from 1 review
10-11 hours
Daily Tour
Armenian, English, Russian
is a private day trip from Yerevan that brings you to medieval church sites and the historic city of Gyumri with time to experience each place at your own pace. The tour lasts around 11 to 12 hours. The sites are located in the Aragatsotn and Shirak regions.
1. The first stop is near the western foot of Mount Aragats, where you’ll find a magnificent medieval monastery built by Armenian prince Grigor Mamikonian between 661 and 682. Aruchavank is partially in ruins, but once it was one of the largest monasteries in Armenia. It featured frescoes depicting the Resurrection of Christ and a seven-meter-tall fresco of Jesus Christ holding a manuscript. The cathedral was architecturally similar to the Catholicos residence in Dvin.
2. The next stop is Harichavank. The name Harich means “fortress,” so Harichavank translates to “fortress monastery.” The site is truly exquisite. Construction began in the 7th century and was completed in the 13th century.
3. Next is Gyumri, the second-largest city in Armenia. It is also one of the most beloved cities in the country. Often considered the cultural capital of Armenia, Gyumri is known for its distinct two-story black buildings made of dark tufa stone, featuring facades with traditional Armenian reliefs and houses with ornate iron balconies
Gyumri is famous for its artists, architecture, and unique sense of humor. During the Gyumri city tour, we will visit several important sightseeings, including Vardanants Square, the Mother Armenia monument, the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, and Sev Berd (the Black Fortress).
4. After that, the tour continues to Marmashen, in the Shirak region. This majestic 10th-century monastic complex is located on a plateau above the Akhuryan River, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. The monastery was founded by Prince Vahram Pahlavuni in the 10th century. The main church is dedicated to Saint Stephen and stands as a powerful example of Armenian Bagratid-era architecture.
Walking through historic sites and a city with such deep cultural layers creates a sense of continuity with the past. In Gyumri, you’ll feel the character of the city in its architecture and everyday life, and the quieter monastery sites offer moments of reflection and calm.
At the end of this unforgettable journey, you’ll return to Yerevan with lasting memories of Armenia’s northern treasures — making this Gyumri day trip a perfect blend of history, culture, and scenic beauty.
All private tours can be changed upon request.
Your private driver and guide meet you at your hotel in Yerevan. The drive to western Armenia takes approximately 1.5 hours through the Aragats region — a landscape of broad volcanic plains and ancient villages rarely seen by tourists.
First stop at the remarkable Cathedral of Aruch — one of the most architecturally significant Armenian churches of the early Middle Ages, built between 661 and 682 AD by Prince Grigor Mamikonian when the city of Aruch served as the capital of Armenia. The vast domed basilica was once surrounded by a royal palace complex whose ruins are still visible. Aruchavank is little known outside Armenia yet stands as one of the grandest early Christian monuments in the entire Caucasus.
Continue northwest to the Marmarashen Monastery complex - a group of three churches built between the 10th and 13th centuries on a beautiful bend of the Akhurian River. Founded by the Pahlavuni dynasty, Marmarashen was one of the most original monastic complexes in medieval Armenia. Quiet, rarely visited and genuinely beautiful, this is one of those places your guide will bring to life with stories that cannot be found in guidebooks.
Arrive in Gyumri - Armenia's second largest city and its cultural soul. Built entirely from the dark red-black volcanic tuff of the Shirak region, Gyumri has a completely different character from Yerevan - older, warmer, prouder. Walk through the Kumayri historic district with its beautifully preserved 19th-century merchant mansions, narrow lanes and ornate facades. Visit the Black Fortress - a Russian military fortification built in 1834 that now watches over the city. Lunch at a local Gyumri restaurant where the food is distinctly different from the capital.
Lunch at a traditional Gyumri restaurant. Can be added in Extras when booking.
The final stop - the 7th-century monastery complex of Harichavank on the western slope of Mount Aragats, perched on a rocky cape above a canyon. In the 19th century it served as the summer residence of the Armenian Catholicoi. Just beside the main complex stands one of the most extraordinary sights in Armenia - a small chapel built on a piece of rock that split from the cape during an earthquake, now leaning at an angle above the gorge below, somehow still standing after centuries.
Мой день в Шираке, под впечатлением от Гюмри