A Week in Armenia & the South

Day 1

Stop 1.Airport Welcome

Meeting at Zvartnots International Airport with your guide and driver, and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the evening is free. Overnight stay: Yerevan

Day 2

Stop 1.Republic Square

Breakfast at the hotel. A day exploring Yerevan, Armenia's capital and cultural centre, divided by the Hrazdan River and framed by mountains. Stroll the tree-lined boulevards past taverns, wine bars, cafés, Soviet-era and modern buildings, starting at Republic Square.

Stop 2.Opera House

Continue to the Yerevan Opera Theatre, one of the city's iconic landmarks.

Stop 3.Yerevan Cascade

Visit the Cascade, a giant limestone stairway where locals gather for festivals and on sunny days. Grab a coffee and enjoy some people-watching, as the locals do.

Stop 4.Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum

After lunch, visit the hilltop Genocide Memorial, dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and the Museum-Institute next to it, with its exhibits, library and reading hall.

Stop 5.ARARAT Brandy Factory

Finish at the Yerevan Brandy Factory, home of ARARAT, Armenia's most famous brandy. Discover its history in the museum and the secrets of modern production, then end the day with a tasting of selected ARARAT brandies. Meals: breakfast Overnight stay: Yerevan

Day 3

Stop 1.Zvartnots Cathedral

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive west of Yerevan to Zvartnots Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site built in 643–652. Its innovative design inspired many churches across the Caucasus and Eastern Anatolia. Though destroyed in the 10th century, its ruins and on-site museum are well worth a visit.

Stop 2.Etchmiadzin Cathedral

Continue to Etchmiadzin, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Its cathedral is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church and a major pilgrimage site.

Stop 3.Dolma Demonstration

In Vagharshapat, watch a dolma (stuffed vine leaves) making demonstration.

Stop 4.Voskevaz Winery

On the way back to Yerevan, stop at Voskevaz Winery, known for quality wines made from native Armenian grapes. Its premium line is aged in traditional clay vessels called karas. Tour the winery and enjoy a private tasting. Meals: breakfast Overnight stay: Yerevan

Day 4

Stop 1.Khor Virap Monastery

Breakfast at the hotel. Head south to Khor Virap, on a hill in the Ararat Plain framed by Mount Ararat. Here St. Gregory the Illuminator was held in a pit for 14 years before curing the king, leading Armenia to become the first Christian nation.

Stop 2.Areni Wine Tasting & Lunch

Continue to Areni village, where the earliest known winery was discovered. Vayots Dzor has been the cradle of Armenian winemaking for millennia, thanks to its volcanic soil and high elevation. Taste local wines at a winery and have lunch.

Stop 3.Noravank Monastery

Visit Noravank, a 13th-century monastery in a picturesque gorge.

Stop 4.Goris

Arrive in Goris and settle in for the evening at Hotel Mirhav. Meals: breakfast Overnight stay: Goris (Hotel Mirhav)

Day 5

Stop 1.Wings of Tatev Ropeway

Breakfast at the hotel. Ride the Wings of Tatev, one of the longest non-stop double-track cable cars in the world. Enjoy the 12-minute journey over green hills and mountains.

Stop 2.Tatev Monastery

Visit Tatev Monastery, one of Armenia's most beautiful churches, set on a high cliff above a deep river gorge.

Stop 3.Orbelian Caravanserai

Return to Yerevan by a different route, stopping at the 14th-century Orbelian Caravanserai on the Selim Pass, a shelter for travellers on the Silk Road.

Stop 4.Lake Sevan

Continue to Lake Sevan, the largest lake in the Caucasus region, and stretch your legs with a walk by the water.

Stop 5.Drunk Cheese Tasting

Stop at a local farm to taste the local speciality, "drunk cheese", made with wine and brandy. Arrive back in Yerevan in the late afternoon. Meals: breakfast Overnight stay: Yerevan

Day 6

Stop 1.Garni Temple

After breakfast, drive east of the city to Garni Temple, the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia and the former Soviet Union, surrounded by mountains, a deep river gorge and caves.

Stop 2.Lunch & Lavash Lesson

Lunch at a local restaurant, with a lesson in making lavash, Armenia's traditional flatbread.

Stop 3.Geghard Monastery

In the afternoon, visit Geghard Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Upper Azat Valley, partly carved out of the mountain and surrounded by cliffs. It once held the lance that wounded Christ. Return to Yerevan for a free evening. If you wish, explore the GUM Market for sweets, fresh produce, dried fruits, nuts and cheese, or the Vernissage flea market for crafts and souvenirs. Meals: breakfast Overnight stay: Yerevan

Day 7

Stop 1.Departure

Breakfast at the hotel. Spend the morning at leisure with a last coffee or a gallery visit, then transfer by private car to the airport. Meals: breakfast