Tasty Armenia

Meeting at Zvartnots International Airport and transfer to the hotel. After check-in and a short rest — city tour of Yerevan, including the History Museum of Armenia and key landmarks of the city.

After the tour, you will enjoy a tasting of one of the most famous Armenian dishes — dolma.
Dolma is minced meat with rice wrapped in grape leaves or stuffed into vegetables (eggplants, tomatoes, etc.).

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast — excursion to the Matenadaran Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, where one of the largest collections of ancient Armenian manuscripts is preserved.

Then trip to Garni and Geghard historical monuments.
Garni was the summer residence of Armenian kings. Here you will see the pagan Temple of the Sun (1st century AD) — a unique monument of the Hellenistic era.

Next is Geghard Monastery (12th–13th centuries), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery was founded in the 4th century on the site of a sacred spring emerging from a cave and was originally called Ayrivank, meaning “cave monastery.” According to tradition, it was founded by Saint Gregory the Illuminator. Parts of the complex are carved directly into the rock, and numerous khachkars and stone carvings have been preserved.

After the tour, you will have lunch with traditional Armenian khashlama — meat slowly cooked until tender, enriched with the aroma of vegetables and herbs.

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast — trip to the mountain resort town of Dilijan, located in a picturesque region often called the “Armenian Switzerland.”

Visit to Haghartsin Monastery (11th–13th centuries), beautifully integrated into the surrounding mountain landscape.

Then continue to Lake Sevan (1900 m above sea level) — the “blue pearl of Armenia.” Here you will have the opportunity to taste freshly caught fish from the lake, either boiled or grilled.

Return to Yerevan.

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast — trip to Etchmiadzin, the spiritual and administrative center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Visit to the Etchmiadzin Cathedral (4th century) — one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. Then visit to Saint Hripsime Church (7th century).

On this day, you will try traditional Etchmiadzin kyufta, one of the prides of Armenian cuisine. According to an ancient recipe passed down through generations, the best beef or veal is carefully beaten on a stone surface (salakar) with wooden mallets until it becomes a smooth mass. Water and salt are added during preparation, after which the meat is shaped into a ball and boiled.

Return to the hotel. Transfer to Zvartnots Airport. Evening departure.