Religious Tour In Armenia

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival, transfer to hotel.

Pass By: Yerevan, Yerevan
We’ll meet you at the airport and transfer to the hotel.

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: Yerevan — Etchmiadzin — Zvartnots — St Astvatsatsin church

Stop At: Yerevan, Yerevan
The tour begins with an excursion in Yerevan the history of which dates back to the 8th century BC. Some parts of the city have preserved its 3000-year history. During the tour, you’ll see the Republic Square, House of Opera and Ballet, Victory Park, where the sculptor of “Mother Armenia” is situated.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Vagharshapat, Armenia
Then we’ll continue our tour to the Etchmiadzin cathedral which is 20 kilometers away from Yerevan. Etchmiadzin is known as the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the First Christian Church in the world. According to the legend, “Jesus Christ came down from heaven to show the site where the church was constructed. Etchmiadzin is translated from Armenian as the “Descent of the only-begotten”. The church was built in 301-303 under the patronage of the Armenian king Trdat 3 and the first Armenian Catholicos St Gregory the Illuminator.

Then we’ll visit the Cathedral Treasury where the relics of the Armenian Apostolic church are kept.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Zvartnots Temple, Yerevan-Vagharshapat Highway Near the Echmiadzin Monastery Complex, Vagharshapat 1101 Armenia
We’ll return to Yerevan having a stop at the ruins of Zvartnots temple - the pearl of medieval Armenian architecture of the 7th century.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God, Kanakyertsi Z. str. 68, Yerevan 0091 Armenia
Later we’ll visit the main Orthodox Church of Yerevan - the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin built-in Kanaker, which was the northern suburb of Yerevan. In 1913-1916, it was known as the Church of St Alexander Nevsky prince with a Cossack regiment. The 100th anniversary of the most famous Orthodox church in Armenia was celebrated on October 14, 2012. Only recently, researchers found out that the date of its creation goes back to 1912. They found that the temple is consecrated as Pokrovski.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Dinner: Dinner in a national traditional restaurant.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a hotel in Yerevan.

Day 3: Yerevan — Khor Virap — Noravank — Yerevan

Stop At: Khor Virap, Highway 11 - Near the village of Pokr Vedi Artashat, Lusarat 0612 Armenia
We’ll have an excursion to the monastery of Khor Virap (4-17th centuries), which is 45 kilometers away from Yerevan. Khor Virap monastery - the center of Christian pilgrimage, has a rich religious and secular history.

The monastery was built in Artashat during the reign of the Arsacid dynasty. In these times, Khor Virap was used as a prison pit for convicts. It is located in the Ararat valley, at the slopes of the Biblical Mount Ararat, where Noah’s ark landed to create a new life. The importance of Khor Virap is that it’s directly connected with the name of Gregory the Illuminator, who established Christianity in Armenia. It was here where Trdat 3 imprisoned Gregory the Illuminator for over 15 years.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Noravank Monastery, NoravankMonastery Road Amaghu Valley, Areni 3604 Armenia
The tour continues to the monastery complex Noravank - a great religious and cultural center of the 12th century, which is located in a stunningly beautiful canyon, among the steep red rocks. On the way, we’ll visit Areni winery and taste local wine made of special grape varieties.

Noravank (“New Monastery”) is located 122 kilometers away from Yerevan in a remote place which can be reached only by passing through the fascinating nature of the canyon. The church has an Anthurium which was restored by the famous architect and sculptor Momik and decorated with bas-reliefs on religious themes.
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a hotel in Yerevan.

Day 4: Yerevan — Ashtarak — Saghmosavank — Hovhannavank — Gyumri

Stop At: Saghmosavank Monastery, Artashavan 0211 Armenia
Having breakfast we’ll start our tour to Saghmosavank which dates back to 1215. According to a legend, when the first temple of the complex - St Sion was built, the priests continued to read the Psalms for 40 days. That’s why the monastery was named Saghmosavank, which is translated as “Monastery of Psalms”. The Saghmosavank monastery was famous for its repository of manuscripts. The library of Saghmosavank is included among the rarest and the most original buildings in Armenia.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Hovhannavank Monastery, Ohanavan Armenia
Then we’ll visit Hovhannavank. The oldest building of the Basilica of St Grigor built in the 5th century was rebuilt and repeatedly updated. The Basilica is one of the few iconostases in Armenia. The ruins of the Church of the first Christians scatter to the Basilica from the North. These ruins date back to the beginning of the 4th century and were most likely built on the site of a pagan temple. The St Karapet church is characterized by a rich decor, the main components of which are a floral ornament and a bas-relief with the image of Christ sitting on the throne and “wise and unreasonable virgins”.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Gyumri, Gyumri, Shirak Province
Our way continues to Gyumri - the second largest city in Armenia where we’ll have a city tour. We’ll pass along the street named after Nikolai Ryzhkov - a respected individual in Armenia who did a lot to restore the city after the Spitak earthquake. We’ll also be in a perfectly preserved Russian fortress founded in 1837 and named “Sev Berd” (Black Fortress). It was built of black tuff in the first half of the 19th century. Before the fortress, a church of St Martyr Alexandr was assigned a chapel church in the name of St Michael the Archangel, located on the military garrison cemetery of Alexandrapol (now Gyumri), called “Hill of Honor”. Here soldiers, killed and died on the battlefield, were buried.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 5: Transfer to the airport. Flight.

Pass By: Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan, Armenia
Transfer to the airport. Flight.

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.