Day  1. Arrival in Yerevan, meeting at the airport, transfer to the accommodation, sightseeing tour of the city (optional),greeting dinner

• Yerevan is one of the ancient cities in the world, founded in 782 B.C. by Argishti II. During the excursion you’ll attend the Republic Square, which had been building for 50 years by different architects, nevertheless a perfect architectural ensemble has been made; Opera and Ballet National Academic Theatre is a unique architectural complex in the center of Yerevan; Ring boulevard, where you’ll see monuments to Andranik Zoravar, Griboedov, Zoravar Vartan Mamikonyan, Michael Nalbandyan, Ivan Aivazovsky; St. Grigor Lusavorich Cathedral; Cinema ‘’Russia’’, Komitas Chamber Music House, Cascade hills, Yerevan train station of Sasuntsi David, which has become the symbol of Yerevan.

Day  2. Lake Sevan, Sevanavank, Tsaghkadzor, a ropeway to mount Teghenis, Kecharis

• Lake Sevan a nature miracle, adjoining the sky, the most beautiful of all the high-mountain lakes, is located in a huge thicket at the height of 1916 meters above sea level, it is the largest in the Caucasus region, 1240 km2, with the depth up to 83 meters. The Sevan is 63 km north from Yerevan. It is fed by 28 rivers and streams, the only flowing out river is the River Hrazdan. Its water is clear and pure, according to a legend, only stars and gods drank water from the Sevan.
• Sevanavank Monastery is 6 km west from the town of Sevan, on Sevan peninsula. Before the shallowing of the lake, the peninsula was a small island, separated from the land by a three-kilometer stride. At the end of the VIII century a few monarchs settled there. The congenial location of the island contributed to the enlargement of the monastic brethren and the dynamic construction of the Monastery.
• Tsaghkadzor is located in the picturesque valley in the south-west of the Tsakhkunyats Mountains at the height of about 1800 meters above sea level, 50 km north-west from Yerevan. The historical name of this settlement is Kecharis. In Ttsaghkadzor is located Orbeli Brothers House-Museum. Since 1846 there is a Molokan community and House of Prayer in Tsaghkadzor. Since the settlement of Molokans by the disposal of Graph Voroncov the village had been called Konstantinovka, in honor to a great King Konstantin.
• Dinner
• Kecharis Monastery is in the north-eastern part of Tsaghkadzor, on the terrace of Pambak Mountain range and is one the main sights of the town. Three monastery churches and also a little church, standing not far from them, are surrounded by ancient tombstones. In the XII-XIII centuries the Monastery was a major spiritual center of Armenia with its school. Kecharis was laid in the XI century by King Pahlavuni, it had been building until the middle of the XIII century.
• Tsaghkadzor ropeway from which the whole Armenia can be seen, is a unique sight not only of the ski resort, but of the whole Tsaghkadzor. Locating on slope of Mount Teghenis, the ropeway is equipped with soft armchairs, has 5 stations and more than 10 ski tracks. Its highest point is 2819 meters above sea level. You will reach this height after 32 minutes, using high-speed lift, from which in clear weather a panorama of Ararat can be seen.

Day  3. Ashtarak, Karmravor, St. Marine, Oshakan. Mastara, Talin, Aruch

• Ashtarak is located on the bank of the River Kasakh, 20 km north-east from Yerevan. Ashtarak is one of the oldest towns of Armenia with a variety of monuments of Material culture.
• Karmravor Church the most famous monument of Ashtarak is well preserved Karmravor Church, built in the VII century. This is the only monument in Armenia, tiled roof of which retained until our days.
• St. Marine Church is located in Ashtarak and was built in 1281. St. Marine Church is devoted to one of the 40 virgin martyrs.
• Village Oshakan is 4 km south from Ashtarak. Here is the burial place of great Armenian Saint Mesrop Mashtots, the creator of the alphabets of very different in language nations – Armenian, Georgian and Albanian Caucasians. Above the grave of Saint Mesrop Mashtots, located in the south-east of the village, in 443 was built a small chapel by Vahagn Amatuni, where in 1875-1879 was built a church by Catholicos George III. On the right side, near the altar, was a tomb, where in the foundation of an ancient chapel, under the marble tombstone, the relics of Mesrop Mashtots are at rest.
• Dinner
• Village Mastara is 75 km north-west from Yerevan, here is located St. John (Surb Hovhannes) Church, founded in the V century. The architectural style of the temple symbolizes the transition of Armenian church from simple compositions to complex church structures, like the church of St. Hripsime in Etchmiadzin.
• Talin is 9 km from the village of Mastara and 66 km from Yerevan. In the V-VII centuries it was the center of Armenian princedom. In the city there is a religious complex of the Cathedral of Talin, consisting of the small church of Talin and the big temple, which were built by Kamsarakan brothers in the VII century.
• Village Aruch is 50 km north-east from Yerevan, where is located one of the largest churches in Armenia – St. George Cathedral, built in 666. Before the turn to Aruch there is also a caravanserai (a palace or house for rest on the trade route) of the XIII century.

Day  4. Mughni, Hovhannavank, Saghmosavank, a monument to Armenian alphabet, Amberd

• Mughni Monastery is 22 north from Yerevan, located in the village of the same name. The complex is consisted of the main St. George Church (1661-1669) with a gallery, refectory, abbot’s chamber and a service room. The building of the Monastery is surrounded by a beautiful, soigne garden and a wall. Leeft from the altar is St. George’s grave.
• Hovhannavank Monastery is 4 km north from Mughni, in Hovhannavan village, on the right bank of the River Kasagh. The Monastery itself represents a nearly regular rectangle from 3 compactly standing buildings. The ancient construction of Hovhannavank – St. George basil, built in the V century, was reconstructed in 573. In the basil there is one of the few iconostases. From the north side of the basil the ruins of the first Christian church, referring to the beginning of the IV century and built, most likely, on the site of a pagan temple, adjoin it. The main temple, St. Karapet, built in 1216-1221 by King Vache Vachutyan, differs with affluent décor, the main constituent of which are floral ornament, a bas-relief with the picture of sitting on it Jesus Christ and ‘’wise and foolish virgins’’.
• Saghmosavank Monastery is 5 km north from Hovhannavank, in Saghmosavan village, on the right bank of the River Kasagh. The main church of the monastery complex is St. Sion Church, built in 1215 by King Vache Vachutyan on the site, where in the first centuries of Christianity was a hermitage. It, like St. Karapet Church of Hovhannavank Monastery, belongs to a cross-domed style with two-story aisles in all corners of the building. The book depository of Saghmosavank belongs to the number of rather rare by its purpose and original by its composition constructions in Armenia. Huge inner size and two-story aisles in its south-west allow us to assume that here they not only kept manuscripts, but also rewrote them.
• A monument to Armenian Alphabet is located in the village of Artashavan in the region of Aragatsotn, on the west slope of Mount Aragats. The complex was built in 2005, to the 1600th anniversary of Armenian Alphabet. It includes the sculptures of the 39 letters of Armenian Alphabet and also the monuments of great Armenian thinkers. Armenian is an independent branch of the Indo-European languages. Armenian Alphabet was created by Mespor Mashtots in 405; it’s used in Armenia.
• Amberd fortress and Vahramashen Church the castle and some part of the fortress walls were built in the VII century in the days of Kamsarakans. Since the X century it had been the ancestral domain of Pahlavuni kings and was a strategically important supporting point of Armenian Bagratuni kings. In 1026, by the order of an illustrious warlord Vahram Pahlavuni, a church, in the fortress was built a church, one of the best with its grace. The people named it Vahramashen, after its warlord.

Day  5. Khor Virap, Areni, Noravank Monastery

• Khor Virap an architectural monument of the XVII century, monastery-fortress, is located on the hill, near the village of Pokr Verdi. In ancient times here used to be a historical city Artashat, one of ancient capitals of Armenia. The Monastery is one of the saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the place of pilgrimage. On the site of the monastery-fortress there used to be czar’s prison ‘’Virap’’, a deep pit, filed with poisonous snakes and insects, where condemned prisoners were thrown. Here bore his anguishes Saint Grigor Lusavorich, the initiator of acceptance of Christianity in Armenia (301). According to a legend, he was imprisoned in the dungeon by the order of King Tiridates III and spent there 13 years.
• Village Areni is one of the oldest villages of historical Syunik. The significance of the village was explained, first of all, by its geographical location on exit from a gorge, connecting Vayots Dzor with the valley of Sharur. Thereby, the village was not only a resting-place, but also an important military point. On the surrounding heights military fortifications were built. In the XIII century King Orbelyan Tarsaich built a palace here. By his order Bishop Sarkis (1265-1287) of Noravank built a three-arch bridge near Areni on the river, the foundation of which remained till our days. In 1321 by the order of Bishop Hovhannes of Syunik the architect Momik built St. Astvatsatsin Church in Areni.
• Dinner, wine degustation
• Noravank Monastery is located among fancy sheer red cliffs at the mouth of a meandering gorge. The Monastery was founded in the XII century on the site of ancient buildings. In the days of King Orbelyan it became a major religious center, and in the XIV century – the residence of the Bishops of Syunik. The gorge is famous for sheer red cliffs, rising behind the Monatery, on the territory of which is located a two-story St. Astvatsatsin Church with narrow cantilevered staircases. This Church, the construction of which was finished in 1339, is considered the last masterpiece of a talented Armenian sculptor and miniaturist Momik.

Day  6. Check out, transfer to the airport