Women Travel

Day 1: Welcome to Armenia

Arrival in Yerevan. Transfer to the hotel.
Dinner at a local restaurant near the hotel.
Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 2: Yerevan City Tour and workshops

Your introduction to the capital of Armenia begins with a guided tour of the city, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited metropolises. Start your day with a visit to the 22-meter tall Mother Armenia monument, representing the female personification of Armenia. This monumental statue is located in the Victory Park, overlooking Yerevan. Visit the iconic Republic Square of Yerevan with its pink tuff buildings, then continue on a panoramic tour around the city, which includes the beautiful building of Yerevan Opera and Ballet Theater, the building of the National Assembly, and the cozy streets of Yerevan. Make a stop at the Cascade Complex and the Cafesjian contemporary art center with its outdoor exhibitions, featuring works by world-known contemporary artists, such as Fernando Botero, Peter Woytuk and others.

Lunch at the Lusik Aguletsi House-museum, where you will also have a short tour during which you will get acquainted with the art and paintings of Lusik Aguletsi, as well as discover the secrets of the traditional Armenian dresses. The lunch will introduce you to traditional Armenian cuisine.

After lunch, you will visit the Folk Art Museum. The Sharambeya Center of Folk Arts is a unique national cultural center. Its rich collection includes different works of Armenian folk masters: rugs and carpets, embroidery and lace, pottery, art works made of wood, metal and stone, representing the art of different historical and ethnographic regions of Armenia. Below is a list of workshops available at the Folk Art Museum, each group may choose one master class. Duration of the workshop is 2 hours.

• Master class of embroidery of Armenian ornaments (accompanied by folk dances and songs, plus coffee and tea, Armenian sweets);

or

• Master class of miniature on a postcard or on a bookmark (accompanied by folk dances and songs, plus coffee and tea, Armenian sweets);

or

• Workshop on making of a traditional Armenian doll, Nuri (accompanied by folk dances and songs, plus coffee and tea, Armenian sweets).

or

• Lace weaving workshop (accompanied by folk dances and songs, plus coffee and tea, Armenian sweets).

In the evening, enjoy a private visit to the Sergei Parajanov museum with aperitif of Armenian cognac, dinner at the museum garden accompanied by harp music.

Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 3: Etchmiadzin Cathedral – Cross of Armenian Unity – Zvartnots Cathedral – Yerevan

Visit the UNESCO world heritage sites of Etchmiadzin Cathedral and Zvartnots Temple. The Cathedral of Etchmiadzin is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, founded in 301 AD. Armenia is the first nation to adopt Christianty as a state religion. Etchmiadzin is a sacred place for Armenian people and the spiritual heart of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Next up, you will visit the Cross of Armenian Unity NGO in the town of Etchmiadzin. The Cross of Armenian Unity (CAU) is a non-profit charitable cultural organization. The main purpose of CAU is to provide small-scale social initiatives and care and support for orphans. CAU focuses on the child’s personality and behavior, hoping to see not only skills in arts and crafts, but also development in becoming a responsible and informed citizen. The group will have an introductional excursion in the museums, art galleries, studios and workshops.

Our cooking workshop at the Cross of Armenian Unity NGO will start with making Armenian marmalade or jam, and while waiting for it to be ready, we will cook traditional Armenian tolma and bake lavash bread. After enjoying our own made lunch, we will get back to the jam and fill it in jars.

A short ride from Etchmiadzin will take you to the 7th-century Zvartnots temple built by Nerses the Builder. The name of the temple is translated as “the temple of vigilant angels.” Its impressive architecture had a great impact on development of Armenian architecture and influenced construction of many similar churches around Armenia. Here at the Zvartnots temple you will enjoy a short performance of Armenian national musical instrument, duduk.

Transfer to the hotel in Yerevan. Free time.

Dinner and tour at the Megerian Carpet Factory, where you will discover the secrets of Armenian rugs.

Transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 4: Lake Sevan – Resort Town of Dilijan

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.

Travel to Lake Sevan, which is the largest body of water in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes  in Eurasia. The lake is situated at an altitude of 1,900 m (6,234 ft) above sea level. We will have a stop at the peninsula to visit Sevanavank Monastery and enjoy the amazing view to the lake.

Next stop is the spa resort town of Dilijan, often referred to as the “Armenian Switzerland”.  Surrounded by the forests of the Dilijan National Park, the town is a popular hiking destination in Armenia. Here we will have a 3.5 hrs/8 km hike from Parz Lake to Goshavank monastery through the national park. Elevation profile: Parz Lake –  1335 m, highest point – 1566 m, Goch village -1230 m. Lunch boxes included.

After the hike, you’ll return to Dilijan to have a walking tour along the Sharambeyan Street to visit artists’ workshops, shops with Armenian wares and the Esayan Museum with its recreation of typical 19th century Dilijan homes. Observe the impressive art of wood carving before continuing along the lanes of this enchanting town with its typical architecture of two-storied tiled wooden homes and intricately carved balconies.

Hotel check-in. Dinner and overnight stay in Dilijan.

Day 5: Dilijan – Gyumri

On the fifth day of your tour, you will travel to the city of Gyumri, an urban municipal community and the second-largest city in Armenia. Gyumri is home to many prominent museums of Armenia, including the House-Museums of sculptor Sergey Merkurov, poets Avetik Isahakyan and Hovhannes Shiraz, and actor Mher Mkrtchyan. The Aslamazyan Sisters Gallery, built in the 1880s, is home to more than 700 drawings, paintings and other works of the Aslamazyan sisters who were the Soviet-era artists. The Dzitoghtsyan Museum of Social Life and National Architecture of Gyumri is an old mansion, housing collections related to both history and the everyday-life of Gyumri, as well as paintings and other works of art. Throughout centuries, Kumayri-Gyumri was labelled as the “city of crafts and arts”, being famous for its schools, theaters and musicians. We will enjoy the city of Gyumri with its old traditions and museums.

Lunch at a local restaurant in Gyumri.

After lunch, we will have a tour at the Zanan Cultural Center and have a photo shoot with Armenian traditional costumes.

We will continue to enjoy the evening life of Gyumri. Dinner and overnight stay in Gyumri.

Day 6: Gyumri – Yerevan

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Transfer to Yerevan. Free day for shopping.

Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 7: Departure

 Check-out from the hotel, transfer to the Zvartnots international airport for departure.