I'm going to Yerevan on a business trip. I've not been to Armenia before, and would like to find out if it is the sort of place to hang around over a weekend? If it is, could you recommend a good hotel, somewhere central with business facilities? Matthew Pickering, Solihull

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: You definitely should. Yerevan is a fascinating city, and not at all the olde-wordle Caucasian capital you might think of.

The Soviets had one of their big ideas, and completely remodelled the city in the 1950s. You wouldn't expect so, but it works surprisingly well ­ grand boulevards radiate from a vast central square, with parks, huge public buildings, and lively, smart, and very post Soviet outdoor cafes everywhere ­ especially good up by the Opera House. And there's always snow-capped Mount Ararat, brooding Fuji-like in the distance.

Monumental must-sees are the Cascade, which is a colossal hillside water feature. So huge is it, that there is a handy, if bazaar, underground escalator to save your legs the climb. The weekend funfair and park at the summit (to the right) is a pleasant place for a stroll. And while you are up here, the massive Monument to Mother Armenia has an almost homely military museum inside.

There is no better contrast to all the concrete, than the wonderfully whimsical home/museum of Sergei Parajanov. He was a famous larger than life Armenian film director who circumvented Soviet censorship by creating collages ­ little boxed walls hangings brimmed with every day items turned into art ­ like a fish made from broken combs and blue irises made from broken glass. If you want to see where he went shopping, go for a rummage in the weekend Vernissage market.

You might normally avoid an illuminated manuscript museum like the plague, but though the building is a bit worn inside, the 5th-12th century illustrated bibles fizz with an astonishing brilliance. And do go to the Genocide Memorial and museum, which touchingly commemorates the 1915 calamity.

At night you have to take in a Duduk performance, the beautiful and lamenting Armenian national instrument ­ you'll here it everywhere. Our village (5 Sayat-Nova Street, 00374 1548700) offers good local cuisine amidst rustic décor, and has nightly live music. Or for the best jazz in town, head to the M Club (52 Pushkin Street, 00 374 10535350).

For a hotel, it has to be the Marriot (00800 1927 1927; doubles from £167). On the main square, it has the best possible location, with terrific views of Ararat (ask when booking), and perhaps the best people-watching outdoor café in town. It's a bit less crisp and corporate that Marriot's usual offering, especially in the public spaces, but it has a sense of history about it, and the rooms are modern and comfy.

A good cheaper option is the Congress Hotel (00 374 10 59 11 99), just around the corner, which has good rooms and facilities, with doubles from £83.

The best guidebook is Bradt's Armenia (£14.99). Also good is Lonely Planet's Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan (£15.99). Princess Maneh Tours (00 374 10 582 457) is a helpful local travel agent that can plan your stay, or arrange day trips from the city once you are there.

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