5 / 5 - One review
How to get there
40min drive from Yerevan
When to go
All year round
Minimum stay
1 to 2 days
Vayots Dzor Province (Armenia)
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Rita Willaert
Practical information about Vayots Dzor Province
Reviews of Vayots Dzor Province
Vayots Dzor has a lot of selling points. Being a sparsely populated region of Armenia, it's mountainous, rural and unscarred by industry. With its jagged, bare reliefs, its hot, sunny climate and its rich cultural heritage, it epitomises the beauty of Armenia.
My suggestion:
Stay in the Yeghegis Valley so you can tour Vayots Dzor, particularly if you enjoy hiking. You'll be able to easily reach the region's major sites. Smbat's fortress, Spitakavor, Tsakhats Kar and Shativank are all accessible by foot...
Summary:
Vayots Dzor is on my list of Armenia's most beautiful regions. This small region is charming, relatively free of Soviet monstrosities, dotted by rocky mountains, vineyards and secluded monasteries.
First of all, it has a wonderful, southern, almost Mediterranean feel. Its fertile valleys are dotted with vines and fruit trees, its mountain peaks clearly visible and its gorges stunning... What's more, its dry, hot climate means it's light and bright. Between the beautiful landscape and places to see it, it's the perfect place to go hiking!
Vayots Dzor is home to numerous, major, historic sites, often nestled in idyllic surroundings. There are the Noravank, Tanahati and Tsakhats Kar Monasteries, Smbat's fortress, the Selim Caravanserai, which is the best preserved in the country, not forgetting the Areni-1 Caves, where the first shoe in history was discovered! As for Areni...you must sample its wine! And as for the towns, they're all built on a human scale. Yeghegnadzor is a beautiful natural site and Jermuk, which sits above the lush Apra Gorge, is a popular thermal spa town.
©
Rita Willaert
100 travellers' photos
