Blessing of Grapes August 13-24

Choosing this tour package you’ll have a unique opportunity to participate in one of the most important Armenian festivals, Blessing of Grapes Ceremony which is held on 15 August of 2010 in Echmiadzin town. In Armenia it isn’t allowed to eat grapes before they are blessed. In August the Armenian Apostolic Church is celebrating the feast “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” -the blessing of grapes. In August by the time of this festival the grapes ripen. On the Feast of the Assumption of St. Mary, the Ceremony of the Blessing of the Grapes is conducted, and the harvest for the entire year is blessed on that day. Our clergymen had chosen grape for benediction since Christ blessed the wine made from grapes and gave it to his disciples as a symbol of his vital blood. The same blessed grape would become blessed wine, and from that very grape people preserved a bit for the next year grape blessing ceremony as a sign of richness and abundance.   Learn more…

August 13 – Day 1

Arrival at Zvartnotz International Airport. Our tourist guide will welcome you at the airport. Transfer to the hotel/apartment in Yerevan.

August 14 – Day 2

YEREVAN CITY TOUR  - Drive through the central streets of Yerevan: Republic Square, Opera House, “Cascade” Monument and Stairs, "Mother Armenia" Monument with a breathtaking view of Yerevan, Victory Bridge, Hrazdan Stadium, Sports and Concerts Center, Presidential Palace, National Assembly Building, Academy of Sciences, Tsitsernakaberd-Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex and Museum.

Visit Matenadaran, a unique Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts and a Museum.
Matenadaran is the largest center of study and safekeeping of Armenian manuscripts in the world.

Lunch in a traditional Armenian restaurant, where you’ll enjoy the best dishes of the miraculous Armenian cuisine. Overnight in Yerevan.

August 15 – Day 3 “BLESSING OF GRAPES FESTIVAL”

Leave for Echmiadzin town, the Holy See of the Armenian Apostolic Church, where the Armenian Catholicos (Supreme Patriarch) resides.
Visit St. Hripsime Church which was built in 7^th century and is considered a masterpiece of early medieval Armenian architecture.

Continue to Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral. Historically, it is the focal point of the town of Echmiadzin, and it’s the oldest church in the world. It was originally built by Saint Gregory the Illuminator as a vaulted basilica in 301-303A.D., when Armenia was the only country in the world the state religion of which was Christianity. The church was built on the place of a pagan temple, the remains of which can be seen until now. The Etchmiadzin Cathedral is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Participate in the festival of “Blessing of grapes”.

On the way back to Yerevan visit the Ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral. Zvartnots  was a majestic cathedral dedicated to St. Gregory. Zvartnots, built as Armenia's main cathedral in 641-661A.D. was to suppress the Echmiadzin Cathedral by its grandeur. The remnants of Zvartnots, even in ruins, are a majestic sight. The Ruins of Zvartnots are listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Lunch in a traditional Armenian restaurant. Overnight in Yerevan.

August 16 – Day 4

Tour to Garni Pagan Temple and Geghard Monastery. The Pagan Temple of Garni is the only non-Christian temple currently standing in Armenia. Gracing the hillside the pagan temple was dedicated to the God of Sun, Mithra. It was built in 77A.D. by the Armenian King Trdat I. The architectural complex of Garni was Armenia's foremost center of Hellenistic culture and the summer residence of Armenian kings. The fortress is situated in a picturesque locality and commands a broad panorama of orchards, fields and mountain slopes covered with motley carpets of varicolored grasses, of the jagged and precipitous canyon of the Azat river. The artistic merit and uniqueness of its monuments place Garni among outstanding creations of architecture of world importance.

Driving for 9 more kilometers from Garni, you'll reach the Monastery of Geghard, which is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Geghard is an incredible ancient Armenian monastery, partly carved out of a mountain. Though the monastery has been around since before the 4^th century, the main cathedral was built in 1215.It is said that the holy lance that pierced the body of Christ was kept here. The architectural forms and the decoration of Geghard's rock premises show that Armenian builders could not only create superb works of architecture out of stone, but also hew them in solid rock. Lunch in an Armenian peasant house in Garni village.
Overnight in Yerevan.

August 17– Day 5

Tours around the Lake Sevan. Drive to the Lake Sevan, nicknamed as “the blue-eyed bride of Armenia”. It’s one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the world situated at 1900meters above sea level. It takes up 5% of Armenia and it’s the main source of fresh water of the country. Visit Sevanavank Monastery (9^th century) on a peninsula which used to be an island before 1920’s. Then drive to the opposite shore of the lake to visit the tiny but very beautiful church of Hayravank (9-12^th centuries)on the shores of the lake.

Visit the impressive field of Armenian stone-crosses – Noradouz cemetery. This is the biggest forest of stone-crosses in the territory of the Republic of Armenia where you can find approximately 900 stone-crosses, which are different from each other. Lunch in a nice beach-side restaurant where you’ll try the barbeque of the fish from the lake. Overnight in a resort on the shores of the Lake Sevan.

August 18– Day 6

Explore the exotic beauty of Dilijan resort town, named “a piece of Switzerland in Armenia”. Visit the old part of Dilijan town, Shamberian street, the Museum of Ethnography and History of Dilijan. Drive to the Lake Parz (“Clear” lake), a small lake in the middle of a dense forest. Have a lunch in an Armenian family in Dilijan town. Then continue to Haghartsin and Goshavank Monasteries.

Haghartsin Monastery is nestled in a temperate rainforest on a mountainside. It is one of those spots in Armenia that feels like you are walking through a huge, unreal movie set. It was founded in the 12-13^th centuries. It was a scholarly, cultural, and educational center in the Middle Ages.

Goshavank Monastery was erected in place of an older monastery, named Getik, which had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1188. Mkhitar Gosh, a statesman, an outstanding scientist and a writer, an author of numerous fables and parables and of the first criminal code, took part in the construction of the monastery, which was named as Goshavank in his honor. Dinner. Overnight in Dilijan.

August 19– Day 7

Visit the Carpet Factory of Dilijan. Hiking tour to Jukhtak Vank Monastery, nestled in an attractive forest grove. The near church, St. Grigor, was built probably in the 11^th or 12^th century. Lunch in Dilijan. Then drive to Ijevan town. Have a stroll in the Park of "Sculptures" of Ijevan. Visit Ijevan Wine Factory. Dinner. Overnight in Dilijan.

August 20– Day 8

Drive to Lori region, the most beautiful forested area of Armenia with its miraculous mountainous woodlands and bottomless gorges.

Visit the masterpieces of medieval Armenian architecture, Sanahin and Haghpat Monasteries. Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries are huge complexes in the North of Armenia founded in 10-13th centuries. The both monasteries are outstanding masterpieces of Armenian architecture in which artistic merits transcended the limits of the national culture. They are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Lunch in a restaurant.

Visit Odzoun, a domed basilica church having earlier 6^th century origins as its architectural design suggests. Dinner. Overnight in Lori region in a hotel.

August 21– Day 9

Drive to Aragatsotn region at the foothills of Mount Aragats, the highest peak of Armenia.

Oshakan - St. Mashtots Church is where the primordial alphabet-giver, St. Mesrop Mashtots, is buried, just under the altar of the church. It's a hall-type church with frescoes. The church is surrounded by a garden with ornamented Armenian alphabet letter statues.

Visit Saghmosavank Monastery. It is situated on the edge of a deep gorge at the foot of Mt. Ara, with Mt. Ararat and Mt. Arargats rising majestically on the western and northern horizons. It's an 11^th century structure. Lunch in an Armenian peasant house.

Visit Karmravor, a tiny, but a very beautiful cruciform church dating from the 7^th century, in the town of Ashtarak. Its unique red tiled roofing came down to us completely unharmed.

Drive to Mughni’s St. Gevorg (St. George) Church, founded in the 13^th century and houses some relics of St. George. Especially striking is the black and orange striped dome of this church. It's surrounded by a beautiful garden of fruit trees and roses. Overnight in Yerevan.       

August 22– Day 10

Visit a Carpet Factory in Yerevan. You’ll get acquainted with the difficult and interesting process of carpet making. Shopping in Pak Shuka (“Close Market”), where you can taste and buy the delicious Armenian fruits, vegetables, dried-fruits and sweets. Visit Valmar Art Gallery. Lunch in an Armenian restaurant.
Visit the History Museum of Yerevan. The History Museum is one of the world’s great repositories of Armenian art. Its vast collections, comprising about 40.000 items, represent Armenia’s material culture from the remote past till the present day.

August 23– Day 11
Free day. Explore Yerevan on your own.

August 24– Day 12

Transfer to airport. Departure.

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