Overview

Dilijan is often called Armenia's Little Switzerland — known for its 19th-century houses with wooden balconies, dense surrounding forests and cool mountain air. It is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities network and has become a hub for art, crafts and slow travel.

The heart of old Dilijan is Sharambeyan Street, lined with restored stone houses, traditional balconies, artisan workshops and cosy cafes where you can watch woodcarvers, potters and weavers at work.

In the centre of town, Dilijan City Park offers a different kind of calm — a small lake, tall trees, winding paths and benches where locals come to chat, walk dogs or let kids run around. In autumn the park explodes in reds and golds, in spring it turns bright green.

Dilijan makes a perfect base for exploring the wider area — Haghartsin and Goshavank monasteries, the trails of Dilijan National Park and Parz Lake. But even if you never leave the town, a day spent wandering the old street and sitting in the park is enough to understand why people call Dilijan Armenia's Little Switzerland.

What to Do

Stroll through the old quarter and city park, visit Haghartsin and Goshavank monasteries, explore Dilijan National Park trails, Parz Lake, and artisan workshops on Sharambeyan Street.

How to Get There

About 100 km from Yerevan. Take a bus or minibus from Kilikia bus station, or drive via the M4/M6 highways.