The province is home to many ancient landmarks and tourist attractions in Armenia including the 8th-century Tanahat Monastery, the 10th-century Smbataberd fortress, and the 13th-century Noravank monastery. Vayots Dzor is also home to the spa-town of Jermuk. ARENI CAVE The world's oldest known wine-making facility has been discovered in southern Armenia, dating back more than 6,000 years (the beginning of the 4th Millennium BC. The excavations occurred between 2007 and 2014 by a team of Armenian, American and Irish archaeologists. The findings include numerous large storage vessels, wine-storage jars, associated pottery and metal implements. The remains of grape seeds found in the jars morphologically were close to domesticated grapevines providing evidence of vine cultivation. Wine storage clay jars combined with the chemical analyses of the organic residues by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed the presence of tartaric acid and the red pigment anthocyanin malvidin, left no doubt that the jars had contained red wine. THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN VAYOTS DZOR • Hiking Tours at Arpa protected landscape • Jeep Tours above Noravank, Jermuk hot water springs • Camping at Artavan (VR / AR) • Cycling and Horseback riding • Wildlife Observation (bears) in Shatin and Chiva • Wildlife Observation (Bezoar Goats) in Noravank area • Rock climbing and Rope jumping at Noravank Canyon • Bird Watching at Orbelian's Caravanserai, Gnishik, Smbataberd (April, May, September) •Areni Wine Fest (October) •Ecotourism festival (July) • Gata festival (September)

When you’re pondering your next trip, you are unlikely to book Armenia. The country has wrongly been overlooked as a go-to destination for tourists. But if you visit, you will find a rich cultural heritage where ancient sights and delicious food abound. Throw in the friendly atmosphere (and copious opportunities for extreme sports) and it’s clear that Armenia’s reputation is due for a change. Here are the top 10 reasons to visit Armenia.

Hay Buis is a festival of herbs. But people come here not only to learn about the healing features of the herbs or buy some of them but also enjoy music, dancing and pure, fresh nature.

Ride jeeps along snow-covered roads, master snowmobiles, stay at a ski resort and... dive into an ice hole in Sevan. In winter, the lake is covered with a crust of ice, the mountain ranges are covered with snow, the slopes of Aragats are favored by freeriders, and the Gorge of Flowers - the ski resort of Tsaghkadzor - attracts skiers, snowboarders, cross-country skiing and orienteering enthusiasts. There are all opportunities for practicing your favorite sports; thanks to the local climate, virgin soil does not become crusty, and untouched snow holds the board perfectly. The ski center in Tsaghkadzor is located a 40-minute drive from the airport on the picturesque slopes of Mount Teghenis. Trails of all difficulty levels start at the top of the mountain, where the Litner chairlift with heated seats takes you there. In Tsaghkadzor there are no queues for the ski lifts, and all instructors speak Russian! The highest ski point is 2819 m, which is only 10 m lower than the highest ski station in Courchevel. In clear weather, from the first stage of the cable car you can see Sevan, and from the top of Teghenis - Ararat. The third stage of the cable car is a route for lovers of real extreme sports. If you go from the top to the pass, then along the ridge of the neighboring mountain, virgin fields and snowboard slope, you get 8 km of continuous drive - a real paradise for skiers! The cozy resort town boasts not only exciting trails, but also respectable hotels and chic restaurants where there is no strict dress code. In addition, players in the local hospitality industry offer world-class facilities and services at very attractive prices.