Shopping is another pleasure of any vacation or even business trip and it’s almost impossible to leave Armenia’s capital without buying anything. Old, new, exotic, unique, mundane, antique – shopping in Yerevan is all these things and more. Shops in Yerevan grow like a weed, and visitors will find everything from designer shops to open-air flea markets to bazars and souvenir shops.
Souvenir Shopping in Yerevan
People greatly differ with their character, while many people will concentrate on buying as many clothes as possible once in a foreign city or country, others will focus only on souvenirs, which will keep on reminding them of their days there all their lives. The first and main place where you will find souvenirs is Vernissage. It’s an open air market where visitors will find jewelry, woodwork, ceramics, paintings, books, traditional Armenian carpets and so on. Vernissage is open only on Saturdays and Sundays. But if you don’t manage to pay a visit to Vernissage on the weekend, you needn’t feel upset as there are many souvenir shops in the capital with the two main ones being situated on Abovyan and Tumanyan Streets. There is no way you won’t notice the shops. The shops include everything Armenian, so you won’t fail to buy one and to add to your souvenirs once back to your hometown.
Shopping in Yerevan Flea Markets
Unlike Paris and other large cities, Yerevan comes with only one popular flea market, Vernissage, the same place from where you can find various souvenirs. You can find literally everything and anything there – wood carvings, leather, clothes (usually retro style), baby dolls, various tools, dogs, dog leashes and so on. Make sure you bargain over the prices.
Jewelry Shopping in Yerevan
Jewelry is not something only women love, but also something that men love to gift to their close female representatives. In this respect, all those people who are looking for jewelry should consider the following shops: the luxury high-end boutique ‘Chronograph,’ found in the Northern Avenue, where each piece of jewelry is unique, hand-made and influenced in its form by trends in modern and contemporary art; the warm and inviting ‘L’Orange Gold,’ located on historic yet extremely modern Abovyan Street, and offering elegant jewelry from such world-famous brands, as Antonini, Giorgio Visconti and Luca Carati; ‘Swarovski,’ another fantastic venue on Abovyan Street, offering high-quality jewelry, fashion accessories, watches, figurines and home decor; and the newly opened ‘Tateossian London,’ a luxury brand that comes with a fresh collection, which is truly exclusive and unique.
Painting Shopping in Yerevan
If you love paintings, and would like to take one to your hometown, then either go to Vernissage or to Saryan Park, which in its turn converts into Paintings Vernissage on the weekends. The paintings introduced in both places are painted by local artists and they mainly depict anything Armenian or anything Armenians consider dear. So in most paintings you will see the picture of Armenian women, children, Armenian duduk, pomegranate, Armenian Biblical Mount Ararat and so on. You will not only find high-quality artistic creations in Saryan Park, but can also have your own portrait sketched within half an hour.
Apparel Shopping in Yerevan
Clothes are one thing people love to buy from foreign countries, especially when the choice is immensely wide. Clothing stores from cheap and affordable stores to luxurious boutiques have largely sprung up in particularly Yerevan center, and in this respect, you will definitely manage to find a nice apparel for you or your friends and relatives.
Just off the Republic Square lies the stunning Northern Avenue – the pushiest street in Yerevan, lined with Western trendy shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Among the most significant stores are Bata, selling shoes and boots, Guess (handbags, clothing, watches and other accessories) and Burberry, the concept of which fully represents the brand’s philosophy and definitely makes a unique fashion statement.
Other famous shops scattered in the downtown include the ‘United Colors of Benetton,’ offering high quality customer service, ‘Betty Barclay’ that never fails to create an impact among American teenagers, ‘Victoria’s Secret,’ ideal for those who appreciate lingerie, ‘Mexx’ with collections, the identities of which focus on lifestyle and youth fashion and ‘Steve Madden’ that comes with a variety of uniquely and creatively designed shoes. Recommended are also Mango, Naf-Naf, Emporio Armani, Stefano Ricci, Basic House, Giordano, Swatch, Bossini, Motivi, Sela, Puma, Celio, Aldo, and Ermenegildo Zegna.
Baby and Kid Apparel Shopping in Yerevan
Baby clothing always draws attention and always calls for buying it, even if you don’t have any baby. Those beautiful and nice small clothing pieces simply capture you in a way you are not being able to resist. This is true about all baby and kid clothes, yet not all baby clothes come with good quality. To buy clothes that will be not only funny and beautiful, but also safe for your baby’s body and carry no inconvenience for him go to Next, Debenhams and MotherCare. The prices might appear to be a bit high, but the quality and the distinctive style will definitely satisfy you. Also worth a visit is Orchestra, offering carefully designed up-to-date styles and impeccable quality.
Affordable Shopping in Yerevan
If you want to save money on shopping or simply don’t want to spend much on it, yet want to purchase something, go for cheaper places. Very close to the Republic Square and the Northern Avenue there is a large two story shop that offers rather cheap clothes for both men and women, another option is to check out the large clothing markets on Tigran Mets Avenue (nearby there are many cheap clothing stores as well) and in Malatya.
Sales Discounts
The highest possible discount set so far has been 70 percent, so don’t expect for more. There are clothing stores that will offer discounts rather frequently, among them Basic House (offers sport outfit for both men, women and kids) and Punto Zara (offers various clothes for men and women), while to buy something at a discounted price from such stores like Debenhams, you will either have to wait for special three-four day sales or simply be lucky enough to be in Yerevan at the end of a particular season.
Lastly, before leaving Yerevan, make sure to buy Cognac, which makes a great souvenir and deserves to be considered as one of the world’s finest brandies. We highly recommend buying it from the factory stores (one is found on Amiryan Street and the other on Mashtots Avenue) or else from the duty-free store in the Zvartnots International Airport of Yerevan, where prices are a little higher.
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