Guide to Dilijan     Printable Version

Some people call it a "Little Armenian Switzerland" - the heaven for relaxed vacation.

The town of Dilijan is located in Northern part of Armenia, in the region of Tavush, between the Sevan Lake and Ijevan. It is the most beautiful small town in Armenia surrounded by the forest and mountains. The ethnic, old buildings blend well with the gorgeous nature and landscape of the Dilijan's forest.

The best way to get to Dilijan is to take the Sevan highway from Yerevan and then either take the tunnel or Sevan Pass. If you go trough the tunnel, you will save some time, but you will miss some incredible views. When you take the Sevan Pass, you will see the alpine meadows at 2114 meters (1313 miles) above the sea level, drink the coldest and best spring water in the world in the Semenovka village, test driving or rallying skills on the turns and enjoy the beautiful views of the mountains. We recommend you take the pass when you go to the Dilijan and take the tunnel when coming back to the city. On your way back, at the tunnel entrance you will find the "Barrel" - a cold, spring water source and local farmers selling seasonal fruits and boiled corn. Make sure to try the water, because it is very cold and crisp.
When you are driving towards the Dilijan, you can stop on the turns and try some sour plums and apples. The Dilijan forest has some wild apple, plum and pear trees and in early summer, the raspberries and blackberries. There are very few cars on the road to Dilijan and it is safe to park on shoulder and explore surroundings.

The air, landscape, friendly people and nature make Dilijan the unique vacations spot. The air is rich with oxygen; it is clean and smells like pine and oak trees. The water is crisp and comes from a number of natural mountain springs.

Dilijan forest starts from the Sevan Pass and continues to the town of Ijevan. Although, some of the parts of the forest were cut down during the energy crisis in Armenia, big part of forest still remains untouched. The good thing is that Dilijan forest is part of the national park and protected by the government. The majority of native trees in the forest are oak, ash and elm. You will also find the pine trees, which introduced and planted many years ago. Dilijan's forest has plenty of brooks and mineral springs. The water is drinkable with the exception of rainy days where they get contaminated by the soil. The forest wildlife includes bear, wolf, fox, rabbit, various birds, hedgehog, weasel and other animals. If you are interested in biology, you will find an interesting plants and animal specimens in Dilijan.

Town of Dilijan is situated along the Agstef River that flows from mountains of Tavush to Ijevan. The town center is the most interesting part of Dilijan. While near the post office, you can stop by the Matinov's spring and drink some cold water that comes from the mountains above. Right by the spring is the stairs that lead to the Rotunda forest and old orchards. You should try to hike as far as you can and you will be rewarded with incredible views, fresh air and local fruits. If you decide to go further into the oak forest you will find various edible mushrooms and unique wildflowers.

There are few tourist attractions in the town center: the old alley near the Myasnikyan Street surrounded by the historical buildings and ethnographic museums, the Serik Davtian's library and the Sharambeyan museum on Gagik Datvian's Street.

The Dilijan is also the hometown of famous Armenians. The Serik Davtian was an Armenian needlework and carpet art expert, founder of the library and author of many art books. The Gagik Davtian was the academician and professor, who pioneered the hydroponics and famous scientist around the world. The Arshavir Torosian was professor, doctor, expert of medicinal plants of Armenia and author of many medical books.

Not far from the Dilijan you will find more interesting places to visit. The main attractions near town that you can visit are: Parz Lake, Jukhtakvank and Haghartsin and Goshavank monasteries.

The Jukhtakvank monastery is located on the way to Vanadzor. The main attraction is not so much the church, but the forest around. Between the mountains you will find gorgeous creek with crystal clear water that surrounded by the thousand year old oak forest and meadows with buzzing bees.
To get to the rest of the attractions you will need to take the Dilijan-Ijevan scenic highway that has great views and nice, high-speed turns. The roads are not busy, so you can enjoy spirited driving. From the highway in about 6 miles you will see Parlich (Parz Lake) sign on your right. The Parz Lake is a high mountain, volcanic lake surrounded by the thick forest. The road to the lake is twisty and it will take you around 20 minutes to get there. In the end of your journey, you will be rewarded by the great view of the lake and forest.

To get to the Haghartsin Monastery, in about 8 miles from Dilijan turn left from the highway on the beautiful road that cuts trough the thick forest along the river. The monastery is hidden far from the civilization in old forest. The nature surrounding the structure is beautiful and untouched. The monastery was built in XII century and most of the ancient buildings are in the good shape. The backyard has unusual, old walnut tree that split into two parts and has a hallow space in the trunk. The Haghartsin is open to public, so you will be able to purchase candles and even talk to the local priest. Be careful in damp, dark chambers of the monastery, it is very easy to slip and fall. The Haghartsin is one of the most beautiful places in Armenia where ancient structure blends into the mountains and forest of Dilijan.

If you continue your way towards the Ijevan you will see the right turn to Martuni, which is the road to Gosh village and Goshavank Monastery. The road goes along the Getik River. The river is clean and a perfect for swimming in hot, summer months. In about 3 miles you will see the sign to Gosh. The road to Gosh village is also scenic as all the roads in Armenia. The village is small and situated between mountains covered with the forest and meadows. The people are friendly and gladly will show you around and tell stories about their monastery. It was also built in XII century and similar to Haghartsin. The church is open, but to get to the museum you will need to ask locals and pay few hundred drams. The monastery was also an oldest Armenian schools and it was founded by famous Armenian scholar Mchitar Gosh.

On your way back you can stop by the Geytap family restaurant on the left side of the road about 2 miles from the Dilijan. Make sure to order the local oyster mushrooms, pork barbeque and local lemonade. The food in the restaurant is far better than anywhere in the Yerevan. Most of the fresh ingredients come from the local farmers. The dinner for three, appetizers and small vodka will cost you around $20, which is around $7 per person.

The quiet and green Dilijan is only 60 miles away from the Yerevan, and it is the best place to escape the city rush and hot summer days. The Dilijan's tourism infrastructure is under development, but we are certain that in the coming years the small town will attract more visitors around the world.

Visit our Landscapes and Monuments galleries for more pictures of Dilijan and surroundings.