A five night extended weekend trip. It was the last time the company ran this tour - there was no demand for Armenia, they said. A shame. It's a pretty and tranquil country.  The mountains are beautiful and you can always use them as a muse, when the monasteries begin to pall. There are a lot of monasteries. The weather was gorgeous and the architecture perfectly framed.

Yerevan

Yerevan, the capital. It is one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities, constructed 29 years before Rome. No prizes for guessing why they call it the 'Pink City'. Many of the buildings are constructed of rosy hued tufa stone. Highlights are: the genocide museum, Liberty and Republic Squares and the Cascades open air staircase area, (still being constructed, with two cranes at the top). Brandy distilleries proliferate. It's famously good here - they're even allowed to call it cognac, with an Armenian preceding it. The grapes are different to the French variety and it's aged in Caucasian barrels so its richer and sweeter. I'm told.

And, although this is a predominantly Christian country there is still a significant Moslem population. The Blue Mosque an eighteenth-century Persian Twelver Shia mosque. It was the largest of Yerevan's eight mosques, the only one remaining and still active today. As usual, I'm drawn to the indoor market. A riot of colour, spice hillocks and sticky dried fruits.

Etchmiadzin Cathedral

Armenia is relatively small and most of our exploration is done in day trips out from Yerevan. The must see is Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, in the city known as both Etchmiadzin and Vagharshapat, to the west of Yerevan. The original church dates to the early fourth century - between 301 and 303 - according to tradition. it was built by Armenia's patron saint, Gregory the Illuminator, following the adoption of Christianity as a state religion by King Tiridates III. It was built over a pagan temple, symbolizing the conversion from paganism to Christianity. Etchmiadzin is said to be the oldest cathedral in the world. Gregory built it where he dreamed that fiery hammer descended from the sky.

The music was sublime and the Patriarch himself was there, celebrating mass. He had a very kind face.

Zvartnots Cathedral

Very close by, near the closed border with Türkiye, are the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral. It was built in the seventh century, noted for its unique circular structure. Mount Ararat looms in the distance. It makes for a perfect picture postcard photo. The mountain, where Noah landed his ark, is in Türkiye now, though the Armenians point out that it used to belong to them and they feel it still should do.

Garni

To the east of Yerevan, the Graeco-Roman Temple of Garni. This imposing and beautifully situated (on the edge of a cliff overlooking a ravine) Ionic style building (see uptop), is the only surviving pagan temple in Armenia. It was probably built by King Tiridates I, in the first century AD, as a temple to the sun god Mihr. After Armenia's conversion to Christianity, it was converted into a royal summer house for Khosrovidukht, the sister of Tiridates III. According to some scholars, it wasn't actually a temple, but a tomb and that's why it survived the destruction of the other pagan buildings. It had to be restored after it collapsed, in a 1679 earthquake.

Close by, there's adventure to be had. A scramble down the Garni Gorge, to some basalt pillars. Not quite as exciting as The Giant's Causeway, but enough organ pipes and hexagonal stones to warrant its title, 'Symphony of the Stones'.

Geghard Monastery

A little further west, medieval Geghard Monastery is in the Kotayk province of Armenia; it's one of the most visited monasteries, partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The curving path up, through the welcome arch, is lined with stalls. Women selling decorated roundels of Armenian Lavash bread.

Lake Sevan

North of Yerevan, serene Lake Sevan (Black Van to distinguish it from Lake Van in Türkiye) is known as 'The Jewel of Armenia', for its sweet water and two scenic churches and a fortress. This is the largest lake in the Caucasus and comprises one sixth of the area of Armenia. It's fed by 28 rivers and provides 90% of Armenia's fish. It even has beaches, overcrowded in summer.

The most famous cultural site is the picturesque Sevanavank Monastery, which was once on the south shore of an island - until Stalin ordered the draining of the lake. The water level fell about 20 metres, and the island became a peninsula. It's still a great tourist attraction, even if it's not as pretty as it once was.

There are two similar churches in the complex, Surp Arakelots (Holy Apostles) and Surp Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God). Adjacent are the ruins of a gavit whose roof was originally supported by six wooden columns. (A gavit I've learned is a congressional room, or mausoleum, added to the entrance of a church). According to an inscription, in one of the churches, the monastery of dates back to 874 and Princess Mariam, the daughter of Ashot I (who became a king a decade later). The monastery was strict as it was mainly intended for those monks from Etchmiadzin who had sinned. Meat, wine, youths and women were all banned.

Noratus Cemetery

Further south, along the lakeside, Noratus Cemetery, has the biggest open air collection of ancient Armenian Khachqars (cross stones) and tombstones in Armenia. The oldest khachkars here date back to the late tenth century. Many more were added in the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries when the country was rules by Safavid Empire and oriental influences are apparent.

It's a tranquil spot. Local women drape woollen goods for sale over the tombs and the surrounding fields paint a glorious canvas of spring flowers.

Khor Virap Monastery

Venturing south from Yerevan, again alongside the Turkish border. Another gloriously scenic sight, more tantalising (for the Armenians) views of Ararat, which is almost in touching distance here. Khor Virap Monastery is a pilgrimage site, on the Ararat plain. The ruined monastery was host to a theological seminary and was the residence of the Armenian Catholicos. Khor Virap is most notable as the prison of Gregory the Illuminator by King Tiridates III of Armenia, before he was converted. Saint Gregory subsequently became the king's religious mentor, and they led the proselytizing activity in the country. Armenia was the first country in the world to be declared a Christian nation in AD 301. The first chapel was built here in 642.

Noravank Monastery

South west and we're well into the mountains, stunning views and chill alpine air. Noravank, another impossibly picturesque twelfth-century Armenian monastery, nestling in a narrow gorge of red cliffs carved by the Amaghu River, near the town of Yeghegnadzor. It's a winding and dramatic approach. The complex includes the church of Surb Karapet, the Surb Grigor Chapel, and the Church of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God). The latter is diminutive and extraordinarily appealing.

Tatev Monastery

Our final goal is ninth century Tatev Monastery, the most scenically placed of them all, in south-eastern Armenia. The 'ensemble' stands on the edge of a deep gorge of the Vorotan River. As with Machu Picchu, the view is best from above.

You can read more about Armenia and its history here and about my second trip to Armenia on the Golden Eagle Luxury train here.