TOURINFO-National Geographic Traveler published its annual Cool List to travel in 2020 and selected 20 places that everyone should have on their travel horizon. Yerevan is no. 10 in the list naming as one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities. The other destinations are 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.
10. Yerevan
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 have 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.
Welcome to the new decade. By now, you have probably brushed off January’s lethargy, and are fixing your sights on the year ahead. If so, we have just the thing: our annual Cool List. We have selected the 20 places you should have on your travel horizon. From Cumbria and Cairo to Panama and Pakistan, we have scoured the globe for the 2020s most interesting destinations. From hiking trails and emerging culinary hubs to luxury lodges and landmark attractions, a list gives you plenty of inspiration close to home, as well as further afield. National Geographic Traveler 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.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2020/01/cool-list-celebrating-reasons-travel-2020
