Yerevan’s coolest neighborhood: where to enjoy good vibes?

Yerevan coolest neighborhood

Yerevan is a beautiful city and in every neighborhood, there is something very authentic about it. It’s hard to define what’s the coolest neighborhood in town but in terms of accessibility, I would say Kentron wins here. Everyone is very active there, especially during the evening hours. That is probably the most desired neighborhood of all.

Kentron (center) is considered to be the coolest neighborhood in Yerevan mostly for being easily accessible, dynamic, walkable and having transport access to other districts. Most of the sightseeing locations can be found near Kentron and during evening hours this neighborhood becomes even more beautiful with the city lights.

Below I talk about Kentron and some of the streets that I think are worth staying in or at least organizing some of your valuable time there. I’m hoping you’ll find something useful for you in this blog post. And if you do, please let me know what you liked on Instagram or Twitter with #ArmeniaTravelTips.

Coolest neighborhood in Yerevan for your stay

As I mentioned, the coolest neighborhood in Yerevan is the city center which is called Kentron. It includes the majority of sightseeing locations and has a quite developed infrastructure network. So, if you choose to stay in the center, know that all the major cultural landmarks are within a walking distance. Kentron is dynamic, convenient, clean and pretty much everyone’s favorite neighborhood in Yerevan. Walking in the downtown area is one of my favorite things to do, especially because it’s very active in the evenings.

The cons of Kentron are high prices for the accommodation, noise of the streets, and polluted air due to the high concentration of cars. It’s very difficult to find parking space and the traffic is just the worst. Although it might be irritating at times, I believe you won’t face this issue much as travelers usually prefer exploring the city by walking. But if you need to Uber somewhere then I recommend you to read about the alternative taxi options available in Armenia.

Trust me, if you decide to stay in this cool neighborhood you won’t regret it. You’ll have all the famous cafes, supermarkets, currency exchange locations, pharmacies and anything that you might need very close to you. You can take a walk during the night, enjoy the beauty of Yerevan, visit cultural locations and return back home in minutes. By the way, if you are looking for some hidden gems in Yerevan read my separate blog as they are worth including in your trip.

Best streets in Kentron

Literally, all of the streets are really cool and beautiful in their own way. Maybe I’m a bit biased because I love Armenia so much, but being in the central streets of Yerevan is an absolute pleasure for me. Here are some of my favorite streets.

Pushkin street

Sometimes noise is too much in Yerevan but Pushkin is the street that stays away from it. It’s perfect for staying here as you’ll be able to fully relax at night without being bothered by the roadway noise. As it’s in the center everything is very convenient here and easily reachable.

Some of the coolest eateries are located on this street. Places like Collective, Bar B.Q., the famous Dolmama, and Art Kvartal are all here. The street is vibrant, very hip and the vibes are very friendly and welcoming. It’s also quite green, especially the section between Mashtots Avenue and Teryan street, as there are large old trees placed on both sides of the road. 

Saryan street

If you’re looking for an active street full of bars, cafes and restaurants then Saryan street is the go-to. It is very beautiful and pleasant for walking. Not to mention the fact that at every step you’ll see a different place to dine or have a couple of drinks. Lots of those locations offer Armenian wine as well that you can try. In fact, even the Yerevan Wine Days festival is organized on this street.

Saryan was the very first street that got gentrified in Yerevan. It became the first place of concentration of the vibrant, young and progressive part of society. Unlike Pushkin street, where many venues are on the pricier side, Saryan offers a wider range of different venues that would cater to every wallet.

Abovyan street

Abovyan is the street where you can find lots of clothing shops. In other words, it’s the shopping street in Yerevan. Both big international brands, as well as modern local labels, can be found here. There are some cafes and restaurants here as well, of course. One of them being Mamoor, one of my favorite eateries in this area. And, of course with the city lights on in the evening, this street becomes even more enjoyable to walk and do some shopping. So, expect to see it in its most crowded state in the evening hours.

Northern avenue

Northern avenue is one of the main streets that connect Republic Square to the Opera House. As it’s a connecting street you will see people walking here all the time. Street musicians play there mostly in the evenings, as well as many other performers come here to show their talents. You can also see a lot of street vendors here all the time.

One negative aspect of this street is prices – if you decide to rent an apartment here be ready to pay a huge premium. I honestly don’t know why it’s so expensive, cause it’s not a historic area. In fact, all the buildings here are quite new. The whole area had its historical architecture demolished around 2000-2010, and modern 7-10 story buildings popped up instead. I suspect many units in these buildings are in the ownership of rich Armenians who live abroad. And, they are not too interested in renting their property out. That’s probably the reason behind such high prices.

And yes, you noticed it right, most neighborhoods mentioned above attract lots of people in the evening. As, in general, Armenia is a very safe country, and Yerevan in particular, being outside at night hours is very common here. You really feel safe in Yerevan regardless of the time you’re outside.

Final thoughts on Yerevan’s coolest neighborhood

Although Yerevan has twelve districts, in my opinion, none of those can beat Kentron in terms of being the coolest neighborhood. Everyone prefers to spend their nighttime in the central areas of the city and relax after work. We do have other interesting neighborhoods though, one of which is the oldest one, called Kond (check the link to read more about it) which has really cool street art. Those graffiti walls make it a perfect place to grab cool pictures if you have a photographer’s eye.

Anyway, I hope you learned a thing or two about the coolest neighborhood in Yerevan. And if you did, I would want to read some of your thoughts about Kentron. So, mention me on Instagram or Twitter with #ArmeniaTravelTips. And while enjoying the positive vibes of the Kentron district, in case you are looking to hang out with some locals and you’re too shy to meet people in real life, check out these Armenian dating apps – they might be the solution for you.

Featured image credit: Levon Vardanyan on Unsplash

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