By air
Zvartnots International Airport (EVN), ~1.5 h by road
Europe · Armenia
Dilijan, Armenia
Forest monasteries in Armenia's green hills
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to October — green forests and mild weather
Don't miss
Haghartsin Monastery
Goshavank
Parz Lake
Sharambeyan Street
Things to do
Forest hikes
Visiting monasteries
Walking the old craft street
Picnics by Parz Lake
Where to eat
What to pack
Walking shoes, light rain jacket, warm layer
A quieter corner
Jukhtak Vank, a small monastery hidden in the forest above town
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Dilijan?
May to October — green forests and mild weather. What to pack: Walking shoes, light rain jacket, warm layer.
How do I get to Dilijan?
Fly into Zvartnots International Airport (EVN), ~1.5 h by road.
What is there to do in Dilijan?
Forest hikes, visiting monasteries, walking the old craft street, picnics by Parz Lake. A quieter find: Jukhtak Vank, a small monastery hidden in the forest above town.
What should I eat in Dilijan?
Khorovats, wild mushrooms and herbs from the forest, gata pastry and local mineral water.
About Dilijan
- Forest
- Mountains
Where it is
Dilijan is a spa town in the forested mountains of Tavush province in north-east Armenia, surrounded by Dilijan National Park.
History
The monasteries near Dilijan were built between the 10th and 13th centuries, and Goshavank is named after the scholar Mkhitar Gosh, who founded it. In the Soviet era Dilijan became a popular resort for its clean air, mineral springs and forest walks, and artists and composers came here to work.
People
Dilijan's people speak Armenian, and the town keeps a slower pace of life, with crafts on the restored old street and families gathering mushrooms and herbs in the surrounding woods.
Known for
- Dense forests and mountain air
- Medieval forest monasteries
- Mineral springs
- Old wooden houses with balconies
Did you know?
In Soviet times Dilijan was often called the Armenian Switzerland for its wooded mountains and resorts.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.