or two 😉 ).

 

Mestia & Ushguli | Situated in a hard to reach location, Ushguli is known for its many towers. Indeed a picturesque town in the highlands, this is a must see if you have allowed enough time in the region.

Another such town worth exploring is Shatili, again dotted with many towers, offers a ‘back in time’ experience.

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Travel Tips Tbilisi

Getting Around within Tbilisi

General public transport deals | You can buy transport discount cards for 3 days, 1 week or even 1 month (or 1 year if staying long!). Alternatively you can use your credit card (Visa/Mastercard/Maestro) to pay for the 3 different transport types in Tbilisi, being bus, marshrootka and metro. Travelling within a period of 1.5 hours, you can catch these 3 types of transport and still only pay 1.0 GEL!

Marshrootka | The most common way to get around in Tbilisi (and Georgia in general) is by local minibuses (known as Marshrootkas). They cost 1.0 GEL paid directly to the driver when you get off. 

Marshrootkas go by designated routes. The marshrootka number and the description of the route are written on a sign which is placed under the windshield, but it is only in Georgian. To get a marshrootka driver to stop, you need to call out ‘gaacharet!’ which means ‘stop!’.

Bus | Buses in Tbilisi are yellow and come in various sizes. The ride costs 1.0 GEL, and exact change is required if you don’t have a touch card (which can be purchased at metro stations). Keep the ticket you receive on the bus, as you will need to present it to the yellow-shirted ticket checkers. The routes are described on the windows of the buses, and the drivers stop at certain bus stops.

Taxi | Taxis can be found almost anywhere and are a good way of getting around the city. If you are not familiar with the city and do not know what your ride will cost, make sure you agree on the fare before getting on. It is better to insist on paying beforehand. A short ride of a few kilometers in the central areas costs 2-3GEL, longer journeys may be up to 10 GEL unless you are going to the airport.

Metro | Tbilisi’s two-line metro, served from 6:00 AM until midnight, connects you to most important parts of the city, meeting at Vagzlis Meidani station. The names of the stations are announced both in English and Georgian, but the signs are often in Georgian only. A trip with the metro in Tbilisi costs 1.0 GEL.

For your convenience, here’s a map of the Tbilisi Metro lines.

tbilisi_metro_map

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Travel Tips Tbilisi

Where to Go Within the Region

Reaching Georgia, you’d want to make the most of your time in the region. With short travel distances you can discover new cultures, languages and food!

Armenia

This ancient land, although geographically small on modern day maps, is a host to a nation with a colourful past with a depth of history dating back to biblical times. Just some highlights to consider include:

  • Yerevan: A metropolitan capital city, known as one of the 5 oldest capital cities in the world
  • A perfect view of the bibilical Mount Ararat (where Noah’s Arc landed) from every corner of Yerevan
  • Khor Virap the location entwined with the history of Christianity entering Armenia as a national religion in 301 AD at the foothills of Mt Ararat
  • Delicious BBQ meat’ Khorovatz alongside many other national dishes including Dolma (stuffed vine leaves) and Khash
  • Exquisite seasonal fruits! Armenia is famous for its pomegranates, apricots and berries.
  • Armenian Brandy and wide selection of fruit wines unique to Armenia (including peach or pomegranate wines!)
  • Dilijan the ‘mini Switzerland’ of Armenia with lush green forests and wooden laced houses
  • UNESCO listed Haghbat and Sanahin monasteries as well as many other churches perched in stunning locations (such as Noravank, Geghard or Tatev)
  • The serene Sevan lake and surrounds
  • The Head Church ” St Ejmiatzin
  • The ancient Garni temple

Note that Envoy offers a 1 Day Tour to Armenia to visit the Northern sights in Armenia plus a range of Day trips from Yerevan to different sights.

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About Georgia

Learn Georgian

An old and quite unique language, Georgian belongs to the family of Kartvelian language. Travelling through Georgia, you may also come across people speaking in Svan and Megrelian (North West of Georgia) and Laz (on the Black Sea Coast). There are also a wide range of dialects spoken.

The Georgian Alphabet is so unique, you’re bound to find yourself keeping a ticket or a label of something in your travel diary as a sample to wow your friends with when you get back home (Coke bottle labels are the best! 🙂 ).

So you are here for a few days and would like to give the language a go. Let us start by warning you that it is a constant rich language, so you need to add a dash of courage and give it a go. You’ll bring much joy to those who hear you try our language. Its fun and learning a few words is the best souvenir to take home!

Basic Conversation

English Georgian
Hello Gamarjoba
How are you? Rogor khahrt?
Thank you Madlobt
Please Tu sheidzleba
Yes Deeakh
No Ara
What is the time? Romeli saatia?
How much is this? Ra ghirs?
What is your name? Ra gk’via?
Where is…? Sad aris…?
Good morning Dila mshvidobisa
Good night Dzili nebisa

Of Interest to Tourists

English Georgian
Bank Bankee
Currency Exchange Valootees
Pharmacy Saapteeako
Grocery Store Sasoorsato maghazia
Shop Maghazia
Hospital Saavadmqoposhee
Doctor Ekeemee
Market Bazarze
Toilet Tualetis
City Center Kalakees tsentrshee
Closed Dakhooroolia
Open Gakhsna
Church Eklesia
Castle Tseekhe
Lake Tba
Camera Kamera

Numbers

Numbers
1 Ertee
2 Oree
3 Samee
4 Otkhee
5 Khootee
6 Ekvsee
7 Shveedee
8 Rva
9 Tskhra
10 Atee
20 Otsee
30 Otsdaatee
40 Ormotsee
50 Ormotsdaatee
60 Samotsee
70 Samotsdaatee
80 Otkhmotsee
90 Otkhmotsdaatee
100 Asee
1,000 Atasee
2,000 Oriatasee
100,000 Asee atasee
1,000,000 Meeleeonee

Days of the Week

English Georgian
Monday Orshabatee
Tuesday Samshabatee
Wednesday Otkhshabat
Thursday Khootshabatee
Friday Paraskevee
Saturday Shabatee
Sunday Kveera
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Travel Tips Yerevan

Where to Go within the Region

The Caucasus is a fascinating place to visit, especially considering the vast differences in culture, language, traditions and food in such short distances travelled.

 

Around Armenia

There is so much to see and do in Armenia. The list below are some suggestions to consider:

  • Gyumri – the second largest city in Armenia is also known as the Cultural centre. Shaken by the 1988 earthquake, Gyumri is rebuilt, preserving its old worldly charm. Only a couple of hours away from Yerevan, it makes a good day or overnight destination.
  • Tatev monastery, though a bit far from Yerevan (5 hours away) is a treat to see. Perched on the edge of a cliff it offers breathtaking views of the valley. Easiest way to access it is via the new and modern installed cable car giving birds eye views of the valley.
  • Essential sights you should not miss are offered by envoy tours including Garni temple, Geghard monastery (tucked away inside a mountain) and the serene Lake Sevan.
  • Explore the Christian historical sights by visiting the main cathedral, Ejmisatsin, Khor Virap dungeon (with a gorgeous view of Mount Ararat) as well as the stunning 2 store, Noravank monastery joining the Enlightened Armenia tour with Envoy Tours. valley

Georgia

A close and easy destination from Armenia. If you have made an effort to reach this part of the world its a must see.

  • Tbilisi is a very picturesque capital city with a beautiful old town area to explore. A hub of intellectual happenings back in the 1800’s its a mini Paris scene! Pay a visit to Envoy Hostel Tbilisi nestled close to the Narikala fortress when you are there!
  • Enjoy the view of the Mtkvari River from one of the bridges
  • Wonder around the cobblestoned streets of the Old Town area
  • Visit the domed Orbeliani Baths
  • Admire the colourful Mosque close to the Baths
  • Visit the dominating Narikala Fortress
  • Indulge in the fine Georgian food and wine
  • Take a day trip to Mtskheta
  • Spend a couple of days in Kazbegi, an excellent region for hiking. Also you will see the much photographed Tsminda Sameba Church
  • Take a tour or two to explore the region with Envoy Tours in Georgia and book yourself in to stay at Envoy Hostel Tbilisi!
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Travel Tips Yerevan

Getting Around within Armenia

Getting around Armenia is relatively easy. The main options to consider are listed below (including a full minibus destination list to help you plan your trip).

  

  

  

Marshrutka/Minibus

Marshrutka

The main public transport system connecting the regions in Armenia is by mini bus (marshrutka| featured image above). The minibuses are relatively cheap (cost depends on route) but are cramped conditions and limited stops. These are however how the locals commute, so if you really want to appreciate the local lifestyle this is the way to go.

Note that most marshrutkas run between Yerevan and the Regions. This means there is limited connectivity between the regional towns with public transport. You are best to take a Taxi to close locations within the regions.

The marshrutka’s to the regions leave from different locations around the city. The Envoy team has prepared the following summary of bus routes for your convenience. The route detail are subject to change by the Transport Ministry. You are most welcome to ask reception for more information regarding the routes you are interested in.

 Destination Operating Hours Price (AMD) Distance (Km)
 Kilikia Bus Station     Tel 56 53 70
 To reach Kilikia Bus Station from Envoy, catch inner city marshrutkas from Mashtots Ave: Numbers 13, 24, 33, 77, bus 5 or 259
 Agarak 8:00  6000 404
 Agarak (Ashtarak) 9:55 – 17:55  300  32
 Armavir 7:30 – 21:30  400  43
 Artik  15:00, 16:00 1000 121
 Ashtarak   9:00 – 21:00 250 24
 Byuregavan  9:00 – 19:30 200  28
 Dzorap  11:00, 13:45, 17:30  300  
 Echmiadzin  7:30 – 22:00  300  19
 Gyumri  7:30 – 20:00  1500 122
 Jermuk  10:00, 15:00  2000  
 Noyemberyan  9:30,14:30, 16:00 2000  198
 Ohanavan  11:20, 15:20, 17:20  300  36
 Parpi  9:25, 13:50, 6:50  300  30
 Sisian  8:30 – 14:30  2000  211
 Stepanakert  7:30 – 10:00  5000  334
 Stepanavan  9:00 – 17:00 (every hour)  1500  141
 Tbilisi  8:30 – 13:30  6500  330
 Vanadzor  7:30 – 20:00  1200  120
 Voskehat  9:50, 13:05, 17:05 300  
 Voskevaz  8:50 – 19:00 350  
 Sasuntsi Davit Bus Station     Tel 45 96 86
 Buses depart from Sevan Street behind the Train Station 
 To reach Sasuntsi Davit Bus Station from Envoy, catch inner city marshrutkas from Mashtots Ave: Numbers 44, 58 and bus 37
 Abovyan  8:30 – 22:00 1000 16
 Ararat  9:00 – 21:00  300 48
 Charentsavan  8:00 – 20:00  300  
 Dvin   9:00 – 21:00 300  
 Eraskhavan  9:00 – 21:00  300 65
 Goris  7:00 – 11:00  2500 236
 Kajaran  7:00 – 11:00  3000  
 Khor Virap – Yerevan 13:20, 15:20, 17:00, 18:00 400 42
 Yerevan – Khor Virap 9:00, 11:00, 14:00 400 42
 Meghri  7:00 – 11:00  5000 392
 Nor- Hachn  8:00 – 20:00 400  
 Urtsadzor  10:30, 15:40 400  
 Vedi 9:00 – 21:00 300  
 Arshakunyats Bus Station / Arajin mas (near Labour sq. – Gortsaranayin  Metro Station)
 To reach Arshakunyats Bus Station from Envoy, catch inner city marshrutkas from Sayat Nova Ave: Number 17
 Vaik  8:00 – 19:00 1000  139
 Yeghegnadzor 8:00 – 19:00 1000 121
 Northern Bus Station      
 To reach Northern Bus Station from Envoy, catch bus number 259 crossing Mashtots Ave
 Chambarak  9:30, 10:30, 14:00  1200  
 Dilijan/Ijevan 9:00 – 18:00 1500 85/119
 Gavar 9:00 – 19:00  1000 98
 Martuni 9:00 – 19:00  1200  
 Sevan 9:00 – 18:30 600 60
 Vardenis 9:00 – 19:00  1500  
 Masiv Market / Mercedes Benz
 To reach Masiv Market from Envoy, catch inner city marshrutka number 44 or bus 5, crossing Mashtots Ave 
 Garni 10:00 – 20:30 300 28
 Raykom Bus Station               
 To reach Raykom bus station from Envoy, catch inner city marshrutka number 4 or bus 259 crossing  Mashtots Ave      
 Hrazdan 10:00 – 18:00 1500 48
 Tsakhkadzor 10:00 – 18:00 2000 56

 Table last Updated: 5th March 2016

Envoy Tours

Want to join others and discover Armenia in a fun environment? Envoy Tours offer a range of day trips to the must see locations in Armenia. Tours are designed to not only make the most of your time but also to expose the local culture and tradition to give you an enriched experience. Full list of our tour options are available on our tours website.

Come and join us! You’ll be jumping for joy too!

Car Hire/ Self Drive

There are a few car rental companies in Yerevan. If hiring a car to drive yourself, its best to go through a reputable company such as Hertz.

Car Hire with Driver

As road quality and street signage is often poor around the country, you may consider the option to hire a car with driver. This option not only gives you peace of mind but also total flexibility to explore the country at your own pace. Talk to our friendly reception team for arranging a suitable car (sedan/ minibus/ bus) that will best suit your needs.

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Travel Tips Yerevan

What to See in Armenia

So much to see and so little time! The entire country is studded with places of interest and historical significance. If you want to see everything in detail you could be here for months! However some of the highlights include the following:

Lake Sevan is the largest lake in modern Armenia. The weather is typically cooler in this area so Yerevan locals flock there in summer for relief from the summer heat. It is primarily a holiday destination and a favourite spot for those keen for fishing. However there are also a few places of interest to see close by such as Hayravank, Noraduz and others.

Location: About 45 minutes north of Yerevan by private car

Garni the only standing pagan temple dating back centuries (B.C. construction), rebuilt after an earthquake brought it down in 1679, this is one of the iconic sites of Armenia. Note there is an entrance fee (1200 AMD).

Location: About 30 minutes east of Yerevan by private car

Geghard An amazing two storey monastery carved inside a mountain! Dating back to the 4th century the acoustics inside the mountain church is amazing. There is also a newer built church standing at the entrance.

Location: About 30 minutes east of Yerevan by private car

Dilijan is a small town further north from Sevan. It is a popular holiday destination for locals. It is quite a pleasant and lush region. You can visit nearby attractions including the ancient church of Haghartzin, tucked away in the woods (well worth the effort to get there). Goshavank is another ancient church nearby and Barz Lij is a quiet lake nestled in woods. make sure to have a picnic here! Ijevan is a large city at the furthest point north before crossing the border to Azerbaijan. Its about another 45 minutes drive out from Dilijan.

Location: About 1.5 hours north of Yerevan by private car

Alaverdi is a quaint town situated in a valley along the picturesque Debed Canyon. It is a mining town with refineries close by. Close by you will find many historic sights worth visiting. This includes Akhtala Berd, an ancient castle which also has a church on the grounds. Look out for the mosh (blackberry) bushes around in summer. Haghbat is a monastery where Sayat Nova stayed at. This quiet monastery nestled on top of a hill, has a series of churches next to each other, one with underground storage vessels. There is a secret passage to the village below used by the locals in history in times of war. Sanahin is another monastery complex dating back to the 10th century, home to the Mikoyan brothers who designed the MIG fighter airplanes.

Location: About 2.5 hours north of Yerevan by private car

Oshakan is where the grave of Mesrop Mashtotz resides. A church has been erected on the site in his honour. Make sure you check out the manicured grass Armenian alphabet on the church grounds. A cute village next to Oshakan is Voskevaz. A short drive further will get you to Byurakan, a quaint, relaxing village on top of a hill. Make sure you stop at the .Asdghadidaran. (Observatory) on the way.

Location: About 30 minutes west of Yerevan by private car

Mt Aragats is the highest peak in modern Armenia and it has four peaks. You can drive to the Black Lake situated at a high altitude. Also close by is Amberd, an ancient castle in ruins and an accompanying Church. This region is quite suitable for hiking for those who are keen! Be warned though, you are likely to encounter snow even in summer!

Location: About 1 hour north west of Yerevan by private car

St Echmiadzin is where the head church of Armenia resides.There are often special services held for different events. In close proximity there are also 3 other old Churches some of the oldest in Armenia (including St. Hripsime and St Gayane)

Location: about 45 minutes north west of Yerevan by private car

Khor Virap this is where Christianity all began for Armenia. The monastery is built on the dungeon pit where the St. Grigor the Illumintor was imprisoned for years, leading to Christianity being accepted as the National religion in 301.A.D. It is here where you can take postcard quality photos of the majestic Mt Ararat.

This is a must see destination.

Location: About 1 hour south of Yerevan by private car

Noravank a remarkable two storey structure church/ monastery built in an isolated area, perched high on a hill top and surrounded by majestic mounatins in reddish colour. This “New Monastery” as the literal translation is one you will never forget.

Location: About 2 hours south east of Yerevan by private car

Jermuk is the city where the source of the popular bottled mineral water is found. You can visit the Jermuk mineral water factory, a state of the art bottling plant. Also must see attractions are the local waterfall (where the water hugs the surface of the rock as it descends) and the hot water spring where it is said that the different temperature water will cure different ailments.

Location: About 3 hours south east of Yerevan by private car

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Travel Tips Yerevan

Shopping in Yerevan

shopping yerevan

Tourist Attraction Markets:

These markets are highly recommended as a tourist destination.

Vernisage

Looking for a wide range of original hand crafted souvenirs? Then Vernisage is your place to visit. Although there are many individual souvenir shops along the central streets in Yerevan, the Vernisage market offers a wide variety of souvenirs in one location ranging from jewelry, wood carvings and paintings through to old Soviet era relics, rugs and embroidery. Open on weekends from 10am till approximately 6pm, Vernisage is stretched between Khanjyan and Nalbandyan (from the foot of the metro on Nalbandyan to Khanjyan). A small section of the market remains open during the week.

Pak Shooka

(translated “Closed Market”) has been an institution of Yerevan for decades. Originally a Soviet era food and grocery market, it has recently been renovated as a modern day supermarket from the inside. It is still worth visiting for its amazing entrance door structure – a work of art in its own right.

General Trade Markets:

Need a new pair of shoes, luggage, or some trendy new clothes? These markets are where you are likely to find it. Just take note that for most of the markets in Yerevan you’d be better off to have a compass and map in hand! But its worth the adventure! Take your camera and enjoy it as a sight seeing experience even if you dont have anything to buy (for that purpose Rasia and Ferdos are the most intriguing).

Tip: Must say if you are after shoes – look to find local made shoes – the leather is beautiful, prices are reasonable and you cant beat on quality.

Dalma | This modern shopping centre is on par with any western mall. What ever you are looking for, from shoes to new suitcase, you should be able to find it here. Positioned on Tsitzernakaberd Hwy, its just outside the Yerevan city circle.

Petak | is an indoor market on two levels with stalls selling fashion, footwear, house ware and food items. Petak is behind Sourmaloo (a wholesale market off Arshakoonyats St.).

Ferdos | is a small, winding, overcrowded-rabbit-warren like market. But don’t get put off by any of this, in fact all these features adds to the character of this popular market. If you find a bargain don’t think twice and get it as you might not be able to find you way back to the same stall again! There are lots of stalls selling fashion, footwear and house ware items. Enjoy this charming market typical of what you would find in the middle east! Ferdos is located on Tigran Mets between the Hrabarak and Khanjyan. It has a small entrance off the street, so make sure to ask so you don’t walk past it!

Hrazdan | This market is situated right next to the Hrazdan Stadium. It is an indoor complex of stalls. One of the more expensive markets in town but has a large and interesting range of fashion and footwear.

Tashir | is a more modern shopping complex in Yerevan. Bearing the legacy name of  ‘Goom’ from the Soviet days, it has several levels of stores you would expect to find in any shopping mall including a supermarket on the ground floor, eating areas, exclusive boutiques, fashion and footwear, stationary stores, jewellery stores etc. Tashir is situated further down from Rasia on Tigran Mets.

Voski Shooka | means Gold market. This is where you can have any gold jewelry made to order or buy a ready made item. It is located on Khorenatsi St (previously Marx St) closer to Khanjyan St.

When it comes to shopping Yerevan has a lot offer. 🙂

 

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Travel Tips Yerevan

Armenian Cuisine – delicious and unique

Armenian Cuisine

Here’s a few highlights of Armenian cuisine to consider trying while in the region.

Khorovatz

If you are a meat lover and can pronounce that then you will never go hungry (as Armenians are meat lovers)! It’s the Armenian style BBQ meat . The main type of BBQ meat is pork which is very tender and delicious. You can also find beef and chicken too. And in summer you will find BBQ vegetables which is a must! Kebab is BBQ minced meat, also a popular dish.

Dolma

Wine leaves stuffed with meat, rice and herbs, intricately wrapped are delicious little parcels. Dolma is one of the most traditional food locally. They even have annual competitions for best dolma! You can also try vegetable dolma (cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes etc). Highly recommended!

Lahmajoun

Also dubbed as the ‘Armenian pizza’, its a thin layer of pizza style bread topped with ground beef, onion, parsley and tomato paste. It tastes good with a squeeze of lemon. 

Vegetarian Options

If you are vegetarian, there is a wide range of delicious salads (Stolichnitzia a potato based salad is very filling, igra a delicious medley of bbq’s eggplant, tomatoes and onion etc) and spas (a yoghurt based soup) and more. Some places will also have vegetarian stuffed vine leaves (dolma) – definitely worth trying.

Where to Eat?

There are many options of where to eat in Yerevan. Especially where we are located is in walking distance to many excellent cafe’s, restaurants and eateries. The following is just a few worth mentioning, listed in alphabetical order.

Artashi Mot | If you want to try some tasty Armenian food which is really loved by Armenians, then you should visit the “shaurma place” Artashi Mot. At lunch time you will see a big crowd of Armenians talking, laughing and waiting for their meal. Armenians love meat, especially when it’s prepared well and quickly. You can try their delicious shaurma, the BBQ or kebab. Just drop in and order what you want (if you can decide 😉 ). If you are not in a hurry and want to enjoy your meal visit the restaurant downstairs. You will be surprised by the taste of the soups and the wide range of meat dishes. Its in short walking distance to Envoy situated on Alexander Spendiaryan Street (towards Stepan Zoryan street).

Malocco| A small but very cozy place with amazing interior design and peaceful atmosphere. You won’t get bored even if you’re alone, as there are so many details you can discover in every corner. The fun begins when the waitress brings the menu: a small bunch of yellow, old looking papers fixed by a small clothes pin and with hand written comments on it. Pasta, salads, sandwiches (also for vegetarians), yummy desert, wine and more.  Don’t  forget to try their hot chocolate (with cinnamon) when you drop by on a chilly evening as you have to compare it with the hot chocolate of another nice place – Achajour café (Envoy staff can’t decide which one is better). Malocco is positioned closeby to Envoy on 40 Tumanyan Street.

Achajour | And here is the next great place to have tasty snacks and spent good time while drinking a hot chocolate or a milk shake, when it’s hot outside. You can find Achajour café on Ghazar Parpetsi street, only a minute walk from Envoy hostel and in the Lover’s park (Baghramyan ave.), which is very famous during the summertime, because of it’s location and being open air. And when it gets cooler in the evening, just take a blanket and enjoy the twilight. The Achajour café at the Lovers’ Park is the first in the top 10 Foursquare venues in Yerevan by ranking.

Gemini | Do you like to drink a coffee or tea while watching the people passing by? If yes, then this is for you. The Gemini cafeteria is located in the corner of Ghazar Parpetsi and Tumanyan streets (one of the most beautiful streets in Yerevan). Only few small tables where you can enjoy the best crepe in the city. Gemini offers a wide range of crepes and good coffee/tea. A nice place to have breakfast or dinner. Plus its just around the corner from Envoy!

æon – Anti café | When a Cafe is not a cafe, it’s an Anti cafe! This is by definition what æon is. If you are tired of all the meat dishes and you just want to spend some nice time with friends, then this is the right place for you. æon (3a Teryan str) is a famous time café, where you have time and space for books, games, movies, discussions and more. Just pay for the entrance and get tea/coffee and biscuits, play board games and create music. You will be allowed to order food from other restaurants or cafés. Meet new and interesting people and create your own unforgettable time!

Grand Candy | Calling all those with a sweet tooth! This is more of an institution rather than a new hip cafe. Locals go here for its ‘ponchicks’ which are a custard filled doughnut type pastries (without the hole!). These are baked fresh on site and are very popular with locals.  It is situated close to the Madenadaran Museum at the end of Mashtots. While there, also try their chocolates – we recommend trying their unique local dried fruit & walnut chocolates (can select from fig/ peach and their very tasty apricots!) – you’ll find yourself buying some as a souvenir to take home!

Jazzve | One of the most famous cafés in Yerevan and a local institution in its own right. Over 10 years the Jazzve café is well known amongst the locals and has always something new to offer. Just thumb through their old news paper menu, chose one of their delicious cakes and have a laugh at the jokes mentioned in their menu 🙂 . See how old, traditional accessories from Soviet times have rounded off the interior and enjoy the nice music. Beside the cakes you will find waffles, snacks, soups, salads, a wide assortment of alcohol and non alcoholic drinks and even glintwines.

Retro Cafe | What can make a beautiful day even more enjoyable? – of course a nice evening at a welcome place. If you are a fan of Retro style, then you have to visit this café located on Mashtots ave. and Tamanyan str. (Cascade). Just walk through the Cascade enjoy the beautiful art works and when you get tired, enjoy a meal back in the wonderful epoch of Retro.

Green Bean Shop | Be green! One of the most popular slogans in our modern world. And here is a Coffee shop, where people realize this idea. Being eco-friendly – that’s the way Green Bean has chosen. You can get the best coffee in town in a smoke free environment. Using fresh and organic products the staff will take time to create something special and unique for you, which will give positive emotions and power to continue your day. So make sure you pop in to this great place while you’re walking down the Amiryan Street to the Republic Square.

Yerevan Tavern | The best place to enjoy Armenian traditional food is near the Republic Square. Pork, Beef and chicken combined with vegetables make a colorful and delicious composition which is spiced up by Armenian traditional music. Once you are there you just have to try the dolma or the stuffed aubergine and pepper. Another recommendation is the bean soup with walnuts. Yum! Yerevan tavern offers not only Armenian but also regional food. And all that served with the famous Armenian hospitality!

Mer Gyough | Translated to “Our Village” is a quaint little restaurant on Sayat Nova (behind the Opera). This friendly little place offers great quality traditional Armenian food including stuffed wine leaves, lentil dishes with yoghurt dressings and more. Complete with a hand written menu, chipped plates, and waiters/ waitresses dressed in traditional clothes it offers great food and atmosphere.

Old Tbilisi | Hope you are planning to visit our neighbours while in the Caucasus’ and in particular Georgia as they are famous for their fabulous food! Try some delicious Ajarian khachapouri (a bread boat with cheese and egg), khinkali (giant pasta parcels with minced meat) and more. Still in the city circle (5-10 minutes drive) but perhaps a bit far to walk from Envoy – ask reception to book you a taxi.

Poplavok |  An icon and landmark in its own right. A very popular place among locals. It is set on a man made lake with paddle boats and typically has live jazz music. It offers an extensive menu but is best known for its name. Poplavok means fishing float in Russian as it appears to be bopping on the water.

 

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Travel Tips Yerevan

Four Season Weather in Armenia

Four Season weather

One thing you would definitely like about Armenia is the four season weather. Heat, cold, rain, snow…  Another thing that you might find surprising, is that Armenians don’t like to talk about the weather much 🙂 

Armenia’s different varieties of climates depend on the absolute height of the land. However, the winter and summer are more severe and the spring and autumn are much milder and shorter. Typical Yerevan temperature in winter (Dec-Feb) reaches around minus 20 degrees C and the summer (Jun-Aug) temperature averages around the mid to high 30 degrees C dry heat. Other regions can vary across the year.

Find more detailed information here

Best time to visit

Plan to visit Armenia? The best time to travel to this country would be the beginning and ending months of summer. This is is the time when the heat is comparatively less. You would feel comfortable and idle for walking around the city. Rains are also unlikely this time of the year, so no need to carry an umbrella. You will also enjoy the picturesque autumn colors and delicious fruit and vegetable. 

If you are a “winter” person, then Armenia is a great place to spend winter holidays with the whole family or friends. There are many ski resorts in Armenia. They offer comfortable conditions as foreign analogs in terms of equipment and quality of service. That is why the number of tourists who prefer winter tours in Armenia annually increases.

So, you just need to choose the best season for you and have fun in the country of four season weather and tons of fun. Welcome to Armenia!

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Travel Tips Yerevan

Getting Around within Yerevan

Marshrootka | Most of Yerevan gets around on Marshrootkas and its great to experience this as a tourist. For 100AMD a ride (paid to the driver when disembarking) regardless of how far you go, it is the most efficient way to get around town (and even out of town but for a higher cost). The minibuses display a number on them, signifying the specific travel route they follow. To get off at a stop call out ‘kangar’ meaning station/ stop when you get close to your destination. For route information please ask our friendly reception staff.

Taxi | Typically costing 100AMD per km it is a fast way of getting around town. Note that hailing a cab on the street can cost more than ordering a taxi by phone. When hailing a cab in the street always negotiate the rate based on the destination before getting in the cab. By law, all taxis should display clearly what company they belong in and have a meter to calculate the fare. You can also hire a taxi for out of town destinations at agreed rates.

Metro | There is a short metro track which extends from the 3rd district up to Barekamootiun. Dating back to the Soviet era, this mode of transport is also an experience complete with crystal chandeliers and marble floors in the some of the stations. Tickets are purchased as you enter the metro station at 50AMD.

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Travel Tips Yerevan

Museums and Galleries in Yerevan

Matenadaran | is the museum housing sample manuscripts and early translations, dedicated to Mesrop Mashtots who created the Armenian alphabet in 405 A.D. Some interesting facts to note is that the Armenian alphabet:

  • initially had 36 letters (2 more letters were added much later to make the alphabet one of the most complete in the world),
  • was created as a prayer with each of the letters starting a word in the prayer (apart from the letter “r” where the word ended in it)

The museum is situated at the end of the main artery Mashtots Ave (also known as Prospect Ave during the soviet era). There is a giant statue of Mesrop Mashtots in the front of the building.

Operates Tue – Sat 10:00am till 4:00pm

National Art Gallery | is the main gallery and displays a large variety of International and local artwork within its seven floors. It is located right on Republic Square, close to the fountains.

Operates Tue – Sun 11:00am till 5:30pm

Martiros Saryan Museum | is only 2 minutes walk away from Envoy Hostel on the corner of Saryan and Tumanyan streets. Saryan is a popular 20th century artist with his colourful paintings, some with an oriental influence but mostly Armenian landscape themes.

Operates Fri – Tue 10:30am till 4:30pm

Click here for the website.

Parajanov Museum | houses a great collection of Sergei Paradjanov’s work of arts. The artist is famous for his quirky and eccentric artwork as well as his infamous cinematography for instance “The Colour of Pomegranates” is one of his creations.

15/16 Dzoragyugh Poghots, Yerevan

The museum is open 7 days 10:30am till 5:00pm

For more info check their website.

Cafesjian Centre for Arts | is one of the newest additions to Yerevan, is a superb collection of contemporary art. Situated at the top of the Cascade steps, its worth going there even if it is just to see the outdoor artwork on the steps and admire the view of Yerevan from the top of the steps.

The centre also presents special exhibitions and frequently has events such as concerts. For up to date information on events check their website.

Operates Tue – Thur: 10:00am – 5:00pm | Fri – Sun: 10:00am – 8:00pm

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Travel Tips Yerevan

Main Sights in Yerevan

So much to see and do in Yerevan! But as far as major sights go these are the ones you cant miss out on:

Republic Square | is the main square in Yerevan and is by far the grandest. It is surrounded by majestic buildings that light up at night to an even grander view. You will find the Marriott Hotel, Main Post Office, the History Museum and governmental buildings around the square. The History Museum faces a group of fountains that operate throughout the warmer seasons as the water ‘dances’ to music and light providing entertainment for all. In the centre of the square is a round-about that has been constructed in 2003/ 2004 and it displays a ‘rug’ using all the different types of rocks known to be found in Armenia. Further across where a giant advertisement screen stands is the ex-location of the statue of Lenin once overlooking the square in Soviet times.

Genocide Memorial | in Tsitsernakaberd (close to the Hrazdan Stadium) in Yerevan holds the eternal flame in memory of the 1.5 million who were victims of the Genocide in 1915 by the Ottoman Turks. This memorial site is visited by Armenians every year on the 24th April, where the masses pay their respect and lay flowers around the flame. Indeed a somber occasion that shouldn’t be missed if in Armenia at that date. There is also a dedicated museum close by.

Opera House | occupying an entire block off Mashtots and between Tumanyan, Teryan and Sayat Nova streets, it is not only the centre for most cultural events but also a popular hang out due to the numerous cafés surrounding the building. While in Yerevan a cultural event is indeed an experience that should not be missed. Enjoy an opera (e.g. Anush or Guyaneh are well known operas) or a folk dance recital where maximum ticket prices are typically 3000 AMD for the best seats in town. Or if in town in summer, stroll up in the evening and you are likely to catch a free open air cultural show. And if none of this is your cup of tea then why not settle for a pomegranate tea or an Armenian soorj (coffee) at one of the cafes instead, and soak up the atmosphere.

Cascade | is a project started in the Soviet era, and only finished around 2004 thanks to the assistance and support of the Cafesjian Foundation. It boasts a series of steps to the top of the hill known as the ‘Monument’. At the top of the steps a modern art museum known as the Cafesjian Centre for Arts. Scattered around the Cascade, you will also notice many other artworks as you climb to the top including a giant cat at the foot of the stairs (where there is an entrance to the escalator nearby). There are cubic people statues at the first level exit and playful rabbits at a further level up. In summer the stairs are even more impressive with flower beds in full bloom surrounding the entire climb. Also a nice experience is to go close to the fountain area and sit at the base of the stairs and simply enjoy the sound of the water gushing down.

In the warmer seasons you will also find regular open air entertainment provided by the Cafesjian Foundation enjoyed by the public.

Mother Armenia & Victory Park | are up on the hill and outside of the main Yerevan “kendron” (central) area. Victory park, once a Soviet era park housing war memorabilia is now an amusement park/ entertainment venue. The Mother Armenia statue stands on a war museum.

Surp Grigor Lusavorich Cathedral | is the newest built cathedral in Yerevan. It was built to mark the 1700 anniversary of the acceptance of Christianity as Armenia’s national religion in 301 A.D. The enormous cathedral is quite impressive as you will note that there are no internal support columns. It is situated on Tigran Mets Street (close to Khanjian St.).

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About Armenia

Learn Armenian

Armenian is an old and unique language. With 39 letters in the alphabet it is a very rich language. Originally invented by Mesrop Mashtots back in the 5th century (known as the Golden Century for this same purpose), it was not only intended as an alphabet for language use, but cleverly also a numerical system as well as a prayer!

Ok, so the language is not the easiest but to help our guests travel around Armenia with a bit more confidence we have a very short selection of phrases to help. 

Note that in Yerevan you will find most people can speak English (and sometimes other languages). Outside of Yerevan apart from Armenian, Russian is also acceptable. If you know Russian, even if its only a few words – use it! Even some of the common everyday words, the Russian is more commonly used rather than the pure Armenian word. Even some French and even Farsi words are used in conversation as well. So be brave and throw them into conversation it might help.

Basic Conversation

English  Armenian
 Hello  Barev
 How are you?  Vonts es?
 Thank you  Shnorhakal (often “merci” is acceptable)
 Please  Khndrem
 Yes  Ayo (colloquially “ha”)
 No  Voch (colloquially “che”)
 What is the time?  Djame kanisen eh?
 How much is this?  Es inch arje?
 What is your name?  Anooned inch eh?
 Where is?  Oor eh?
 Good Morning  Bari looys
 Good Night  Bari Gisher

Of Interest to Tourists:

 English  Armenian
 Bank  Baank
 Currency Exchange  Drami phokhanakoom
 Pharmacy  Apteka (Russian) or deghatoon
 Grocery Store  Mterayin
 Shop  Khanoot
 Bus Station  Avtokayan 
 Train Station  kayaran 
 Bus  Avtoboos 
 Hospital  Hivandanotz
 Doctor  Bjishk
 Market  Bazar or shuka
 Toilet  Zugaran
 City Centre  Kentron
 Closed  Pak
 Open  Batz
 Church  Yekeghetsi
 Castle  Berd
 Lake  Lij
 Camera  Aparat (Russian word)

Numbers

 English  Armenian
 1  Mek
 2  Yerku
 3  Yerek
 4  Chors
 5  Hing
 6  Vetz
 7  Yot
 8  Oot
 9  Ine
 10  Tas
 20  Ksan
 30  Yeresoon
 40  Karasoon
 50  Hisoon
 60  Vatsoon
 70  Yotanasoon
 80  Ootsoon
 90  Inesoon
 100  Haryur
 1000  Hazar
 2000  Yerku hazar
 100,000  Haryur Hazar
 1,000,000  Mek Milyon

Days of the Week

 English  Armenian
 Monday  Yerkushabti
 Tuesday  Yerekshabti
 Wednesday  Chorekshabti
 Thursday  Hingshabti
 Friday  Oorbat
 Saturday  Shabat
 Sunday  Kiraki
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About Armenia

Holidays & Festivals in Armenia

Plan your trip around the holidays and national events to make your experience even richer.

The table below summarises all significant dates for Armenia.

 Date Celebration Details
 Dec.31, Jan. 1&2  New Year  Major National public holiday
 January 6  Soorb Tsnund (Christmas  equivalent)  As per the Armenian Apostolic  Church
 March 8  Women’s Day  All females get a mention!
 April 7  Mother’s & Beauty Day  What can we say females like the  attention!
 April 24  Genocide Memorial Day  Entire Day is  dedicated to paying  respect and  laying flowers at the  Genocide  memorial at  Tzitzernakaberd in  Yerevan.
 May 1  Labour Day  Public holiday across many  European countries
 May 9  Victory and Peace Day  Soviet era memorial for war veterans
 May 28  Restoration of Armenian  Statehood Day  Dating back to 1918
 July 5  Constitution Day  Public holiday
 A Sunday in    July(varies by  year)  Vardavar Festival  Fun, fun, fun! Don’t leave home  without your wet weather gear! It’s a  water splashing day. Everyone is  guaranteed to get wet! Great way to  cool down on a hot summers day 🙂
 September 21  Independence Day  Dating back to 1991
 December 7  Earthquake Victims  Memorial Day  Dating back to 1988
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About Armenia

Quick History Lesson on Armenia

A short point form run down on some of the key events in Armenian history.

  • Noah’s Ark landed on Mt Ararat, then part of Armenia. See Genesis 8:4.
  • Hayk, one of the great- great grandsons of Noah defeated the Babylonian King’ Bell and established his nation around the Ararat valley around 2429 BC
  • 782 B.C. Yerevan city was established (making Yerevan one of the oldest Capital cities in the world today).
  • In 301 A.D. Armenia became the first Christian Nation.
  • In 405 A.D. Mesrop Mashtots created the unique Armenian Alphabet (also a numerical system, poem and prayer) hence the fifth century is also known as the Golden Century (‘Voske Dar’).
  • Series of kingdoms followed for centuries as well as wars with neighbouring non Christian countries invading the only Christian country in the region.
  • First major exit of Armenians from Armenia occurred in the 1600’s during the reign of Shah Abass to Iran.
  • Armenia was divided between Turkey (Western Armenia) and Persia (Eastern Armenia) in 1639.
  • Eastern Armenia joins Russia in 1828.
  • The Armenian Genocide took place in 1915 by the Ottoman Turk empire where over 1.5 million Armenians were killed. Many Armenians fled the country and set up new lives in many different countries including, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Iran etc. One of the reasons you will bump into an Armenian today in all four corners of the world!
  • Armenia declared independence in 1918 where the government lasted for 2 years before joining the Soviet Regime.
  • In the 1940’s the first major influx of Armenians occurred from the diaspora.
  • A major earthquake hit Armenia in 1988 devastating the cities of Spitak, Gyumri, and other surrounding cities.
  • In 1991 Armenia declared independence after the Soviet collapse.
  • 2005 Envoy was established (Well its significant history for us 🙂 )
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About Armenia

Facts you need to know about Armenia

facts

What language is spoken in Armenia? Have you ever heard an Armenian speech? What does the national flag look like? What is the capital city? Here’s a few facts to give you a little background on the ancient and beautiful country of Armenia. 

Facts to start with

Official Name: Republic of Armenia
Language: Armenian
National Flag:
Currency: Armenian Dram (AMD)
Head of State: President of RA
Area: 29,800 sq km
Capital: Yerevan
Population: approximately 3.2 million
States/Province 11 States (Marz) including Yerevan

For more general information visit:  Armenia (Wiki)

The state religion is Christianity, adopted in 301 AD becoming the first officially Christian state. Armenian alphabet was developed around 405 AD by Mesrop Mashtots, an Armenian linguist and ecclesiastical leader. It originally had 36 letters, but now has 39. Seems quite a lot?   Mer Hayrenik  which is translated as “Our Fatherland’, is the national anthem of the Republic of Armenia. 

 

 

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Arrive By Airplane

Arriving in Tbilisi International Airport, there are several transport options to reach Envoy. 

1. By Airport Pick Up
Arrivals at any time in the day 24 hours a day 365 days of the year!

Trip Length:
 Approximately 20 minutes
Difficulty Rating: Easy – everything is pre arranged so nothing to do but to spot the Envoy Logo sign and your name at the airport
Cost Rating: Varies based on number of people.
Experience Rating: Fantastic! Feel like a celebrity! You will be greeted at the airport by our driver holding a sign for YOU! All that is missing is the red carpet 🙂

Payment for this service is to be made to the hostel on arrival.

Prices for airport pick up service are:
1-2 ppl: 60 GEL
3-4 ppl: 80 GEL
5-6 ppl: 100 GEL
7+ ppl: Please contact us

To book the airport pick up service, please send us an email with your flight details.

2. By Taxi/ride share

Suitable 24 hours

Trip Length:
 Approximately 20 – 30 minutes
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Cost Rating:

Medium approx. 25 GEL. For Taxi – best to agree with driver before accepting the ride. For Rideshare – use Yandex or Bolt services.
Experience Rating: Just like any other taxi ride 🙂

 

We have prepared clear instructions on how to find us in English and Georgian as a downloadable document so you can print and give to the taxi driver to be able to find us easily. Please download these instructions.

 

3. By Bus

Operates from 7am – 11pm

Trip Length:
 Approximately 40 minutes
Difficulty Rating: Medium
Cost Rating: Cheapest option! 1 GEL (need to pay in local currency). Bus to Avlabari then a 10 minute walk or option of Taxi ride for around 3-5 GEL (2 minute ride)
Experience Rating: Unique experience. Nothing like catching a bus with the locals to get a good first impression. Once you reach the city centre you need to walk a bit to get to the hostel so you can do some sight seeing on the way too!
  • Bus fare is 1 GEL. Payment by Visa or Mastercard is accepted.
  • Catch the #337 bus from the airport (operates daily leaving around 35 minute intervals) to the city
  • The bus route is: Airport highway, Avlabari, Freedom Square, Rustaveli ave. and final destination Tbilisi Central Railway Station
  • Get off the bus at Avlabari Bus Stop
  • You have the option of either walking down the Metekhi Bridge (7-10 min) to the hostel or catching a taxi (around 3-5 GEL and 2 minutes ride).
  • If walking then here’s the detailed instruction:
    • From the bus stop take underground passage to cross the road to the opposite side.
    • Walk down the Metekhi Bridge towards Meidani until you reach the Armenian St George Cathedral.
    • Take the steep street leading up to the Narikala fortress. Take the left street up the hill (Orpiri street) and you will reach Envoy Hostel.
    • You will see Envoy hostel on your right hand side, at the junction of Orbiri and Betlemi Sts.
    •  We suggest downloading the following guide on how to find us including a small map showing exactly where we are located for your convenience. Please download these instructions.
  • Welcome to Envoy Tbilisi!
4. By Train

There is no train operating from Tbilisi airport to the Station Square at the moment. However, you can get to Envoy from the Station Square by bus or metro.

  • Once you arrive at the main train station you can either catch a taxi, bus or metro to the hostel:
    • Metro Option: Catch a metro to the Avlabari metro station and walk about 10 minutes to the hostel.
  • Walking instructions:
    • Walk down Ghvinis St (ie ‘Wine’ St), cross the Mtkvari river by crossing the Metekhi bridge and continue till you reach ‘Meidani’ (Official name is Gorgasali Meidani’), which is the fortress side of the bridge.
    • In the square you will see a wine shop (‘Chateau Mukhrani’) behind it is the street called Samgebro, turn into this street, noting the Armenian St George Cathedral on your right hand side.
    • Walk past the cathedral and then turn right into the next street which is Orbiri St. This is a steep street leading up to the Narikala fortress.
    • You will see Envoy hostel on your right hand side, at the junction of Orbiri and Betlemi Sts.
    •  We suggest downloading the following guide on how to find us including a small map showing exactly where we are located for your convenience. Please download these instructions.
  • Bus #337 will get you to the hostel (Bus fare is 1 GEL) – tell the bus driver that you need to get off at Avlabari bus stop. The trip will take around 30 minutes. Then follow the walking instructions above to get to the hostel. It’s about a 5 minute walk. 
  • Taxi ride is likely to be around 7-10 GEL to the hostel from the main train station and will take around 15 – 20 minutes. For instructions in English and Georgian on how to find us please see the downloadable document. Please download these instructions.

Welcome to Envoy Tbilisi!