Weekend wine tour in Armenia

Day 1 – Airport | City Tour in Yerevan | Brandy factory “ARARAt”

Arrival and meeting in Zvartnots airport

The Weekend wine tour in Armenia starts with a Yerevan city tour. The capital city of the Armenia, Yerevan is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. You will be able to see the sights in Yerevan: The Square of France, the Opera and Ballet House, Northern Avenue, the Republic Square.

Lunch at a restaurant with a tasting of Armenian cuisine.

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

Then we continue our wine tour in Armenia and visit the Yerevan Brandy Factory, where we will taste 3 types of brandies – “Akhtamar”, “Nairi” and “Dvin”.

Transfer to the hotel / Check-in

Day 2 – Yerevan | Khor Virap | Wine factory “Areni” | Noravanq | Yerevan

The second day of the Armenian wine trip starts with visiting to the monastery of Khor Virap – one of the signs of Armenia. The Monastery is a citadel located just 45 km far from Yerevan city, and less than a kilometer from the republic’s border with Turkey. Khor Virap is a place of pilgrimage, which is associated with the legend of Gregory the Illuminator. According to church rule, Gregory was imprisoned on the order of King Trdat III for preaching Christianity and spent there 13 years. Right in front of you, very, very close, and in all its magnificence you will see the symbol of Armenia – Mount Ararat.

Then we continue our way to Vayots Dzor region and will visit the village of Areni. We visit the “Cave of the birds”, where the oldest winery in the world and the world’s most aged shoe, which was more than 5500 years old, were found. The village of Areni is well-known for its wines. Every year in October the annual festival of wines takes place there.

After lunch, we will visit the “Areni” wine factory and taste Armenian wine in the special degustation room placed in the factory. The wines of this producer differ in their special tastes. The bouquet of the fragrance is revealed gradually leaving a pleasant aftertaste.

Lunch at a restaurant with a tasting of Armenian dishes.

Next, we will visit Noravank monastery complex, built in XIII-XIV centuries. The Noravank complex is found on a thin ledge winding valley tributary of the Arpa River. The gorge is famous for its steep red cliffs, towering behind the monastery.

Back to Yerevan.

Day 3 – Central Market | Vernissage | Yerevan Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory “Noah” | st. Echmiadzin | Zvartnots | Airport

Breakfast in the hotel and Check out

A visit to the Central Market in Yerevan. You will be amazed by dried fruits – a nationwide treasure and the usual accompaniment to cognac. 

The next stop is the open air market of folk art products – Vernissage f you are looking for souvenirs, “Vernissage Market” is the right place to go! Here you will discover hand-made chess and backgammon, ceramic pots, handmade traditional Armenian ornaments, Armenian musical instruments like duduk, shvi or dhol percussions, silver, paintings, and many more items.

Then we visit Yerevan Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory “Noah”. After the factory tour, we taste various types of brandy and wine.

Lunch at a restaurant with tasting of national dishes.

Next, we visit Vagharshapat – the center of the Armenian Gregorian Church – the residence of the Catholicos. We will visit Echmiadzin Cathedral (301-483 AD), which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, the showroom, and the treasury of Echmiadzin, which houses the Spear of Longinus (Spear of Destiny, Spear of Christ), a part of Noah’s Ark, the patella John Baptist, etc.

We visit the ruins of Zvartnots temple, 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.

Airport transfer.