Armenia is a landlocked country located in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia. The country encompasses the best of Europe and Asia, combining the two into a mix of unforgettable experiences. Mountain valleys, extinct volcanoes and rapid rivers make for a magnificent scenery, with ancient history and rich culture. In fact, it is one of the oldest countries in the world. Scientific research, numerous archaeological findings and old manuscripts in fact prove that the Armenian Highlands are the very Cradle of Civilization.
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Armenia packs the true range of the four seasons; hot and sunny summers, cold and icy winters, and the beautiful flora of spring and fall. Average summer temperatures exceed 25ºC; while in the winter, the average temperature is -5ºC, although in places it is known to go as low as -36ºC. The best time to visit Armenia for general sightseeing tends to be in mid-May to mid- October when it is not too cold, the snow has melted, and the fields are ripe with fruits and flowers.
Historical and sacred places: the best time for general sightseeing and touring tends to be in May and June, or else late September and October.
Ski and winter sports: the skiing season starts in mid-December and stretches well into March, with the top slopes often fit for skiing in April. The winter is especially exciting and magnificent in mountainous areas, namely in ski resorts (such as Tsaghkadzor ski resort), which offer excellent opportunities for extreme lovers.
Hiking and other outdoor activities: the best time to hike is during late spring, millions of wildflowers blanket the valleys or in the fall when fruit trees including fig and apricot. In summer in the plains starts from the beginning of June, the temperature reaches up to 27°. In the mountains, the summer begins at the end-June, also is a good moment, the weather is pleasant in the daytime and it is slightly cool at night. Autumn in mountains begins in late August. It is still warm, with less rain across the country. From October, the temperature slowly drops and the golden autumn reigns in Armenia until November when the hiking season closes until next spring.
Birdwatching: At present there are over 370 species of birds recorded in Armenia, including 235 breeding and 139 migratory or wintering species. Late summer/early autumn is the best time.
Hot springs and spa: Armenia are rich in natural healing resources, there are more than 350 mineral springs. The most popular health resorts are: Jermuk, Arzni, Tsaghkadzor, Dilijan and the salt mines in Yerevan. The best time to visit the springs is during the winter.
The Dram is the official currency. Typically, 420 to 600 drams per Euro and 394 to 480 drams per US Dollar.
The Armenian is the official language. Over 90% of the people in the country speak Armenian while ¾ of the population speak Russian while English is becoming increasingly more possible.
Armenia has recently introduced the Visitor e-Visa for citizens of over 30 countries. This Visitor e-Visa allows travellers to enter the country for tourist or business purposes and enables them to stay in Armenia for 21 days per Entry or 120 days per Entry. The Armenia e-Visa application process is very simple and 100% online. Once the application is submitted and accepted, the applicant will receive a landing authorization that must be shown to an immigration officer upon arrival. A proof of accommodation is required to obtain the travel document. The dates in this document must match the travel dates selected in the application. This is a requirement that is demanded by the government in order to issue the travel document.
The Armenia e-Visa is only available to travellers whose point of entry is one of the following border-crossing checkpoints: Ayrum railway station, Bavra, Bagratashen, Gogavan land borders with the Republic of Georgia, Zvartnots International Airport, and the Meghri land border with Iran.
If you want to check, for knowing which country need a visa or not, check this website.
There are ATMs in the major cities and the credit cards are accepted in most cities. Foreign currencies can be exchanged in the airport, banks and most hotels and shops during normal opening hours. US dollars are the most widely recognised foreign currency, followed by Euro and Russian roubles. It is important to know that the visitor should carry with the national currency (Dram), particularly in local shops, markets and small hotels.
Most businesses operate five days a week. The usual opening hours for financial institutions, commercial organizations are from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm with a one-hour lunch break at 1.00 pm. Retail stores’ opening hours vary from their location and size but they usually open from 8.00 am to 9.00 pm. Restaurants and bars are open from 10am to midnight in some places.
Time: GMT +4 hours.
Zvartnots International Airport (is located west of Yerevan near the town of Zvartnots). The distance from Yerevan airport to the centre of Yerevan is 12 kilometres. By car, it takes 20 minutes to get to the centre of Yerevan.
Gyumri Shirak International Airport (is an international airport serving Gyumri). It is about eight kilometres from the centre of Gyumri. By car, it takes 10 minutes to get to the centre.
Transport in Armenia is quite affordable. In the capital, you can easily travel by bus, minibus, and metro. There is also a cheap taxi, Yandex. There are almost no difficulties using public transport in Yerevan itself, unlike other parts of the country where public transport is a more difficult to find. You can get to the main cities by bus from inter-regional stations. In some places the public transport websites are not in English, so it is much better to ask in your hotel for a bit of guidance to help use the local and InterCity buses, except in Yerevan.
The quickest way around Yerevan is by its underground subway system. Yerevan metro offers clean and comfortable metro stations, with trains running every five minutes from 6:30 am through 11:00 pm.
Getting to Armenia by train, it is another option for travelling. This can only be accomplished from Georgia. The trains are in good condition: clean and secure. The service on the trains is great and most importantly the prices are very reasonable. Georgia offers travel by train from the following cities: Tbilisi-Yerevan, year-round, is a 10-hour train ride, Batumi-Yerevan during the summer season, a 15-hour train ride. Also there are daily trains towards Gyumri, from the main railway of Yerevan.
Getting to Armenia by bus: many travel companies offer big tour buses from Georgia and Iran. The prices are much lower compared to renting a car or traveling by plane. Buses and minivans (locally referred to as marshrutka) serve most major cities and many smaller towns. Buses usually run all day, but have a fixed schedule. Vans, on the other hand, are more frequent and faster than buses, running various routes throughout the cities and the country. The Yerevan trolleybus system forms part of the public transport network. If you have plenty of time and you want to save some money you can travel by trolleybus, it travels slower than other public transport. Minivans are centrally administered under Armenia’s National Transport Authority. Note that Yerevan has several bus stations spread around the city so you will need to double-check where your van departs. Use the T-Armenia website to check marshrutka (and train) schedules and fares, then cross-check times locally where possible.
Traveling to Armenia by a car allows for more freedom on your side. Whether you choose to drive the car yourself or hire a driver. There are several rental car companies available in Yerevan, with many models to choose from at varying costs. You must present your passport and driver’s license in order to rent a car.
Taxi service in Armenia is not very expensive, and sometimes it is the better choice when you are in a hurry. You can find taxis everywhere. Always choose the ones with meters. In addition, there are several taxi mobile applications available to enable you to order taxis by a tap or two once you have downloaded the application.
Visiting churches and cathedrals and wearing clothes that would not cover should cover
Participating in or watching nearby while political demonstrations and protests take place
Armenia does have some conflict with its neighbours, especially Azerbaijan. Therefore, it is a good idea to steer clear of places like the Nagorno-Karabakh area near the border.
Outside Yerevan, it is probably wise avoid drinking tap water
Armenian cuisine is very intimately related to east European, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern. Common ingredients in Armenian dishes are lamb, eggplant, yoghurt, cottage cheese, grape leaves, and many fragrant spices. “Lyulya kebab” (is a unique kebab variety popular throughout the Caucasus region. It typically consists of ground lamb combined with finely chopped onions. The mixture is seasoned with salt and black pepper, then skewered and grilled, “Khorovats” (is prepared with pork chops and pork ribs that are typically only seasoned with salt and pepper, and marinated for a short time in a marinade), “Ghapama” (is typically prepared by stuffing a pumpkin with rice, various nuts and dried fruits, butter, honey, and cinnamon), “Dzhash” (traditionally cooked in a tonir, a built-in underground clay oven, it is a tomato-based stew that can be made with either meat or legumes, but always includes vegetables)
In Armenia there are two associated plug types, types C and F. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and plug type F is the plug which has two round pins with two earth clips on the side. Armenia operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Armenia has both public and private health sectors. Although the country has many competent physicians, medical facilities are limited and do not meet international standards, especially outside major cities. Rural facilities are often poorly equipped and report a lack of medical specialists and ambulatory services. Hospitals typically require upfront payment with cash, regardless if you have travel health insurance. Most prescription medications are available, but shortages can occur and specific medications may be unavailable. Armenia now requires patients to have a prescription for many medications that could previously be purchased over the counter, including antibiotics and specially-controlled medications. Due to limited pharmaceutical regulation, fake medication is a common concern. Avoid purchasing medication from markets or unlicensed pharmacies.
There are no mandatory immunizations for travelers to Armenia though you should be up to date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A.
Tipping ins Armenia is usually, in restaurants and bars you may see a 10% service charge on your bill, this is not for the staff but goes directly to the front of the house. Most taxi drivers will expect you to round up the fare to the nearest whole amount. Tipping in Yerevan is common, outside the capital you will not have to tip much.