If the word “Armenian” were a verb, it would probably mean something like “to be in one place while thinking of another.” Through the centuries, Armenians have scattered to all corners of the globe. When I have met them in my travels, they invariably seem to carry with them a palpable, unshakable yearning for their homeland.

Curiously, that sense of displacement persists even within Armenia itself. On a misty morning in the capital, Yerevan, I scale the Cascade, a steep complex of steps, gardens and exhibition halls leading up to an anomalous monument to the 50th anniversary of Soviet Armenia. I am not alone at the top. I find myself standing among two-dozen locals. Together we gaze south over the rooftops and construction cranes of the city, waiting for the mist to lift and for the most potent symbol of Armenia to be revealed.

At last, there it is: a snowy, 16,800-foot colossus etched against the pure blue sky. Some of the people around me have tears in their eyes. We are looking at Mount Ararat, the fabulous cone-shaped volcano that appears on everything from postcards, to calendars, to peach brandy labels, to the national coat of arms.

In image and in reality, the mountain is omnipresent in Yerevan, representing the most dramatic manifestation of the nation’s tragic, constant sense of yearning. For this icon of Armenia is actually across the border in Turkey. It can be seen virtually every day —weather permitting — but it can’t be visited. For the past 15 years, the border crossings between the two countries have been closed.

Situated at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, landlocked Armenia has been fought over for 2,500 years. The Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Mongols, the Ottomans and the Russians all have imposed their rule here, but through it all the Armenians have preserved their distinct language and cultural identity. In the 4th century, Armenia became the first nation in the world to adopt Christianity.

Despite the country’s long and turbulent history, modern Yerevan is a young city. Situated in a valley surrounded by hills, its current layout was planned in 1924 — a neat grid of streets encompassed by ring roads. The de-facto heart of the city is Hanrapetutyan Hraparak (Republic Square), which is hedged by striking onyx buildings.

When I first visited the city, the square was dominated by a statue of Lenin, and the Soviet hammer and sickle flew above government buildings. With the fall of Communism, independence was regained in 1991, but the subsequent years have not been easy. A war with Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh crippled the economy, and still has not been resolved.

In the early 1990s, Armenia’s GDP plummeted by 60 percent and the currency, the dram, suffered hyperinflation. It is estimated that a quarter of the population emigrated, joining the Armenian Diaspora. From that low point, the economy has begun to recover, diversifying from its industrial and agricultural base to incorporate information and communication technology and tourism. In 2003, Armenia boasted the fastest-growing economy in Europe, expanding by 15 percent. This year the growth is expected to be a healthy 7.5 percent.

Although the city is looking optimistically toward the future, the past continues to be commemorated. One afternoon I visited the poignant Museum of the Armenian Genocide, dedicated to the 1.5 million Armenians killed by the Turks in 1915 — the first genocide of the 20th century (though Turkey has always denied responsibility). Here, too, Armenians silently clustered together to take in the haunting view of Mount Ararat, 30 miles away: standing in one place, thinking of another — Armenianing.

LODGING

Yerevan has only just begun to accept that visitors actually might want to come and stay here. During the Soviet era, there was only one hotel of any significance in town, the Hotel Armenia — imposing and ideally located, but during my first visit it struggled to provide such basics as hot water. In the difficult 1990s, things were slow to improve. But recently the hotel industry has blossomed and travelers now have a genuine choice of where to stay.

ARMENIA MARRIOTT HOTEL

The nine-story Armenia Hotel has been refurbished (at a cost of $38 million) and renamed, and is now the country’s best hotel on merit. Situated right in the center of the city on Republic Square, most of downtown is within easy walking distance. The 215 rooms and 11 suites are spacious and offer high-speed Internet connections. Some of the upper-floor rooms provide the ultimate attribute of any prestigious address in Yerevan: views of Mount Ararat. Hotel facilities include a spa and a gym, as well as access to the Ararat Valley International Golf Club. $$$$
ARMENIA MARRIOTT HOTEL
Republic Square
tel 374 10 599000, fax 374 10 599001
www.marriott.com

AVAN VILLA HOTEL

Located in the residential Nork district, on a hillside high to the east of the city center, the Avan Villa is a charming 14-room boutique hotel occupying a four-floor mansion. The hotel is part of a growing chain of luxurious Armenian hotels owned by the U.S.-born carpet tycoon, James Tufenkian. The rooms are tastefully decorated with locally made furniture and artwork, as well as, of course, Tufenkian carpets. They also are equipped with satellite TV and Internet access, and offer views of the highest peak in Armenia, Mount Aragats. $$$$
AVAN VILLA HOTEL
Nork Marash, 13 St., 16 Blvd.
tel 374 10 547888, fax 374 10 547877
www.tufenkian.am

HOTEL BASS

This small, 14-room, efficiently run establishment just outside downtown was the first private hotel to open in Yerevan after the end of Communism. The large suites are a good option if you’re going to be in Yerevan for a few days or more. The decor is a little gaudy, but each room has a nice balcony, and the facilities include Internet access and 24-channel satellite TV. Breakfast is complimentary, and for other meals there is a very good restaurant serving international and Armenian cuisine. The hotel also offers a sauna and an indoor swimming pool. The city is easily accessed by subway — there is a station just around the corner. $$$
HOTEL BASS
3/1 Aigedzor St.
tel/fax 374 10 221353
www.bass.am

TERJAN HOTEL

Set within a beautiful garden five miles (15 minutes by hotel shuttle) northwest of the city, the Terjan appears charmingly rustic from the outside, while the interior is the epitome of 21st century chic. With its wonderful rural location and only eight guestrooms, the hotel provides a peaceful retreat from the bustle of downtown. The largest room boasts its own Jacuzzi. Other facilities include a swimming pool, a business center, a sauna and health club, and a very good restaurant. $$$
TERJAN HOTEL
5th Street
Silikyan
tel 374 10 390388, fax 374 10 398699
www.terjanhotel.am

DINING

PHOENICIA RESTAURANT

The sophisticated Phoenicia would grace any international city; it is certainly one of the best dining options in Yerevan. The menu provides a mixture of European and Middle-Eastern cuisines, including Armenian specialties. The excellent wine list features some fine examples of the local Areni red wine. The restaurant is located at the foot of the Cascade. After your meal, take a walk up to the top and enjoy a spectacular panorama of the city. $$$
PHOENICIA RESTAURANT
3 Tamanyan St. (enter off Isahakyan Street)
tel 374 10 561894
www.phoeniciayerevan.com

ARARAT RESTAURANT

In Soviet times, the Ararat was the premier meeting place for Yerevan’s cultural elite. The composer Khachaturian and the French-Armenian singer/actor Charles Aznavour were among the regulars. It was here that I once memorably helped celebrate a visiting British professor’s 90th birthday. A recent refurbishment has detracted somewhat from the restaurant’s atmosphere, but it remains a good place to sample traditional Armenian dishes such as khoravats (barbecue). $$$
ARARAT RESTAURANT
Republic Square
Government Building No. 2
tel 374 10 527933, fax 374 10 567634

MEETING POINT CAFE

Cafe culture really has taken hold in the city within the past few years. There are now more than 500 cafes, with new ones springing up every month. Preeminent among them is the Marriott’s sidewalk cafe, the Meeting Point, located right on Republic Square. Open from April to October for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it is a popular venue for business meetings. Be sure to try the fresh Viennese pastries. $$
MEETING POINT CAFE
Armenia Marriott Hotel
Republic Square
tel 374 10 599000
www.marriott.com/EVNMC

DIVERSIONS

Most Armenians probably would direct you first and foremost to Tsitsernakaberd (Museum of the Armenian Genocide). Situated on a hill in the west of the city, and open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (admission free), it is a profoundly moving place. The genocide remains hotly disputed by Turkey, but within the museum an abundance of harrowing historical evidence is presented. The centerpiece of the site is a simple memorial to the victims — 12 huge basalt slabs encircling an eternal flame. The Matenadaran Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (www.matenadaran.com), open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, preserves a priceless collection of books and manuscripts written in the unique Armenian language; the collection is one of the cornerstones of the Armenian national identity. The national heritage also is celebrated in the Museum of Armenian History open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, where you can view more than 80,000 exhibits recording the country’s history from the Stone Age to the present. The proud Armenian heritage also is expressed in arts and crafts, which are available from souvenir shops such as Made in Armenia Direct (www.madeinarmeniadirect.com /a>), located in the shopping arcade in the Marriott Hotel; it’s a little expensive, but the store will arrange free shipping for items priced more than $200. The weekend Vermissage Market, close to Opera Square, is a great place to find good value handicrafts, art, and antiques. South of the city lies the impressive archaeological site of Erebuni Fortress, which dates back 2,700 years. The adjacent Erebuni Museum, open 10am-5pm Tuesday-Sunday, displays some of the artifacts excavated at the site. If you have a spare half-day, be sure to visit the town of Echmiadzin, 15 miles from Yerevan, which effectively serves as the Vatican of the Armenian Church. The main cathedral dates to the 4th century, and contains a treasury exhibiting the Holy Lance — reputed to have been used by a Roman soldier to pierce the side of Christ — as well as fragments of the Cross, and a piece of Noah’s Ark apparently salvaged from Mount Ararat.

INFO TO GO

Zvartnots International Airport (EVN) lies seven miles southwest of Yerevan. In 2001, a 30-year management contract for the airport was granted to the Delaware-based, Argentinean-owned American International Airports, which is currently engaged in a $100 million program to upgrade facilities, including the construction of a new passenger terminal. Once the expansion is completed, annual passenger numbers are projected to reach 1.5 million by 2010. The 20-minute taxi ride into town should cost around $10, though Yerevan’s taxi drivers are on the frontline of the new capitalist economy, and sometimes charge considerably more.