Visiting Yerevan for COP17: Where to Stay, Getting Around, and What to See Between Sessions
From 19 to 30 October 2026, Yerevan hosts COP17, the UN Biodiversity Conference and the biggest international event Armenia has ever held. Delegations, scientists, NGOs and journalists from around the world will spend up to two weeks in the city.
The good news: Yerevan is compact, safe, walkable and easy on the budget, and some of the country's best sights are within an hour of your hotel. Here's how to make the most of your stay.
COP17 in 30 seconds
What: the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, under the theme "Taking action for nature." It's the first global review of progress on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The Cartagena Protocol (biosafety) and Nagoya Protocol (access and benefit-sharing) meetings run alongside it.
- When: 19–30 October 2026.
- Where: three zones across the city:
- Blue Zone at the Meridian Expo Center: the official negotiations, run by the CBD Secretariat (accredited participants).
- Green Zone at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex: events for civil society, scientists, business and partners. Shuttles run between the Blue and Green Zones.
- Urban biodiversity zone in 2750th Anniversary Park, beside Yerevan City Hall, with pavilions on the Hrazdan Gorge and the Dalma Gardens.
Always check the official CBD website for registration, the programme and any last-minute changes.
Where to stay
Stay central (Kentron). The city centre puts you within walking distance of restaurants, cafés and most museums, with short taxi rides to every conference zone. After a long day of sessions, being able to walk to dinner matters more than you'd think.
A few places to start on Revamp:
- 1BR with Opera House views: steps from the Opera and the Cascade, ideal if you want evenings on foot.
- Downtown Yerevan Apartment with Balcony: near Republic Square, the heart of the city.
- Cozy Apartment in the Center of Yerevan: a simple, central base for a longer stay.
- DiAngelo Guesthouse: rooms with free parking, a good fit for small teams or anyone with a car.
Book early. With thousands of extra visitors in town for two weeks, the best-located places go first. See everything available for your dates in Yerevan stays or browse all stays.
Staying a while? An apartment with a kitchen and a workspace is often more comfortable than a hotel room for a 10–14 day stay.
Need a desk between sessions?
If you need a quiet spot for calls or drafting, Yerevan has a lively coworking scene. Impact Hub Yerevan, Woods Center, Openhaus Community and Fabula Office Space are all listed in our Yerevan visit guide.
Getting around
- Taxis: cheap and easy. Use a ride-hailing app (Yandex Go and GG are the common ones) rather than hailing on the street; you'll see the price upfront.
- Between conference zones: use the official shuttles between the Blue and Green Zones.
- Walking: the centre (Republic Square, the Opera, the Cascade, Northern Avenue) is very walkable.
- Metro: a single, inexpensive line that's handy for some routes across the city.
- Money: the currency is the Armenian dram (AMD). Cards are widely accepted in Yerevan; carry a little cash for markets and small shops.
More practical detail is in our guides to getting around and money and currency.
What to see between sessions (an hour or two)
- Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum: on Tsitsernakaberd hill, the same hill as the Green Zone's Karen Demirchyan Complex. A moving, essential visit, and the easiest one to fit into a conference day.
- Matenadaran: one of the world's great collections of ancient manuscripts, at the top of Mashtots Avenue.
- History Museum of Armenia: on Republic Square, from prehistory to today, a perfect primer on the country you're visiting.
- The Cascade and Cafesjian Center for the Arts: climb the giant stairway for the classic view over the city (and, on a clear day, Mount Ararat), with modern art and sculpture along the way.
- ARARAT Museum: the story of Armenian brandy, just across the river from the centre. A tasting makes a good end to a long day.
- Sergei Parajanov Museum: the playful, surreal world of Armenia's most original filmmaker.
- Martiros Saryan House-Museum: the painter who captured Armenia's colours and light.
Short on time but want a local guide? Slow Down, Sip Coffee & See The City is an easy introduction to Yerevan, and early risers can Run the City Before It Wakes Up before the first session. For film and art lovers, there's the Cinema and Art Tour with Museum Tickets.
One free day? Get out of the city
You're in town for a biodiversity summit, so it would be a shame not to see some of Armenia's nature.
- Garni and Geghard (under an hour from Yerevan): a 1st-century Greco-Roman temple on the edge of a gorge, the hexagonal basalt columns of the "Symphony of the Stones" below it, and a monastery carved into the cliffside.
- Lake Sevan and Dilijan (about an hour and a half by road): one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in the region, then the forests of Dilijan National Park. Our Forest Hike & Wild Mountain Tea Ritual in Dilijan is a calm way to spend a day in the woods.
- In the city itself: walk the Hrazdan Gorge, the green valley that cuts through Yerevan, and the theme of one of the urban biodiversity zone's pavilions.
Evenings
Late October is a great time for culture in Yerevan: concerts, theatre and festivals run alongside the conference. See what's on during your dates in our Events in Armenia calendar.
Practical tips
- Weather: late October usually brings mild, often sunny days and chilly evenings. Pack a warm layer.
- Visas: many nationalities can enter Armenia visa-free; check your own requirements and any COP17-specific arrangements before you travel. Start with our visa guide.
- Language: Armenian is the official language; Russian is widely understood, and English is common among younger people and in the centre.
- Safety: Yerevan is a safe, relaxed city to walk around, including in the evening.
Plan the rest of your trip
Staying on after the conference? Tell our AI trip planner your dates and interests, and it will build a day-by-day itinerary around real, bookable stays and tours, from Yerevan's museums to the monasteries and mountains beyond.
Welcome to Yerevan. We hope you love it.