Discovering Armenia

Arrival at Zvartnots International Airport. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in Yerevan (transfers not included). Meals on your own.

Breakfast. Visit to the 7th-century Zvartnots Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to Echmiadzin, the spiritual centre of Armenian Christianity. Visit to the Cathedral*, built between 301–303 AD and listed as a UNESCO site. Traditional Armenian lunch with a local community. Evening city tour of Yerevan, including its main landmarks. Yerevan, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities (dating back to the 8th century BC), is lively with outdoor cafés, restaurants, and local markets. Highlights include the Opera House, Mount Ararat, Swan Lake, Northern Avenue, and Republic Square. Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Yerevan. *Due to ongoing restoration works, access to the interior of Echmiadzin Cathedral may be restricted.

Garni, Symphony of Stones and Geghard Monastery Breakfast. Visit to Garni village, famous for its 1st-century Hellenistic pagan temple and panoramic views over gorges and mountains. Descent into the Azat Gorge to discover the “Symphony of Stones”, a basalt column formation created by ancient lava flows. Participation in a lavash-making experience (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage), with tasting of freshly baked “brduj” stuffed with local cheese and herbs. Lunch in a local restaurant. Visit to Geghard Monastery (4th century, UNESCO World Heritage Site with special protection), featuring rock-carved churches and tombs in a spectacular natural setting. The site is still used for ceremonies, which visitors may occasionally witness. Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Yerevan.

Breakfast. Visit to Khor Virap Monastery (4th century AD), located at the foot of Mount Ararat, and to the Birds’ Cave (Areni-1), a 6,100-year-old archaeological site. Lunch in a local restaurant. Visit to Noravank Monastery, an architectural gem set among dramatic red cliffs. Built in the 13th century, it is a fine example of richly decorated medieval Armenian architecture. Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Goris.

Breakfast. Visit to Khndzoresk, a village of natural and artificial caves inhabited until the 1950s, and crossing of the Swinging Bridge connecting old and new settlements. Continue with the Wings of Tatev cable car, the world’s longest reversible aerial tramway, offering breathtaking views of the Vorotan Gorge. Visit Tatev Monastery, one of the most important medieval universities in Europe. Lunch in a local restaurant or family home. Visit Zorats Karer, the Armenian “Stonehenge”, a prehistoric site considered one of the oldest astronomical observatories. Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Vayk.

Breakfast. Follow the historic Silk Road to Selim Caravanserai, a medieval monument marking Armenia’s role as a crossroads of trade and culture. Visit Noratus village near Lake Sevan, famous for its khachkars (cross-stones). Lunch in a local restaurant. Scenic drive along Lake Sevan, the “Pearl of Armenia”. Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Yerevan.

Transfer to the airport and departure (transfers not included).