Armenia named among Condé Nast Traveller’s 27 places to go in 2027, thanks to its hiking trails
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- Armenia
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Summary
Armenia is one of the 27 places to visit in 2027, according to Condé Nast Traveller Middle East. The Middle East edition of the famous travel magazine published its annual selection on 13 November, and Armenian media widely reported it on Saturday. The country is recommended for “nature, history and slow travel on foot”. What sets it apart: its two long-distance hiking trails, the Armenian National Trail and the Transcaucasian Trail. According to the magazine, new downloadable maps, better signage and trekking services, including luggage transfers, will make them easier to tackle in 2027. The list is alphabetical, with no ranking. Armenia sits alongside Corsica, the Albanian Alps, Bodrum, Shanghai, Zanzibar, and Luxor and Aswan, among others.
The Armenia entry is written by Alicia Erickson. It opens with an image of Tatev Monastery, perched on a cliff edge above the Vorotan Gorge in Syunik.
The author describes a country of mountains and ancient roots. Medieval monasteries rise above dramatic gorges. Silk Road-era caravanserais dot old mountain routes. Caves recall thousands of years of winemaking.
Yerevan is not forgotten. The magazine presents it as one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, with historic fortresses, pale pink stone buildings and a colourful café scene.
Two long-distance trails behind the choice
The Transcaucasian Trail will eventually span more than 3,000 kilometres across Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Its Armenian section starts in Arevik National Park in the south. It passes Syunik’s cave dwellings and Tatev, crosses the volcanic Gegham Mountains and the forests of Dilijan National Park. It ends at Lake Arpi National Park, near Georgia.
The Armenian National Trail is a 998-kilometre network that will eventually link more than 100 villages. Its first sections opened in June 2026, in Tavush and Lori. Vayots Dzor is next.
The magazine promises homestays and herb-filled meals cooked with local families. It mentions lavash, inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list, baked in a deep clay oven. And seasonal produce: forest berries, mushrooms, cornelian cherries, rosehip soup.
Slow travel in the spotlight
According to the magazine, travellers increasingly want to slow down, taste traditional food and escape Europe’s summer crowds. Armenia is cited, together with the Cook Islands, as an example of this new way of travelling, on foot or under sail.
For the French-Armenian diaspora, one detail will raise a smile: Corsica is on the list too. The recognition comes as tourism grows. Armenia recorded more than 2 million visits from January to October 2026, according to the Tourism Committee.
Analysis
Being picked by Condé Nast Traveller is free and highly targeted publicity. The Middle East edition speaks to Gulf readers, a clientele about three hours’ flight from Armenia, according to the magazine. Highlighting trails rather than monuments alone is also a signal: hiking is becoming a real tourism product. One big challenge remains. Armenia will have to welcome more hikers without damaging the villages and landscapes that make it attractive. Accommodation, local transport and signage will have to keep up.
Possible consequences
New sections of the Armenian National Trail, notably in Vayots Dzor, are expected in 2027. Maps and trekking services on the Transcaucasian Trail should also expand.
