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Wine and Brandy in Armenia |
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Wine Tour
(8 days) |
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If one day you hear Armenia,
Cradle of Wine, don’t be
surprised as it is really so.
Noah planted the first vineyards
in the Valley of Ararat after
his ark descended onbyblical Mt.
Ararat.
This tour program aims to give
you Armenian wine tasting
experience and to introduce the
traditions, history and the
attitude of Armenian nation to
the wine they produce.
Meet local wine producers and
learn about ancient wine making
skills first mentioned in
pre-Christian Greek and Roman
historical annals. Local
wine-makers will share their
experience in wine nursing.
So welcome to Armenia!
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Day 1
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Arrival
Arrival at the International Airport. Meet and greet
transfer airport / hotel.
Accommodation. Rest. |
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Day 2
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Yerevan
City tour /
Armenian Cognac Tasting
Arrival at Zvartnots international
airport. Meet and greet transfer,
accommodation in the hotel. In the
morning meet your tour director and
start tour around Yerevan. While
your tour you will see the Republic
Square which is designed in the
traditional Armenian architectural
style and includes the Government
House, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the Central Post Office,
the National Art Gallery. Along with
all major sights of the capital you
will also see "Cat statue" by famous
sculptor Fernando Botero, will climb
up the Cascade to enjoy the
panoramic view of Yerevan as well as
will see Opera house, Victory Park
with Mother Armenia statue, Kievyan
Bridge, Baghramyan Avenue, the
Presidential Palace, Academy of
Sciences, National Parliament,
Writers Union and Fruit market.
Lunch in a local restaurant. In the
second half of the day your main
attractions will be the Matenadaran
and Armenian History Museum, where
the important archaeological
collections from Stone Age through
Medieval periods are dark and almost
unlabeled, but should not be missed.
Continue to the famous Yerevan
Brandy Factory founded in 1887.
During the International Exhibition
in Paris in 1900, the brandy
received the Grand-Prix and the
legal right to be called ‘cognac’,
not ‘brandy’. While the tours the
visitors are offered to visit the
museum of the factory. The bar
offers tasting of various old and
chateau sort of cognacs, which have
mellow-velvety flavor endowed with a
rich bouquet of chocolaty-vanilla
accents. Screen –tour in the world
of legendary Armenian Brandy is in
the video hall.
Welcome dinner and overnight at the
hotel in Yerevan. |
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Day 3
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Yerevan /
Khor Virap / Ararat Valley Vineyards
/ Echmiadzin / Zvartnots / Wine
tasting / Yerevan
Sightseeing tour to Khor-Virap
monastery 4- 17th cc. 45 km. from
Yerevan the monastery of Khor-Virap
has a very rich history. Khor Virap
was built in Artashat during the
reign of the Arshakids dynasty. At
that time it was used as a pit-
dungeon for convicts. In the 60s of
the 4th century Artashat was ruined
by Persian invaders. It is situated
in the Ararat valley against the
biblical Ararat Mountain, were
Noah's arch cast anchor. The
importance of it is connected with
Gregory the Illuminator, who
introduced Christianity to Armenia
and is considered to be the first
Armenian catholicos. Here you will
be in the cradle of wine as it is in
Ararat Valley where Noah planted the
first vineyards. On the way visit to
the village of Taperakan where the
tourists will have an opportunity to
taste not only wines and brandies
(3-8 years old) but also will get
acquainted with ancient technologies
of Armenian wine making process, as
well as tools. Continue to the town
of Echmiadzin. Visiting of St.
Echmiadzin Cathedral 4th c.,
Hripsime temple 7th c., ruins of
Zvartnots 7th c. Wine tasting and
tour at famous Noy wine factory. In
the evening there is a possibility
to arrange dinner at national
restaurant with tasting of different
kinds of Armenian wine and national
dishes.
Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan. |
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Day 4 |
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Yerevan / Winery in Oshakan /
Sagmosavank / Amberd Fortress /
Dzoraghet
Start tour with visiting a wine
factory in Oshakan village. Here you
will have another opportunity to get
acquainted with the stories of the
wine and cognac producing. Lunch in
a wine cellar in Ashtarak tasting
home made dishes. Continue to
Saghmossavank medieval monastery,
situated in the breathtaking site,
at the deep canyon of Ashtarak. Tour
to Fortress of Amberd, 9th century,
6 km from the village of Byurakan,
stands halfway up Mt. Aragats, at
the height of 2300m. The fortress
stands on a rocky cape formed by the
rivers Amberd and Arkhashen. There
are also vestiges of a fortified
three-storied palace, a church built
in 1026, a palace bathhouse with two
domes, a central heating system,
water tanks, a water-supply system,
and a secret passage to a nearby
cleft, and other buildings. Drive to
the northern part of Armenia.
Dinner and overnight in Dzoraghet. |
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Day 5 |
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Haghpat
Monastery / Ijevan Winery / White
Wine Tasting / Dilijan resort / Lake
Sevan
Start tour to Haghpat monastic
complex which is one of highligts of
UNESCO. It’s located in a fantastic
scenary on the top of Debet gorge.
Haghpat monastery was one of the
largest religious, cultural and
educational centers of medieval
Armenia. Continue to Ijevan city,
the administrative center of Tavush
region. Here visit Ijevan winery
famous for it’s white wine
production. Continue to Dilijan
resort where you can have a pleasant
walk through a museum street with
the ceramics workshop and
woodcarvers’ studio. In the late
afternoon drive to Lake Sevan - the
pearl of Armenian nature. About 70
miles north of Yerevan sits lake
Sevan. This huge mountain lake which
takes up to 5% of Armenia's surface
area and is about 2,000 meters above
sea level is one of the highest
among the freshwater lakes in the
world. Visit also Sevan monasteries
on the peninsula.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel
Avan Marak Tsapatagh in Sevan. |
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Day 6 |
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Lake Sevan
/ Noraduz Cemetry / Selim
Caravanserai / Noravank Monastery /
Areni Wine Factory / Red Wine
Tasting
Start tour to Noraduz ancient
cemetery with medieval khachkars
(cross-stones) dating back to 6th c.
Drive to Vayots Dzor region through
Selim Pass visiting the caravanserai
(XIV c.). The Selim caravanseray was
built in 1332 by Prince Chesar
Orbelian, according to an
inscription in Armenian and Arabic,
this used to be an important trade
point in the famous Silk Road.
During the lunch time you will
already be in Noravank and will
taste pure organic lunch in a cave
café designed in ancient Armenian
style. Sightseeing in Noravank
monastery - a great religious and
cultural centre of 12th c. On the
way visit Areni wine factory to
taste local wine made from special
sorts of vines. Noravank ("New
Monasterey") is 122 km away from
Yerevan and is located in an
inaccessible location throughout the
stunning nature. The oldest
structure of the monastery is the
church of St. Karapet (9-10 c) that
has not survived. The principal
church is known as St. Karapet as
well, which was built in the 13th c.
The church has an atrium, which was
rebuilt by the famous architect and
sculptor Momik and is decorated with
bas-relives on religious themes.
Drive to Yerevan on the way visiting
Khor-Virap monastery 4- 17th cc. 45
km. from Yerevan. This monastery of
Khor-Virap has a very rich history,
both religious and secular. Khor
Virap was built in Artashat during
the reign of the Arshakids dynasty.
At that time it was used as a pit-
dungeon for convicts. In the 60s of
the 4th century Artashat was ruined
by Persian invaders. It is situated
in the Ararat valley against the
biblical Ararat Mountain, were
Noah's arch cast anchor. The
importance of it is connected with
Gregory the Illuminator, who
introduced Christianity to Armenia
and is considered to be the first
Armenian catholicos.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in
Yerevan. |
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Day 7 |
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Yerevan /
Garni /Geghard / Vernisage / Yerevan
Departure to Garni Temple. The
citadel and pagan temple of Garni is
a picturesque monument of the
Hellenistic period and an impressive
piece of ancient Armenian
architecture. It was built in the
first century A.D. by the Armenian
King Tiridates and it is dedicated
to a heathen god, probably to Mithra,
the god of the sun whose figure
stood in the depth of the sanctuary.
After proclaiming Christianity as a
state religion in Armenia in 301,
the temple was probably used as a
summer residence of the kings. Lunch
at a local house in Garni where you
will have opportunity to watch
Armenian national bread "lavash"
baking and barbeque making process
in the underground stove called "tonir".
Northeast of Garni, higher up the
gorge of the Azat river, there is a
magnificent monument of medieval
Armenian architecture - Geghard
monastery inscribed in UNESCO World
Heritage list (inscribed in UNESCO
World Heritage list). Geghard is
another incredible ancient Armenian
monastery, partly carved out of a
mountain. The meaning "the Monastery
of the Spear", originates from the
spear which had wounded Jesus during
his crucifixion, allegedly brought
to Armenia by Apostle Thaddeus, and
stored amongst many other relics.
Now the historical spear is
displayed in the Etchmiadzin
treasury. Though the monastery of
Gueghard was around before the 4th
century, the main cathedral was
built in 1215. The entrance of the
compound is surrounded by high walls
on three sides and mountain on the
other. Outside the monastery complex
there are some caves which have a
bunch of little cave rooms and are
quite interesting. Return back. In
the second half of the day visit
open air market Vernissage that
bustles with hundreds of vendors
selling a variety of crafts on
weekends. The market offers
woodcarving, antiques, fine lace,
and the hand-knotted wool carpets
and kilims that are a Caucasus
specialty.
Farewell dinner and overnight at the
hotel in Yerevan. |
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Day 8 |
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Departure
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to
the airport |
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Other details available upon request
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Note:
Duration of the tour must be fit to your
arrival and departure Flights. |
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Airport - Hotel - Airport
Transfer |
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Inland transportation |
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Tour Guide |
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Hotel Accommodation (in the
cities) Double room |
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FB Meal: BLD |
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1
bottle of mineral water per
person per day |
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Museums Entrance fees |
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Meeting dinner at the restaurant |
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Leaving party at the National
restaurant |
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Wine tasting |
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Air
fare |
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Single room supplement
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Meals except described |
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Alcoholic beverages |
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Travel insurance
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