This tour will remain in your memory for a long time, as you will see the beauty of the Armenian Highlands, monuments of nature and architecture, get acquainted with our customs and hospitality. You can enjoy the beauty of mountain landscapes, ancient fortresses and monasteries. Arrival will take place at night in Yerevan, and excursions will begin from the second day. The return trip will be through the same Yerevan airport.
Have a nice time!
DAY01:
Arrival in Yerevan
DAY02: Yerevan City Tour
Welcome to Armenia! Yerevan, one of the oldest inhabited capitals of the world, combines antiquity and modernity. During the tour you will see all the sights of the capital. We begin the tour by visiting Republic Square. Here are the National Art Gallery, History Museum, Government House and other buildings. Then head to the impressive opera house and to Swan Lake. You can climb the Cascade to enjoy a beautiful view of Yerevan. We will see the House of Parliament, the Palace of the President and the National Academy of Sciences while driving. We will visit Megerian Carpet factory to have a guided tour there.
The tour also includes a visit to Victory Park and a stop at the monument to Mother of Armenia, which overlooks the capital.
DAY03: Lake Sevan, Dilijan National Park
We shall move to Lake Sevan. The fascination and the pearl of mountainous Armenia is Sevan Lake, which is one of the world's greatest high altitude fresh-water lakes. It is about 1900 m above sea level. The lake is of volcanic origin and is surrounded with mountains of 3000 m and higher. The beautiful landscape and the crystal water serve nice preconditions for excellent rest. The lake is also famous for its peninsula and medieval church complex (874). We’ve included in your tour for today a boat trip. If you like to organize your leisure by yourself, you can use the services on the beach.
Continue to Dilijan after lunch, a resort town with its charming nature and traditional Armenian architecture. Visit Dilijan’s Historic Center, the cobbled Sharambeyan Street with its collection of stone and wooden traditional buildings, shops, restaurants, and workshops. Lunch in private house with master class.
DAY04: Alley of Armenian Alphabet, Fortress Amberd, Ashtarak Canyon.
Our first stop today is the Alley of the Armenian alphabet and the nearest gorge. In 2005, we celebrated 1600 years of the Armenian alphabet. To commemorate this, a gift of 39 giant letters was placed near the resting place of the person who created the alphabet after the adoption of Christianity by Mesrop Mashtots. After that we will go to Amberd Castle. It is located on the highest mountain of Armenia - Aragats (4096 meters), directly opposite the biblical mountain Ararat. The castle on which it was built is naturally guarded. Amberd has long been an important military fortress. Next to this secular building is a church built in the eleventh century. Afterwards we visit Voskevaz winery to have a tour and wine tasting there.
At the end we can have lunch at a local restaurant, in a beautiful garden. At the same village the grave of Mesrop Mashtots is located: thus, it is one of the three secret places in Armenia along with Khor Virap and Ejmiatsin.
DAY05: Ejmiatsin Cathedral, Ruins of Zvartnots
Armenian Vatican, or Mother Cathedral of St. Ejmiatsin is located just in a half an hour distance from the capital. The Cathedral was founded at the beginning of the 4th century and is the oldest one in the world. The residence of the Catholicos and the Theological Academy are situated near it. There are 4 more churches in this town, dated back to the 7th century. Ejmiatsin is home to Machanents complex there is an Art school, National cuisine school, Theatre-studio and unique "Innovation Ethnic Regional Center", which have about 250 students. We shall take their offers in master classes and cultural entertainment. There we shall have a cooking master class. On our way back to we have another stop – the ruins of Zvartnots cathedral (7th century) and Ararat brandy fractory.
DAY06: Geghard Monastery, Garni Temple, Stone Symphony
One of the main pilgrimage sites in Armenia is Geghard Monastery, carved in the rock - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is believed that this is the place where the Holy Spear was kept in the Middle Ages. It was brought to Armenia by the Apostle St. Thaddeus in the 1st century. Today, hundreds of people visit this place and drink the crystal clear wonderful water coming from a spring inside. Then we will go to the village of Garni. Here we will visit the only surviving pagan temple in Garni, built in the 1st century AD, is a magnificent example of the ancient architecture of the Hellenistic period. Once there was a huge complex of palaces and temples that served as the summer residence of Armenian kings. In addition, there is also a natural monument called the Symphony of Stones. It is easiest to get to it along the road leading to the left down the gorge before reaching the Garni Temple. During the lunch we shall have master classes of lavash baking, sujukh making and gata-pastry.
DAY07: Departure Back
Lufthansa City Center