Passport, visa and customs
Swedish citizens do not need a visa to enter Armenia. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months on the way home. Feel free to bring a copy of the passport. If the passport is stolen or otherwise disappears during your stay, this must be reported to the nearest police station.
Vaccinations and health
We recommend that you review your basic protection. Contact your vaccination center for current information at least one month before departure. Drink only bottled water and wash your hands regularly. Feel free to bring a small set of “first aid” with patches, headache tablets, etc. Check that you have insurance that covers healthcare in Armenia and what the insurance covers more specifically. Home transport in the event of a more serious accident / illness can, for example, be extremely costly. Public health care is rather inadequate in some places, but private care is available in Yerevan.
Weather and clothes
The climate in Armenia is continental with cold winters and hot, dry summers (from mid-June to mid-September). Temperature and precipitation vary considerably within the country. Spring (from March to May) and autumn (from September to early November) are the best seasons to visit Armenia. In the countryside, many are conservative and there, an overly daring attire can attract negative attention.
| Yerevan | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Christmas | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Max C | 3 | 6 | 12 | 19 | 24 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 27 | 20 | 12 | 6 |
| Min C | -5 | -5 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 0 | -2 |
| Precipitation etc. | 18 | 14 | 5 | 21 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 30 | 6 |
Currency and exchange
rate Dram (AMD) is Armenia’s domestic currency. The dram is divided into luma, 1 dram = 100 luma.
We recommend that you bring US Dollars or Euros to exchange on the spot for local currency. It is not always possible to pay by card and it can be a long way between ATMs outside the capital.
Transport and communications
It is cheap and easy to get around in the capital Yerevan where there is an efficient metro system with clean and nice carriages. There are also buses and marshrutkas which are a kind of shared taxi. Shout ‘kangnek’ to get the driver to stop and pay when you get off. As a female traveler, it is recommended that you sit far in front of the vehicle or next to another woman. Taxis rarely have taximeters. Agree on the price before you get in the car. Road safety is not what we are used to. Therefore, pay attention in traffic. Most Swedish mobile phones work without problems, but it can be expensive to call.
Security
It is generally considered fairly safe to travel in Armenia, but some precautions are warranted. Visits to the Nagorno-Karabakh standstill line should be avoided. When bag and pocket thefts occur, passports, money, tickets and valuables should be stored in a safe place.
Food and drinks
Armenia has been controlled by Arabs, Russians, Persians, Mongols, Greeks and Turks. The food culture in Armenia has thus absorbed influences from a variety of foreign cuisines and has developed into what many consider to be one of the richest food cultures in the world. In their cooking, they use many different kinds of spices, fruits and vegetables – and especially apricots, peaches, cherries, lemons and cucumbers. The most popular dish is Khorovats, grilled marinated meat with grilled eggplant, potatoes, whole onions and peppers.
Shopping and gifts
During a trip to Armenia, you can find antiques, old communist medals, perhaps a beautiful chess game or decorated jewelry boxes in the bazaars. Rugs, dolls, jewelry, beautiful fabrics and ceramics are other examples of things that are usually for sale in the markets. Do not forget to bargain!
General and mixed
Local time: 2 hours before Swedish time.
Electricity: 220 V.
Luggage: Occasionally the checked baggage gets lost. Therefore, pack important medicines with a certificate from your doctor in your hand luggage. The same goes for valuables.
Language: The official language is Armenian, but many Armenians also speak Russian and / or English.
