Armenia

Armenia

Wedged between Turkey and Azerbaijan, Armenia is so far off the beaten path of Western travelers that it's seldom visited. In fact, the only tourists who tend to go are those making pilgrimages to commemorate the republic's tragic 20th-century history (civil war, famine, brutal state-sponsored genocide). Yet as an emerging democracy, Armenia has blossomed. The city of Yerevan possesses Mediterranean finesse -- with pretty plazas, hopping cafes and fashionistas strolling down the main boulevards. Elsewhere in the country, burgeoning businesses and a thriving arts scene contrast nicely with ancient monasteries and churches, villages speckled with gingerbread houses and cave dwellings near gorges.