Weekend in Armenia, budget trip to Yerevan

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL | CITY TOUR IN YEREVAN | INSTITUTE OF ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS MATENADARAN

We meet you at Airport

The weekend tour in Armenia will start with a city tour in Yerevan.

We will walk through the sights of Yerevan: The square of ​​France, the Opera and Ballet House, Northern Avenue, the Republic Square.

Then we visit the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. It was established in 1959 on the basis of the nationalized collection of the Armenian Church, formerly held at Etchmiadzin. Its collection has gradually risen since its establishment, mostly from individual donations. One of the most prominent landmarks of Yerevan, it is named after Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet, whose statue stands in front of the building.

We shall then proceed to the Cascade. It is a 500-meter high staircase (522 steps) with fountains and flower beds, as well as an open air museum, which presents about 30 sculptures by famous masters. Inside the complex, Cafesjian Center of Arts is located on 5 tiers.

Hotel accommodation

DAY 2 – YEREVAN | GARNI | GEGHARD | SEVAN | YEREVAN

Breakfast in hotel.

Morning pick-up from your accommodation and trip to Garni. Garni is notable for its fortress complex with the 1st-century AD Garni Temple.

The next stop is Geghard monastery complex (XIII century), which is included in the list of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

We continue the tour to the Sevan. Lake Sevan is a freshwater lake in the Armenian highlands. It is the largest lake in the Caucasus.

We will also visit Sevanavank – a monastery on the northwest coast of Lake Sevan. The monastery is located on a peninsula, which was once a small island.

Back to Yerevan

DAY 3 – CENTRAL MARKET | VERNISSAGE | TSITSERNAKABERD | ST. ECHMIADZIN | ZVARTNOTS | AIRPORT

Breakfast in hotel

Day starts with visit the central market in Yerevan. (Known as GUM). This is one of the popular markets in Yerevan, where locals come for fresh fruit, vegetable, poultry, fish and meat, as well as for dried fruits and aromatic herbs.

Next we visit a Large open-air market in Yerevan, Buzand street, known as Vernissage. The name of the market is derived from the French word vernissage.

The Yerevan Vernissage is an open-air exhibition-market functioning on the weekends. You will find carved wood and artworks, traditional carpets, old collections of coins and medallions, books, jewellery, musical instruments, electronics and even pets are found in the market.

We visit the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex, dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and the Genocide Museum.

Optional: If you wish (for extra payment) we will visit Yerevan Brandy Factory, where we have a fascinating tour with a tasting of 2 types of brandies (a three-year-old “Ararat” and a ten-year-old “Akhtamar”).

Next, we visit Vagharshapat – The St. Echmiadzin – the Center of the Armenian Apostolic Church, where the residence of the Catholicos is located. We will visit Echmiadzin Cathedral (301-483), which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Then we visit the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral, which was destroyed in the earthquake. In 2000, the ruins of the temple and the archaeological area around it are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Transfer to the airport