- Top 5 health resorts
- Beach vacation in Armenia
- Alpine skiing in Armenia
Like all highlanders, Armenians are very hospitable. They are always glad to anyone who crosses the threshold of their home with kindness and an open soul, and therefore the best resorts in Armenia are an excellent place to relax. In any city of the Transcaucasian republic, you will feel comfortable and cozy, like at home. Your barbecue will always be juicy, your wine will be sweet, your bed will be soft, and your interlocutors will be welcoming.
Armenia is not very suitable for lovers of luxury travel, although there are high-class hotels in Yerevan. Rather, it will appeal to a tourist for whom the hotel's star rating or the cost of crystal in a restaurant is not so important. In Armenia, the atmosphere of mutual understanding that arises between the guest and the hosts from the first minute and forever is much more appreciated.
Top 5 health resorts
Due to the geographical features of the location of the country and its relief, a unique microclimate has developed practically throughout the entire territory of Armenia. Highlands, a special type of vegetation, healing water of mineral and thermal springs, alpine herbs, organic products - all these serve as natural healing factors that underlie the health programs offered in the resorts of Armenia.
- Aghveran is not well known to the general tourist community, and therefore, despite its status as a health resort, the village remains a place for fans of quiet and secluded relaxation. It is located on the banks of a river in a temperate highland environment. Thanks to this, a very comfortable climate has developed in Aghveran - without intense heat in summer and with light frosts in winter. Wellness programs in the sanatoriums of Aghveran are aimed at treating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and endocrine glands. The complex of procedures using the mineral waters of the Aghveran springs and medicinal herbs growing in the mountain valleys has a beneficial effect on the health of patients with various metabolic disorders. The health resorts of the resort help patients with diabetes, obesity, and thyroid problems. Guests of the resort feel great in their free time from procedures. Popular activities in Aghveran include hiking in the mountains, skiing and fishing. For active tourists, one of the hotels has a rope park with numerous obstacles and attractions.
- The name of the city of Jermuk, translated from Armenian, means "hot spring". The fame of Jermuk was brought by its thermal and cold springs, the water of which has a special healing power and is highly valued. Another healing factor is high-mountain air, rarefied, saturated with negative ions and has a beneficial effect on hematopoiesis. Sanatoriums and boarding houses in Jermuk offer complexes of health procedures for patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, musculoskeletal and reproductive systems. In Jermuk, guests who have had stomach ulcers and surgical interventions, including the removal of the gallbladder, are undergoing rehabilitation. Excellent results are achieved by the joint efforts of doctors and patients suffering from pathological changes in the joints and spine. Help in Jermuk and women who have problems with conceiving and bearing a child. The list of attractions of the resort includes not only the Arpi gorge, Jermuk high mountain waterfall and the 13th century Noravank monastery, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, but also a gallery with mineral springs. It is a real architectural monument. The water temperature of the springs brought out into the gallery is very different and gradually increases from 20 ° С to 65 ° С.
- Active volcanic activity in the vicinity of the Arzni resort has not only shaped the relief of the region. Thanks to her, underground waters were saturated with a huge amount of minerals and their salts and, having escaped to the surface of the earth, became unique healing factors for people for the treatment of many diseases. A sanatorium has been opened at one of the best resorts in Armenia, where patients who have suffered heart attacks, strokes and suffering from coronary heart disease are undergoing rehabilitation. The microclimate in Arzni and even the local air turn out to be curative for hypertensive patients. Their blood pressure remains stable and even. A huge number of clear days also has a positive effect on patients with neurological disorders - the duration of sunshine in the region is up to 2200 hours annually. Moreover, even at the height of summer, the air temperature in the city and its environs does not exceed + 22 ° C on average. The mineral water of the springs near Arzni is saturated with carbon dioxide, bromine, iodine and sodium salts. It is useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and metabolic disorders. In the sanatorium of the resort, guests with stomach ulcers, gastritis, colitis and cholecystitis are successfully undergoing rehabilitation. Among other pathologies that are treated in Arzni are diabetes and gout, obesity and urolithiasis.
- For tourists who prefer to combine business with pleasure on any trip, Vanadzor resort is ideal. Firstly, its mineral springs give out water to the surface of the earth, which normalizes metabolism. The health centers of Vanadzor help patients with diabetes, thyroid disorders, obesity, psoriasis and other diseases associated with the pathology of the endocrine system. The complex of therapeutic measures with the mineral water of Vanadzor springs is also suitable for people with problems in the work of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system. The range of health treatments offered in the resort's clinics and based on the use of healing mud also has a beneficial effect on the condition of patients with skin and autoimmune pathologies. The second reason for the popularity of the resort is the huge number of attractions in the city and its environs. During excursions, tourists usually visit the Haghartsin monastery complex, which began to be built in the 10th century. The ancient stone bridge of the 13th century and its contemporary Khorakert monastery, built using amazing and rare architectural techniques, are also worthy of special attention.
- Dilijan is unusually beautiful. So much so that even its species are able to heal, if not disease, then sadness and depression - no doubt about it! The city is surrounded by mountains and has been given the status of a national park, and its surroundings - a nature reserve. The climate in the resort is temperate, mountainous and very favorable for people with lung diseases. Historically, tuberculosis patients were helped in Dilijan, for which a specialized sanatorium was even built. Today in Dilijan there are two dozen sanatoriums and boarding houses - private and municipal. Wellness programs developed by their doctors are aimed at treating respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. In the medical arsenal in the sanatoriums of Dilijan there is also local mineral water, the composition of which has a beneficial effect on the condition of patients with disorders of the liver and pancreas. In addition to treatment, Dilijan offers tourists a very rich excursion. The cognitive program usually includes trips to the Goshavank monastery, walks in the Dilijan reserve and acquaintance with the exposition of the city art museum.
Fans of resorts in Armenia recommend the country as a destination for health-improving recreation for various reasons. Firstly, Russian tourists do not need a visa, and they don’t have to learn a foreign language. Secondly, you can get to the best resorts in Armenia both by car and by plane, and the journey does not take much time. And finally, prices for accommodation, treatment and other services in Armenian sanatoriums are still affordable and very democratic.
Beach vacation in Armenia
The country is landlocked and the only body of water on the banks of which a beach holiday is organized in Armenia is Lake Sevan. It is located at an altitude of 2 km above sea level and belongs to the high mountains. Due to the geographical features of the location of the lake, its climate has a number of characteristic features. The water temperature in Sevan does not rise above + 20 ° C even at the height of summer, but its purity remains ideal at any time of the year. July-August is the busiest season on the shores of the great Armenian lake. At this time, hundreds of townspeople come to the beaches of Sevan hoping to wait out the heat in relative coolness. Thermometer columns in the vicinity of the lake, even at the height of summer, show a maximum of + 30 ° С, due to the high mountains.
The beaches are scattered along the banks of Sevan everywhere, and, depending on your preferences, you can choose any one. If comfort and infrastructure is important to you, head north or northwest. Improved recreation areas are concentrated in this part of the Sevan coast. The beaches here are equipped with changing rooms, toilets, showers, umbrellas and sun loungers are offered for rent, and it will be nice to have a snack or quench your thirst in restaurants and cafes open right on the shore. The beaches on the peninsula in the vicinity of the city of Sevan in the northwestern part of the lake are covered mainly with sand, and in some places there are small pebbles. The entrance to the water is shallow, but the depth begins already a few meters from the shore. Most of the beaches in the Sevan area are municipal, and there are several private ones, for which you will have to pay to enter.
For those who prefer solitude and merging with nature to any comfort, the eastern coast of the lake is more suitable. In this part of Sevan, sandy beaches are almost deserted, you can relax on them in absolute silence, but you cannot rely on infrastructure either. Even fewer tourists are found on the western coast of Sevan, where the rocks form tiny bays. In this part of the lake, entry into the water may not be very convenient, especially for inexperienced swimmers. But the western shores are unusually picturesque and often attract photographers to rest.
Alpine skiing in Armenia
Armenian ski resorts are not very popular among fans of winter holidays from other countries. The level of complexity of their tracks and infrastructure are still significantly behind, in comparison even with Georgian resorts. It took Armenia too long to liquidate the consequences of the economic devastation that badly battered the country after the collapse of the USSR. And yet, the army of fans of Armenian winter resorts, which is still small, is steadily increasing every year.
- Tsakhkadzor has been an important training base for Soviet athletes since the days of the Soviet Union. The peculiarities of its microclimate and the height of 1800 m above sea level allowed athletes to increase their sports performance. Before the important starts of different levels, the resort hosted training camps, and not only for skiers. Today the resort is very popular with fans of winter sports. The ski area of Tsaghkadzor stretches along the slope of Mount Teghenis. To the west of the village center is the lower cable car station and the ski center with all technical services. Sports equipment is also available for rent. You can go upstairs using the cable car in just forty minutes. The tracks of the best winter resort in Armenia are laid at an altitude of 1960 to 2800 meters. The longest is 8 km long. Tsaghkadzor has black slopes, virgin tracks for freeride fans and tracks for experienced snowboarders. The main sports complex, built in the middle of the last century and renovated in 2007, offers a hotel room, an indoor Olympic-level swimming pool and a variety of sports. Old hotels in the village itself have also been reconstructed, some have been rebuilt. Tourists can choose from a good assortment of "treshkas", "fours" and even five-star hotels. Locals willingly offer travelers their own apartments and houses, and renting an apartment can be the most profitable and convenient option for both a large family and a company. There are bars and restaurants in the ski area, and many establishments with Armenian cuisine are also open in the center of the town. The resort is ideal for families as well. If you are planning to spend a vacation on the slopes of Teghenis with your children, be sure that young tourists will be satisfied with their vacation in Armenia. In most of Tsaghkadzor's hotels, children's clubs are organized and playgrounds are equipped, and one of the ski slopes has been laid specifically for young athletes. There is a children's school in the resort's training center, whose instructors professionally teach young skiers the basics of skill. The season at the best winter resort in Armenia starts in December and lasts until the last decade of March. The easiest way to get to Tsaghkadzor is by bus from Yerevan: the city is separated by a distance of only fifty kilometers.
- Jermuk health resort turns into a ski resort in winter. There are only two tracks on the slopes of Mount Shish, but their quality is consistent with international standards. Beginners can try the "green" slope, which is almost one and a half kilometers long. The track is slightly shorter for athletes who stand confidently on the slope. The vertical drop in the resort is 400 meters. At the bottom station of the ski lift leading to the mountain, there is an equipment rental office where you can rent skis, snowboards and other items of equipment necessary for outdoor activities.
- The city of Sevan on the shore of the lake of the same name is located at an altitude of about 2000 meters above sea level. Its tracks are designed for all categories of active tourists - beginners, self-confident and professionals. The length of the most difficult track marked in black in the ski resort of Armenia is 1.2 km. The height difference in Sevan reaches 400 meters. Guests of the resort can stay at the Akhtamar Hotel, famous for its magnificent views. The hotel is located on the side of a mountain. There is also a ski school, whose instructors offer their services for novice athletes.
Ski resorts in Armenia are attractive not only for low prices and picturesque views. While resting here, tourists can always combine skiing with active off-piste recreation, health treatments in local sanatoriums and a rich excursion program, which invariably includes visits to famous architectural and cultural monuments of medieval Armenia.
