What 6 months in Armenia revealed to this photography duo

In this landlocked country in the South Caucasus, the culinary culture and winemaking traditions are rooted in the land and shaped by a millennia-old history.

An elderly, moustached farmer posing for a portrait on a rocky mountain plateau with a sheep herd grazing in the background.
Armenia's dining culture is shaped by its agricultural heritage of high-altitude farming.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer
Story and photographs byBernd Jungbauer and Jessica Jungbauer
Published May 9, 2026
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
A market stall set up with jars of different pickles and bowls of more pickled vegetables in the foreground on multiple levels.
A local woman sat in front of a round, wooden table, shaping a flatbread that's doused in flour, and leaning her head back laughing.
Armenia’s proud national identity is vividly reflected in its cuisine. Lavash, a thin flatbread included on Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, is traditionally made by women and baked in a clay oven.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer (Top) (Left) and Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer (Bottom) (Right)
The interior of a medieval, stone church, with two elderly women sitting on a wooden bench in the front next to a towering pillar, looking at a candle-lit altar.
Gata is another popular bread; it’s sold sweet and decorated outside medieval Geghard Monastery in Kotayk province.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer
A plate of shredded pasta with an herby tarragon sauce on a traditional table clothed table outside.
Fresh herbs such as tarragon feature heavily in Armenian dishes, alongside apricots, pomegranates and walnuts.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer
A farmer's truck parked on a field with rolling hills in the background, carrying a load of hay balls.
The intense flavours of the seasonal produce are shaped by the country’s high-altitude landscape, which bursts into vibrant shades of green during summer.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer
A tiled and domed mosque peeking through the green leaves of a lush garden.
Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion in 301 CE, but cross-cultural influences are visible in landmarks such as the 18th-century Blue Mosque in Yerevan.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer
A wide landscape shot of a flat vineyard in summer with a snow-capped mountain in the background.
The country’s winemaking has ancient roots, too, dating back over 6,000 years, with the world’s oldest winery found in Areni province.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer
A wheel of cheese wrapped in dried vine leaves.
A hand with manicured nails holding up a glass of unfiltered orange wine against a plain wall.
Armenia’s first artisan cheese producer, Mikayelyan Family Farm, wraps cow’s cheese in vine leaves, celebrating the country’s connection to viticulture.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer (Top) (Left) and Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer (Bottom) (Right)
A middle-aged woman wearing a simple chef apron in a dark, rustic kitchen, pulling pasta by hand and hanging them up on a rod behind her to dry.
Restaurants also blend tradition with innovation: fettuccine-like arishta noodles are still beaten by hand at Tsaghkunk Restaurant & Glkhatun.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer
Sliced and roasted turkey breast served alongside grains and two sauces in a cast iron pan.
The statue of a woman holding a sword sideways in her hands.
Known for their generous hospitality, Armenians typically raise a toast to family, friends and good health when sharing a meal. And, while the country respects tradition — as symbolised by the Mother Armenia monument (right) overlooking Yerevan, which represents peace, unity and strength — this isn’t a place defined by its past.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer (Top) (Left) and Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer (Bottom) (Right)
A person holding up a wooden charcuterie board with feathered out cheese slices, cured meats crisps and fruit.
A stone building with a flat facade and three arched entrances looking out on a plaza
A new generation of chefs, producers and winemakers is honouring Armenia’s heritage while bringing it into the future — from modern coffeeshops, like Afrolab in Yerevan, to cultural institutions such as the Wine History Museum of Armenia in Sasunik village.
Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer (Top) (Left) and Jessica & Bernd Jungbauer (Bottom) (Right)
Published in the June 2026 issue by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

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