Armenian Winter Escape: Heritage, Flavors & Slopes

Day 1

Stop 1.Arrival

Meeting at Zvartnots International Airport and transfer to the hotel in Yerevan. Check-in and some time to rest. Currency exchange at 17:00 on request.

Stop 2.Cascade & Cafesjian Center for the Arts

17:30 – Evening walk through central Yerevan, starting at the Cascade architectural complex, home to the Cafesjian Museum of Contemporary Art.

Stop 3.Opera House

Continue the walk to the Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Stop 4.Northern Avenue

Stroll along the pedestrian Northern Avenue.

Stop 5.Republic Square

End the walk at Republic Square, the main square of Yerevan.

Stop 6.Welcome Dinner at Tavern Yerevan

19:00 – Welcome dinner with a folk song and dance show at Tavern Yerevan, one of the most popular restaurants in the capital. 21:30 – Return to the hotel. Meals: dinner Travel time: 4.5 hours / 5 km Overnight stay: Yerevan

Day 2

Stop 1.Matenadaran

Breakfast at the hotel. 11:30 – Departure. 12:00 – Visit Matenadaran, the museum-institute of ancient Armenian manuscripts and one of the largest manuscript collections in the world.

Stop 2.Holy Etchmiadzin

13:15 – Drive 20 km to Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual centre of Armenia and the residence of the Catholicos of All Armenians. 14:00 – Lunch at Agape, a national cuisine restaurant in a 17th-century building on the grounds of Etchmiadzin. 15:30 – Visit the 4th-century cathedral and the treasury museum, which keeps many holy relics, including the Holy Lance (Spear of Longinus).

Stop 3.Zvartnots Cathedral

17:00 – Visit the ruins of Zvartnots, a masterpiece of early medieval Armenian architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage site. 18:00 – Return to Yerevan, free evening. Meals: breakfast, lunch Travel time: 6.5 hours / 45 km Overnight stay: Yerevan

Day 3

Stop 1.Khor Virap Monastery

Breakfast at the hotel. 11:30 – Departure. 12:15 – Visit Khor Virap Monastery, which offers one of the best views of the biblical Mount Ararat.

Stop 2.Lunch at Libanan Restaurant

14:00 – Lunch at Libanan, a national cuisine restaurant cooking traditional recipes of Western Armenia.

Stop 3.Ararat Brandy Factory

16:00 – Guided tour of the Ararat Brandy Factory followed by a tasting of several brandies. 17:30 – Return to the hotel, free evening. Meals: breakfast, lunch Travel time: 6 hours / 95 km Overnight stay: Yerevan

Day 4

Stop 1.Charents Arch

Breakfast at the hotel. 10:00 – Check-out and departure. 10:30 – Photo stop at the Charents Arch with a view of Mount Ararat.

Stop 2.Geghard Monastery

11:00 – Visit the rock-cut Geghard Monastery (12th–13th centuries), an outstanding example of medieval Armenian architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Stop 3.Garni Temple

12:30 – Visit Garni Temple, the only surviving pagan temple in Armenia, dating back to the Hellenistic era. 14:00 – Lunch at a village house in Garni, with a chance to help bake traditional Armenian lavash.

Stop 4.Tsaghkadzor

16:00 – Drive to the Tsaghkadzor ski resort. Hotel check-in and free evening. Meals: breakfast, lunch Travel time: 7 hours / 120 km Overnight stay: Tsaghkadzor

Day 5

Stop 1.Tsaghkadzor Ski Resort

Breakfast at the hotel. A full day to enjoy the Tsaghkadzor ski resort. Skis, snowboards and instructors are available for hire, and free minibuses run from the hotel to the cable car. Today we also taste khash, a traditional Armenian winter dish. Meals: breakfast, lunch Overnight stay: Tsaghkadzor

Day 6

Stop 1.Tsaghkadzor Ski Resort

Breakfast at the hotel. Another free day at the Tsaghkadzor ski resort. Meals: breakfast Overnight stay: Tsaghkadzor

Day 7

Stop 1.Kecharis Monastery

Breakfast at the hotel. 09:00 – Check-out and departure. 09:30 – Visit Kecharis Monastery, built in the 11th–13th centuries.

Stop 2.Lake Sevan

12:00 – Drive to Lake Sevan, the largest lake in the Caucasus and especially beautiful in winter.

Stop 3.Sevanavank Monastery

Visit Sevanavank Monastery on the northwestern shore of the lake.

Stop 4.Lunch at Tsaghkunk Guest House

13:00 – Lunch at a colourful guest house in Tsaghkunk, where the chef prepares dishes with fish from Lake Sevan, accompanied by live duduk and piano music.