Armenia in Summer

What Offers Armenia in Summer

Summer is just around the corner, which means that it’s time to plan a vacation. Of course,there is no sea and beautiful beaches in Armenia, but we promise that your summer holiday in Armenia will be so eventful and unforgettable that you will want to return again and again. In this article, we present all the interesting things to see and to do in Armenia in summer.

Armenia-in-Summer

WEATHER

Armenia is a sunny country with the continental climate. Since May, the weather becomes warm and sunny days predominate over rainy. In June it is becoming warmer and warmer, however in evenings, it can be windy so do not forget your light jackets just in case. July and August are the hottest months. It can be stuffily and dry in the capital during that days. However, this period is excellent for hiking, mountaineering, climbing and other extreme activities.

HIKING AND CLIMBING

Due to the geographical peculiarities, Armenia is considered one of the most suitable countries for hiking and trekking. Moreover, recently National Geographic Traveler has included Armenia in the list of the top three best countries for adventure tourism. Currently climbing and mountaineering are actively developing in the country; and there are specially equipped routes which have been conquered and explored for many times. So, if you are a fan of such activities Armenia will be a good option for the next travel destination.

TRIP TO GARNI-GEGHARD

Armenians are the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion and today you will find a huge number of amazing ancient monuments of Christianity which cover Armenian land like stars cover the sky. Maybe you won’t have enough time to see all the must-visit monasteries and temples, however make sure to have a trip to unique Geghard temple – national attraction with a century history. The monastery has rock architecture and its first fundament was laid in the 4th century. Just imagine what a hard work was done to carve such a masterpiece in the rocks. Not far from the monastery there is a Garni gorge with its natural miracle – «The symphony of stones». That are the basalt coloumns of lava which are formed in a unique compositionsimilar to the musical instrument. And indeed, from afar this complex of columns reminds an organ.

Geghard inside

Geghard Monastery

FESTIVALS

Once you come to Armenia make sure to taste real Armenian barbecue (in Armenian «khorovats»). Nowhere else in the world will you find such tasty BBQ! And one more news: there is a special festival in Armenia dedicated to this national dish. It is held in the first days of September in Akhtala town, Lori region. The event offers more than 40 kinds of khorovats, gaily dances, and music. But be careful, once you have tried Armenian national barbecue you will want to eat it again and again.

Road to Garni gorge

There is another interesting festival dedicated to the most favorite Armenian dish – tolma. Itis held on the 16th of May in Sardarapat town. During it the participants, dance, sing, have fun and cook tolma, of course. There are also organized interesting competitions between Armenian cooks.

LAKE SEVAN

The pearl of Armenia or as it is called by local “Geghama Sea” is the only large lake in the territory of the country. It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. This highland lake is surrounded by mountains – such an amazing view! And no wonder that Sevan has inspired writers and painters.

Lake Sevan

Sevan is located at a distance of 63 km from Yerevan. It will take about an hour to get to Sevan by car. You can rent a car in Yerevan or take a taxi. It will cost about 7000 AMD ($14) to get to Sevan by taxi.

Even the hottest days it is rather fresh on the lake’s shores. In the evenings, it can be very windy. So, if you are planning to go to the lake, do not forget to bring a sweater or jacket for the evening.The water in the hottest month warms up to +22.

And finally, be sure to try the barbecue of Sevan trout or “iskhan” as locals say. On the shore, there are restaurants, which serves excellent barbecue and other dishes of trout. Just say “ishkhani khorovats” (barbecue of a trout) and enjoy your meal!

The Eastern Part of Europe has many fascinating destinations. Armenia surely seems to be among the less explored gems. I will try to come up with more posts about such less explored East European destinations. For example, I recently came across some exciting Montenegro tour packages. I need to explore that one soon too.

 

Jitaditya Narzary

1 thought on “What Offers Armenia in Summer”

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