Gastro Tour in Gyumri: the Famous Kyalla

Gyumri, which is rich in cultural heritage, also boasts interesting culinary traditions. Join us in our gastro tour in Gyumri to communicate with the locals and get acquainted with Armenian culture. This trip will give you nice memories, and you will forever have a small piece of Armenia in your heart.

We will start the tour in Yerevan and will drive to Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia which has preserved its unique architectural style. Originally called Kumayri, the place was renamed Alexandrapol after the construction of a fortress of the same name. During the Soviet period, the city was called Leninakan, while the present-day name Gyumri was adopted in 1990.

Church of the Holy Mother of God

In Gyumri, we will begin our tour in the Liberty Square and will reach Vardanants Square through some beautifully built streets. Two churches are built in this square, one of them being the church of the Holy Mother of God dating from the 19^th century. Practically, it is widely known as the Church of the Seven Wounds after an icon, Seven Wounds of St. Mary, which is kept here.

It is also noteworthy that this church functioned even during the Soviet period when there were only 2 active churches in Soviet Armenia. At that time, it had 3 altars for the religious ceremonies of the local Armenian Apostolic, Armenian Catholic and Russian Orthodox believers (the main altar was used by the Armenian Apostolics).

Holy Saviour Church

Next, we will visit the church of the Holy Saviour, which is similarly located in Vardanants Square.

Its architect, Tadevos Antikian, would travel to the city of Ani by carriage every day to carefully study the local cathedral as he wanted to build his church in the same style.

Dzitoghtsian Museum of National Architecture and Urban Life

Afterwards we will visit Dzitoghtsian Museum of National Architecture and Urban Life, a beautiful complex of orange tufa built in 1872 as the house of a wealthy merchant, Petros Dzitoghtsian.

It is traditionally considered that in the past, kyalla was mostly used by the poor, like another typical Armenian dish called khash, a winter soup made of boiled cow parts: the rich would select the most juicy parts of beef or mutton, while the poor were able to skillfully cook and use all the parts of the animal. It is not very difficult to make kyalla: once the horns and hide have been removed, the animal head is cooked for about 6 or 8 hours in a tonir (tandoor), a traditional underground oven.

Aslamazian Sisters’ Art Gallery

After lunch, we will continue our tour in Gyumri and will have a nice walk in Kumayri Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve, where we will see beautifully built structures of the 19th and 20th centuries. We will also visit Aslamazian Sisters’ Art Gallery, which boasts a rich collection of paintings as well as specimens of graphic arts and ceramics.

The gallery which was founded in 1987 has about 620 works by the sisters Mariam and Yeranuhi Aslamazian. It is a unique colourful place that can inspire and motivate visitors.

Oldest Barber Shop in Armenia

Before finishing our programme, we will also visit Armenia’s oldest barber shop which opened in Gyumri in 1941. This is one of those special places in the city where you can enjoy an atmosphere of Old Gyumri as the interior and tools have remained almost unchanged since the 1940s.

In the evening we will return to Yerevan.

Tour Price:

Number of Participants	Price per group
2 – 3	135 000 AMD
4 – 6	155 000 AMD

The price includes:

• Service of the guide
• Transport
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Entrance tickets to the Museum of National Architecture and Urban Life of Gyumri
• Entrance tickets to the Sisters Aslamazyan Museum
• Lunch

The price does not include:

• Alcoholic beverages

For booking as well as for all questions, please contact us.

Read more for further details․

Wine tours in Armenia