Dilijan

Dilijan

Dilijan is a spa town located in the Dilijan National Park, one of Armenia's most important resorts. The forested town is home to many Armenian artists, composers and film directors and features some traditional Armenian architecture. The town is often referred to by locals as Armenian Switzerland or Little Switzerland. Sharambeyan Street in the city center remains the heart of the old town, with craft workshops, a gallery and a museum. Hiking, mountain biking and picnicking are popular leisure activities in the area. The forests of Dilijan cover an area of over 34 000 hectares, which became known as Dilijan National Park in 2002. Forests cover 94% of the park's area, with some 40 species of trees and 18 species of shrubs. The national park also has a rich fauna, including Brown Bear, wolf, marten, otter, lynx, Sylvan Cat, Sylvan Dormouse, Persian Squirrel, hedgehog, chamois, European Red Deer, Wild Boar, pheasant, quail, partridge, Caspian Turkey, culver, White-Tailed Eagle, Bearded Vulture, Pygmy Eagles, Golden Eagle and hawk. Lake Parz is one of the most attractive natural sites in Dilijan. It is located in the northern part of the city, at an altitude of 1,400 meters above sea level. In 2017, construction of the Transcaucasian Trail in Dilijan National Park started. Once completed, the trail will stretch the entire length of Armenia, from the Armenian-Iranian border to neighboring Georgia. By May 2020, around 100 kilometers of trail in the Dilijan region will be ready and open to hikers, with several routes passing by monasteries in the region.