North of Haghpat, towards the Georgian border, Akhtala is built on a dramatic site, perched on a cliff. Don't expect lovely views though: a copper mine is located on the opposite side of the valley. We had to break the lock (and pay for a new one) to enter, as the caretaker had unfortunately lost the key! They don't get many visitors here, and the caretaker spends most of her time in the hospital working as a nurse, which makes it quite difficult to actually visit the place. Persistence will be rewarded though, as the frescoes inside are magnificent (though the view is blocked by the wooden scaffoldings which have now been in place for years). Akhtala is built inside 10th century fortifications. The main existing church was built between 1212 and 1250, as a Georgian Orthodox church (which explains the frescoes).
Odzun is on the plateau above the Debed gorge. It was built in the 6th century and then reconstructed in the 8th.
Hnevank monastery is very ruined and the road leading there is in a rather bad condition. It is a beautiful sight though, especially seen from a distance. The monastery was founded in the 7th century but rebuilt in 1144.
Alaverdi ("Allah gave" in Turkish) in the large town of the Debed gorge, an important copper-mining center. Its most interesting feature is an old bridge built in 1192.