Armenia: Your Guaranteed Escape

Prima colazione
10:30 AM Meet your guide
We begin our journey in the capital of Armenia. For centuries, this city has been known as the "Pink City" due to the color of its stone. Visit Republic Square, Mashtoc Avenue, the Aram Khachatryan Opera House, the Cascade, and more.

Fruit Market
Visit the Gum Fruit Market
Vernissage Market

Free time at the Vernissage Souvenir Market. 

Dinner at a traditional restaurant with folk music.

Overnight in Yerevan.

Optional visit: Matenadaran (Manuscripts museum)
•    Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, approximately 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Closed on Sundays, Mondays, and national holidays.
•    Address: Mashtots Avenue 53, Yerevan – monumental building with statues of Mesrop Mashtots (creator of the Armenian alphabet) and other Armenian scholars.
•    Highlights:
•    It houses approximately 23,000 ancient manuscripts and documents, among the most precious in the world, ranging from theology to philosophy, from medicine to natural sciences, literature and art.
•    It exhibits medieval miniatures, rare bindings and manuscripts that have spanned Armenian history, including those that survived the genocide.
•    Recognized by UNESCO in the “Memory of the World” register as a documentary heritage of universal value.
•    It is both a museum and an academic research center.
Optional Visit: History Museum of Armenia
•    Opening hours: every day (except Monday), approximately 10:00 – 18:00.
•    Address: Republic Square, Yerevan.
•    Highlights
•    Unique collections of archaeology, numismatics, ethnography and applied arts.
•    Displays finds from Armenian archaeological sites, including Bronze Age artifacts, Urartian objects, and medieval treasures.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Breakfast
Garni - Departure for Garni (about 30 km from Yerevan) and visit this center of Hellenistic and Roman culture and the ancient residence of the Armenian royals of the Arshakuni Dynasty. We will visit the Temple dedicated to the Sun God, the remains of the 3rd-century BC wall, and the Roman Baths.
Symphony of Stones - We continue our journey to the Garni Gorge. This unique natural monument is known as the "Basalt Organ" due to its unique symmetry.
Geghard Monastery - Continue to the Geghard Monastery (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), named after the spear that pierced the body of Christ. Located in a spectacular deep canyon, it is half-built into the rock and, according to tradition, dates back to the 4th century.
"Lavash" Master Class - Afterwards, visit a local home where you can watch and participate in the making of Armenian lavash bread (Lavash is a very thin Armenian bread, usually sold in very large loaves. It is also an ancient bread baked in an underground oven, a "tonir"). In 2015, lavash was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

Lunch at the local "Abelyan house".

Return to Yerevan.

Overnight stay in Yerevan.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast at the hotel.

Khor Virap Monastery - A full-day excursion to southern Armenia will then depart for the Ararat region to visit Khor Virap Monastery, a famous pilgrimage site, even visited by Pope John Paul II. The monastery stands on the site of the imprisonment of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, who is credited with the conversion of Armenia. Khor Virap means "deep ditch," where Saint Gregory was also imprisoned; from the hilltop monastery, you can enjoy a splendid view of the biblical Mount Ararat.
Areni Cave - Visit the Areni Cave, which consists of three chambers, most of which are still unexplored. During cave exploration, metal knives, fruit seeds, grain residues, rope, ceramics, clothing, grapes, and dried plums were found, dating back to 4200-3500 BC. The oldest leather shoe in the world (over 5,500 years old) was found here. The cellar, considered the oldest in the world (dating back over 6,000 years), is also located here.
Local Winery - Visit to a local winery with lunch and a tasting of typical wines.
Noravank Monastery - Departure for the Vayots Dzor region and, crossing an 8-kilometer-long canyon, visit the wonderful Novarank monastery complex (12th/13th century), located in a spectacular position on the edge of a precipice.

Return to Yerevan.

Overnight in Yerevan.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast at the hotel.

Lake Sevan - Departure for Lake Sevan, one of the world's great lakes. Here we can enjoy the splendid panorama of the lake. Afterwards, we visit the Sevan Peninsula, where we visit two 10th-century monasteries.
Noratus Cemetery - The Noratus Cemetery is a medieval cemetery with a large number of khachkars located in Armenia in the municipality of Noratus, not far from Gavar, the capital of the Gegharkunik region. Currently, it represents the largest expanse of khachkars. The cemetery covers approximately seven hectares and also includes a small church.
Mikayelyan Farm Cheese Factory - Visit the Mikayelyan Farm Cheese Factory, where you can taste a wide variety of unique cheeses.
Dilijan - Afterwards, we depart for the city of Dilijan. We pass through the city. During the journey, we can breathe in the fresh mountain air.

Overnight in Yerevan.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel.

Zvartnots - Ejmiatsin - Departure for Echmiadzin. En route, stop to visit the ruins of the 7th-century Zvartnots Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Entering the city of Echmiadzin, you'll see the ancient 7th-century Church of Saint Hripsime, known for its refined architecture in the Armenian classical style. Next, you'll visit the Echmiadzin Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a truly spiritual site that showcases the uniqueness of the Armenian Church. During the tour, your guide will share the story of how Armenia first adopted Christianity as its official religion. Today, Echmiadzin is the Holy See of the Catholicos, the spiritual heart of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Yezidi Ziarat Temple of Aknalich - Visit the Yezidi temple "Ziarat of Aknalich." This temple is the largest Yezidi temple in the world. Since ancient times, the Yezidis—one of the minorities in Armenia—have dedicated themselves to livestock farming on the Caucasus plateau. The Yezidis have preserved their religion for nearly three millennia. The Yezis do not have a sacred book and their religion is based on the knowledge of their priests. The right to become a priest is granted after attaining sufficient knowledge.

Return to Yerevan.

Tsitsernakaberd - Visit "Tsitsernakaberd" Genocide Museum and Memorial.

Overnight in Yerevan.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free day at leisure.

Optional Excursion. 1: Yerevan - Gyumri - Amberd - Alphabet Park - Yerevan 
Transfer to the city of Gyumri. It has changed its name several times over its long history: initially called Kumayri, later Alexandropol, then Leninakan during the Soviet era, and finally Gyumri. The city is the second largest in Armenia, located on the banks of the Akhurian River and about 120 km from Yerevan. It is the capital of Shirak Province. Departure for the Aragatsotni region. Lunch at a local home. Visit to the Alphabet Park. Departure for the Amberd Fortress and Church. The medieval Amberd Fortress (7th–13th centuries AD) is built on the southern slope of Mount Aragats (4,091 meters above sea level). Return to Yerevan.

Optional Excursion. 2 : Yerevan - Sanahin - Haghpat - Yerevan 
Departure for Alaverdi Region.
Visit two unique monuments of Armenian architecture from the 10th to 14th centuries: the Sanahin Convent and the Haghpat Monastery (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Literally, in Armenian, the name Sanahin means "this is older than that," which likely means that this village has a monastery older than its neighbor, Haghpat. The two villages and monasteries are very similar, and from one you can perfectly see the other; both are located on a rugged plateau, separated by a deep crevice formed by a small river that flows into the Debed River. The Haghpat Monastery was one of the greatest religious, cultural, and educational centers of medieval Armenia.

Return to Yerevan.

Overnight in Yerevan.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to the airport to board flight for your onward destination.

Meal Plan: Breakfast