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.

Ejmiadzin is the 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 two more churches built in memory of the holy martyrs, namely Saint Gayane, Saint Hripsime.

On our way to Yerevan after the excursion to Ejmiadzin, 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.

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.

Try baking real Armenian lavash.

In Tondir, rolling the dough on a special device for the form of lavash, smelling the fresh bakery in the air. We are sure that such a flat cake will be enjoyed by everyone, and the lavash baked with your own hands will remain a vivid memory for a long time, the smell of which warms the nostrils and gives cozy warmth in memory of Armenia.

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.

At HIN ARENI, we strive to ensure that Areni grape is given the chance to show its beauty and that Armenian winemaking can duly pride itself with quality.

Our consulting winemaker, Didier Cornillon, is also from France. We pick our grapes by hand, then hand select them, after which they undergo gentle pressing in a pneumatic press. The storage is done with T control in SSA tanks. We age our red wines in barrels made from oak grown on the lush slopes of Artsakh. HIN ARENI winery has the capacity to process over 250 tons of grapes. All our wines are single-varietal (monocepage) and made of 100 % Areni Noir and 100 % Voskehat grape.

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.

Lake Sevan is one of the first associations that comes to mind after mentioning Armenia. It is the largest source of fresh water for the country and the also the biggest in the whole Caucasus. Surrounded by mountain ranges at an altitude of about 1900 meters above sea level, Sevan is striking in its beauty and azure-blue water surface. The lake has a small peninsula, at the top of which is located the monastery of Sevanavank. In a complex with several buildings, the monastery has been preserved since the 18th century and is still in effect. From a height, it seems that the mountains and the water merge together and there is not a single border between them. Watching the endless play of the waves shimmering under the sun makes one mistake it for a sea. This association is truthful indeed. In the ancient Armenian sources, Sevan was called “the Geghama Sea”, or was simply referred to as “the sea”. Amazing nature combines rocky landscape and pine mini forests located alongside the coast. Once here for the first time, you begin to feel the infinite harmony and inner peace. We invite you to immerse yourself in this feeling and relax both mentally and physically.

Dilijan – a city of unique nature

Dilijan is a city of forests. Surrounded by them on almost all sides, it resembles a fairy tale that was made to be written about, painted and have songs dedicated to its beauty. So it is, Dilijan is an intellectual city, which is home to many cultural figures of Armenia. There are colleges, specialized schools and a sports complex, and two branches of state institutions. The valley charges with a youth spirit, floating in the air. It disposes to create and relax. The nature makes you stop for a moment and just listen.During the tour you will visit Haghartsin and Goshavank medieval monasteries situated in Tavush region.