Weekend in Armenia

Day 1: Arrival, Yerevan City Tour

Airport pick-up and transfer to Yerevan and we immediately start our exploration of Armenia!

Today you explore the secrets and hidden gems of Yerevan, the pink “pearl” of Armenia, a beautiful European city mostly built with different shades of local pink stone called "tuf" quarried in Armenia. Founded in 782 B.C. Yerevan is reputedly one of the oldest cities in the world to have been continuously inhabited.

We start the exploration with the "Victory Park" and "Mother Armenia" monument offering a "bird's-eye" view of the city with the fantastic view of the majestic snow-capped Mount Ararat (5165 m) dominating the skyline. Continue to the colossal monument of Cascade and Cafesjian Center for the Arts which includes a world-class sculpture garden and indoor modern art museum with works from Botero, Chihuly, Arshile Gortky, Jennifer Bartlett, Lynn Chadwick, Barry Flanegan and Jaume Plensa and many others. 

Exploring the Republic Square, Abovyan Street, one of the oldest streets in Yerevan which used to be a part of the Great Silk Road, we walk down the Northern Avenue and arrive at the Freedom Square, the home of the Opera and Ballet Theatre (architect A. Tamanian). The design and layout of the building was awarded with Grand Prix in 1936 World Exhibition in Paris.

A cultural showcase not to be missed is Matenadaran, one of the world’s largest and oldest repositories of Armenian, Greek, Persian manuscripts. Marvel at the illuminated pages of some of those manuscripts within their glass cases.  

Tour of  "Goom" bazaar of Yerevan, a real museum of food with pyramids of fresh and dried fruits stuffed with different kinds of nuts, honey, cinnamon and other spices, colorful strings of "sweet sujukh", orange beads of dried peaches(“alani”) stuffed with walnuts, piles of "lavash" traditional Armenian bread, many kinds of cheeses some of them aged in clay pots, pickles, beans and other organic products offered by local farmers.

Overnight in Yerevan

Tour duration: 6/7 hours

 

 

Day 2: Yerevan – Tsaghkadzor – Lake Sevan – Old Dilijan town – Haghartsin – Yerevan

We visit the town of Tsaghkadzor, the biggest ski resort of Armenia with forests. In the summertime, people go there to get away from the city life of Yerevan, and the heat, for the fresh air in the mountains. In the winter, the town is completely overtaken by skiers and people who just want to relax and enjoy the snow and scenery. The modern rope-way will take you to the top of Teghenis Mountain, where the greens of land and the blue of the sky get in fusion.

We continue to Lake Sevan, the world’s second largest high-altitude lake at 1900 m above sea level. It’s a huge mountain lake which takes up 5% of Armenia's surface area. Marvel at stunning turquoise waters of the Lake Sevan and dramatic mountain scenery after climbing up the peninsula hill where we visit the 9th century Sevanavank Monastery.

*Taste fish barbecue from Lake Sevan during an authentic Armenian lunch.

Continue to Dilijan spa town in Dilijan National Park, a protected area renowned for its serene lakes, picturesque hill trails and peaceful villages. Words alone can’t describe the natural beauty of Dilijan. Many poets used to say, "If there are woods, mountains, streams and mineral waters in paradise, it must be like Dilijan”. Due to its forested mountains and mild climate, Dilijan is named "Armenia's Little Switzerland". Take a stroll in Old Dilijan Complex on historic Sharambeyan street. 

Visit the fairy-tale Haghartsin medieval monastic complex tucked away in a hidden remote place in the middle of a dense forest. It was renovated with the donations of Mohamed Al Qasimi (Sheikh of Sharjah, UAE). Back to Yerevan. 

Tour duration: 7/8 hours

Overnight in Yerevan

*Lunch included

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Day 3: Departure

Transfer to the airport, departure.