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The world's longest gata -  an Armenian traditional pastry made of flour, butter and sugar - was baked, exhibited, and tasted today in Yerevan.  The unique pastry, which measured 4000cm long, 40cm wide and weighting in at 240kg adorned with dried fruit was prepared by a team of 30 pastry chefs.

The tasting event of the gata which was initiated by "Pandok Yerevan" restaurant chain, celebrating the fourth anniversary of one of its branches was attended by numerous locals and tourists. 

The United Nations World Tourism Organization included Armenia in the list of 20 fastest-growing travel destinations. Every year the UNWTO is tracking the trends and presents information about which countries are spiking interest, Travel and Leisure reported.

Each week, we spotlight a dream vacation recommended by some of the industry's top travel writers. This week's pick is Armenia.

"When you encounter hospitality in Armenia, you're unlikely to forget it," said Ben Lerwill at BBC. The rugged, mountainous country has been renowned for its generosity to outsiders since the days of the Silk Road, when countless traders, soldiers, and migrants passed through its beautiful, rolling landscape. "As long ago as 400 B.C., the Greek general Xenophon brought his troops this way and gave accounts of tables groaning with lamb, poultry, and barley wine.

Armenians, like their Caucasus neighbours, have long been renowned for generosity to outsiders – a result of the country’s historical location on the Silk Road.

I never meant to spend the night in Dilijan. I’d been making my way through northern Armenia towards the capital city of Yerevan, having crossed from Georgia several days earlier. My travels were taking me south, but slowly. The landscapes up here were all muscle and brawn: dry escarpments and deep, hefty canyons.

Every season in Armenia has its own bright colors, beautiful nature, and amazing flavors. Every season has its prominence, whether the snow-white winter wonderland, the golden autumn, the colorful spring, or the sunny summer with a bounty of aromatic and delicious fruits and vegetables. Great things come in small packages, in this case, small landmasses. Whether by land or air, this ancient land of Armenia awaits you to explore its riches and begin your adventure. Here we present 17 reasons to visit Armenia.

Sun-kissed vineyards, awe-inspiring peaks of Mount Ararat and the gorgeous waterfalls. every aspect of Armenia is, well, Insta-worthy. Sandwiched between Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan, the country of three million people boasts of a kaleidoscopic culture, flavourful cuisine and an eventful history fraught with bloody conquests and political upheavals. From Alexander the Great's expeditions to invasions by the Roman legions, the Iranians and the Ottomans, the intrepid Armenians have witnessed it all.

From a vertiginous 1,476 feet, the almond-coloured cityscape of Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, looks bewitching. A 572-step stairway has transported me to the Mountain Terrace of Cascades, a contemporary art museum and sculpture garden, from where I am soaking in a panorama of terracotta-roofed houses, statuesque buildings and green pastures stretching out to snow-swathed mountains. Above it all soars Mount Ararat where Noah’s Ark is believed to have landed, every bit as mighty as its biblical status.

This Asian country made Christianity its official religion in 301 AD, and this history can still be seen today.

Pious history

Armenia is a small country in south-west Asia with a population of only 3 million people. But it has a sizable place in spiritual history: most historians believe that in 301 AD, it became the first country in the world to adopt Christianity.

Today, around 95% of Armenians are Christian, and the country’s pious history can be traced back through some of its ancient sites and monuments. (Credit: Rodolfo Contreras)

Why Armenia? We think this country is not very well known certainly there isn´t tourism yet.

That was one of the reason we decided it to go check it out. Armenia is somewhere between Asia and Europe. The official language is Armenian, one of the oldest languages in the world and the second language is of course Russian. The oldest Christian country was surprising us a lot, especially because of the incredible landscape and the people and the food everywhere was awesome!!!!

Where the hell is Yerevan? To be honest, many people asked me this  question, being totally unaware of this hidden gem. Located at the geographic heart of the Armenian Republic, this city offers a surprising variety and cosmopolitan lifestyle. A typical morning starts with strolling around and getting a good coffee at the Green Bean Coffee Shop close to the cascade. The cultural, political and economic capital of this caucasian country offers much more than good coffee. This historically rich place impresses with a unimaginable tranquility which is unthinkable in any other 1.1 million capital. High street shops with the latest fashion trends from Europe, museums and lovely little parks and squares offering some space for neat cafes – Yerevan got it all. Not convinced yet? Keep on reading!