Armenia's cuisine and traditions

Yerevan (arrival)

Airport transfer to the accommodation and evening at your own disposal.

Depending on your arrival time there will be some time to have a walk in Yerevan.



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Yerevan

Your first full day in Armenia is dedicated to a guided tour in the capital Yerevan.

Amongst others, we visit the Cascade, the huge flight of steps in the middle of the city lined with cafés and art galleries. In the ARARAT distillery, we taste Armenian cognac and in the evening we enjoy a traditional Armenian dinner.



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Yerevan, Echmiadzin, Yerevan

Today we drive to Echmiadzin, the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church and Catholicos' residence.

The holy city of Echmiadzin belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage and is one of the most important sites of the Armenian people. Amongst others, we tour the partly renovated ruins of the Svartnots Cathedral, a monumental church built in the 7th century. For the first time we immerse ourselves in the Armenian traditions: You can choose between a cooking masterclass or learn how to dance. For the dinner, we drive back to Yerevan.



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Dilijan, Haghartsin, Lake Sevan, Sevan

The highlights of the day are the Dilijan National Park and Lake Sevan.

Dilijan, once an important spa town, is located in the Dilijan National Park, an idyllic area characterized by lush deciduous forests.



Tucked away in these woods there is the Haghartsin Monastery which we visit. The renovated complex is originally from the 11th to 13th century. The lunch will be prepared by ourselves as part of a cooking masterclass.



We drive to Lake Sevan, the largest mountain lake in Europe, located at almost 2,000 meters above sea level. We visit the monastery Sevanavank, which is located on a peninsula near the city of Sevan.



Originally, the monastery stood on a small, uninhabited island in the lake. But the massive drainage of irrigation water during the Soviet era made the former island a peninsula.



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Sevan, Selim Pass, Tatev, Goris

On the 5th day of our trip, we drive to the south-east of Armenia.

For about an hour we'll be driving along the western shore of Lake Sevan, followed by the Selim Pass at an altitude of 2,400 m above sea level. The fact that this route was once a part of the old Silk Road, you realize at the latest at the Caravansary Selim, where we take a break.



Having arrived in the Vayots Dzor region, we are invited to lunch with a family. The next highlight is the monastery Tatev (9th century), which we reach with the 5.7 km long cable car Wings of Tatev. The religious and spiritual center of ancient Armenia is enthroned on a big rock high above the Vorotan Gorge. Dinner and overnight in Goris.



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Goris, Tsorats Karer, Vorotan Pass, Noravank, Khor Virap, Yerevan

Today's main highlights are the «Armenian Stonehenge» Tsorats Karer and the monasteries Noravank and Khor Virap.

Near Sisian we visit the Bronze Age cemetery «Tsorats Karer», often referenced as the «Armenian Stonehenge». These are 3,000 to 5,000-year-old, megalithic stone settlements made of about 200 basalt stones (up to 3 meters high).



Via the Vorotan mountain pass (2,344 m) we reach the monastery Noravank (13th century), which is located at the end of a narrow valley. The monastery is surrounded by an imposing mountain landscape with bizarre, red rocks. In addition to the monastery and the mausoleum church, we also visit the excavations, which unearthed a 6,000-year-old winery. Lunch in the monastery's inn.



On the way to Yerevan we visit the monastery Khor Virap 4th - 17th century). If weather permits, Khor Virap offers the perfect view of the Sacred Mount Ararat (5,165 m), which is just over the border on today's Turkish territory. After a wine tasting in the winery Toushpa, we drive to Yerevan for dinner.



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Yerevan

On a city tour through Yerevan, we get to know the Armenian capital better.

In the Matenadaran Scientific Library, we will see a valuable collection of Armenian manuscripts. The oldest date back to the 5th century. In the park Tsitsernakaberd, we visit the memorial for the victims of the genocide of 1915. After lunch, you have the opportunity to visit more sights. Alternatively, we can visit a man who shows us how to build the Duduk instrument and how to play it.



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Yerevan, Geghard, Garni, Yerevan

The eighth day of our journey is packed with a lot of culture, history and culinary traditions.

First, we visit the cave monastery Geghard, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. In the monastery, built in the 12th and 13th centuries, we enjoy a concert of the women's quintet «Luys», which performs both sacred and traditional music.



We drive through a beautiful hilly landscape and reach the Ionian temple of Garni, which dates back to the Hellenistic period and was built in the 1st century by King Tiridates on the edge of a deep basalt canyon. For lunch, we are invited to a farmer. We also learn how to bake traditional Armenian bread in the Tonir. The afternoon in Yerevan is free. In the evening we enjoy our last traditional Armenian dinner.



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Yerevan (departure)

We bring you in time at the airport.

The journey takes around 30 minutes.