Where does Yerevan start from 

Yerevan is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Despite its history of centuries, the present and the past coexist in harmony inside its walls. This is evidenced by the spirit the city is filled with. New buildings, monuments, fountains, memorials and parks appear side-by-side with the architecture of centuries and complement the image of Yerevan together. Being a reminiscent of “sun rays”, the city itself disposes to long, yet never tiring walks. The weather will delight you with its lack of rains, hot summers, clear blue sky and multitudes of sun and color.

The city is literally saturated with bright light. You can see a magnificent panorama overlooking Mount Ararat from any height or elevation. This is the breathtaking view our capital begins with, always happy to host any newcomers with great love. Our tour offers you to get to know Yerevan from the side that the residents of the city themselves know.

Our tour will introduce you to such famous places as:

St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, Republic Square, Marshal Baghramyan Avenue. A visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide with a stop in Victory Park with an overview of the Mother Armenia monument and the famous panoramic view of the city center. Mandatory walk along the Northern Avenue and the open-air museum of the Cascade complex.

After this rich program, we offer our guests to relax in a unique place, namely, to visit the Ararat Brandy Factory - perennial barrels, an old cellar and a history of 120 years of brandy making. The key component of the tour is the tasting of such famous types of brandy as “THREE STARS” and “NAIRI” in the course of which you will learn about the famous medals decorating the cellar and about other secrets of the factory hidden from others.

We also suggest visiting another place that personifies Armenian culture, namely, the Megerian family carpet museum, where you will witness the creation of authentic Armenian carpets in real time, which are made according to the old technologies with special weaving machines just like hundred years ago. You will explore the secrets of masterpiece creations such as thread-dyeing with vegetable dyes, trimming, and furnishing. The factory also includes a museum where elegant antique carpets are exhibited, as well as carpets from the personal collection of the Megerian family itself.

Khor Virap is arguably the most amazing sight in Armenia. It is an ancient monastery, shrouded in mystery and stories. After all, it is here that, according to legend, St. George the Illuminator was tortured and kept in the dungeons for 14 years.  The complex of the monastery is located above the cave that tourists today have access to, and offers stunning views of the wide fields at the foot of Mount Ararat. Full of legends, Khor Virap is a cult place for the Christian history of Armenia. After the events unfolding here, Armenia became the first country (301) to adopt Christianity as the state religion.

Have you ever seen vivid canvases of Armenian artists? The abundance of colors, the complexity of the landscape and endless mountains. All this is not a figment of imagination, but the amazing nature of the edges of Armenia. The village of Areni, near the river Arpa, which flows right through the center of the village, is one of the instances of such an amazing entity of colors and memorable places. Its fascinating nature has been creating gorges, high mountains and endless hills. Areni is a living picture that can make you fall in love with this land forever.

In the gorge of the Aspa River, among the red rocks “burning” at sunset, is located one of the essentials of Armenian architecture, namely, the Noravank monastery complex. Built in the 13th century, Noravank was a religious place for the entire spiritual world of Armenia, and it also carried the role of a cultural and educational center. The whole complex consists of two churches and one chapel. They are Surb Astvatsatsin, Surb Karapet and Surb Grigor, but the most memorable and unique among them is the Church of Surb Astvatsatsin.  The church is decorated with special splendor. It is a structure of three floors including the dome, fully decorated with subtle patterns. The interior looks more modest, yet you can’t stop wondering about the courage of the architect and miniaturist Momik, who completed the church structure in 133. The church is believed to be his most tremendous work. The main element of the church is the narrow cantilever staircase that leads to the second floor, yet has no handrails. They say your faith helps to keep balance. It is impossible to convey the feeling of rising above the world into words. We are sure that you will certainly be intrigued by Noravank and its mysteries.

Extra charge for return transfer to Shirak International Airport - 65 USD

This tour will take you on a journey back in time, to the glorious past of Armenia. We will visit the city of Gyumri – once the artistic capital, and possibly the most beautiful city of Armenia. You will get the chance to explore the city center with its two famous churches.

The Black Fortress, or “Sev Berd” in Armenian, is one of the most famous historical buildings of the city and a unique hallmark of Gyumri. Today, the Black Fortress is included in the state list of historical and cultural monuments of national importance.

During the sightseeing tour you will have an exceptional opportunity to communicate with the locals, ask them to tell some funny story or some humorous word on the Leninakan accent. Before visiting Black Fortress, you must come up with or remember some funny joke to make the guide laugh and enter the fortress.

One of the most unusual places in Armenia, the village of Garni that bears the same name as the ancient pagan temple, is situated on 37 km from the center of Yerevan. Before the adoption of Christianity, the architecture in Armenia was interrelated with the Hellenistic style. This is evidenced by Garni, executed in this elegant manner with a characteristic colonnade on all sides and located on the top of a hill divided from the mountain range by a deep gorge. The temple was restored in 1976 and welcomes a multitude of tourists daily to this day. Since 2011, it has been awarded the UNESCO heritage award. The picturesque mountains, steep gorge and endless echo to be heard again and again, fascinate and ask to return.

Once approaching Geghard, the tops of the crosses and the church itself will not be the first thing to notice, as that place will belong to music. The musicians are right the ascent to the church, always playing, welcoming guests with joy and loud national music. The air is filled with the aroma of national delicacies, such as dried fruit, sweet sujukh and honey, yet once you climb up the hill, you will be shocked by what you see. You will appear in front of the gates, leading to the temple of Geghard, completely carved out of the mountain.

This masterpiece of Armenian medieval architecture amazes with its detail and antiquity. Geghard is a complex consisting of the main chapel, two cave halls, and tombs. There is a cold spring in the first cave hall, which to this day captures the attention of the visitors. It is believed that its holy water heals diseases, rejuvenates and gifts beauty. Literally translated, Geghard means “holy spear” in memory of the spear kept in it, which had wounded Jesus Christ at the Crucifixion. It is also included in the UNESCO list of heritage since 2000. The nearby flowing Azat River hypnotizes with its murmur, pigeons hover over the church, and the coolness from the gorge gives strength to continue the path to new discoveries and impressions.

“We shall come and erect here, A well of purest light!”

These are the lines to begin both the quatrain of one of the Armenian Catholicos Sahak Dzoroporetsi (677-703) and our tour to this unique complex, consisting of several churches of the residence of the Catholicos and the ruins of the Zvartnots temple. Ejmiatsin is a small spiritual capital filled with silence and history. The first stone was laid in 303 and since then the cathedral has undergone significant changes, redevelopments and restorations, yet remained the main sacred place for all the Armenians and an important point of visit for Christians. Relics such as the right hand of Saint John the Baptist, the Holy Lance and the three particles of the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified are kept here.

The name translates literally as “The Descent of the Only Begotten”. According to legend, the first patriarch Grigor the Illuminator had a dream of Christ descending from heaven with a fiery hammer in his hand and indicating the place for the cathedral to be built. Everything from the bell ringing to rose bushes and quiet alleys of gardens with dense trees through which the tops of the churches are visible, is saturated with harmony and tranquility. The Ejmiatsin complex comprises three more churches built in memory of the holy martyrs, namely Saint Gayane, Saint Hripsime and Saint Shoghakat.

On our way to Yerevan after the excursion to Ejmiatsin, we offer our guests another destination point. Zvartnots - “Temple of the Vigil Angels” (translated literally), is included in the UNESCO heritage list and is unique with its architecture and preserved details. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the ruins of the temple were known only from written sources; shortly afterwards, however, the temple was excavated from under clay layers and restored. It is a vivid example of Armenian architecture of antiquity today. We guarantee unique photos and a wonderful completion of the tour.