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Home , Dilijan, Geghard, Khor Virap, Yerevan History Museum, Yerevan Lake

Armenia – The Homeland Of Wine Special Tour to the Wine Festival in Areni 2013

Day 0, 01.10.2013. Departure with Austrian Airlines

Departure with Austrian Airlines from Vienna at 22:20. (The journey can also be started at any other European Destination offered in the Austrian Airlines’ Network).

Day 1, 02.10.2013. Arrival- City Tour (80km)

Arrival at Yerevan, Zvartnots International airport, at 3:35 (02.10.2013). Meeting and Transfer to the hotel, Check-In at the hotel.

After having a rest, meet your tour guide and start a city tour round Yerevan. The contemporary capital of is one of the oldest cities in the world founded in 782 BC. During the tour you will visit Erebouni Museum of the History of the Foundation of Yerevan which stands at the foot of the Arin hill, on the top of which the Urartian Fortress Erebouni has been constructed. The next visit is which throws light on the history of the city beginning from ancient times up to our days. Visiting Memorial Complex dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Welcome dinner at the restaurant with national cuisine and folk music. Return to Hotel. Overnight at the 4**** hotel (Yerevan).

Day 2, 03.10.2013. -Gegard-Yerevan (70km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the History Museum of Armenia, where you will get acquainted with a large collection of materials connected with the and ancient eastern countries in the Armenian Highland. Drive to Garni Temple (1st A.D.) – the only "witness" of the Hellenistic Epoch in the territory of CIS. The temple is dedicated to Mithra, the God of Sun.

Lunch at the restaurant with fabulous view of the pagan temple with the exclusive opportunity to participate at a “Lavash baking” master class.

Then you will continue the tour to Monastery (12-13th century). Geghard Monastery Complex was initially known as Ayrrivank (Cave Monastery). The name refers to the biblical lance with which a Roman soldier pierced Christ's body. Hundreds of (cross-stones) and caves can be observed in the rocks surrounding the Monastery. The Monastery and the Upper Valley are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Return to Yerevan with stop at the Charents's Arch. It is from here that one of the greatest Armenian poets of the 20th century admired the view of the double-peaked Ararat. Here you can enjoy the great Armenian poet's poems dedicated to Ararat: (Pass the whole world, there's no summit as white as that of Ararat, Like glory road, unreachable, I love as well my Mount Massis). Return to Yerevan. Overnight at the hotel (Yerevan).

Day 3, 04.10.2013. Yerevan-Echmiadzin-Zvartnots-Yerevan (70km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit – one of the unique institutes of ancient manuscripts in the world. Excursion to centuries-old monuments Echmiadzin and Zvartnots listed on UNESCO World Heritage list. Visiting the churches of three Holy Virgins: centre-domed cruciform Church of Saint Hripsimeh (618), domical of Saint Gayaneh (630) and 'domed gallery' type Church of Shoghakat (1694). The Cathedral of Echmiadzin (303) is the official residence of the Armenian . At the Museum of the Mother Cathedral you will see many reliquaries: the Holy Lance (called "geghart" in Armenian) which pierced the side of Christ, housed in a silver reliquary; the relics of Noah's Ark in a reliquary that was created in 1698; "Khotekerats Sourp Nishan" reliquary with the relic of Jesus Christ's wooden cross (914-929) on which it is supposed that Jesus Christ was crucified; the cross of King Ashot Yerkat with its chest, one of the oldest processional crosses in existence. Visit Zvartnots (7th century) – a Temple of Vigil Forces.

Return to Yerevan. Excursion in Yerevan to the Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka factory. During the tour you will visit the distillation department, cooperage department, the museum, wine-cellar, where the old wines and the famous "Noah" brandies can be tasted.

Return to hotel. Overnight at the hotel (Yerevan).

Day 4, 05.10.2013. Yerevan---Areni Wine Festival (250km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Trip to Khor Virap Monastery Complex (4-18th century) the importance of which is connected with , the first Catholic, who introduced in Armenia. On the way to Khor Virap Monastery you can enjoy the spectacular view of the sacred Ararat Mountain – an immortal symbol of Armenia. Then excursion to Noravank Monastery (13-14th century), situated among amazing sheer rocks on the bank of a twisty gorge.

Drive to Areni village. Participate in the Areni Wine Festival.

Enjoy the following program: 1. Opening ceremony 2. Armenian Wine-makers' Fair; public and professional wine tasting 3. Contests 4. Presentation of the history and development of Armenian winery as well as the show of the excavated ancient place and winemaking findings. 5. Folk music, dances, games, theatrical performances 6. Visit to the church in the village 7. The closing ceremony.

Dinner in the open air restaurant. Armenian barbeque master class. Afterwards return to Yerevan. Overnight at the hotel (Yerevan).

Day 5, 06.10.2013. Yerevan--Dilijan-Haghartsin-Yerevan (240km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out from the hotel. Trip to the "Armenian Pearl" – Lake Sevan which is the 2nd highest lake in the world with its sweet and astonishingly blue water. Visiting Moanstery in Sevan peninsula. Continue the tour to the town of Dilijan where you join a walking city-tour round Old Dilijan with visiting the Dilijan Branch of National Museum of Folk Art after V. Sharambeyan. Trip to (10-13th century) which became a great cultural and religious center of the region in the 12th century. Dinner at the restaurant next to the Aghstev river.

Return to Yerevan and transfer to the airport 3 hours before flight. Departure at 4:25 with Austrian Airlines (07.10.2013). Arrival in Vienna at 06:05 (07.10.2013).

"SacVoyage Travel" LLC RA,Yerevan ,2/80 Baghramyan Str., Tel/Fax: +374 10 547272; +374 60 440077 Mob:+374 93 6 1234 8; Mob:+374 77 6 1234 8 www.sacvoyage.am; e-mail: [email protected] Skype: maytokhal; ICQ:582201589