FAQs

Question

Which city should I book my stay in?

Answer

Considering that the wedding will be in Yerevan and if your main purpose for the trip will be to attend our wedding, then Yerevan (the capital) would be the best option. Look specifically for center (Kentron) of Yerevan. I have provided a list of hotels that are all located either in or near Kentron.

Question

How far is the airport (Zvartnots) from the center?

Answer

Zvartnots International Airport is about 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic.

Question

What are the public modes of transportation?

Answer

We have buses, metros, and taxis. But if you don’t speak Armenian or Russian, I would advise you to stick to using Yandex Go (you can download the app) it is the Armenian/Russian version of Uber (no, we don’t have Uber or Lyft in Armenia). Although Armenia is developing strongly with the English language, it will be difficult to navigate on metros and buses because majority of the people who use these methods of transportation won’t always be speaking English.

Question

Will my phone work in Armenia?

Answer

Depending on which plan you use, it may or may not work. I have for example AT&T and if you get the international plan, you pay $10 a day. In retrospect it’s not a lot if you’re planning to come for about a week. But I always advise everyone to just simply get a SIM card/eSim. You can choose between Viva MTS or Beeline, I always go with Viva MTS. Bring your passport with you and you’ll have an Armenian phone number right when you get activated. Make sure your phone is unlocked, otherwise getting a SIM won’t work. I always get the monthly rate of 5000 dram (which is about $11.00) and it’s good for the entire month.

Question

How will I get from the church to the wedding hall?

Answer

The moment you are with us for the wedding, we will take care of transportation, we will either have a car for you or we will have a bus. Either way, you are taken care of. When the wedding is over at Vivaldi Hall, you can simply order a Yandex taxi on the app and you’ll be taken directly to your hotel/accommodation. Since our wedding will be in the center and everything is near, you shouldn’t spend more than $5.00/7.00 for the ride.

Question

Is Armenia safe?

Answer

Armenia is ranked as #8 safest country in the world and Yerevan is ranked as #15 as the safest city in the world. Of course in any city, you should always be cautious and use common sense while traveling in a foreign country. But all in all, a groups of girls can walk in Yerevan at night and all should be ok.

Question

When using Yandex Go, which type of service should I use?

Answer

You will be given the option of standard, comfort, comfort+ and business. I always go for comfort+ or business, because the cars are in better condition, they have air conditioning (trust me, you’ll want air conditioning in August in Armenia), and the driver is more sophisticated. You’ll just have a more pleasant ride, yes it might cost $1-3 more, but you’ll be grateful.

Question

How many days should I stay in Armenia to get a good sense of what Armenia has to offer?

Answer

Yerevan is the biggest city and has more to see and a lot of major attractions are near the capital. For Yerevan one week is good. Then if you’d like to travel around Armenia to different provinces/regions such as going to Gyumri in the north and Kapan in the south, and seeing the different cultural sites and monasteries along the way, you’ll need perhaps another week. Two weeks in total would be perfect and if you are interested in doing that, let me know and I’ll set up an itinerary for you.

Question

Any food recommendations?

Answer

You’re in Armenia, anywhere you choose to eat you’ll be very happy. But I’ll provide a list of popular and delicious spots in Yerevan and then also famous spots around Armenia in general. These are randomly listed in no specific order. Yerevan: Katsin (incredible sushi) Bamboo Coba Kavkaskaya Plennitsa (on Amiryan) Sherep Lavash Pandok Yerevan (on Amiryan) Amar Seasons Restaurant Mer Taghe (for best Lahmajun) Mayrig (for best Mante) Yasmine Restaurant Ktoor George’s Dom (signature Khinkali) Cascade Royal Sirelis Tumanyan Khinkali Black Angus (best burgers) Limone Extra Virgin Avocado Queen Zanzibar Cafe de Angelo Villa Avenue Collective Yerevan Zeituna Vostan Aparan: Gntuniq (the freshest bread) Sevan: Semoi Mot Garni/Geghard: 7 Qar Garni Ishxananoc Geghard Restaurant Garnitoun Noravanq: Lchak Restaurant Complex Kapan: Grand House Kapan Gyumri: Cherkezi Dzor Ponchik Monchik Gwoog Gastrohouse Gyumri Hatsatun Herbs & Honey

Question

Why is there no wedding registry?

Answer

While I understand in most western cultures people write out a list of things they may need/want, Armenians don’t do this. This is mainly because the gift everyone ends up bringing is money. In many families, the in laws will gift the bedroom furniture for example, but that’s about the extent of it. And even though this is our Homeland, this is a destination wedding, so we can’t really have a list of household items we need/want.

Question

Should I accept taxi/Yandex offers from men at the airport?

Answer

No. Just no. Although nothing will happen to you, you will be scammed 100%. They might be shouting at you “only $20 to the center” and this is crazy money for Armenia. It might sound like nothing if you’re coming from overseas, particularly USA, but $20 is what you spend for a two hour drive from Yerevan to Gyumri (just to give you an idea). From the airport you should go get a SIM card installed (they have Viva MTS) at the airport once you are out with your luggage, and download the Yandex Go app. You’ll end up paying roughly $5-$7. Same goes for when you’re exploring the city center, always use the Yandex Go app.