Armenia: 14 to 27 September 2010

Armenia: Churches and Mountains

 Tour Leader - Rufus Reade

Armenia celebrates an enormously rich history being the first nation to make Christianity the state religion. The beginnings of this highly literate people may reach back to the Urartu (who gave their name to the iconic mountain of Ararat). In the early years of Christianity, church building and literacy using their own newly created alphabet flourished. The country has been overrun by Mongols, Persians, Byzantines, Selcuks, Ottomans and Russians. Its recent liberation from Soviet control has brought a huge revival in nation-building, with Armenian Diaspora money helping rebuild the economy.

This tour introduces many of the country’s highlights from the wealth of early churches to the remarkable classical temple at Garni. We hope during this journey to hear Armenian music (both the church choral tradition and the rich classical/romantic style of Armenian composers such as Aram Kachaturian). We will see a number of museums and galleries, both well known ones in the cities and little visited ones in villages! For those who know the Armenian churches in eastern Turkey/western Armenia, or in Iran, this journey may provide some of the missing pieces of the jigsaw.

For those who are new to the Caucasus, Armenia provides a fascinating example of renaissance after a very difficult 20th century. Visitors can expect good food and excellent wine.

Our direct flight is with bmi from Heathrow.

The tour is led by Rufus Reade.

 Please take a look at Rufus Reade's Tour Site.