Hagartsin (Armenia)

Haghartsin Monastery, built between the 10th and 12th centuries, lies completely hidden amidst verdant hills; and as with most of the country's monasteries, it is difficult to get to: it is reachable only via a four-kilometre trail. If you don't have motorised transport available, you will have to walk along the main road. Hitch-hiking is a feasible option however, in view of the large number of Armenians you see making the trip to this hugely significant religious site.

I found Haghartsin (which means "soaring eagle" in Armenian), with its three churches, to be in a particularly good state of preservation. One particularly interesting feature is the refectory, which though quite austere seems to have the effect of almost transporting the visitor back to medieval times, with the dense woodlands around the monastery adding to this impression.