Highlights of Armenia 7 days / 6 nights March – October, 2016
18 Sayat-Nova, Yerevan 0001, Republic of Armenia booking@toursarmenia.com
Tel: (+374 10) 566 022, (+ 374 98) 56 66 56 Fax: (+374 10) 56 66 79
Day 1/Arrival Meet and greet at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check in formalities at the hotel. Overnight at a hotel in Yerevan.
Day 2/Yerevan city tour (History Museum, Gafestjian Museum, Erebuni Museum) After breakfast at the hotel, we will have an early morning walk in the pink city of Yerevan. We are proud of the fact that this ancient city is 29 years older than Rome. We will start walking in the most pleasant Republic Square with Government buildings, History Museum and Marriott Hotel surrounding it. In the History Museum we will witness a significant part of the history of Armenians, beginning from primeval times. Of special interest is the extensive library consisting of about 50 000 volumes with the first printed book called Urbatagirk. The book was printed in 1512 in Venice. Walking up one of the oldest streets in Yerevan – Abovyan Street – we will appear in the richest avenue in Yerevan – the Northern Avenue with many brand shops, luxurious cafes and restaurants. Our next stop – the Opera and Ballet House and the Swan Lake – faces the Northern Avenue. We will enjoy our time in the fascinating weather of the sunny Yerevan while walking around Cascade Monument. It has 2780 stairs designating the 2780 anniversary of the capital city. If we walk up the “huge staircase” of 500 meters height and 50 meters width, we can enjoy the wonderful panorama of the city with the spectacular Opera House, Mount Ararat as well as the view to the whole city. Here we will visit Gafestjian Center of Modern Arts, which is dedicated to bringing the best of contemporary art to Armenia and presenting the best of Armenian culture to the world. We will then walk up the huge stairs to the Park of Freedom. Here the whole city seems to be at our hands. Magnificent view. When we learnt a lot about the modern city, it is time to know the history of its foundation at Erebuni Museum Fortress. In the evening we can enjoy the colorful singing and dancing fountains. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant or tavern tasting traditional dishes in traditional atmosphere with an opportunity to enjoy a nice folk show. Overnight at a hotel in Yerevan.
18 Sayat-Nova, Yerevan 0001, Republic of Armenia booking@toursarmenia.com
Tel: (+374 10) 566 022, (+ 374 98) 56 66 56 Fax: (+374 10) 56 66 79
Day 3/Yerevan – Lake Sevan (Sevanavank Monastery) – Dilijan (Goshavank and Haghartsin Monasteries) After breakfast at the hotel, drive to the pearl of Armenia – Lake Sevan. This is one of the greatest freshwater high-mountain lakes of Eurasia. It is located at about 2000 meters above the sea level. We will then explore the summer residence of the Favorite Armenian King Ashot the Iron (Ashot Erkat) – Sevanavank Monastery (9 th century). As the history tells, a few monks settled on the former island of Sevan during the 8 th century and began to build their churches. Due to the strategically good location, many others came here. For a while it was the residence of the king Ashot Erkat (Ashot the Iron) who received his name due to his numerous glorious victories. With the time the walls of the monastery were destroyed and in 1930 the last monk left the monastery. Lunch tasting traditional dishes among them the fish from the lake, prepared with local recipe. Continue driving to the wonderfully forested region of Dilijan to enjoy the 19th century appearance of the town. This luxurious green region is rich in mineral waters. Some of them are compared with Wichi in France and Davos in Switzerland. Dilijan is “the Switzerland of Armenia.” Visit Haghartsin Monastery (10-13th c.c.), nestled in the luxurious nature with mountains all around. This monastery has its special place in the culture and architecture of Armenia. Goshavank Monastery is another masterpiece of ancient Armenian architecture. Located in the vicinity of turbulent mountain rivers and village houses, Goshavank is free of outer walls. Only the peasants’ houses surround the monastery, some of them being at a considerable distance. The gorgeous landscape makes this site a most popular tourist destination. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Dilijan.
Day 4/Dilijan – Sanahin – Dsegh – Yerevan After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive to the region of Lori to visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Armenia - Monasteries of Sanahin (10th century) and Haghpat (10 th century). During the period from the 10-13th centuries, Sanahin was an important 18 Sayat-Nova, Yerevan 0001, Republic of Armenia booking@toursarmenia.com
Tel: (+374 10) 566 022, (+ 374 98) 56 66 56 Fax: (+374 10) 56 66 79
and reputable center of learning, where humanitarian sciences and medicine were taught. Scientific treatises were written, paintings and miniatures were created here. As for Haghpat, it was here in this holy site, that the great Armenian poet Sayat-Nova had lived and created his wonderful songs and poems. On the way to Yerevan we will visit the fairy tale village of Dsegh and have an excursion in the house museum of the renowned Armenian writer. The house is a typical example of the old Armenian village life style. Dinner at a local tavern or restaurant. Overnight at a hotel in Yerevan.
Day 5/Yerevan – Garni – Geghard – Tsitsernakaberd - Yerevan After breakfast at the hotel, we will explore the top tourist attractions of Armenia: Garni Temple (a pagan temple built in 1 st century, the only survival of the Hellenic epoch in the whole territory of the Caucasus) and the Monastery of Geghard (UNESCO). The monastery was first recorded in a document of 1250. Geghard is famous due to the relics, among which the most important one is the spear which had wounded Christ on the Cross presumably brought there by the Apostle Thaddeus. Here in Geghard, we can also watch the process of “lavash” baking in the traditional underground oven “tonir”, and optional* enjoy the medieval vocal concert. We will drive back to Yerevan with a stop at Tsitsernakaberd Hill to pay a tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. During these mass killings more than 1.5 million people were massacred and many more were spread around the world, forming a huge Armenian Diaspora. Dinner at a local tavern or restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
18 Sayat-Nova, Yerevan 0001, Republic of Armenia booking@toursarmenia.com
Tel: (+374 10) 566 022, (+ 374 98) 56 66 56 Fax: (+374 10) 56 66 79
Day 6/Yerevan – Khor Virap – Echmiadzin – Zvartnots – Yerevan After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive to Ararat valley and pay a visit to the Monastery of Khor Virap. This is the very place where Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301, thus, becoming the first in the world. Here we can descend the deep pit where the first Armenian Catholicos Gregory the Illuminator was jailed for long 13 years for disseminating Christianity in Armenia. The monastery offers the closest and the best view to Biblical Mount Ararat. Drive to Echmiadzin city and have lunch at a cultural-educational center, where we can enjoy local dishes and Armenian hospitality. Later start a UNESCO tour in the region of Armavir with the Holy See of the Armenian Catholicos being the first in the list. According to most scholars, it was the first cathedral (4 th century), but not the first church, built in ancient Armenia, and is considered one of the oldest cathedrals in the world. Armenia's patron saint Gregory the Illuminator had a vision of Jesus Christ descending from heaven and striking the earth with a golden hammer to show where the cathedral should be built. Hence, the patriarch named the church Echmiadzin ("the Descent of the Only-Begotten). Continue the tour visiting the church of St. Gayane (UNESCO) – 7 th century. Its design has remained unchanged despite partial renovations of the dome and some ceilings in 1652. Then visit St. Hripsime (UNESCO) - one of the oldest surviving churches in Armenia. It is known for its fine Armenian-style architecture of the classical period, which has influenced many other Armenian churches since. 18 Sayat-Nova, Yerevan 0001, Republic of Armenia booking@toursarmenia.com
Tel: (+374 10) 566 022, (+ 374 98) 56 66 56 Fax: (+374 10) 56 66 79
Drive back to Yerevan with a stop at the church of the Guardian Angel - Zvartnots Temple (UNESCO) – 7th century. The structure stands out among others with its unique architectural solutions. Farewell dinner with music and dances at a local tavern or restaurant. Overnight at a hotel in Yerevan.
Day 7/Departure After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport. Departure.
18 Sayat-Nova, Yerevan 0001, Republic of Armenia  booking@toursarmenia.com
Tel: (+374 10) 566 022, (+ 374 98) 56 66 56 Fax: (+374 10) 56 66 79