Yerevan

The Yerevan State Puppet Theatre was founded on June 1, 1935, by Sofia Bejanyan, painter Gevorg Arakelyan, and actors Pavlos Boroyan and Araksia Arabyan; it was renamed after writer Hovhannes Tumanyan in 1938. The theatre closed between 1950 and 1957 before reopening on July 27, 1957, and has operated at its current location on Sayat-Nova Avenue since 1975. Its repertoire spans classic children's fairy tales (both Armenian and international, like Pinocchio and Thumbelina), shadow-puppet productions, and occasional adult/dramatic works — including pieces addressing more serious themes, such as productions referencing the 2020 Artsakh war. What you can do there: watch a puppet or shadow-theatre performance (most weekend shows are family/children's fairy tales, with occasional evening productions for older audiences), typically running multiple showtimes on Saturdays and Sundays.

Yerevan

In Vino opened in 2013 as Armenia's first specialized wine club, shop, and bar, and is widely credited with turning Martiros Saryan Street into Yerevan's "wine street." Its collection has grown to more than 1,000 labels spanning top Armenian producers as well as wines from France, Italy, Spain, and beyond. The interior evokes a classic European enoteca, with floor-to-ceiling wooden wine racks and warm lighting, and guests can drink in or buy a bottle to go. The venue regularly hosts meet-and-greets with winemakers and themed tasting evenings. What you can do there: taste wine by the glass with guidance from the bartenders/sommeliers, pair with imported cheeses, cured meats, olives, nuts, or baguette sandwiches, sit on the summer terrace overlooking Saryan Street, attend a winemaker meet-and-greet if one's scheduled, or buy a bottle to take away.