Armenia 8 Days

Arrival at Zvartnots International airport at … Transfer to hotel and overnight.

After breakfast, departure to Echmiadzin, a city nicknamed the “Armenian Vatican” because it is the seat of the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Visit the Mayr Ator Cathedral, the oldest Christian cathedral in the world, and the church of Santa Hripsime, built on the tomb of the holy martyr. Both places are inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site List. Continuation to the churches of Saint Gayane and Saint Hripsime, both included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Visit of the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site), destroyed in the X century by an earthquake, famous for the fine bas-reliefs and built on a previous site from the Urartic era. Return to Yerevan and visit of the Memorial of the Armenian Genocide on the hill of Tzitzenakaberd (the Fortress of the Swallows), a complex dedicated to the 1.5 million Armenians who died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks in 1915. Overnight in Yerevan.

After breakfast, departure to Kotayk region and arrival in the village of Garni, to visit the temple of Garni, a Hellenistic Roman temple from the I century AD and the only one to survive after the Christianization of Armenia in the IV century AD. Continuation of the journey to Geghard monastery (UNESCO World Heritage Site), located in a narrow gorge and partially carved into the rock. The name of the Monastery, Geghard, in Armenian language means “spear”, as the spear that pierced Christ’s side on the Cross was kept here for centuries. Short descent into the gorge of Garni, a deep canyon with walls covered by basaltic rock formations in the shape of organ pipes that have earned the name of this place of “Symphony of Stones”. Continuation to Lake Sevan, the “Emerald of Armenia”, one of the highest freshwater alpine lakes in the world. Stop in the village of Noratus to visit its monumental cemetery to admire more than 700 Khatchkar, the carved stones in form of a cross, typical of the Armenian art production. Visit of the Sevan peninsula, on which stands the Sevanavank Monastery, to admire the spectacular views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Overnight in Tsaghkunq.

After breakfast, departure to Dilijan, nicknamed “Switzerland of Armenia” for the lush forests that surround the town. Continuation to the Debed river valley, with its treasures of medieval religious architecture. Visit of the monastery of Sanahin, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, built in the X century and famous for its three-nave gavit and its Academy. Continuation to Haghpat Monastery (built in the X century and now a UNESCO heritage site), which was the most important spiritual center of Medieval Armenia in the XII century. Its university was very famous throughout the Armenian world and its school of copyists and miniaturists was among the most renowned in Armenia. Visit of the fortified church of Akhtala, built on a rocky spur surrounded by high and deep canyons, famous for being one of the few churches in Armenia with interior walls covered with frescoes counted among the best examples of Byzantine art outside the Empire of Byzantium. Overnight in Haghpat.

After Breakfast, departure to Gyumri the second largest city in Armenia, located a short distance from the border with Turkey. Visit of the city, whose center revolves around Vardanants Square, overlooked by the Town Hall, the church of Yot Verk, which houses a venerated icon of the Holy Virgin with the seven wounds, and the church of the Holy Savior, today under reconstruction after the collapse which occurred following the devastating earthquake of 1988. In the square also converge the streets with the typical buildings of the old city, formerly known as Kumayri, characterized by beautiful black tuff architecture in Neoclassical and Art Nouveu Style dating back to the end of the nineteenth century. Overnight in Yerevan.