Areni Wineries, Noravank and Yeghegnadzor

Vayots Dzor Province, about 120 to 130 km south-east of Yerevan, Armenia, is the country's main wine region and the setting for Areni village, Noravank Monastery and the town of Yeghegnadzor. The journey takes about two to two hours 45 minutes each way, so this is a long day with a dawn start. Buses and marshrutkas run from Kilikia Bus Station on Budapest Street to Yeghegnadzor several times a day for about 1,200 to 2,000 AMD, and a taxi from Yeghegnadzor to Noravank costs about 2,500 AMD. Full-day tours, often combined with Khor Virap, start from about USD 40 per person and last around nine hours. Noravank is a thirteenth-century monastery complex in a narrow canyon of red cliffs, known for the two-storey Surb Astvatsatsin church with its narrow external staircase. Areni is known for its wineries and for the Areni-1 cave nearby, where archaeologists found one of the oldest known wine-making sites. Visitors can taste local wines, including the Areni grape variety, and fruit wines such as pomegranate. Tasting prices are set by each winery. Yeghegnadzor offers cafes and shops for lunch. A suggested arc is to depart Yerevan around 07:00, stop at Khor Virap if on a tour, reach Noravank by late morning, taste wine and eat in Areni around midday, and return in the afternoon. Because of the distance and the limited public transport, many visitors prefer a tour or a hired driver. September is the grape harvest season, and May to June and September to October are the most comfortable. Summers can be hot in the valley, and winter roads may be icy. Meals typically include grilled meat, fresh bread, local cheeses and dried fruit.