Alaverdi is squeezed into the bottom of the Debed canyon, in the north of Armenia, so tightly that the houses seem to be stacked on top of each other up both sides. The river runs below, the railway and the road run beside it, and above rise steep green slopes with cliffs and monasteries. The town grew in the Soviet period around a copper smelter, which worked for decades, and the industry has left a distinctive atmosphere: apartment blocks, rusting pipes, and a feeling of a place that has seen better days but has not given up.
The glory of Alaverdi lies above it. On the plateau overlooking the canyon, the monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat, both founded in the tenth century, are among the finest in Armenia and are recognised by UNESCO. Their dark stone churches, carved crosses called khachkars and old scriptoria create an atmosphere of deep age, and lamps flicker in cool vaults that smell of wax and stone. Sanahin was the birthplace of the Soviet politician Anastas Mikoyan, and a small museum remembers the Mikoyan brothers, one of whom designed the MiG fighter jets.
For riders, the Debed canyon road is the draw. The route from Vanadzor winds through the gorge, with the river at the bottom and forested cliffs overhead, passing small villages and stone bridges, with tight bends and tunnels. A medieval bridge at Sanahin, with a high arch, spans the river. The surface is generally good on the main road but patchy on the side roads that lead up to the monasteries, which are steep and narrow with tight hairpins. Mist often fills the canyon in the morning, and in winter ice is a hazard.
Fuel is easy at Alaverdi, which has several stations, and there are more at Vanadzor, farther south. In a cafe by the road, order khorovats, grilled meat on skewers, with lavash and fresh herbs. The best time to visit is May to October, with autumn colour in the oak and beech forest. Armenian drivers are fast and overtake freely, so keep your wits about you on blind bends.