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ARMENNIA |
Armenia is a small country with a big history, which extends from Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat to the wars of the 1990s which produced the tiny non-state of Ngorno-Karabakh. Mount Ararat is not actually within the borders of the post-Soviet country of Armenia, but you'd never know it: it is visible from much of the country including its capital Yerevan, and its distinctive snow-capped cone has been adopted as the symbol of the country, a reminder that Armenia feels that it is geographically truncated, having lost 'western Armenia' to Turkey at the break-up of the Ottoman empire. Yerevan, which sits in the middle of the country, is a 1930's new town, its broad avenues lined with grand Soviet buildings made from surprisingly pink tufa. It boasts several excellent museums, including the Matenadaran, a national shrine which houses a beautiful collection of manuscripts saved from the genocide. The north of the country is characterised by wooded gorges hiding ancient monasteries and small towns struggling towards prosperity amongst the detritus of their Soviet past. The road south from Yerevan goes over a couple of mountain passes before descending into more arid country around Goris, a handsome stone-built town which serves as a base for visits to Tatev monastery, the most picturesque of them all, and into Ngorno-Karabakh, Armenia's young, and as yet unacknowledged, neighbour. The Armenians themselves are friendly to a fault, very proud of their country and eager to welcome visitors. The size of the country lends itself perfectly to a week-long trip with three nights spent in Yerevan, two based in Dilijan in the north and two in Goris in the south. This itinerary could happily be extended to take in Georgia and/or the Georgian and Armenian churches of north-east Turkey, including the magnificent site of Ani, the ancient Armenian capital. Get in touch if you’d like to discuss or plan this tour at info@theeviaschool.com |
