Taking this classic Tour to Armenia is like letting time go back into history: the land of Noah and Mount Ararat is the legendary place where history of humankind was born again after the Deluge. Religions, monasteries, monuments, all of them become part of a natural open-air museum that shows the interesting history of a country which was the first in the world to adopt Christianity as state religion.
This classic Tour of Armenia touches the most important places and cities of Armenia, letting the traveler understand the main facets of this thousands years old culture: from the modern capital city Yerevan dominated by Mount Ararat, to the remote city of Goris and to the beautiful Monastery of Tatev, from Lake Sevan, the second highest freshwater lake in the world, to Haghpat and Sanahin, two monasteries both protected by UNESCO, from the sleepy city of Gyumri, to the massive fortress of Amberd: all these sights are beautiful enough as they are, but something enriches every corner of this country: the breathtaking sceneries of the always snowcapped Caucasus Mountains and the hospitality and smiles of Armenian people, always happy to welcome foreigners in their homeland.
This classic Tour of Armenia touches the most important places and cities of Armenia, letting the traveler understand the main facets of this thousands years old culture: from the modern capital city Yerevan dominated by Mount Ararat, to the remote city of Goris and to the beautiful Monastery of Tatev, from Lake Sevan, the second highest freshwater lake in the world, to Haghpat and Sanahin, two monasteries both protected by UNESCO, from the sleepy city of Gyumri, to the massive fortress of Amberd: all these sights are beautiful enough as they are, but something enriches every corner of this country: the breathtaking sceneries of the always snowcapped Caucasus Mountains and the hospitality and smiles of Armenian people, always happy to welcome foreigners in their homeland.
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Itinerary map
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Tour wonderful Armenia
Day 1: Arrival – Transfer to hotel
Arrival in Yerevan at Zvartnots International Airport, our representative will wait at the arrival hall for the transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Yerevan
Day 2: Yerevan – Garni – Geghard – Grandfather Levon's cave – Yerevan
After breakfast, departure to Kotayk region to visit the Temple of Garni, a first century Hellenistic Pagan temple and the only one to survive after the christianization of Armenia in the IV century AD. A short drive leads to the Unesco protected Geghard cave monastery, probably the most beautiful of Armenia, which lies in a narrow gorge and is partially carved out of the adjacent towering cliff. Lunch in Garni where you will have the opportunity to see the baking process of Lavash (the traditional armenian bread). Trip to Avan-Arinj village to visit grandfather Levon's cave, where many years ago Levon Arakelyan, a resident of the village, started to dig a potato cellar in its home basement. Having heard a voice from the mist of a white fog telling him to make a miracle, he continued and dug for the next 23 years until his death a series of caves, connected by narrow passages and stairs, which go 21 meters deep into the earth. His wife will tell the complete story. Return to Yerevan, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Yerevan – Echmiadzin – Zvartnots – Yerevan
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for a tour to the holy city of Echmiadzin, home of the "Catholicos" of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Sightseeing tour of the Cathedral and of the churches of St. Gayane and of St. Hripsime; after a short drive, visit of the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral, built in the seventh century and destroyed in the tenth century due to an earthquake, once one of the most powerful and beautiful examples of Armenian religious architecture and today a World Heritage Site. Return to Yerevan and visit of the Vernissage open air market (working days Sunday and Saturday). Dinner in Yerevan with folklor music and degustation of armenian tasty dishes. Overnight in Yerevan.
Day 4: Yerevan – Khor Virap – Noravank – Tatev – Goris
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure towards the Ararat region where, in a spectacular location just under the imposing mount Ararat, lies the Monastery of Khor Virap: here, from its terrace, everyone can enjoy the fantastic view of the two peaks of this magnificent extinct volcano. Inside the yard of the monastery there's a deep well: inside it saint Gregory the Illuminator was prisoned by king Trdat because of his predication of Christianism. Trip to the village of Areni, famous for its wines, time for a wine degustation tour at a local wine factory. Lunch and then continue to Noravank Monastery, located in a narrow canyon made by reddish rocks. The unique location and the unique architecture make Noravank one of the most beautiful monasteries of Armenia. After a journey along a road passing through beautiful sceneries, arrival in Halidzor, from where departs the world longest rope-way (5.7 km, 11 minutes) which reaches another masterpiece of Armenian architecture: the Monastery of Tatev. Overnight in Goris.
Day 5: Goris – Qarahunj – Selim – Noratus – Sevan – Dilijan
After breakfast, city tour of Goris with the opportunity to see the rock formations around and departure for a tour to the ancient astronomic observatory of Qarahunj, which is called "armenian Stonehenge”: some scholars state this ancient site is older than its english homologue by 3000 years. The road connecting southern Armenia to its northern part passes by the Selim Pass: here lies the ancient Orbelian Caravanserai, an important station along the silk road. The trip continues with one of the highlights of today's visits: the Noratus cemetery famous for its many khatchkars, the carved cross-stones, dotting the compound of the cemetery. Fish lunch at lake Sevan and then visit of the Sevan peninsula with its monastery Sevanavank. Arrival in Dilijan, a small resort-town, one of the most green cities of Armenia. Dinner and overnight in Dilijan.
Day 6: Dilijan – Akhtala – Haghpat – Sanahin – Alaverdi
After breakfast, departure towards Lori Region to visit Akhtala, one of the few churches in Armenia with its inner walls covered with frescoes, painted between 1205 and 1216, and among the best examples of Byzantine art outside of the Empire of Byzantium. Visits go on with the monasteries protected by UNESCO of Sanahin and Haghpat (both built in the tenth century), considered the most important examples of medieval Armenian architecture. These were the places where manuscripts used to be written, copied and decorated with miniatures. Lunch in Haghpat and then departure to the city of Alaverdi for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Alaverdi – Gyumri – Amberd – Saghmosavank – Yerevan
After having breakfast, trip to Shirak region, to visit the most colourful city of Armenia: Gyumri. Here, whole streets are crowned by 18th and 19th century facades, a mélange of different styles achieved from a cosmopolitan population which is at once very local and very global. Besides the Armenian population in fact, Gyumri also had substantial numbers of Russians, Greeks, Turks, Georgians as well as German and French citizens who were often employed as teachers or schoolmasters. City tour to visit the most important sights and departure to Amberd, a 7th century fortress located on the slopes of Mount Aragats. Visit of the fortress and, after lunch, departure to Saghmosavank Monastery whose construction dates back to the XIII century. Sightseeing tour of the Monastery located on the edge of the Kasagh River Valley. Arrival in Yerevan, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 8: Yerevan city tour
After breakfast city tour of Yerevan (Republic Square, Opera House, Cascade, Victory Park where you can admire the best view of the city, Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, and Matenadaran the museum of ancient manuscripts). Lunch in a typical armenian restaurant with armenian traditional food and visit to Tsitsernakaberd, the memorial to the Armenian Genocide. Return to Yerevan, farewell dinner, overnight.
Day 9: Yerevan – Departure
Transfer to airport for the outgoing flight.
End of services.
Arrival in Yerevan at Zvartnots International Airport, our representative will wait at the arrival hall for the transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Yerevan
Day 2: Yerevan – Garni – Geghard – Grandfather Levon's cave – Yerevan
After breakfast, departure to Kotayk region to visit the Temple of Garni, a first century Hellenistic Pagan temple and the only one to survive after the christianization of Armenia in the IV century AD. A short drive leads to the Unesco protected Geghard cave monastery, probably the most beautiful of Armenia, which lies in a narrow gorge and is partially carved out of the adjacent towering cliff. Lunch in Garni where you will have the opportunity to see the baking process of Lavash (the traditional armenian bread). Trip to Avan-Arinj village to visit grandfather Levon's cave, where many years ago Levon Arakelyan, a resident of the village, started to dig a potato cellar in its home basement. Having heard a voice from the mist of a white fog telling him to make a miracle, he continued and dug for the next 23 years until his death a series of caves, connected by narrow passages and stairs, which go 21 meters deep into the earth. His wife will tell the complete story. Return to Yerevan, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Yerevan – Echmiadzin – Zvartnots – Yerevan
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for a tour to the holy city of Echmiadzin, home of the "Catholicos" of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Sightseeing tour of the Cathedral and of the churches of St. Gayane and of St. Hripsime; after a short drive, visit of the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral, built in the seventh century and destroyed in the tenth century due to an earthquake, once one of the most powerful and beautiful examples of Armenian religious architecture and today a World Heritage Site. Return to Yerevan and visit of the Vernissage open air market (working days Sunday and Saturday). Dinner in Yerevan with folklor music and degustation of armenian tasty dishes. Overnight in Yerevan.
Day 4: Yerevan – Khor Virap – Noravank – Tatev – Goris
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure towards the Ararat region where, in a spectacular location just under the imposing mount Ararat, lies the Monastery of Khor Virap: here, from its terrace, everyone can enjoy the fantastic view of the two peaks of this magnificent extinct volcano. Inside the yard of the monastery there's a deep well: inside it saint Gregory the Illuminator was prisoned by king Trdat because of his predication of Christianism. Trip to the village of Areni, famous for its wines, time for a wine degustation tour at a local wine factory. Lunch and then continue to Noravank Monastery, located in a narrow canyon made by reddish rocks. The unique location and the unique architecture make Noravank one of the most beautiful monasteries of Armenia. After a journey along a road passing through beautiful sceneries, arrival in Halidzor, from where departs the world longest rope-way (5.7 km, 11 minutes) which reaches another masterpiece of Armenian architecture: the Monastery of Tatev. Overnight in Goris.
Day 5: Goris – Qarahunj – Selim – Noratus – Sevan – Dilijan
After breakfast, city tour of Goris with the opportunity to see the rock formations around and departure for a tour to the ancient astronomic observatory of Qarahunj, which is called "armenian Stonehenge”: some scholars state this ancient site is older than its english homologue by 3000 years. The road connecting southern Armenia to its northern part passes by the Selim Pass: here lies the ancient Orbelian Caravanserai, an important station along the silk road. The trip continues with one of the highlights of today's visits: the Noratus cemetery famous for its many khatchkars, the carved cross-stones, dotting the compound of the cemetery. Fish lunch at lake Sevan and then visit of the Sevan peninsula with its monastery Sevanavank. Arrival in Dilijan, a small resort-town, one of the most green cities of Armenia. Dinner and overnight in Dilijan.
Day 6: Dilijan – Akhtala – Haghpat – Sanahin – Alaverdi
After breakfast, departure towards Lori Region to visit Akhtala, one of the few churches in Armenia with its inner walls covered with frescoes, painted between 1205 and 1216, and among the best examples of Byzantine art outside of the Empire of Byzantium. Visits go on with the monasteries protected by UNESCO of Sanahin and Haghpat (both built in the tenth century), considered the most important examples of medieval Armenian architecture. These were the places where manuscripts used to be written, copied and decorated with miniatures. Lunch in Haghpat and then departure to the city of Alaverdi for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Alaverdi – Gyumri – Amberd – Saghmosavank – Yerevan
After having breakfast, trip to Shirak region, to visit the most colourful city of Armenia: Gyumri. Here, whole streets are crowned by 18th and 19th century facades, a mélange of different styles achieved from a cosmopolitan population which is at once very local and very global. Besides the Armenian population in fact, Gyumri also had substantial numbers of Russians, Greeks, Turks, Georgians as well as German and French citizens who were often employed as teachers or schoolmasters. City tour to visit the most important sights and departure to Amberd, a 7th century fortress located on the slopes of Mount Aragats. Visit of the fortress and, after lunch, departure to Saghmosavank Monastery whose construction dates back to the XIII century. Sightseeing tour of the Monastery located on the edge of the Kasagh River Valley. Arrival in Yerevan, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 8: Yerevan city tour
After breakfast city tour of Yerevan (Republic Square, Opera House, Cascade, Victory Park where you can admire the best view of the city, Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, and Matenadaran the museum of ancient manuscripts). Lunch in a typical armenian restaurant with armenian traditional food and visit to Tsitsernakaberd, the memorial to the Armenian Genocide. Return to Yerevan, farewell dinner, overnight.
Day 9: Yerevan – Departure
Transfer to airport for the outgoing flight.
End of services.