July 13th
Departure from LA to Paris
July 14th
Departure from Paris to Yerevan
Day One July 14th
Arrive in
Yerevan Zvartnots Airport
Transfer to Congress Hotel in Yerevan
Check into the Hotel
Overnight in Yerevan
Day Two July 15th
Breakfast at the Hotel
Yerevan
City Tour -Tour the sights and sounds of one of the most ancient and
fabulous cities of the world, where the earliest recorded settlement dates back
to 782 B.C. Your tour of the capitol city of the Republic of Armenia will
include visits to:
Also
visit the Erebouni Museum and the ruins, with its hundreds of
artifacts from Erebouni, Karmir Blur and Armavir, the three principal Urartian
cities in the Ararat valley. This small two-story museum is located on the
western slope of the Erebouni elevation where hundreds of artifacts were dug out
during the excavations in 1950. You will also visit the ruins of Erebouni.
Matenadaran - The Research Institute of Armenia which houses
beautiful illuminated manuscripts created by scribes centuries ago. The
Matenadaran is named after Mesrob Mashtots, founder of the Armenian alphabet.
Over ten thousand manuscripts detailing history, philosophy, medicine, and
geography written in Armenian, Greek, Arabic, and other languages are preserved
here
Tsitsernagaberd Monument and Museum-This monument commemorates the 1915
Genocide. It was built around 1965. The monument and its eternal flame are
pilgrimage sites for Armenians all around the world.
Overnight in Yerevan
Day Three July 16th
Breakfast at the Hotel
Garni-The
only pagan temple existent in Armenia, the 2nd century pagan temple of Garni was
reconstructed from ruins. This pre-Christian structure, with its classical
Hellenist lines, is situated in a picturesque mountain locale, offering a
breathtaking panorama of the valley below. The structure of the temple with its
columns and dimensions was created to please the gods and protect the people
from their wrath. Garni temple was destroyed by an earthquake in 1679 and
rebuilt during the Soviet era. The ruins include a bathhouse, where you can see
remnants of beautiful mosaic work.
Geghard-This ancient monastery was carved out of solid rock. In ancient
times this monastery was known as "the monastery of the seven churches", "the
monastery of the forty altars" or Ayrivank (the monastery of the cave),
confirming the presence of ancient caves dug into the rock. Geghartavank is the
monastery of the spear. This last name derives from the relics, for many years
conserved in the monastery and now in Edjmiatsin’s museum, of the spear that was
said to have wounded the chest of Christ on the cross. The exact date of
Geghard’s foundation is not known, but according to the inscriptions found
locally dating from the 7th and 8th centuries, it is likely that it dates back
to the early times when Christianity was recognized and declared the official
state religion. The main church dates back to 1215. Inside the church’s interior
exists a natural spring, anciently worshipped and today carefully preserved. A
visit to Geghard is truly a spiritual experience.
Overnight in Yerevan
Day
Four July 17th
Breakfast at the
Hotel
Free Day
Overnight in Yerevan
Day
Five July 18th
Check out of the
Hotel in Yerevan
Drive
through one of the most picturesque mountains of Armenia in the northern region
of Lori and enjoy its rich forests and rivers. Then visit one of the largest
medieval monasteries of Armenia, the Haghbad
monastery complex, founded in 976. The oldest structure of the monastery is the
church of the Holy Sign.
Next
you will visit the monastery of Sanahin.
This monastery was a major religious and cultural center in medieval times.
The
last stop on this trip is the picturesque setting of the monastery of
Odzune. The specialists date it back to
the 6th century. This monastery has been rebuilt and has reached our
days in a relatively good condition.
Overnight in Lori,
in Avan Dzoraget Tufenkian Hotel.
Day Six July 19th
Check out from your hotel in Lori.
Depart to Tbilisi, Georgia. Arrive at Bagratashen
Border
Check into Hotel.
Drive to
Mtskheta (18 km far from Tbilisi)
Visit
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, 11th c. and Jvari Monastery, 6th c.
Tbilisi city tour.
Sioni
(7th - 9th cc) - one of the well decorated churches in Georgia.
Visit Old
Town.
Overnight in Tbilisi.
Day Seven July 20th
Breakfast at the
Hotel
Free morning for leisure.
Check out from your hotel in Tbilisi.
Drive back to Yerevan.
Arrive in
Yerevan late in the evening.
Day Eight July 21st
Breakfast at
the Hotel
Free Day
Overnight in Yerevan
Day Nine July 22nd
Breakfast at the Hotel
Khor
Virab - The site where St. Gregory
the Illuminator was imprisoned by an Armenian king for preaching Christianity.
You can climb down into the dark pit on foot and upon climbing back up treat
yourself to the most spectacular view of the glorious Mt. Ararat.
Enjoy one of
the most breathtakingly scenic areas in all Armenia and sample some fine
Armenian wine along the way.
Visit the
monastery of Noravank, a 13th century structure with beautiful stone
crosses. This monastery is considered to be the pulpit of Suinik bishops. The
main church of St. Karapet was built in 1227. the relieves on the entrance
tympanum and the windows on the western façade are interesting from an
architectural point of view. The focus of the southern section is the
two-storied church of Prince Orbelian, completed by Momik (great sculptor) in
1339. Two console stairs on both sides of the entrance take you inside the
church.
Continue the
tour to the Areni Winery and taste the bounty of Armenia’s sun kissed
grapes. Along the way you would be greeted by hospitable villagers under the
apricot trees (in season).
Overnight in
Yerevan
Day Ten July 23rd
Breakfast at
the Hotel
Free Day
Overnight in Yerevan
Day Eleven July 24th
Breakfast at the
Hotel
No trip to
Armenia is ever complete without a visit to Lake Sevan, one of the
largest of the highest lakes in Eurasia at about 1,900 meters above sea level.
At Lake Sevan you will visit these monasteries, then take a serene stroll on the
beach and a boat ride, in season. By then, you will have worked an appetite and
will be ready to taste the most delicious trout, fresh from the lake.
Dilijan - Located in the northern
part of Armenia, this region is famous for its forests and health resorts,
its spectacular scenery and cultural centers. You will drive through a plush
forest to reach the Haghartsin Monastery, an 11th-13th century church
situated deep in the woods, about 18 km from the town of Dilijan.
Overnight
in Yerevan
Day
Twelve July 25th
Breakfast at the
Hotel
Edjmiatsin
Monastery - Visit the Edjmiatsin Cathedral, the most ancient Christian
temple in Armenia, and the Holy See and official residence of the Catholicos of
all Armenians. According to tradition, St. Gregory, the Illuminator, saw a
vision of the “Only Begotten” descend from heaven and show the spot where the
church should be erected. In 303 A.D., two years after Christianity was declared
the state Religion, the Mother Church of the Holy See was completed. It was
rebuilt in the 480s. Through the centuries there have been construction and
additions. The main dome was rebuilt in 1627. The interior murals were painted
by Nagash Ovnatan in 1720. The church is surrounded by gardens, where you will
see examples of “khachkars” or stone crosses.
St.Gayane and St. Hripsime Churches- The St. Gayane church is built in the
City of Edjmiatsin, a short walk from the Cathedral. Built in 630 (according to
a chronicle) they are the two oldest churches in Armenia. St. Hripsime is a
beautiful example of Armenian architecture of the classical period.
Zvartnots -
Visit the magnificent ruins of the Cathedral of Zvartnots, built in the
7th century by Catholicos Nerses III. Here once stood a mighty three-tiered
circular structure with a glorious central dome. The Cathedral was decorated
with sculptured floral and geometric patterns and decorative pillars and arches,
the ruins and remnants of which can be seen on the grounds. Zvartnots is
considered to be the masterpiece of Armenian Church architecture.
Visit
Sardarabad
Pay tribute
to the heroes of the Battle of Sardarabad! The Sardarabad Memorial and Museum
ensemble was built in 1968 to mark the victory over Turkey in the Battle of
Sardarabad in 1918, which led to the first independent Republic of Armenia in
1918.
Here you will
visit the largest ethnographic museum in Armenia, rich with artifacts and
memorabilia.
Overnight in Yerevan
Day Thirteen July 26th
Breakfast at
the Hotel
Free Day
Farewell Dinner at a restaurant
Overnight in Yerevan
Day
Fourteen July 27th
Breakfast
at the Hotel
Transfer to Airport
Departure
Bon Voyage!
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