Areni: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Areni is known for the Areni grape variety and the wine made from it; the village is also described as the birthplace of winemaking. Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Areni can then continue searching for accommodation.

Wine and Landscape

Areni lies mainly in the widened section of the Arpa River valley and between mulberry and fruit orchards. The settlement of Areni is included in the Areni tourist destination designated by the government. At the same time, Areni is classified as Armenia’s leading wine tourism destination.

Vineyards planted with the Areni and Voskehat grape varieties were established in 2005 at an altitude of 1,233 metres. Nor Areni Winery was founded in the wine-growing region in 2019. Visitors can walk through the vineyards, take part in the harvest and make wine themselves. Stays in guesthouses in Areni can be combined with a meal and homemade wine. The Areni Wine Festival offers local delicacies, folk music and dancing.

Culture and History

The St. Astvatsatsin Church of Areni was built in 1321 and designed by the architect Momik. The construction was commissioned by Hovhannes Orbelian, the Archbishop of Syunik. A palace belonging to the Orbelian prince Tarsayich stood next to the church.

Hrasakaberd is an unexplored fortress in the settlement of Areni and is described as a resource for hiking tourism. The ruins of Hrasakaberd have survived to this day. In the 12th century, the fortress was controlled by the Seljuks.

Experiences

Areni-1 Cave offers a caving experience focused on archaeology. It is described as the site of a winery dating back approximately 6,100 years, considered the oldest discovered to date, as well as the oldest leather shoe.

The Areni flood protection wall is a 40-metre-high structure made of concrete and steel, featuring a lattice-like sculptural design. It is a tourist attraction and a place where visitors stop to photograph its architecture.

Other places: Aghavnadzor, Chiva, Hermon, Jermuk, Vayk

To the higher-level travel overview: Vayots Dzor.