Yerevan among the World’s 20 travel destinations selected by National Geographic for its 2020 Cool List.
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New 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 offered 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 flying 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. 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, capitalizing on a growing interest in the Silk Road.
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Welcome to the new decade. By now you’ve probably brushed off January’s lethargy, and are fixing your sights on the year ahead. If so, we’ve got just the thing: our annual Cool List. We’ve selected the 20 places you should have on your travel horizon. From Cumbria and Cairo to Panama and Pakistan, we’ve scoured the globe for 2020’s most interesting destinations. From hiking trails and emerging culinary hubs to luxury lodges and landmark attractions, it’s a list that gives you plenty of inspiration close to home, as well as further afield. National Geographic Traveller has always championed responsible, sustainable, authentic travel. Considering how, where and why we choose to travel is an ethos now firmly in the public consciousness. Exploring the world this decade means doing so responsibly and with purpose: tour slowly, spend locally and show support. Australia, Puerto Rico, Egypt and Lebanon — all in need of our ongoing support — make our list for this reason. Travel can be a powerful force for good, offering an economic lifeline, and a voice, for beleaguered communities. It can change lives, including yours. We hope this year’s Cool List helps you enjoy the journey.
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The 2020 Cool list also features Namibia, Baja California, Lebanon, Cumbria, Slovenia, Wales, Panama, Brisbane, Salt Lake City, Lyon, Ethiopia, Cairo, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, Pakistan, Galway, Vietnam, Tel Aviv and Rio de Janeiro.
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Per National Geographic
