Khor Virap, Noravank, Areni Winery & Jermuk Day Tour

Today, we will visit the iconic Khor Virap Monastery, right on the foot of the biblical Mt. Ararat. The legend of this monastery is associated with St. Gregory the Illuminator, who was imprisoned here for 13 years. This is one of the primary tourist sites in Armenia with its panoramic view of Mount Ararat and the Turkish border. You can take lunch in one of the best places in Yeghegnadzor village. The next site is Noravank Monastery, known for its brick-red cliffs; it is located in a narrow gorge of Amaghu River. A gem of the Armenian medieval architecture, the 13th century monastery is the masterpiece of Master Momik. Stop by Areni village, and enjoy some wine-tasting at Areni Winery. After that, we will visit Jermuk, the leading Armenian spa city, which annually hosts not only a huge number of tourists but also a myriad of people from all over the world who go there for health and treatment purposes. The city is divided into two parts by the splendid gorge of Arpa River. The mineral waters of Jermuk have been used by both ordinary people and Armenian princes to treat various diseases. This statement is supported by the remains of the medieval pools uncovered there and reconstructed in the 19th century. Some of the diseases that are presently treated in the spa town are – diseases of gastro-enteric tract (such as gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenum, hepatitis, pancreatitis and colitis), diseases of urogenital system (such as inflammation of urinary bladder and chronic inflammation of sexual organs), diseases of respiratory and nervous systems, infringement of metabolism (such as diabetes mellitus and adiposity) and so on. Return to Yerevan at the end of the day tour.