Skip to main content
XTOUR
Destination guide

Things to Doin Dilijan

What there is to do in Dilijan: the major sights, local experiences and the practical detail you need to plan around them.

Things to do

What deserves your time in Dilijan

Major attractions matter, but so do timing, price, accessibility and whether an experience actually deserves part of your trip.

01

Restored historic quarter and craft workshops

Sharambeyan Street and Old Dilijan

A short restored street of nineteenth-century Tavush architecture, with carved wooden balconies, stone lower storeys and steep tiled roofs, now occupied by craft workshops, a small museum and cafes. Pottery, wood carving and textile workshops operate here and several offer hands-on sessions. It is genuinely small, and its value lies in the building style rather than in scale.

Booking: Free to walk. Workshop sessions should be arranged in advance rather than assumed as a walk-in, particularly outside summer.

Accessibility: The street is cobbled and set on a slope, with steps into most buildings. Difficult for wheelchairs and awkward for strollers.

Time

1–2 hours

02

National park and forest

Dilijan National Park

More than 240 square kilometres of dense beech, oak and hornbeam forest with meadows, streams and lakes, rising from around 1,100 to over 2,300 metres. The forest is the densest in Armenia and supports the country's most extensive walking network. A section of the Transcaucasian Trail runs through the park, linking the town with Gosh and Parz Lake.

Booking: Trails range from easy waymarked loops to multi-day sections. Check current conditions at the visitor centre; markings vary and some routes are poorly signed. A guide is worth considering for anything beyond the main marked loops.

Accessibility: Trail surfaces are natural and frequently muddy, rooted or steep. There is no step-free trail infrastructure.

Time

Half a day to several days

03

Monastery

Haghartsin Monastery

A tenth- to thirteenth-century monastic complex set in dense forest in a side valley about 10 km from the town. The setting is what distinguishes it: three churches, a refectory and khachkars enclosed almost entirely by trees, so it appears suddenly rather than dominating a landscape. It underwent substantial restoration in the 2010s, which is visible in the stonework.

Booking: Reached by a side road off the Ijevan highway. There is no useful public transport; take a taxi from Dilijan or walk in on a forest trail if you want the approach on foot.

Accessibility: The car park is close to the complex and the immediate grounds are relatively level, though surfaces are uneven and there are steps into the churches.

Time

1–1.5 hours

04

Monastery

Goshavank Monastery

A twelfth- to thirteenth-century complex in the village of Gosh, comprising three churches and around nine buildings in total, including a scriptorium and a book depository. It was a significant centre of medieval learning under Mkhitar Gosh, the jurist who compiled an influential Armenian law code. The finely carved khachkars here are among the best in the country.

Booking: In the village of Gosh, roughly 20 km from Dilijan by road. Reachable on foot from Dilijan on a Transcaucasian Trail section for those walking; otherwise taxi or driver.

Accessibility: Village setting with uneven paving and steps into the churches. The outer grounds are manageable with care.

Time

1–1.5 hours

05

Forest lake and activity area

Parz Lake

A small lake enclosed by forest about 14 km from town, developed with a restaurant, boat hire, accommodation and a zipline. It is the most family-oriented spot in the area and correspondingly the busiest in summer, so its appeal depends heavily on timing.

Booking: Busiest at summer weekends. Reachable by a forest trail from Dilijan for walkers, or by road. Confirm whether activities are running outside peak season.

Accessibility: The lakeside area and restaurant are broadly level and among the easier outdoor spots in the region, though the approach road and parking involve uneven ground.

Time

1–3 hours

06

Small forest monasteries

Jukhtak Vank and Matosavank

Two small, largely unrestored monastic sites reached on foot through the forest west of the town. Matosavank in particular is partly overgrown and receives few visitors. They are modest structures, and the point is the walk and the sense of stumbling on something rather than the architecture itself.

Booking: Reached on marked forest trails from the edge of Dilijan. Confirm the route at the visitor centre; the paths are easy to lose in leaf litter.

Accessibility: Forest walking only, on rough natural surfaces. Not accessible by vehicle.

Time

2–3 hours including the walk

Information last verified: September 6, 2026

Continue planning

More about Dilijan

Eat like you understand the place

Food

What to eat and drink in Dilijan, from signature dishes and local drinks to markets, dietary needs and restaurant etiquette.

Know before it happens

Scams

Common scams, tourist traps and avoidable problems in Dilijan, with practical advice on how travelers can recognize and avoid them.

Bring home the right things

Souvenirs

What to buy in Dilijan, where to shop, typical prices, authenticity advice and which souvenirs are genuinely connected to the destination.

When to go

Weather

A month-by-month guide to weather, crowds and seasonal conditions in Dilijan, and how to choose when to go.

Family travel

With Kids

Visiting Dilijan with babies, toddlers, children and teenagers, including strollers, car seats and changing facilities.

Travel for more people

Accessibility

Accessibility information for Dilijan, including walking difficulty, wheelchair access, transport, stairs, seating and sensory considerations.

After dark

Nightlife

A practical introduction to nightlife in Dilijan, including nightlife areas, atmosphere, late-night considerations and safety.

Money & budgeting

Costs

What a trip to Dilijan costs, including typical daily budgets, transport, food, attractions, payments and common money mistakes.

Complete destination guide

Back to Dilijan

Continue exploring