Relocating to Armenia for permanent residence – entertainment and lifestyle: know-how for foreigners (part 1)

When you decide to move to permanent residence in Armenia, you should bear in mind that it involves more than full social and political support which you will receive, but also it is the opportunity to become part of a unique Armenian culture with distinctive traditions and incredibly delicious cuisine. In addition, immigration to Armenia means you will be living in a picturesque mountainous country: the mountains are depicted everywhere here – in painting, music, architecture and other spheres of art.

All four seasons are present in Armenia: snowy, frosty winters followed by hot summers. At the same time, the population welfare remains relatively low, which means that with average wages you can secure yourself a comfortable living and even have an opportunity to save some money. For wealthy people it is even easier to move to Armenia for permanent residence – there is a vast variety of elite real estate in the developed residential communities, which allows you to choose a comfortable house or apartment for permanent residence. Let’s try to figure out the steps for you to quickly adapt to the Armenian mentality and habits, and what to expect if you plan to move to Armenia for permanent residence. 

Relocate to Armenia for permanent residence – culture and traditions

Armenia is a country with a particularly rich heritage in terms of cultural and national traditions. Here, people are very scrupulous in terms of all intricacies that help them construct a single cultural and unique life of the country. If we want to consider the Armenian culture in its entirety, we need to look at the combination of all elements as a whole: language, writing, geography, faith, architecture, dance.

Those who wish to move to permanent residence in Armenia should pay attention to the following areas which are crucial for the Armenian national identity:

• Christianity;
• music and music education;
• Armenian language;
• dance heritage;
• literature and art;
• carpet weaving;
• 4 periods of Armenian architecture;
• lace production.

Literally everyone, be it a tourist, guest or immigrant, will inevitably get acquainted with the incredible Armenian cuisine, which is rich in the use of wide variety of spices and flavours. At the same time, one should not forget that eating is not just a process of food intake in Armenia; it is first of all the communication that goes with it – whether it be among friends, relatives or guests. In Armenia, a host will effortlessly lay down a lush table, thereby expressing their hospitality. Frequent are cases where refreshments are offered to tourists and visitors right on the street, and moreover, the Armenian people are not used to expect payment for food – this would be considered an insult to best intentions.

Relocate to Armenia for permanent residence – Yerevan nightlife

Yerevan is often named as “pink city” among tourists and travelers, due to the unique buildings with prevalence of rose-colored tufa. This feature of the Armenian capital is well known far beyond the borders of the Armenian lands, and foreign tourists always have it in mind to visit the “pink city”.  

If foreigners plan to move to permanent residence in Armenia, they will have a lot of opportunities and entertainment in the capital of this wonderful mountainous country. However, it is worthwhile to provide here more detail on the nightlife in Yerevan, which just a few years ago was completely different; all that visitors would expect as an option to organize their evening leisure was a few karaoke clubs.

Before deciding to move to permanent residence in Armenia, the following points should be taken into account:

• with the onset of darkness, the streets of Yerevan are still very busy – here you can meet young people as well as elderly people and even children on evening walks;
• in the warm season, at 21:00 a magnificent show begins with singing fountains in the heart of Yerevan – Republic square – this is an incredibly beautiful action, which combines beautiful music with amazing light effects;
• in general, the downtown Yerevan at night resembles a huge open-air cafe, where people breathe fresh air after a hot day or discuss the past day over a cup of coffee in a friendly atmosphere;
• existing facilities in Yerevan – here you will definitely enjoy European standards of service, an exclusive atmosphere and incredibly tasty national dishes;
• In the center of the city there are a large number of prestigious night clubs with a variety of programs.

Those who want to move to permanent residence in Armenia and are an admirer of music, should absolutely find time to visit the Mezzo jazz club. In this cozy home-like atmosphere professional musicians perform a large repertoire – from jazz to classical and ethnic compositions. It often hosts a variety of large-scale events; in which case it is better to reserve places in advance. In Mezzo, they offer vast variety of Armenian wines and dishes; there is a lounge zone for those who prefer a quiet night’s rest.

Relocate to Armenia for permanent residence: night clubs of the capital

The nightlife in Yerevan is an integral part of the life of its young inhabitants. The city is full of clubs, bars, pubs where you can spend time at crazy parties or relax after a hard day. All the places listed below are located in the city downtown. If for some reason the first facility did not meet your expectations, you can always choose another option at a walking distance, where you will spend an unforgettable time in the capital of Armenia.  

If you decide to move to permanent residence in Armenia and want to get acquainted with the nightlife of Yerevan, check out the following places:  

• Paparazzi Club; 
• Club12;
• Monarch;
• Kami Music Club;  
• Malkhas Jazz Club;
• El Sky Bar;  
• Amigo Club;
• Station Pub;
• Tiki Bar;
• Calumet Ethnic Lounge Bar.

Paparazzi Club is one of the best clubs in Yerevan with dynamic parties. If you want to become a part of the noisy nightlife of Armenia, you should come here after midnight, when a maximum of people gathers in the hall, and the night show begins. Local and international DJs offer new tunes every night. The club operates a strict policy of ” face control”, the cost of entry – 2000 AMD for men and 1000 AMD for women (US $ 4 and US $ 2).        

Kami Music Club is another wonderful place where you can enjoy the play of local musicians and artists of different musical genres. The interior has comfortable sofas, high ceilings with designer chandeliers. If the visitor does not have a special invitation card, you will need to go through a strict “face control” to be allowed inside.     

Those planning to move to permanent residence in Armenia should visit the Calumet Ethnic Lounge Bar, one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs in the city, without which it is difficult to imagine Armenian nightlife. This place is quite popular, and it is crowded every night, so we recommend you book a table in advance. Here visitors can listen to live concerts of local rock groups, enjoy a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and an authentic drink.     

Malkhas Jazz Club is an ideal place for jazz lovers who would like to spend a quiet evening listening to local jazz artists with a drink or even a light snack. A fixed program is performed on stage every day, with some of the most successful and talented artists of the musical genre. Since this place is quite popular among the local public, book a table in advance and be prepared to pay 2000 drams (4 US dollars) as an entrance fee. By the way, the founder of the club, Levon Malkhasyan, stands at the origins of jazz education and culture of Armenia, he is called the pope of jazz.     

If you decide to move to permanent residence in Armenia and are a fan of Latino dances, visit the Tiki Bar. This is one of the best Latin American bars in the city, where you can dance all night long and spend an unforgettable evening in Yerevan. The bar is an ideal place to relax after long walks around the city. This place often hosts themed salsa, mambo or bachata evenings. If visitors do not know how, the staff will help you make your first steps in just 30 minutes. By the way, Tiki Bar is open 24 hours.       

Relocating to Armenia for permanent residence – what you need to know about the religion and language of the nation?

Religion and language are the most important pillars of the Armenian culture and traditions. It was Armenia that became the first country to adopt Christianity as an official religion, and here is the oldest religious community. Why did we combine language with Christianity? The fact is that these two vectors are closely intertwined – the Armenian language is an independent branch of the Indo-European languages, which makes it easy to identify Armenia among other states.

 When deciding to move to permanent residence in Armenia, remember that the main value for Armenians is family ties. Here, great attention is paid to the upbringing of children, their hobbies and views are highly valued, and women play the role of a mentor, instill the necessary skills for the younger generation. In fairness, we note that Armenian women are increasingly occupying dominant positions in various organizations, with growing percentage of women employment not only in corporate sector, but also in terms of technological achievements. Nevertheless, in remote areas, traditions have been preserved to perceive a woman as the keeper of the hearth, and a man as the earner and breadwinner.

Relocate to Armenia for permanent residence – symbols of the country

Literally every tourist or traveler who has visited Armenia at least once for an interesting and exciting vacation knows about the main symbol – apricot (prunus armeniaca in Latin). This fruit has been grown on the Armenian territory for almost 3 thousand years; apricot blossom is present on the Armenian flag.

The second symbol of Armenia is pomegranate, indicating the fertility of local lands. In the western part of the country, there was a tradition for a bride to break a pomegranate into pieces, which symbolized fertility of the new family.

Considering the South Caucasus Republic as a country for moving to a permanent place of residence, be sure to pay attention to sports and music. there are a lot of achievements in various sports in the country; special attention is paid to the game of chess.

Relocate to Armenia for a permanent – carpet weaving and lace production

Previously, only women were engaged in carpet weaving in Armenian communities, a little later male carpet weavers emerged. This is a historically routed occupation that combines symbolism, the Armenian language, and the identity of the people. By the way, the first mention of Armenian carpets dates back to 1242 in the inscription of the Kaptavan church in Artsakh.

Lace is the finest work with a rich historical past. If you plan to move to permanent residence in Armenia, be sure to consider the work of Armenian masters who amaze and delight with their variety and sophistication. In Armenia, the carpet weaving and lacemaking are invariably interconnected with national symbolism, ornaments, Christian themes.

 In addition, we want to note that Armenia offers immigrants a large list of educational institutions where they teach not only in Armenian, but also in Russian, English and even French. 

Considering educational opportunities, it is worth mentioning the high level of higher education institutions, whose graduates are eligible to get high-paying positions in other countries. Innovations in the educational system allow adolescents to choose in-depth study of specific subjects in high school, thus carefully preparing for entry into the university after graduating from high school. 

If you want to move to permanent residence in Armenia, take care of housing for yourself and your family in advance. Our specialists will deal with immigration issues (for applying for a visa, residence permit, Armenian citizenship), select residential property based on individual needs, and help open a personal bank account. Contact us at [email protected], to get qualified assistance in the process of your relocation to Armenia. We are positioned to help businessmen and investors to register a company in the Armenian jurisdiction, open a corporate account with a reliable Armenian bank to serve the business.