Introducing Tsaghkadzor

Back when Armenia was part of the USSR Soviet athletes used to come to this tiny village to train for the winter Olympics and other sport competitions. The ski centre is still here and if you happen to be in Armenia in winter Tsaghkadzor (Gorge of Flowers) makes an excellent weekend getaway. The little resort, 57km north of Yerevan, is a virtual ghost town in summer, which is great if you are looking for cut rates on hotels or some crowd-free nature spots.

The main road reaches a central square and veers left up to the House of Writers, or right and around to the active Kecharis Monastery. The road straight on from the monastery leads to the cable-car station, while another branches to the left up to the Sport Base. The 6km cable car up Mt Tsaghkuniats runs daily even in summer.

The skiing facilities at the ski resort are basic and a far cry from the Alps but good fun for a day on the slopes.

A single cable-car ride costs AMD1000, and you can hire basic ski equipment, much of it vintage gear from the cable-car station. Better equipment is available from the Hotel Kecharis.

The forests around the base of the mountain provide some nice walks, and in summer there’s horse riding from the Tsaghkadzor Sport Base. Horse riding can be organized directly through Seran Mirzoya (093340 058), reached through the Hotel Kecharis.

The Kecharis Monastery is a finely carved 11th- to 13th-century complex with khatchkars, a katoghike (cathedral), a Surp Grigor Church and a smaller Surp Nishan chapel. It’s now the seat of the bishop of Kotayk marz and is open daily.