Travel Tips for Armenia

If you have heard of Armenia and started to think of visiting, then this article might interest you. Here you will find some important travel tips for Armenia that will be useful during your trip and will help you to plan tour trip to Armenia.  

Armenia is one of the most ancient countries in the world which make the country much more interesting and intriguing for travelers. It is a little country with huge historical and cultural monuments and beautiful nature. In Armenia you can see mountainous landscapes, ancient sights and try unique cuisine. 

How to get in contact with locals 

One of the travel tips for Armenia is a communication as the language is the greatest barrier between travelers and locals. The official language in Armenia is Armenian but that does not mean that they can not speak in other languages as well. For example, tourists who need help during their trip in Armenia sometimes can easily communicate with some locals in Russian or English languages. Young Armenian people are interested in English and have basic or advanced knowledge of the language, while older people use Rassian language.

But it is possible to meet some locals, especially those who live in villages who can speak neither English nor Russian. To avoid miss-communication, you should learn some armenian words and phrases before visiting Armenia. It will be not too difficult to learn but will require some time and patience. Or if you run out of time, just take with you the English-Armenian dictionary. 

The most important thing you must know about Armenians is that they are friendly and open-hearted and always ready to help travellers. So before visiting Armenia, you must be sure that you are always welcome in this country. 

If you think about saving your budget during your holidays in Armenia, you can find some inexpensive ways for that. You should know where you can eat delicious dishes and do not pay much, how you can use cheaper transport etc. 

What to eat 

So, let’s start with food. Armenian cuisine is rich and full of many flavoursome dishes. There are many places you can eat delicious and national food paying a low price. For example, Art Lunch and Fourchette Buffet are the best options for this. If you want to eat much and tasty with less money and these buffets will offer you a great variety of choices and you will never leave them hungry. 

If you want to try Armenian national cuisine the best place to experience it is Yerevan Tavern. Here you can try all the shades of Armenian cuisine accompanied with live national music. If you want to have dinner in this restaurants you have better to book your table in advance as it is always full.

But if you are searching for elite restaurants, where you would like to give a try not only national food, but also traditional dishes of different countries, there are many options you can try. For example, Sherep restaurant which is located in the heart of the city center offers you Armenian, Italian, Mexican traditional dishes. 

In Yerevan you can also find some out of the ordinary restaurants such as Dine Sky or El Garden. Dine Sky is a air restaurant in Yerevan, where you can have dinner at the height of 55 meters above the city lights of Yerevan.

Another option is El Garden for the ones who love to dine in the nature. If you love the nature and prefer to enjoy delicious dishes and drinks then EL Garden is the most suitable place for it.

By the way, if you are planning to have an early breakfast, then you should consider the fact that many cafes and restaurants start their workday at 8:30 am. 

In Armenia, it is common to pay a little bit more from the bill  to express your thankfulness to the restaurant and its staff. Armenians call this <<teyavchar>> and cherish this tradition like many other nations. 

Public Transport in Armenia 

In Armenia transport is very varied and considered to be very cheap compared with other countries. There are different types of transport such as mini-bus, bus, trolleybus, marshrutka and metro. The cheapest way of transportation is trolleybus which costs 50 AMD. Others cost 100 AMD. During rush hours, (from 8-10 am to 6-9 pm) it is very uncomfortable to travel by public transport as people hurry to work, university and school. In public transport, Armenian young people always give their seat to an older people. It is an important tip for every traveler who will decide to use public transport. 

If you are in a hurry or feel uncomfortable about public transport during rush hours, you can take a taxi. But you should know that it is better to discuss the price with a taxi driver in advance otherwise he will exaggerate the amount of the right price. While you are in Armenia, you can use gg application which is easy to find on the app store and safe to travel. At the place of arrival, you will see the final price on your device.  

But if you want to have an absolutely free transportation, then hitchhiking also works in Armenia.

What to see in Yerevan 

If you do not have much time to explore many destinations in Armenia except Yerevan, do not worry because it can turn out to be a great option for sightseeing. Yerevan offers its locals and tourists many museums, beautiful buildings with amazing architecture and streets mixed with modern and classic styles. 

Besides visiting the famous and major museums in Yerevan, such as Armenian History museum or Matenadaran you can also consider visiting not so popular yet inviting museum – Yerevan History museum. Here in the animated city model you can find the depiction of an old city. With the help sound effect you can learn about the history and the development of the city. And after an excursion in the museum you can have a walking tour in Yerevan and compare the old and new Yerevan.

Near the museum you can find another hidden yet interesting place in the heart of Yerevan. Master Vahan’s Garden is located near the “Noy” wine factory where once the Yerevan fortress used to be. Here “the stone garden” made from Master Vahan’s carvings welcomes its visitors.

People say that the faces carved on the stones change their face expression (in the morning they are sad, then dreaming in the afternoon and in the evening they are smiling). Here you can also find the apricot trees that have planted prominent Armenian writer Hovhannes Shiraz and famous actors Sos Sargsyan and Mher Mkrtchyan. Few people know about this place, but the ones who have visited wish to return to talk with lively carvings of Master Vahan.

There is another jem in the very heart of Yerevan, though tourists know nothing about it. Even the residents of Yerevan want to forget about its existence. It is an island of old Yerevan – Kond is a city inside of a city. There you forget, that you are in the center of the city. Kond is unique by its narrow streets, small houses, which are bent to each other, there is no innovation, it is unique by the existence of an Iranian mosque and an Armenian church, it is unique with its special silence.

If you are having walk in Cascade on a Friday evening and see hundreds of people dancing there , just don’t be surprised. You are lucky to be in the right place at the right time. On the last Friday of each month in the period from April to September an open air national dance is being held in Cascade. Everyone gathers there and dances Armenian national dances. And anyone who is willing to learn Armenian national dances is welcome to join . So in the end you can leave Armenia with few Armenian national dances in your repertoire.

Active holidays in Armenia 

Armenia is home to many mountains and natural forests and it is a great place to have active holidays. So if you are planning to have active holidays in Armenia, one of the most important travel tips for Armenia is finding new  hiking and trekking destinations to join from Yerevan. One of the best choices for hiking lovers can be Smbataberd Fortress. It is a historical fortress surrounded with steep slopes from three sides. During the hike, you will also get acquainted with the medieval monastery complex Tsaghats Kar which is not far from Smbataberd fortress. 

But as Armenia is a mountainous country, it would be much more fun to climb a mountain during your holidays. According to your hiking experience level, you can easily choose which mountain will suit you best. For example, one of the most popular destinations for hiking and trekking in Armenia is mount Azhdahak. 

Azhdahak is an extinct volcano with 3597 meters above the sea level. On the top of the mountain, you can see a clear lake which is filled with icy water. From the top, you will enjoy  breathtaking views of Mount Ararat, Hatis, Ara and Aragats. 

Armenia can be different for every traveler. To explore the uniqueness you should visit Armenia and enjoy every part of the country. But before visiting, consider looking into these travel tips for Armenia. In this article, we have tried to gather the most important ones for you. Keep in mind these travel tips for Armenia that will make your trip easier and more effective.

And remember that you are always welcome! 

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