# Yerevan Vernissage > Yerevan Vernissage is the city’s big open-air craft and flea market, a five-minute walk from Republic Square. Entry is free; stalls trade every day, roughly 10:00–18:00 (unofficial), but the full market only sets up on Saturdays and Sundays. Expect carpets, backgammon boards, woodcarving, silver, paintings and Soviet odds and ends — paid for in cash drams. An hour is enough. Web page: https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-vernissage - City: [Yerevan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan), Armenia - YesGo score: 50/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Days: Every day; most stalls on Saturday and Sunday - Hours: ≈ 10:00–18:00; stalls pack up earlier in winter and in bad weather - Payment: Cash in Armenian dram (AMD); few stalls take cards or transfers - Where: Aram St and Pavstos Buzand St, from Hanrapetutyan St to Khanjyan St, Kentron district - Metro: Republic Square (Hanrapetutyan Hraparak) — the exit is at the start of the stalls - On foot from Republic Square: ≈ 5 minutes to the first stalls - Time needed: ≈ 1 hour, up to 2 if you are shopping seriously - Coordinates: 40.17579, 44.51846 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Free** — to enter: open stalls on the street, no gates or tickets (source: Tourism Committee of Armenia; English Wikipedia) - **7 days a week** — the market trades, but only part of it on weekdays (source: Tourism Committee of Armenia; English Wikipedia; Armenia Discovery) - **Cash in dram** — is how you pay; cards are the exception (source: Tourism Committee of Armenia) - **1980s** — artists began showing paintings by the Artists’ Union — the start of the Vernissage (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Armenia Discovery) - **4 streets** — frame the market: Hanrapetutyan, Khanjyan, Aram and Pavstos Buzand (source: Russian Wikipedia; English Wikipedia) - **Vardan Mamikonyan** — his equestrian statue marks the far end, by Khanjyan Street (source: English Wikipedia; Armenia Discovery) - **Vernissage** — French for the private view on an exhibition’s opening day (source: Russian Wikipedia; Armenia Discovery) - **Saryan Park** — by the Opera House — painters still sell their work there (source: English Wikipedia; Tourism Committee of Armenia) - **Republic Square** — the nearest metro station, right at the start of the stalls (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) ## Vernissage market opening hours There is no official timetable: the Vernissage is a street market and each stallholder keeps their own hours. The Tourism Committee of Armenia says it trades seven days a week, and guidebooks give **roughly 10:00–18:00** — treat that as **unofficial**. Closing time depends on the season. In summer the last tables stay until early evening; in winter or in the rain many sellers leave after lunch. The safest window is 11:00–15:00. > **Go at the weekend** On weekdays only part of the market sets up and the choice is noticeably thinner. The carpet rows, the painters and the antique tables all come out on Saturday and Sunday. Arrive before mid-afternoon, and bring cash dram — there are ATMs on Hanrapetutyan Street and around Republic Square. ## Is the Vernissage open on weekdays? Yes, but it is a smaller market. Some older guides describe the Vernissage as weekend-only; in practice a reduced set of stalls trades every day, while Saturdays and Sundays bring the full spread. If your only free day in Yerevan is a weekday, it is still worth a quick look on the way between [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-republic-square) and [Northern Avenue](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-northern-avenue). If you want a carpet or a serious antique, plan around the weekend. ## What to buy at the Vernissage - **Backgammon (nardi) boards** — Armenia’s classic souvenir, hand-carved in walnut, from simple sets to showpieces. - **Carpets and kilims** from across Armenia, new and old. The Tourism Committee places the carpet rows on the far right as you face the market from the square. - **Khachkar copies** — small replicas of Armenia’s carved stone crosses, sized for a suitcase. - **Jazzve coffee pots**, copperware, carved boxes and musical instruments, including the duduk. - **Silver jewellery** and pieces set with Armenian obsidian. - **Paintings** by local artists — Mount Ararat, old Yerevan, abstract work. - **Flea-market tables**: Soviet badges and medals, coins, cameras, crockery, old books and vinyl. - Ceramics, embroidery, dolls in folk costume and hand-knitted socks for small gifts. > **Antiques may need an export certificate** Armenia requires a permit to export cultural property, and an old carpet, painting, icon, coin or book can fall under the rule. New crafts and replicas leave freely. Before you buy anything old, ask the seller whether it needs export paperwork and keep a receipt. ## Haggling, cash and cards Haggling is expected — the first price usually has room in it. Ask two or three stalls selling similar things before you make an offer, and ask for a deal if you buy several pieces from one seller. Pay in **Armenian dram, in cash**. The Tourism Committee notes that cards and bank transfers at the stalls are the exception rather than the rule. Dollars, euros and roubles are not accepted everywhere and come at a poor rate, so change money at a bank or exchange office around Republic Square first. For a big purchase such as a carpet, ask about card payment — some of the larger carpet sellers take it. Keep small notes separate from large ones; it gets crowded at weekends. ## How to get to the Vernissage 1. Start at **Republic Square** — the first stalls are about 5 minutes away on foot. 2. Walk south-east along **Hanrapetutyan Street** to the entrance of Republic Square metro station. 3. Just past the station, at the corner of Aram and Pavstos Buzand streets, the stalls begin. 4. From elsewhere in the city, take the metro to **Republic Square** (Hanrapetutyan Hraparak) — the exit is at the head of the market. 5. By taxi, Yandex Go and local apps work well; ask for “Vernissage” or Buzand Street. From Zvartnots Airport (EVN) it is about 25 minutes. 6. Walk to the Vardan Mamikonyan statue at Khanjyan Street, then come back along the parallel row to see both sides. ## Is Yerevan Vernissage worth it? Yes, if you are in town at the weekend and want something handmade rather than an airport magnet. It has the city’s best range of backgammon boards, carpets and woodcarving in one place, and an hour browsing the rows is a good way to see Armenian crafts side by side. On a weekday, with no shopping in mind, you lose little by just passing through. And if you are hoping for an art gallery, go to a museum instead — this is a market first. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] It is Saturday or Sunday — or I am fine with a smaller market - [ ] Going before mid-afternoon, not at closing time - [ ] Cash in dram, small notes kept separate - [ ] I know what I am after: backgammon, a carpet, a painting or small gifts - [ ] For anything old, I’ll ask about export paperwork - [ ] Room in my luggage — boards and khachkar copies are heavy ## Vernissage vs Northern Avenue vs the Cascade | | Vernissage | Northern Avenue | Cascade | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Craft and flea market | Pedestrian street of shops and cafés | Giant stairway with sculptures and views | | Entry | Free | Free | Free to climb the steps | | Best time | Weekend daytime | Evening | Sunset | | Souvenirs | Handmade, haggling | Shops, fixed prices | Hardly any | | Time needed | ≈ 1 h | 30–40 min | ≈ 1 h | Shop at the Vernissage; keep Northern Avenue and the Cascade for the evening — they make one easy walk after the market. ## Yerevan’s markets compared Every market in Yerevan rated by YesGo. - [Yerevan Vernissage](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-vernissage) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free entry ## Central Yerevan in a day Republic Square and the Vernissage in the morning, Northern Avenue in the afternoon, then the Cascade at sunset with the Matenadaran at the top. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks. 1. [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-republic-square) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 2. [Yerevan Vernissage](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-vernissage) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free entry 3. [Northern Avenue](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-northern-avenue) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 4. [Yerevan Cascade](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-cascade) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free 5. [Matenadaran](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/matenadaran) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 2,000 AMD, under 6 free ## Good to know Despite the name, the Vernissage is not an exhibition or a gallery. A separate, smaller painters’ market runs in Saryan Park next to the Opera House — paintings only. ## Tips - Start at the far end by the Vardan Mamikonyan statue and work back towards the metro — by the end you will have a feel for prices. - Don’t buy a carpet at the first stall: compare three or four sellers, prices vary a lot. - Check a backgammon board before paying — firm hinges and a lid that closes flush. - Ask painters to roll the canvas into a tube or wrap it for the flight. - Afterwards, walk 10 minutes to Northern Avenue for a café break with your shopping. ## Questions ### What are the Yerevan Vernissage opening hours? There is no official timetable. Unofficially, stalls trade daily from about 10:00 to 18:00, closing earlier in winter and in bad weather. ### Is the Vernissage only open at weekends? No — it trades every day, but only part of the market sets up on weekdays. Saturday and Sunday bring the full market. ### What is the best day to visit the Vernissage? Saturday or Sunday, ideally late morning to early afternoon, when the most stalls are out and nobody has started packing up. ### Where is the Vernissage in Yerevan? In the Kentron district, along Aram and Pavstos Buzand streets between Hanrapetutyan Street and Khanjyan Street, next to Republic Square metro station. ### How do I get to the Vernissage from Republic Square? Walk south-east along Hanrapetutyan Street to the Republic Square metro entrance; the stalls start just beyond it. About 5 minutes on foot. ### What should I buy at the Vernissage? Carved backgammon boards, carpets, khachkar copies, jazzve coffee pots, silver with obsidian, local paintings — and Soviet badges, coins and cameras on the flea tables. ### Do Vernissage sellers accept cards? Mostly not. Bring cash in Armenian dram; only a few sellers, usually of carpets and other pricey items, take cards or transfers. ### Can you haggle at the Vernissage? Yes, haggling is expected. Compare a few stalls first and ask for a discount when you buy several items. ### Is the Yerevan Vernissage free? Yes. It is an open street market with no gates or tickets. ### Can I take an antique carpet out of Armenia? Cultural property needs an export certificate. New crafts and replicas are fine; for anything old, ask the seller about paperwork before you buy. ## How we checked The Vernissage has no official website or timetable. Trading days and payment come from the Tourism Committee of Armenia: open seven days a week, mostly cash. The 10:00–18:00 hours come from two guidebooks and are marked “verifying”. Armeniapedia and Expat Exchange call it a weekend-only market, while the Tourism Committee, Wikipedia and Armenia Discovery say it trades daily and is fullest at weekends; we go with the latter and say plainly that weekdays are thinner. We leave out the market’s size: Russian Wikipedia gives over three hectares, English Wikipedia about 350 metres of stalls, and we could not check either. The export rule is from the 2004 law; which items it covers is decided by expert assessment, so we advise asking the seller. Walking times are measured on the map. ## Sources - Tourism Committee of Armenia: article on Yerevan’s flea markets — trading days, payment, haggling, 30.10.2026 - English Wikipedia: Yerevan Vernissage; Russian Wikipedia: Вернисаж (Ереван); Wikidata Q15982040 - Armenia Discovery: Vernissage Open-Air Craft Market — history and hours (unofficial) - Sputnik8: Vernissage — hours and transport (unofficial) - Law of the Republic of Armenia on the Export and Import of Cultural Property (2004) - Armeniapedia and Expat Exchange — the “weekends only” version --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.