Aparan, a small town that is as severe as it is picturesque, lies at the foot of Mount Aragats, Armenia's roof. A small town in the high plateaus, buffeted by the winds, dry and freezing in winter, it is an ideal point of departure for climbing Aragats.

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If someone were to ask you what Steve Jobs, Kim Kardashian and Princess Diana have in common, what would you answer? They are all of Armenian origin... of course! Sometimes more known for its famous expatriates than for itself, Armenia is a multifaceted country still widely unexplored and seldom frequented by Western tourists. But what riches are hidden there! From the capital Yerevan to the emblematic and legendary mountains (Mount Ararat, Mount Aragats), Armenia boasts churches and monasteries listed in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites, a thousand-year-old culture of incredible variety. With a rocky landscape of canyons and high plateaus, 90% of the land is situated above 1000 metres altitude to delight the soul of the lost wayfarer. Traveling in Armenia also means meeting a proud, hospitable and warm people, always overjoyed to be able to share with passing visitors and to assist them in discovering their country and its resources forged over several millennia more intimately. Don’t wait a moment longer, you too can create your tailor-made trip to Armenia. Բարի գալուստ Հայաստան (Bari galust Hayastan or Welcome to Armenia)!

Armenia

Aparan

The symbol of a country which recalls the riches of its history and the bitterness of its defeats.

Mount Ararat

Areni's excellent red wines  are produced in a small village in the south west of the country on the border with Azerbaijan

Areni

The ruin of the Amberd Fortress is 2300 m above sea level; it is a symbolic monument perched on top of a stony setting and at the foot of Mount Aragats. Just next to the Vahramashen church (11th century) is another architectural and scenic gem.

Amberd

Shusha is one of the most disputed towns in the Caucasus. The second largest town in Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh, it was, before war broke out, an Azeri and Armenian cultural centre. It's an interesting place to visit that's home to monuments built by these two cultures.

Shoushi

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<a href="/armenia/">Stepanakert</a> is the capital of the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Shusha, a town deeply scarred by the conflict, is the historic and cultural capital. A former stronghold that was once a leading light in the southern Caucasus, it was, like Azeris, home to numerous Armenian artists and academics.
I was left with mixed feelings during my holiday in Shusha. One the one hand, this Armenian/Karabakh town feels like an over-protected enclave. On the other, the town is a ghost of its former self; its glory days are long since gone, along with its prosperous economy and Muslim residents who were forced to flee. Today, you'll find dilapidated mansion blocks that date back to the Soviet colonial era. 
Despite the carnage left behind by the war and the exodus of its Azeri population, Shusha is still a fascinating stop, where remains of its history still stand proud. Its 19th Century stone and wood buildings are appealing. The Ashaghi Govhar Agha Mosque, built in an Iranian Kadjar Dynasty style, as well as the Ghazanchestots Cathedral and Kanach Zham Church are impressive monuments. There's also the Susha History Museum, well worth a tour, even if it only focuses on the positive side of Armenia's past. Finally, there's the Karabagh 'memorial tank', left behind by Armenian troops in 1992, after the capture of Shusha!

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