From Tbilisi: Armenia Day Trip with Monasteries & Museum

Explore Armenia on a day trip from Tbilisi. Visit the Akhtala, Haghpat, and Sanahin monasteries, and learn about the Mikoyan brothers at the Mikoyan Brothers Museum.
Begin your journey from Tbilisi and head to the "They Will Grow Again" monument. Admire the large-scale sculpture of a mother with two sons clutching a huge sword. Erected in 1975, this monument speaks of the willingness to defend the homeland and the endless cycle of life that cannot be broken.

Next, visit the Akhtala Monastery, a 10th-century Armenian monastery and fortress located on a small plateau in the Debed River gorge. Originally a monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Church, it passed to the Armenian Chalcedonians in the 13th century and functioned under the jurisdiction of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Admire the surviving 13th-century frescoes that blend Armenian, Greek, and Georgian influences. The complex includes the main church, the Church of the Holy Mother of God (Surb Astvatsatsin), as well as the ruins of defensive fortifications dating from the 10th to 13th centuries, the Church of St. Basil, and four chapel-churches.

Continue to the Haghpat Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in 976 under Ashot III the Merciful Bagratuni. It includes the churches of Saints Nshan, Astvatsatsin (Mother of God), and Gregory, as well as a parish, chapel, library, bell tower, refectory, tomb chapels, and khachkars (cross-stones).

In the 10th to 13th centuries, it was one of the centers of spiritual culture in Armenia, a large monastic estate with extensive lands. A school of miniaturists operated here, and the "Haghpat Gospel" was created in 1211. A spring, built in 1258, is also located on the monastery grounds.

Next, visit the Sanahin Monastery, an ancient Armenian monastery in the mountains of what is now the Lori region. It was founded in the 10th century. Along with Haghpat, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the 10th–11th centuries, it was a cultural center with a university and a well-stocked library. It includes the churches of Saints Astvatsatsin (Mother of God) and Amenaprkich (All-Savior), three parishes, a library, a bell tower, an academy, and the chapel of Saint Gregory.

More than 50 khachkars (cross-stones) have been preserved within the complex, including works by Grigory Tutevordi and Sarkis. In the small village of Sanahin, next to the ancient monastery, stands a unique memorial dedicated to two brothers whose names changed the history of the 20th century.

Finally, visit the Mikoyan Brothers Museum. See a genuine MiG-21 fighter jet, a prime photo spot. Admire a government-issued GAZ-13 "Chaika" vehicle, which belonged to Anastas Mikoyan. Personal belongings, rare archival documents, and photographs tell the story of the brothers' lives—from village boys to the heights of global politics and engineering.

Om de beschikbaarheid te garanderen, dient u zo snel mogelijk te reserveren. Vroegboekkorting is het overwegen waard, vooral als u de reis plant tijdens het hoogseizoen, zoals op feestdagen of in het weekend.

Deze excursie kunt u kosteloos annuleren tot: annuleringstijd voor aanvang van de reis. Bij annulering na: annulering na: annuleringstijd of niet aanwezig zijn op de excursie wordt de volledige prijs van de activiteit alsnog in rekening gebracht. Te laat komen bij het ophalen of vertrekken wordt beschouwd als niet komen opdagen.