A quaint country in the caucus that shares a border with Georgia and Azerbaijan, Armenia is the perfect summer getaway. Apart from very many monasteries, there are plenty of fun things you can do in Armenia and weave memories for a lifetime. Even after visiting Azerbaijan and Georgia, Armenia was that piece that completed and gratified our Caucasian travels.

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We had Gira Travels tour us through Armenia. It was the same guide who covered us in Georgia so the acquaintance was already made. Armenia is a small country, hence travel is relatively less hectic. We used to start touring around 10:30 am and be back in the hotel by 6 pm. We used the soviet era metro to commute in the city.

Nightlife in Armenia is exciting much. The city never sleeps and exudes its charm like a lady –  luring visitors and tourists with her looks and vibes. We used to hang out at the Republican Square and dine at the Dors Craft Beer & Kitchen in Yerevan. Their beer shots and Margheritas were simply out of the world.

 

Day 1

After checking in at the hotel, we explored Yerevan locally. We used public transport to commute, and it was pretty exciting to do so. We visited some of the parks, explored a few cafes and called it a day.

Day 2

We started to Tsaghkdzor, a popular ski resort located in Central Armenia. Tsaghkdzor is also called the valley of flowers (as enlightened by Arman our guide) and the journey was quite panoramic. We were headed to the ski resort and take the ropeway to Mount Teghanis. The weather was very pleasant, and we quite enjoyed the cable car ride and soaked in the beauty of the picturesque mountains wreathed in an assortment of flowers.

We also covered Lake Sevan (which is the largest freshwater lake in the whole Caucasus) and the Haghartstin Moanastery complex in Dilijan town. The monasteries in Armenia are such medieval beauties and ruminate piety in abundance. This monastery was just a prologue to the monastery days ahead.

 

At night, we took the train to the republican square enjoyed the musical fountain and headed out for some beer tasting. This became our nightly ritual until we left Armenia.

Day 3

This was the highlight tour of our stay in Armenia with a potpourri of activities. Started with the usual monastery visit – Khor Virap Monastery. After some serious sanctity sinned in wine tasting at Areni Winery. Culminated the day by visiting an ancient cave and a monastery again.

The Areni wine factory is a cosy little wine-tasting place. Their homemade chocolates were as good as their assortment of wines. The winery was better than I anticipated.

The Areni cave is an intriguing one. This cave is famous for its ancient wine-making practices, the discovery of the world’s first leather shoe and some eccentric rituals of the BCs. Though excavation is still going on we could tour some interiors of this eerie cave.

Perched atop a hill, sits the Noravank Monastery Complex. This Monastery is a scenic beauty to behold. The 13^th-century church is an architectural marvel and its location is equalling compelling.

Day 4

This was an exciting day for we were going to see snow in peak summer. Mount Aragats boasts of snow even during summer besides being mysterious with gravity. The mountain is a scenic yet difficult ride up to witness the zero-gravity anomaly. This mountain is one of the fewest places in the world with reverse gravity. On reaching the snow-capped mountain we hiked a little to play in the snow. The mountain is just splendid with a small lake, misty meadows, and lavenders in full bloom.

En route to the mountain, we visited the Saghmosavank Monastery. This monastery overlooks the canyon of the Kasakh river and visiting it is worth your Instagram story. Its location is spectacular and magical.

The Alphabet monument is also an intriguing place to visit in Armenia. It is a small place with Armenian letters carved and placed. We visited it on our way to Mount Aragats.

Day 5

The last day in the beautiful country and indeed I was emotional. Now it was time for one last tour of the country. We checked out from the hotel and headed out to visit Garni and Yerevan Zoo. ( changed the itinerary a bit for our son who loves animals more than humans).

Garni temple is perhaps the only standing pagan temple in Armenia with Greco-Roman vestiges. This Hellenic temple overlooking a canyon has a fascinating history which makes it phenomenal.

Not far from Garni is located the ‘symphony of stones’. A visual wonder of nature, this is a must-visit place in Armenia. The natural monument formed out of horizontal volcanic stones resembles an organ. More so, this place reminded me of one of those exciting locations from Game of Thrones. A small river runs parallel to this place making it a true symphony of nature.

Our last monastery in Armenia was the Ghegard Monastery. Situated in the same area as Garni we covered it before bidding adieu to this wonderful country and people. We skipped the city tour and souvenir market and roamed in a mall for some shopping. The Armenian women are so gorgeous and their dressing so chic that I was desperate to shop in Armenia.

We did a lot many things in Armenia and this was our perfect escape to beat the heat in the middle east. Armenia is indeed a perfect summer getaway!

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