Spend your winter holidays with Armenia Holidays and discover a new country full of contrasts.
It’s high time to plan winter holidays this year. Armenia offers wide range of winter activities of any kind. Ahead of winter holidays Armenia Holidays introduces to you the main winter activities in Armenia. Let’s have a look to the things to do in Armenia in winter .
Winter resorts
For the ones who like skiing and winter sport activities there are special resort towns in Armenia. One of the most famous resort towns is Tsaghkadzor located in Kotayk province. Tsaghkadzor literally means “the gorge of flowers”, and it really has very picturesque gorges in summer, while during winter this mountainous town becomes an excellent site for skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, snowmobile driving, etc. For professional and amateur skiers there is a ropeway which leads up to Teghenis mountain to ski down from there. Extreme lovers can take zip-line to jump by over amazing views and hills.
Apart from Tsaghkadzor active holiday lovers can spend their winter vacations in Yell Extreme Park in Yenokavan, Tavush province which offers wide range of winter activities such as zip-line, rock climbing, rope park, off-road driving, paintball, paragliding and many more.
Another beautiful site is Jermuk (menaning “warm” or “hot”) resort town which is mainly known for its healing mineral hot water springs. People from all over the world as well as locals visit Jermuk to SPA sanatoriums which are available all year round. According to a legend in ancient times there was a deer shot by the hunters and when the hurt deer was passing through the hot springs he was immediately healed. Since the deer is a symbol of Jermuk town. The town is located in the depth of Vayots Dzor province which is rocky and full of mountains. It also has beautiful waterfalls the most famous of which is 70 meters high Jermuk waterfall or “Mermaid’s hair”.
In winter Jermuk becomes a center of Snowman festival, during which locals from different regions as well as tourists make snowmen or other figures out of the snow. People have fun and enjoy their winter holidays there.
Winter dishes
Armenian cuisine is very rich and variable. The gourmets will find interesting to taste Armenian national dishes during winter holidays in Armenia. You can taste tolma, harisa ghapama, khashlama, etc, However, you need to taste one of the most known dishes which is eaten during colder period of time in Armenia- khash. The name of this dish comes from the word “khashel” which means “to boil”. Khash is a soup of boiled cow parts. It is being boiled for several hours until the soup becomes clammy. The dish is served hot with garlic and dry lavash (famous Armenian bread which can be of two types- dry and soft) which is being crumbled into the dish. There is a funny thing that most Armenians crumble dry lavash into khash and eat it without a spoon with soft lavash :). They call this way of eating “tiqya”. It is preferable to have khash in the morning as the dish is not digested easily. When having khash Armenians gather with their relatives and friends around a big table, and Armenian men like to drink a glass of vodka with khash. Thus, as you can understand, khash is a serious ritual for Armenians and another reason to meet friends and relatives in a warm atmosphere.
Leisure in the city
If you like to spend your free time in the city you will definitely have a lot of things to do during winter in Yerevan.
In the city center there is a Christmas market full of handmade souvenirs, New Year and Christmas tree decorations, different gifts and many other things to see and try.
Apart from it, the municipality organizes different concerts and festivals on the streets of Yerevan in the frames of New Year and Christmas celebrations. If you travel with your children there is Winter Park for winter activities, skate rinks and different thematic concerts.
The ones who like adventures can participate in The Santa Marathon. It is an annual charity marathon during which you dress up in Santa costume and run or just walk along the streets of Yerevan with hundreds of other Santas. The participants also get hot coffee or tea and have fun in the frames of marathon.
During winter holidays, the capital of Armenia, Yerevan is filled by the atmosphere of New Year and Christmas fairytale, and you will definitely find an activity you like.
Come and spend your Christmas and New Year holidays in a different way and we will make your journey unforgettable.
Want to know more about different holidays in Armenia? Check them here and choose the one you like the most to come to Armenia.