From Blue Sevan to the Green Forests of Dilijan

One day, two completely different Armenias. What makes this route so beautiful is its contrast. In the morning we see the vast blue expanse of Sevan and an ancient monastery on the heights. Then we cross a mountain pass, and within a surprisingly short time the landscape changes completely: the dry highlands stay behind, and dense forests, green gorges and the mountains of Tavush appear ahead. Then comes cosy Dilijan, the ancient monasteries of Haghartsin and Goshavank, and little Lake Parz in the forest. This is one of those routes where the road itself becomes part of the journey.

This is a private tour, starting directly from your address in Yerevan and returning to the address of your choice. The route runs through Gegharkunik and Tavush and combines a lake, mountains, forests, medieval architecture and walks. You can book it in two formats: with a professional driver, or with a professional driver plus a separate professional tour guide. You travel in a car from one of four categories — Standard, Comfort, Premium or Luxury. The price is calculated individually, and professional drone filming can be added on request.

We head north from Yerevan towards the Gegharkunik region. The first big impression of the day is Lake Sevan. It lies at about 1,900 metres above sea level and is the largest lake in Armenia; because of its sheer expanse of water, Sevan is often called the Armenian sea. The colour of the lake is always changing, depending on the weather, the clouds, the wind and the position of the sun. Sometimes Sevan is dark blue, sometimes bright azure, and on a clear day the water turns almost turquoise.

On a rise above the lake stands one of Armenia's most recognisable monasteries, Sevanavank. We climb a staircase to reach it, and the higher we go, the wider the panorama of Sevan becomes. Monastic life on the island has early Christian roots, and the main surviving churches date from the 9th century: in 874 the churches of Surb Arakelots and Surb Astvatsatsin were built here. Their construction is linked to Princess Mariam, daughter of Ashot Bagratuni, the future King Ashot I. Over time the monastery grew into an important spiritual centre of the region. Today it stands on a peninsula, but historically it was a real island separated from the shore by water, which is why old photographs of Sevanavank look so different from today. In the 20th century the level of Lake Sevan dropped significantly, a strip of land joined the island to the shore, and the present-day peninsula was born.

After visiting the monastery we leave time for a walk and photos. From here you can really feel the scale of Sevan: on a clear day you see the vast surface of the lake and the mountain ranges around it. Then we continue north, and one of the most beautiful stretches of the road begins. Gradually we leave Gegharkunik behind and head towards Tavush. After the mountain section the road brings us into a completely different natural world: dense forests appear, the mountains turn green, and the air becomes cooler and more humid. We are entering one of the greenest regions of Armenia.

Dilijan lies in the valley of the Aghstev River, among forested mountains, at about 1,100–1,500 metres above sea level. Thanks to its climate, forests and mountain air, Dilijan was already developing as a resort back in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today much of the surrounding forest is part of Dilijan National Park, and it is nature that makes this region so unlike Yerevan or the south of Armenia. Dilijan is often informally called the “Armenian Switzerland”, and the reason is obvious as soon as you arrive: dense forests, mountain slopes, small lakes, a cool climate and green gorges. But the real Dilijan is about more than nature — the town has its own architecture, craft traditions and the atmosphere of an old resort town.

We stop in the historic part of town, Old Dilijan, where the traditional 19th-century architecture of Dilijan has been preserved and restored. Stone houses, wooden balconies, small workshops and narrow lanes create a completely different atmosphere. One of the best-known spots in Old Dilijan is Sharambeyan Street, with its traditional wooden balconies and the architectural details typical of old Dilijan, as well as small craft workshops and souvenir shops. It is a lovely place for an unhurried stroll, photos and getting to know the town.

From Dilijan we head deeper into the forests of the national park. The road winds between mountains and thick greenery, and in one of the green gorges Haghartsin Monastery appears — one of the finest examples of how medieval Armenian architecture can literally merge with nature. The monastic complex took shape roughly between the 10th and 13th centuries, most actively in the 12th–13th centuries, with churches, gavits, a refectory and other monastic buildings added over time. The history of the monastery is tied to the Armenian princely Bagratid family. One of the oldest main buildings of the complex is the Church of Surb Grigor; other buildings later grew up around it, and Haghartsin gradually became a major spiritual centre of the region. The largest and most architecturally striking church is Surb Astvatsatsin, built in 1281. Its tall dome stands out above the surrounding forest, and despite its wealth of architectural detail the church looks light and harmonious. The monastery refectory deserves special attention: built in 1248 by the architect Minas, its large interior is divided by stone supports. It is one of the most interesting surviving examples of this type of medieval monastic architecture in Armenia.

A popular legend is connected with the name Haghartsin. According to tradition, eagles circled above the dome during the consecration of the monastery, and the name is sometimes linked to Armenian words evoking a “play of eagles”. Behind the monastery stands the trunk of a famous old walnut tree, tied to another local tradition: they say that if you pass through the hollow in the trunk and make a wish, it may come true. Of course, it is only a legend — but it is little stories like these that bring a journey to life.

After Haghartsin we continue through the forests of Tavush towards the village of Gosh, home to one of the most important educational and spiritual centres of medieval Armenia, Goshavank. The monastery was founded at the end of the 12th century, and its history is closely linked to Mkhitar Gosh, an outstanding Armenian thinker, scholar and jurist, as well as a theologian, writer and one of the great figures of the Armenian Middle Ages. He is best known for his Code of Laws (Datastanagirk), one of the most important monuments of medieval Armenian legal thought. Before Goshavank there was another monastery, Getik, which was destroyed by an earthquake. Mkhitar Gosh then founded a new monastic centre with the support of Prince Ivane Zakarian; it was first called Nor Getik, “New Getik”, and after Mkhitar Gosh's death it became known as Goshavank, “the monastery of Gosh”. Under Mkhitar Gosh the monastery became not only a religious but also a major educational centre, where students studied, manuscripts were created and medieval Armenian scholarship flourished.

The complex includes several churches, a gavit, chapels and buildings connected with the monastery's school and library, most of them dating from the 12th–13th centuries. But one of Goshavank's greatest treasures is its finely carved khachkars (cross-stones). The works of master Poghos, created at the end of the 13th century, are especially famous. The ornament is so delicate and many-layered that from a distance it looks less like stone than like real lace. It is one of the finest examples of the skill of medieval Armenian stone carvers.

After a day full of history we finish with nature at Lake Parz, hidden in the forests of Dilijan National Park. The name “Parz” means “clear” or “transparent” in Armenian. It is a small forest lake surrounded by green hills, and after the monasteries there is no need for a long tour here: you can walk around the lake, sit by the water, have a coffee, take photos and simply enjoy the quiet of the forest. Depending on the season, extra entertainment and activities may be available on site, paid separately. We began the morning at vast, high-altitude Sevan and end the journey at a completely different lake — small, quiet and tucked away in the woods. Two lakes in one day, and nothing alike. Here history is never separate from nature: monasteries stand among forests, roads run through the mountains, and the day begins at one lake and ends at another.