Tucked between Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan, Armenia might not seem the image of a calm, trouble-free destination, but despite its turbulent neighborhood, this small Caucasus nation is quite safe and easy to visit. At just a two-hour flight away from Moscow, it’s even possible to make a long weekend of it.

The Armenian capital, Yerevan, is a hilly city that seems at first glance to be full of Soviet and European-influenced architecture and disappointingly modern if you’re expecting an exotic old Eastern-style town. This is partly because Yerevan was essentially something of a backwater for centuries, with Armenian life focused more on towns that today are in eastern Turkey. In this sense, Yerevan is a young capital, but settlement in the area is actually very ancient.

To go way back in time, take a bus to Erebuni, wander among the ruins of the Erebuni fortress on one of the city’s hilltops and visit the adjacent museum to see the relics of the ancient Urartu civilization that erected it. Take time, too, to walk around the compact downtown area, because though they’re not so old, the buildings made of Armenia’s distinctive pinkish volcanic stone make a pleasant backdrop, especially in warm weather, when grapevines climb down walls and balconies. Some of the smaller streets are full of older houses with picturesque courtyards and a less European feel, though many are now being demolished.

Include a visit to the central market on Mashtots Ave. with its beautifully intricate facade. Inside you’ll find all the richness of the Caucasus – sumptuous piles of fruit and spices and a heady whirl of color and people. Just across the road is an ornate turquoise-tiled Persian mosque. For souvenirs go to the sprawling Vernisazh market near the main Republic Square, where you’ll find a vast range of art, crafts, jewelry and more.

There’s no shortage of cultural activities in Yerevan. You can see a unique collection of manuscripts at the Matenadaran, also on Mashtots Ave. As for practical questions like where to stay and what to eat, Yerevan offers everything from cheap youth-hostel-type accommodation to up-market hotels, and you’ll never go hungry in the Caucasus with so much good food all around. The Armenia Hotel on Republic Square has a helpful tourist information bureau with information on accommodation, sights, and transport (mostly bus and marshrutki) in the city and to places further afield.

Short bus or car trips from Yerevan will take you to some of Armenia’s most impressive sights. These include the monastery of Khor Virap by the Turkish border with Mt. Ararat rising skyward on the Turkish side. Then there is Zvartnots, where the ruins of an ancient church destroyed by an earthquake bear testimony to past splendor.

A bit further away to the east is Garni, a first-century pagan temple bearing an obvious Greek influence. And if you’re at Garni, it’s not far from there to the monastery of Geghard, which, set against a backdrop of high hills, is worth the pilgrimage. If you take a car, it’s quite possible to see all these sights in a single day.

But if you have time for more, make the effort to take the hour or so ride out to Lake Sevan. This large, deep volcanic lake ringed by hills is a symbol of Armenia. Two ninth-century churches stand atop what used to be an island but is now a peninsula joined to the coast. Down below on the beaches, families prepare shashlik and swim. The lake is at a very high altitude and the sun here is fiercely intense, so it’s essential to keep covered.

Armenia is one of those places guaranteed to leave a lasting impression. Its often austere and dramatic landscapes seem to reflect its equally dramatic history, and this proud but harsh past mingles with the warmth and vitality of the Caucasus in a marvelously intoxicating blend.