4 days/3 nights
Day 1.
Arrival, the meeting at the airport (for the first half of the day).
Transfer.
The stay at a hotel in the city Yerevan.
A wide excursion tour through the city Yerevan: one of the oldest cities of the world (2800 years old).
A visit to Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, The Victory Park of “Mother Armenia”, a visit to Matenadaran, the treasury of the oldest books and rare manuscripts, where are kept more than 17.000 oldest manuscripts, one of the richest of the three collections of the world. The architectural complex of “Caskade” the favourite place of the rest and relaxation for the inhabitants and the guests of the capital, which is considered to connect the centre of the city with the “Park of Victory”, the panoramic view of Yerevan. Here we can also find the statue of the “Black cat”, a number of masterpieces: the works of the famous colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, the Cafesjyan Art Museum, the mega modern North Avenue, the Republic Square, the Mashtots Avenue, the Baghramyan Avenue, the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly, the France Square and the Freedom Square.
The lunch is served at the national restaurants. For dinner: yogurt soup and armenian dolma (stuffed cabbage with beef and grape leaves), vegetables, different salads made of bean, greens of all kinds and meat products.
The rest.
Night stay in Yerevan.
Day 2.
Yerevan-Garni Geghard-Sevan-Yerevan
Breakfast. A visit to the village Garni, an excursion tour through the pagan temple of the Sun of exceptional beauty (1 century A.C.) built in the greek style, surrounded by a row of columns on all sides and founded at the top of the hill. Here we can find the pagan temple, which is dedicated to the God of the Sun (Helios) a spectacular sight which sometimes seems unreal. The fortress of Garni used to serve as summer residence for Arsacid (known as Arshakuni) dynasty. A visit to the Monastery Geghard: a rare temple which was carved in the rock (12-13 centuries), which in translation means “saint lance” (Geghard-lance), named after the very lance wich pierced the body of Christ on the cross and which was kept there for a long time. The temple is located high in the mountains in the picturesque valley of the river “Azat”. It’s a masterpiece of medieval Armenian architecture. It’s a complex of buildings that contains the main church, two cave churches and tombs. In the first cave church from the rock hits the cold spring which, to the present day, is an object of warship. The curch is considered to have saint water that cures diseases and provides beauty. The world heritage of UNESCO.
Currently the Saint Lance is kept in the Museum of Echmiadzin.
Excursion through the lake Sevan. The lake is called “the pearl of Armenia”. It’s of extraordinary beauty and is situated at an altitude of 2000 m. above sea level and is one of the largest lakes in the world. You’ll visit the church Sevanavank in the peninsular Sevan.
Lunch at the restaurant from the gifts of the sea. For lunch a wonderful barbecue from the Sevan trout, Kebab from crab tails (lavash, salads with beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, greens, potatoes, cheese).
The rest on the shore of the lake.
Return to Yerevan.
Night stay in Yerevan.
Day 3.
Yerevan-Khor-Virap-Noravank-Yerevan
Breakfast. Pilgrimage through the Monastery Khor-Virap where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for dissemination of Christianity. Here one can see the biblical mountain Ararat. The greatest part of the territory around Khor-Virap is the place of the former capital of Armenia: the ancient Artashat. The capital was built by the king Artashes. Artashat was one of the oldest cities built according to the design of the famous Carthaginian general Hannibal who found a refuge in Armenia after being defeated in the war against Rome.
A visit to the wine factory in the village Areni. Tasting of local wines. The next visit to the Monastery Complex Noravank (XIII-XIV centuries) which is surrounded by bizarre red rocks. It was the spiritual centre of the princedom Orbelyan. Many famous artists of medieval Armenian culture lived and created here.
Lunch. Barbecue from great pieces of meat, vegetables “khorovac” (lavash, cucumbers, sweet pepper, potatoe, salads, greens, cheese)
Return to Yerevan
Rest.
Night stay in Yerevan.
Day 4.
Yerevan-Echmiadzin-Zvartnots-Yerevan
Breakfast. Excursion tour through the city Echmiadzin, the spiritual centre of Armenian Apostolic Church. Avisit to the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral of St. Echmiadzin built in the 4th century, which enters the list of the monuments of the World Heritage of UNESCO. In the Museum of Echmiadzin Cathedral one can find many saint relics: the Saint Lance (Geghard) with the help of which the roman legionnaire pierced the body of Christ: a piece of the cross on wich was crucified Jesus, the relic of Noah’s Ark, the king Ashot Erkat’s cross, etc. Later comes the visit to the Church of St. Hripsime. On the way back there’s a visit to the ancient temple of Zvartnots, the temple of vigil’s forces.
Lunch break at the national restaurant: khashlama-lamb, (lavash, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet pepper, potatoes, salads, cheese).
Excursion to the Yerevan Wine Factory “Ararat”. Acquaintance with the technology of brandy production. A visit to the cellars “Avenue of the presidents” where one can have the exclusive opportunity to get to know the history of cognac production in Armenia, to know the phases of elaboration of Armenian brandy (cognac) and tasting of brandy, to enjoy the beauty, its unique aroma and the taste of different types of cognag from the primary sources. You’ll know everything about the history of producing the best cognac in the world. You’ll visit the only place in the world where, the very Cognac that Churchill drank, is produced. The taste of Armenian cognac once appreciated M. Gorki: “It’s easier to get to the Mount Ararat, than to come out from the cellars of “Ararat”. A visit to the food-producing market, where one can enjoy the fresh fruit, original dried fruit (sugar-blasted apricots “shallakh”, dried apricots and figs, domestic halva, peaches filled with different nuts, sweet “sujuk”, a great amount of cookies with nuts and fruit jam, patties and a great variety of jellies).
Transfer to the airport.
Flight.