Easter Holidays in the First Christian Country in the World

– Transfer to the hotel.
– Breakfast at the hotel.
– Yerevan City tour. You will have an opportunity to see the most important places and buildings including Republic Square, Yerevan State University, Victory Bridge, Sports & Concerts complex, Kiev Bridge, Parliament, Palace of President, Academy of Sciences and Opera house. Mother Armenia or “Mayr – Hayastan” with panoramic view of Yerevan.
– State History Museum of Armenia where you can trace not only history of Armenia but history of mankind as well. Some of items date back to 3rd to 2nd millennia BC bronze.
– “Matenadaran” – research institute-museum, and repository of ancient manuscripts collections in the world.
– Megerian Carpet factory has an admirable wide range of hand-knotted carpets.
– Welcome dinner.

– Breakfast at the hotel.
– Khor Virap is an Armenian Apostolic Church monastery located in the Ararat valley in Armenia, bordering with Turkey. This wonderful masterwork of Armenian sacred architecture situated on top of a hill with the best view to the biblical Mt. Ararat.
– The drive through a narrow canyon to the valley of red rocks brings us to Noravank monastery.
– Lunch.
– En route, before Noravank we will enter Areni winery for tasting of Armenian wine.
– Return to Yerevan.
– Evening Candlelight Divine Liturgy at the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral as on the Holy Saturday, Christ’s destruction of hell and His liberation of righteous souls are commemorated.

Holy Sunday, the day of Easter Eve – the feast of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
– Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is the religious center of all Armenians around the world for observing the Easter Eve celebration and taking part in the Divine Liturgy. The Holy Spear, one of the relics of Christianity is kept here.
Note: On Easter, hearing the good news of Resurrection “Christ has risen from the dead”, we answer: “Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ”.
– St. Hripsime and St. Gayane cathedrals.
– Zvartnots Cathedral, the pearl of Armenian medieval architecture.
– Return to Yerevan.
– Genocide Memorial complex and museum – dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians perished in the first genocide of the 20th century.
– Evening is at your disposal.

– Drive along scenic Azat River Canyon to Geghard Cave Monastery (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
– Garni village, where the Hellenistic-inspired Garni temple lies (66 AD). Here we will enjoy sounds of the Armenian national instrument – ‘duduk’.
– Lunch and baking process of Armenian traditional bread – ‘’lavash” in Garni village with an Armenian rural family.
– Return to Yerevan.
– Vernissage is an open air market for handcrafts, paintings, jewelry and souvenirs.
– Leisure time to enjoy Yerevan.

– Transfer to the airport.
– Departure.