Best place to rest during summer and fall vacations!!! www.stepanavan.net The city and former regional capital Stepanavan - named in honor of thegreat Marxist revolutionary Stepan Shahumyan - is located on a dramatic green Lori plateau beside the remarkable gorge of the Dzoraget River. Stepanavan is located 167 km from Yerevan (a similar distance from the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi) and has always been a hub between the two capitals. It is only 30 km away from Vanadzor. Stepanavan was one of Armenias most famous tourist spots, where tourists from Yerevan, Tbilisi and different parts of the former Soviet Union visited. The city suffered major destruction during the Spitak Earthquake of 1988. Today we have tourists from all over the world coming and enjoying their stay in one of Armenias most picturesque towns. Stepanavan, (population of 24.000) is located in the centre of the Yerevan— Tbilisi highway and is a very comfortable stop for those planning to travel to Georgia from Armenia. A mountain health resort, Stepanavan is known for its pine forests that give off a strong aroma, renowned for healing patients with respiratory illnesses.