Romantic Areni: Hilltop Tastings and Old Bridge
Areni is a small wine village in the Arpa valley, and its romance is quiet: vines, red cliffs and long dinners. Its pleasures come from wine rather than resorts, so a couples’ stay is built from a few good stops. Allow a night or two, and book a driver if you plan to taste wine.
Evening Tasting at Momik WineCube
The Momik WineCube sits on a hilltop among the vines, hosted by Nver and Narine Nazaryan. Guides rate it best in the evening. The winery is described as open from about 11:00 to 19:00 and asks for a day’s notice. The tasting price is not published, so ask when you reserve.
Dinner at Old Bridge
Old Bridge Winery stands at Yerevanyan Highway 1 in Yeghegnadzor, the next town after Areni. Its winery and restaurant open daily from 12:00 to 21:30. If you want to stay, its B&B is a different building at Levonyan 16 in town, so you walk or drive between dinner and bed.
Trinity Canyon Tasting
Trinity Canyon Vineyards, in Aghavnadzor between Areni and Yeghegnadzor, offers a tasting led by the winemaker with cheese and bread. It lasts about 1.5 hours, and booking sites show roughly US$32 to 34 per person. Reserve 24 hours ahead.
VIP Tasting at Hin Areni
The Hin Areni VIP package costs 12,000 AMD according to the winery’s own website. It covers a winery and cellar tour, the Wine Bank tour, three classic and three Reserve wines and a cheese platter. Confirm whether the price is per person. Reserve at tours@hinareniwine.am or by phone.
Where to Sleep
- Areni Wine Art is a guesthouse and small winery in Areni, listed on booking sites. Tour listings also show a lunch with tasting at a local home.
- Areni House B&B, Areni Wine Cellar guesthouse and Siran Guest House are other village options. Rates move with the season, so check before booking.
Noravank in the Afternoon
The monastery is about 10 km up the gorge from Areni, and the colour of the cliffs is its draw. Founded in 1105, it has a church of 1339 attributed to Momik. For a walk together, take the 2.8 km trail between the ruined village of Amaghu and Noravank. Go in daylight and bring water. The narrow stair on the Burtelashen church has no handrail, so stay off it.
A Brief Stop at Areni-1
The cave is about 2 km from the village. A winemaking installation of about 4100 BC was found here. A short look pairs well with the Hin Areni tasting room next door, but the cave is small and dusty, so keep it quick.
Read more: Areni sightseeing for the monastery and village church.
References: Old Bridge winery and Hin Areni services . Stays: Booking.com in Areni .