Armenia: WINTER FAIRY TALE

Arrival in Yerevan. Transfer to hotel. Accommodation. Check-in. Overnight in Yerevan.

Breakfast in hotel. Yerevan City tour: “Mother Armenia” (panoramic view of Yerevan), Matenadaran (Depository and Museum of Ancient Manuscripts). Cascade complex and open-air museum of contemporary art. Free time at Cascade for leisure and lunch. Street tour including Republic Square, Yerevan State University, Victory Bridge, Tsitsernakaberd (1915 Genocide Memorial), Sports & Concerts complex, Kiev Bridge, Parliament, Palace of President, Academy of Sciences, Opera house. Evening free for city stroll. Overnight in Yerevan.

Breakfast in hotel. Yerevan is the capital of Armenia and one of the oldest cities in the world. It stretches under the gaze of biblical mountain Ararat and resembles a beautiful gilt bowl to those flying over it. A basalt slab with an Urartu cuneiform inscription, unearthed by archaeologists in the south-eastern part of the city shows the age of Yerevan to be over 2800 years old (starting from 782 BC). The lore has it that was built over 7 hills. Modern Yerevan is mostly a rebuilt colorful city with buildings of unique architecture, constructed from basalt, marble, onyx and volcanic tuff stone.

The Republic square was built in the 1940s in traditional Armenian architectural style. The arches of the buildings lining the square and the motifs of the bas-reliefs are unique in their conception and resemble the structural shapes of the Armenian architectural and spiritual monuments of the 10th-13th centuries.

Yerevan has a fine heart that is open for guests. The ancient metropolis never closes its gates. seems to be waiting for a miracle; this expectation rises each morning like the sun in the firmament, showering rays of gold and dreams on all of us.

Breakfast in hotel. Trip to Dilijan. Old District of Dilijan. Goshavank Monastery Complex and Parz Lake. Trip to Sevan Lake. The lakeshore waters get frozen in wintertime but you can still enjoy the beaty of this mountainous emerald. Peninsula and churches of Sevan. Optional – lunch by Sevan.

Proceed to Tsaghkadzor – one of the favorite holiday resorts of Armenia both for summer and winter. This district is considered to be Armenian Switzerland. Tsakhkadzor is a place where one can have a good vacation during all seasons of year. This is a perfect place to admire the beauty of Armenian high mountains and fields with the largest variety of flowers. The climate here is mild and healthy due to the fresh mountain air. Tsakhkadzor accepts many tourists every year and provides them an opportunity to stay at comfortable resting hotels with swimming pools, game lots, restaurants, cafes, etc. There is also great funicular railway consisting of three parts. Cable-car (funicular) connects the resort to the hills of surrounding mounts all covered by forests. On the way, you can have your cup of coffee or tea and continue your trip. In winter this is the best place for skiing. Tsakhkadzor is also known for its old churches. Recently renovated Kecharis monastery (11-13th c.) is located here.

Hotel accommodation. Dinner and overnight in Tsaghkadzor.

You will have a unique chance to enjoy this unique winter resort. Do not stay in! Get out for winter sport and activities. They are healthy and enjoyable. Once you are done with skiing, sports and other outdoor activities you can get back to hotel to enjoy the warm atmosphere of indoor life: restaurants, cafes, swimming pools, snookers, disco clubs, tea and coffee houses, etc.

In case you are interested in religion and Middle Ages go to see the Kecharis monastery – another masterpiece of Armenian medieval architecture.

Dinner will take place in hotel. Overnight in Tsaghkadzor.

Tour to Geghard Monastery. Firstly, we stop first at Armenian poet Charent's Arch - the breathtaking lookout point of the biblical Mount Ararat (known from the Bible as the landing place of Noah's Ark). Drive to the Geghard Monastery carved out of a huge monolithic rock. Geghard is an incredible ancient Armenian monastery, partly carved out of a mountain. It is said that the Holy Lance that pierced the body of Christ was kept here. The architectural forms and the decoration of Geghard's rock premises show that Armenian builders could not only create superb works of architecture out of stone, but also hew them in solid rock. It is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Proceed to Garni Pagan Temple and Azat river gorge to see the Symphony of Stone – unique natural monument.

Authentic lunch with Lavash bread baking.

Return to Yerevan. Evening free. Make the most of Yerevan on your own. Walking in downtown is a unique experience and never mind about getting lost: it’s just impossible in Yerevan. Smiling people, open-air cafes, cozy wineries, jazz clubs, Vernissage, theatres, museums and other attraction are waiting for you. Also enjoy the evenings as Yerevan is one of the safest countries over the globe. Come to taste this amazing smell of 2800 years old yet modern city. It’s amazing even in wintertime.

Overnight in Yerevan.