Unique vibes of the city of Goris

Goris is a very calm provincial city located in the southern part of Armenia and it has unique vibes. It is in a long distance from the capital Yerevan, around 245 km, otherwise, it would be one of the main touristic destinations for travelers. Though many travelers really do not mind driving for a couple of hours to get to know Goris and its surroundings. It was declared the cultural capital of CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) in 2018. It is such a calm city that you may have a feeling like the time here does not exist. 

The city of Goris

The architecture of Goris differs from what you can see in other cities of Armenia. It is unique, and what’s interesting, the houses are similar to each other - with a combination of gray and white colors.  They are mainly old and have nice balconies. People of Goris are very hospitable. Almost in every garden, they grow grapes and of course, homemade wine. Speaking of the homemade products - you can grab some from the locals, as they sell it sitting right in front of their houses. Those could be wine, vodka (mulberry one is great), sweets, fruits, vegetables, marinades and so on. Some of them offer their houses as a B&B, which is really fun and much better than staying in a hotel. The thing is that you get a chance to live a day like a local to communicate with the hosts and learn more about city life. I did it once, and it was a really nice experience. You do not have to put much efforts to find the B&B’s, as they put the signs on the houses - so, just knock on the door. 

What you need to know is that the roads are not the perfect ones in the city, and you may rather wish to walk than to take a car.

Kareri antar (stone forest) in Goris

Let's now talk about the site to visit in Goris. It is actually called Kareri antar (stone forest). It’s a perfect place to walk around and get familiar with the area. It is at 2000 m above the sea level, and that is why here it is almost always a bit colder than in other parts of the country. There are the rocks that are not very complicated to access. A long time ago, in the caves made on the rocks (some are natural and some are man-made) used to live people. In these mountainous areas, it is common to have changeable weather. That is why very often you can have fog as well.

Goris is a city with a unique nature. The city’s vibes are fantastic. The air here is fresh, everything you eat is natural, people are hospitable, and the atmosphere in the town makes you feel comfortable. This is a great place to stop by.