Armenian Press Day
On October 16 Armenia marks Press Day, a holiday of journalists and editors, heirs to a tradition that began with the first printed Armenian word more than four centuries ago.
History & traditions
The Armenian printed word is older than many European traditions: as early as 1512 in Venice, Hakob Meghapart published the first printed book in Armenian. Since then the Armenian press has sounded out from Venice, Tbilisi, Constantinople, Moscow, wherever the diaspora lived, the Armenian word was printed. Press Day, marked on October 16, honours journalists, editors and all who keep this tradition alive today.
A one-day trip north: Alaverdi in the Debed canyon, Sanahin and Haghpat — both on the UNESCO list. Lunch by the river.
On this day the Union of Journalists and newsrooms hold meetings, professional prizes are awarded, and the classics of Armenian journalism are remembered. It is a holiday not only of news but of language: Armenian journalism has always been closely tied to the struggle to preserve the mother tongue in dispersion.
What to see
A one-day food tour: the Areni-1 cave with 6,100-year-old winemaking artefacts, a tasting at a family winery, and lunch by the red cliffs of Noravank.
- Journalism award ceremonies in Yerevan.
- Exhibitions of old newspapers and early printed books in museums and libraries.
- Newsroom meetings with journalism students and readers.
- The Matenadaran, home to the oldest Armenian manuscripts, the roots of the printed word.
Drop into a newsroom or a bookshop on this day: people will proudly tell you the history of their publication and most likely give you a fresh issue over a cup of coffee.
A one-day tour from Yerevan to Tatev Monastery, riding the world’s longest cableway. Lunch in Khot and a guided tour of the monastery.
What to bring
The best souvenir is something printed: an Armenian book, a reprint of an old newspaper, or a card with a fragment of Meghapart's first printed edition. Connoisseurs will take home a sense of how much this people's own word on paper means.
The holiday is celebrated all across Armenia — best to pick one city or village and spend the day there, immersed in the local atmosphere.
On a tour you also often need other services
We have other partner categories too — requests work the same. We forward them to several partners with availability at once.
Where to stay in mountains and cities
Family guesthouses, boutique hotels, glamping, cave suites. Across Armenia.
From airport or between regions
Fixed price, no meter. Econom, comfort, minivan or premium.
A car for a self-drive trip
SUV for Syunik mountains, sedan for highways, minivan for groups. Full tank, insurance.