The flights will be opened by a new air-company Festa Tour Avia in partnership with the Italian MyAir. The ticket price is expected to be around 475 Euro. The flights will initially be only weekly, however if the new direction is successful and there’s more demand, the partners will consider the possibility of opening more flights to other Italian cities in future. According to Festa Tour, the expected number of passengers till the end of the tourist season this year in the direction Venice – Yerevan is around 4,000 people.

The number of leisure tourists from Italy to Armenia is increasing every year and has grown 41% over the past 3 years, compared to the overall 11% growth of the leisure tourists to Armenia.

The Night of Museums will take place on May 16 in Yerevan, Armenia, kicking off at 18:00. A number of museums will not only open their doors for free but will also present their special programs and exhibitions. This is going to be the 5^th Night of Museums organised in Armenia, the first one was held in 2005.

There’s no official list of the museums participating in the event. However, the following could be recommended to visit.

The National Gallery of Armenia, situated on the Republic Square – here’s their program for the Night.

House Museum of Cinematographer Sergei Paradjanov. Address: 15/16, Dzoragyugh Str. Tel: (+374 10) 538473

Matenadaran, one of the world’s largest repositories of ancient manuscripts. Address: 53, Mashtots Ave. Tel: (+374 10) 562578, 583292

Museum of Folk-Art of Armenia. Address: 64 Abovyan St. Tel: (+374 10) 569387

Museum of Modern Art. Address: 7, Mashtots Ave. Tel: (+374 10) 535359

House Museum of Painter Martiros Saryan.  Address: 3, Saryan St. Tel: (+374 10) 581762

House Museum of Painter Minas Avetisyan.  Address: 29, Nalbandyan St. Tel: (+374 10) 560787

Please, check the last two before going there

«Malkhas» jazz club (founded by Levon Malkhasian)
Pushkin str. 52/1
Tel.(374-10) 53-17-78, 53-53-50
www.malkhas.am

«Avantgarde Folk Music» club
Pushkin str. 3a,
Tel.(374-10) 56-14-97
www.afmclub.blogspot.com

“Poplavok” jazz cafe
Isahakyan str. 41 
Tel.(374-10) 52-23-03
 
«STOP» club
Moskovyan str. 37
Tel.(374-10) 56-07-80
www.stopclub.am

Club “12″
Abovyan str. 41
Tel.(374-10) 52-23-50
www.club12.am

“Ulikhanyan Club”
Gevorg Kochar str. 4  
www.ulikhanyanclub.am

The first Armenian jazz orchestra was officially formed in Armenia in 1938 under the direction of Artemi Ayvazian. It was the first official state jazz orchestra in the Soviet republics (second after Russia) and was the first Soviet jazz band that visited USA and became known there. 

The first place in the city with life jazz music, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, where jazz was subject to strict censorship, was restaurant “Poplavok”. Its art director was Levon Malkhasian, a so-called “Godfather of the Armenian jazz”. Levon Malkhasian, or simply Malkhas, organised in 1998 the first International Yerevan Jazz Festival, where jazz bands from all over the world played their music.  In 2000 one of the participants on the Festival was Chick Corea and his “Origin” band. Unfortunately the Festival does not take place every year.

Last year, 2008, the 70th anniversary of the Armenian jazz was celebrated with numerous events related to this music genre, so beloved by Armenians. What makes Armenian jazz unique is inclusion of the elements of traditional Armenian music.

Now, the most popular jazz bands in Yerevan are ”Time Report”, “Katuner”, “Chiko & Friends”, “Art Voices” and “Armenian Navy Band”. There are several jazz clubs, the most popular of which is ”Malkhas”, a cult jazz club, where you can some evenings listen to maestro Levon Malkhasian.

Malkhas’s Jazz Club is a bar and restaurant with live jazz music.
Address: 52/1 Pushkin Street, close to Mashtots Street, in the Opera Square area.
Phone: (+374-10) 53-17-78; 53-53-50

Malkhas playing Nocturne by Arno Babajanian

Malkhas jamming in “Malkhas” club