Yerevan: 4-Day UNESCO World Heritage & Culture Tour

Discover all of Armenia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visit majestic Etchmiadzin, rock-carved Geghard, and Zvartnots Temple on this journey through ancient history.
Day 1. Yerevan City Tour
Arrival at the airport. Transfer to Yerevan and hotel check-in. We begin with a walking city tour of Yerevan. The capital’s architecture is distinctive, blending diverse styles with green alleys and fountains. We will visit the Cascade Complex, a massive 500-meter staircase featuring fountains, flower beds, and an open-air museum displaying sculptures by international masters. Inside the complex is the Cafesjian Center for the Arts.

Day 2. Matenadaran – Etchmiadzin – Zvartnots
Breakfast at the hotel. First, we visit the Matenadaran (Institute of Ancient Manuscripts), housing specimens dating back to the 5th century. Next, we transfer to Vagharshapat to explore Armenia's key spiritual sites:
Saint Hripsime Church (7th Century): A UNESCO World Heritage Site built where the saint was martyred. Her tomb lies in the crypt beneath the altar.
Saint Gayane Church (630 AD): Also a UNESCO site, this church preserves its original architecture and 17th-century frescoes. Relics of Saint Gayane rest in the southern aisle.
Etchmiadzin Cathedral: The mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Finally, we visit the ruins of Zvartnots Temple. Destroyed by an earthquake, these magnificent 7th-century ruins are included in the UNESCO list. Return to Yerevan.

Day 3. Sanahin – Haghpat – Akhtala
Breakfast at the hotel. We travel to the Lori Region to visit two masterpieces of medieval architecture:
Sanahin Monastery: A UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 10th–13th centuries. In the same village, we will visit the Mikoyan Brothers Museum, dedicated to Anastas Mikoyan (Soviet politician) and Artem Mikoyan (designer of the MiG aircraft).
Haghpat Monastery: A significant spiritual center founded in 976 and inscribed on the UNESCO list. We continue to the Zarni-Parni Cave-Fortress Complex, located in a forest canyon, now a historical museum. The day ends at Akhtala Monastery, a 10th-century fortress and monastery on a high mountain ledge, renowned for its exquisite frescoes and tradition of international pilgrimage. Return to Yerevan.

Day 4. Garni Temple – Symphony of Stones – Geghard Monastery
Breakfast at the hotel.
Garni Temple: The only standing pagan temple in Armenia, built in the 1st century AD by King Trdat I and dedicated to the Sun God Mihr.
Symphony of Stones: We descend into the gorge to see this natural monument. The basalt columns resemble a giant musical organ.
Geghard Monastery (UNESCO): Known as the "Monastery of the Spear," this complex is partially carved out of the adjacent mountain. It is named after the Spear of Longinus, which was once kept here and is now displayed in the Etchmiadzin Museum.

Return to Yerevan. Transfer to the airport.

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