Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia, a rose-tuff city of about 1.1 million people set at roughly 900-1,300 m above sea level on the Hrazdan River, with snow-capped Mount Ararat visible across the Turkish border on clear days. Founded as the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC, it combines Soviet-era neoclassical planning around Republic Square, the Cascade arts complex, the Matenadaran manuscript library, the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial, outdoor cafes, brandy cellars and a growing wine-bar scene. Visitors come for Armenian food and hospitality, very low prices by European standards, and easy day trips to Garni, Geghard, Khor Virap, Echmiadzin and Lake Sevan.
Cultural orientation
Essential context for travellers.
Armenian hospitality is a point of national pride; accept an invitation to coffee, tea or a meal, and expect to be offered more food than you can eat.
Toasts are central at meals; wait for the toastmaster to speak and clink glasses, saying 'Kenats'.
Greet people with a handshake; close friends kiss on the cheek.
Learn a few Armenian words; locals appreciate the effort, even though Russian and English are widely understood.
Take shoes off if asked when entering a home.
Respect the memory of the 1915 Armenian genocide when visiting Tsitsernakaberd and in conversation.
Bargaining is acceptable at Vernissage but not in shops.
Dress smartly for restaurants and the Opera.
Do's and don'ts
Quick guide to local norms.
Do
- Cover shoulders and knees in churches and monasteries; women often cover their heads with a scarf
- Accept coffee, tea and sweets when offered
- Try local brandy and wine toasts
- Greet shopkeepers and hosts with 'barev'
- Ask before photographing people
- Bring flowers or sweets when invited to a home
- Stand when older people enter the room
Don't
- Do not wear shorts, sleeveless tops or a bare midriff inside churches
- Do not photograph military sites or border posts
- Do not deny or compare the Armenian genocide
- Do not refuse hospitality abruptly
- Do not assume Armenia is part of Russia or Georgia
- Do not discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh war in a confrontational way
- Do not point the soles of your feet at people
Etiquette by setting
How to navigate everyday situations.
- Greetings
- A handshake is standard for men; friends and family exchange kisses on the cheek. Say 'Barev' (hello) or 'Barev dzez' (polite hello) and use titles with older people.
- Dining
- Bread (lavash) is broken by hand and shared. At a feast, the tamada (toastmaster) leads toasts, with brandy for the first toast, and guests should not leave the table early.
- Dress
- Yerevan is cosmopolitan: smart casual works at restaurants and the Opera, and trendy bars have no strict code. Cover shoulders and knees in churches.
- Gifts
- When invited to a home, bring sweets, brandy, wine or flowers (an odd number, not even, which is for funerals).
- Business
- Business is relationship-based; meetings often start with coffee and small talk and may be less punctual than in Western Europe.
- Tipping
- About 10% is standard; check whether a service charge has already been added to the bill.
Useful phrases
A few words go a long way.
Barev
Hello
bah-REV
Barev dzez
Hello (polite)
bah-REV dzez
Shnorhakalutyun
Thank you
shnor-ha-ka-loo-TYOON
Khnddrem
Please
khnd-DREM
Ayo
Yes
AH-yo
Voch
No
vohch
Neritsek
Excuse me / Sorry
neh-reh-TSEHK
Qani e?
How much is it?
kah-NEE eh
Kenats
Cheers
keh-NATS
Jur
Water
joor
Hamov e
Delicious
hah-MOV eh
Tsitesutyun
Goodbye
tsee-teh-soo-TYOON
Religion & spirituality
Understanding faith in Yerevan.
Main: The Armenian Apostolic Church is the national church and Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity, in 301 AD. Most Armenians belong to it, and church attendance is a strong part of national identity.
Sites: Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, Surb Astvatsatsin Katoghike Church, Echmiadzin Cathedral (a day trip), Khor Virap and Geghard Monastery; the Blue Mosque is the main mosque in Yerevan.
Holy Days: Armenian Christmas and Epiphany are on 6 January, and Easter follows the Gregorian calendar; Vardavar falls 98 days after Easter, and the Feast of the Assumption (Blessing of Grapes) is in August.
Conversations: Religion is part of national identity; be respectful, and visitors do not need to join in prayers.