FIRST BUDGET FLIGHTS // BIG-BRAND
HOTELS // NEW SILK ROAD ITINERARIESNew routes are opening up to the Armenian capital, one of the
world’s oldest continually inhabited cities
In recent years, radical adventure tour company
THE TRAVEL SCIENTISTS has ofered one of the most
impractical ways to get to the Silk Road-era city
— driving a second-hand banger all the way there from
Istanbul on its Caucasian Challenge. Thankfully, 2020
will welcome another option: simply lying from Italy.
Launched in January, RYANAIR’S NEW ROUTES mean
that the Armenian capital can be reached from London
for UNDER £100 with that one simple connection — and
there’s chatter that fellow budget carrier Wizz Air will
soon follow suit with a rival route.
Why go? Well, the ancient city is receiving a
carefully considered update, with improved tourism
infrastructure, including several NEW HOTELS; big names
like Kempinski and Marriott opened there last year.
Such committed investment is a sign of conidence in
Yerevan’s stability, but travellers with an understanding
of history will have long had this 5,000-year-old city
on their radar. BLACK TOMATO and G ADVENTURES have
launched tours in the last year, both focusing not only on
Yerevan’s rich past, but also its distinctive cuisine and
millennia-old wine traditions, capitalising on a growing
interest in the Silk Road. JL
armenia.travelINTERNATIONAL CITY OF GASTRONOMY //
NEW MICHELIN STARS // DINE ON A FILM SETIf your travels are driven by your taste buds, France’s gourmet
capital has upped the stakes with a major cultural centre
devoted to all things gastronomic
Taking up more than 43,000sq t inside the Grand
Hôtel-Dieu, a former hospital, the INTERNATIONAL CITY
OF GASTRONOMY is a cultural space and food museum.
Touchscreens delve into the history of the Michelin
Guide and the philosophies of some of the great French
restaurateurs, while video games teach youngsters about
nutrition and tasting sessions are hosted by top chefs.
Much of the centre is devoted to the region’s produce
— there are 340 farms within the metropolitan area,
and 80 separate geographically protected AOC labels for
wines in the surrounding area. ORIGINAL FOOD TOURS
runs sampling tours focusing on a variety of experiences,
such as the Old Town’s artisans or the morning markets.
Dining out is Lyon’s strong suit, however, and the
scene refuses to stand still. LA SOMMELIÈRE is the newest
addition to the Michelin star list, with traditional French
dishes interpreted by Japanese chef Takafumi Kikuchi.
For a bit of movie magic, newcomer LE HANGAR ofers
regional cuisine within the world’s irst ilm set, used
by the Lumière brothers in 1895. In keeping with this
heritage, all dishes are photographed in the kitchen and
shown on a tablet screen before they’re served. DW
en.visiterlyon.com atout-france.com10 YEREVAN 11 LYON
IMAGE: AWL IMAGES
Le Perko Café, LyonMarch 2020 79THE COOL LIST