Location: Areni
Top Things to do in Areni
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What to do and see in Areni, Vayots Dzor Province: The Best Things to do
Areni (Armenian: Արենի; formerly Arpa) is a village in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia. It is best known for its wine production, although the majority of wine produced locally is from the nearby village of Getap. The church of S. Astvatsatsin is a single-nave two-aisled domed Armenian church completed in the year 1321, and is located atop a plateau overlooking the Arpa River and Areni. It was designed by the architect and sculptor Momik who is best known for his high-relief carvings at the monastery of Noravank (located approximately 6 kilometers southeast from Areni). Nearby are also the 13th century ruins of lord Tarsaitch Orbelian of Syunik's palace, moved from Yeghegis to Areni during that time. Ruins of a 13th-century bridge built by Bishop Sarkis in 1265-1287 are one kilometer northeast of the church. At the same location are the remains of an older bridge.
Restaurants in Areni
1. Noravank Monastery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 467 reviews
Reviewed By LuizDutraNeto - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This monastery dates from the 13th century and is completely different from other Armenian monasteries. "Noravank" means "new", so this the the "New Monastery". On its first floor, the mausoleum of Prince Burtel Orbelian and his family. Right on its façade, a narrow stone-made staircase (very dangerous, I must say) leads to the upper floor and to "Surb Astvatsatsin", the "Holy Mother of God Church"! It is a major religious and cultural center in Armenia and its visit could be combined with the one to "Khor Virap Monastery", as both monasteries are not very far from each other. Enjoy!
2. Hin Areni Vineyards
3. Momik Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 9 reviews
Family owned and operated since 2018, Momik Wines offers an immersive and authentic Armenian wine experience. Visit our WineCube, nestled beneath the mountains that surround Areni village, to taste fine wine, enjoy locally-sourced food, and learn the ancient craft of khachkar (cross-stone) making.
Reviewed By rsitman - Tel Aviv, Israel
We took a taxi from our hotel in Yerevan and two hours later found ourselves on a twisting dirt road, surrounded by fields and mountains, on the outskirts of Areni. Google Maps told us to keep going but we had our doubts, until suddenly up on a hill we finally caught sight of a small "cube". Nver and Narine, and their son Haig, greeted us with broad smiles and invited us to sit at a table that was laid with delicious looking food: cold cuts, cheeses, breads, salad, olives, bread and tomato, and lots of fabulous fruit. We were soon joined by a lovely couple from Barcelona and then the feast began. Four hours of fabulous wine tasting, fun conversation and great local food. The family wines are superb! And Nver and Narine are extremely generous and make sure your glass is never empty. The white wine was exquisite, light and subtle, as was the rose, and the red was velvety and full bodied. After three hours of nonstop wine-tasting they brought out a sweet red that their 14 year old son Haig had made --it was the sixth of only 8 bottles that he made, so we felt very honoured. It was a real treat. The toilet was very clean and very necessary considering the quantities of wine we consumed. All in all, it was a wonderful wine and personal experience. We wish Nver and Narine and their children continued success. Thank you so much for this unforgettable day!
4. St. Astvatsatsin Church
5. Noravank Gorge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 99 reviews
Reviewed By AllyP1994 - Martinborough, New Zealand
the gorge is stunning, the rocks amazing colours and the little restaurant on the right just after you turn into it is well worth a stop. The monastery is beautifully situated
6. T'rchuneri (Bird) Cave
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 69 reviews
Reviewed By maralaslanian - Aghavnadzor, Armenia
First off: TOUR GUIDE necessary / a must! There is information available on plaques throughout the cave complex but to really fully experience and understand the depth of the amazing stories going on, take a guided tour. Our tour guide Arminé spoke fluent English with an incredible depth of knowledge and elevated the entire experience to something truly AWEsome!
7. Areni Wine Factory
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 147 reviews
Reviewed By Mirsheen - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
One of the highlight of our tour.The wine tour was spiffing and we had so much fun ,in every sip it reminds me of my younger days!:) It was even better than we anticipated.
8. Magil Cave
9. Hin Areni Winery
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 27 reviews
Situated in one of the most ancient wine-making region near Areni, we have taken our historical experience and embarked on an honest quest to produce wine we are proud of. To achieve perfect quality, every element is taken into consideration and as essential as the overall experience: the location of the vineyards, the wine’s journey to its optimal maturity, the visual components, the length of flavors, the aromatic notes as well as the body of the wine. All of these components combine to not only measure the quality and sample of the wine, but more importantly, enhance the experience of the sample. We welcome you to share our experience.
Reviewed By THOMASFROMDAMASCUS - Damascus, Syria
Way too often the Hin Areni Wine Factory is over looked due to the more famous Areni Wine Factory is directly next door to Hin Areni! One must try both. The two famous Wine Factories for Wine Tasting right next to each other in the small Armenian city of Areni! The Hin Areni Wine Factory is on the road from Jermuk to Yerevan and is very close to the major Armenian City of Yeghegnadzor. We had been told about another wine tasting which we found was right next door to the Hin Areni Wine Factory and also offering a wine tasting. We first stopped by the neighbor of the Hin Areni Wine Factory and found it was packed with tourist! So we came to the Hin Areni Wine Factory and enjoyed a very, very nice Wine Tasting, for a very small charge. It was quite relaxing as we were the only guest enjoying their wine tasting! The bar tender was very knowledgeable about the various grape varieties and the methods and times for aging their wines. We ended up buying many bottles of this great Hin Areni Wine! You should not miss the opportunity to taste this first-class Hin Areni Wine!!
10. Arpa Protected Landscape
Arpa (formerly Gnishik) Protected Landscape is the first community-managed protected area in Armenia, and is managed by Arpa Environmental Foundation/ Arpa EF. Mammals of the protected area include 39 species, 14 of which are nationally or globally threatened, such as Bezoar Goat, Armenian Mouflon,Brown Bear, and Caucasian Leopard.
