Who to go to Georgia with. How to plan a travel route in Georgia. Attractions and entertainment
The demand for tours to Georgia is increasing every year. There are many reasons: amazing photos, low prices, rave reviews, delicious cuisine and Georgian wine.
Popular questions
When is the best time to go on vacation?
If you are not a fan of skiing and want to enjoy the warmth, fruits and sea, then the optimal time to travel is from May to mid-October.
In May and June there are excellent conditions for excursions (as long as it is not hot). In September-November the harvest takes place and fruits can be bought literally for next to nothing.
The best period for holidays in the Black Sea resorts is from mid-June to September.
Ski resorts await winter holiday enthusiasts from December to March. In warm winters, the snow cover in Gudauri and Bakuriani is finally formed by mid-January.
Where to holiday
In Georgia we counted 12 resort towns. Each has its own characteristics, which we discussed in detail in. Therefore, you first need to decide on the purpose of your trip, and then decide where it is better to relax.
For excursions, mountain landscapes, civilized service, wine and Georgian cuisine - it is better to go to Tbilisi.
Sea, sun, beach with a couple of obligatory excursions await you in Batumi. The cuisine is also up to par, but in Adjara it has its own differences. By the way, Batumi is the only Georgian resort that we can safely recommend for a family holiday.
Kutaisi is another tourist center of the country. It is famous for eco-tourism. No sea, no service, just mountains, canyons and old neighborhoods. In general, Georgia is what it is. Without the emphasis on the tourist, which is felt more and more every year in Tbilisi and Batumi.
Where is the best place to live?
If you are not on a business trip, then there is no point in booking expensive hotels. You will only sleep in them.
In Tbilisi and Batumi you can always find accommodation through Airbnb. As a last resort, look for accommodation options in inexpensive 2-3* hotels.
When choosing housing in Tbilisi, pay attention to the area of the city. There is no point in staying in the tourist center itself (Freedom Square), because a taxi to any point in the city costs about 5-6 lari. It’s cheaper to get here every day by taxi than to pay 2-3 times more for a hotel room or apartment. However, if mobility around the center is important, then it is worth considering that traffic jams in Tbilisi can delay your plans by 10-15 minutes at any time of the day.
Decide for yourself what you need from a hotel, but we would recommend not paying more than 50-60 euros/day in high season (off-season prices are 1.5 times lower). Like other cities in Georgia, Batumi has a large number of offers on Airbnb.
In small towns and remote mountainous areas, accommodation can always be found locally through locals or through . But it is better to do this in advance through travel agencies in Tbilisi or Batumi.
What to see in the country?
Everyone knows about local hospitality and legendary cuisine. But there is not much information about its significant attractions. Here's what we liked:
- Caucasus Mountains (second highest after the Himalayan Mountains)
- Sights of Tbilisi
- Wine region - Kakheti
- Batumi is the most progressive Black Sea resort
- Mtskheta and Jvari are places that M.Yu. Lermontov wrote about in the poem “Mtsyri”
- Borjomi springs
What language is spoken in Georgia?
Residents speak Georgian among themselves.
If you have to communicate with the local population in shops or on the street, then it is worth keeping in mind that the adult generation (35 years and older) speaks Russian with a pleasant Georgian accent without any problems. But it’s easier to negotiate with young people in English. They will understand you, but it may be difficult for them to express their thoughts in Russian.
All restaurants and travel agencies employ people who speak Russian. During our entire vacation, we only once had to ask the locals how to get to the lower station of the Tbilisi funicular on foot. The student girl explained it to us in good English without any problems. By the way, she understood Russian, but it was easier to explain to her in English.
It is also worth keeping in mind that a lot of visitors from Russia, Armenia and Ukraine work in the tourism sector.
How do they treat Russians?
After the military conflict in 2008, tension arose between the countries and if you dig deep, the resentment still remains. But not a single local will tell you this to your face. And if he does, he will honestly express his attitude towards the policies of the Russian state and note that he has no complaints against the Russian people. They greatly value friendship and the assistance that the Russian Empire provided to their ancestors in military conflicts.
During our two weeks of stay, we never noticed a single sideways glance due to the fact that we communicated in Russian. It is better not to start disputes with the local population about South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Remember that neither you nor they have the truth about these conflicts.
What should you remember to take with you?
If you are going on vacation in the summer, be sure to include clothes for cloudy and rainy weather in your wardrobe. An umbrella and waterproof shoes will definitely not be superfluous in your suitcase.
A light sports jacket in summer and a warm jacket in autumn will come in handy during an excursion along the Georgian military road and in the caves.
If you are going to winter resorts, then you should take a light jacket with you for walking around Tbilisi. In the mountains, the temperature can drop to -15, and in Tbilisi the temperature can be above zero.
How safe is the country now?
Before Saakashvili came to power, Georgia was one of the most dangerous countries in the world. But the global reform of the police (when all its employees were fired), the increase in prison sentences not only for bribes, but also for minor violations helped quickly restore order in the country.
Now Georgia is one of the safest countries in the world.
Police patrols are constantly found on the streets of resorts. Usually it is enough to strain your eyes or turn your head to see a police officer in your line of sight. They are all young people in good physical shape, with very high salaries and they really hold on to their jobs. Therefore, we do not take bribes and we do not recommend giving them.
In Tbilisi, you can leave your phone in an open car and find it in the same place in the morning. No one wants to go to jail for such a small thing.
The only real risk is taxi drivers and pseudo-guides who can scam you out of money and offer their services. You will definitely see the attraction promised by the taxi driver, but you are unlikely to learn historical facts, interesting stories, or anything else about it other than what was announced in the program.
Mobile communications and Internet
Roaming in Georgia is very expensive. Don't even think about turning on the Internet if you don't have a data plan. In our case, unauthorized downloading of a couple of photos from Viber cost 22 euros. We recommend completely turning off the mobile Internet when boarding the plane, so that nothing can be updated on its own even when the phone is turned on (as happened with us).
For the Internet we use tourist or local SIM cards . You can buy them for 5-20 lari at tourist information centers or communication shops. To receive it, you only need your passport.
Medical insurance
If you are traveling on your own, it is better to buy basic insurance, especially since it costs . Unfortunately, cases of poisoning in restaurants are not as rare as we would like. In addition, mountains always pose an increased risk of injury, and the heat can affect blood pressure.
If you are planning active walks in the mountains, trekking, hiking and climbing, insurance is required.
What to bring as a souvenir
Georgia has all the necessary souvenir products. The abundance of horns, daggers, handmade earrings, carpets and other things makes your eyes wide open. But, unfortunately, a lot of things are either too big or there is a high risk of counterfeiting. For example, no one has made daggers by hand for a long time. Horns are made of plastic... Therefore, from the height of our experience, we already have a calm attitude towards souvenirs.
We brought home 7 bottles of wine and a liter of homemade brandy. Believe me, no bottled brandy stood next to the grape moonshine that is distilled in Georgia.
When I tell someone that we spent a month in Georgia, everyone always immediately asks me about money. I don’t know why, but in the minds of most of my friends the idea was clearly established that traveling is expensive. I’m even at a loss for guesses, where did you even get this from? Although, of course, I can assume that all this is somehow connected with the activities of Belarusian travel agencies, which may well ask for 500-700 dollars for a three-day tour to Georgia and at the same time prove with foam at the mouth that this is some kind of super-mega -promotion... Is this really the whole point?
I have already written this phrase several times, but I am ready to repeat it again: any trip is worth exactly as much as you are willing to pay for it. The main thing is not to adjust it to yourself, but to try, on the contrary, to adapt yourself to current promotions, discounts and optimal dates. Well, one more thing: of course, it’s best to plan your trips in advance. This advice applies not only to Georgia, but to absolutely any other country. Personally, we bought tickets for September at the beginning of spring. But I will dwell on all this in more detail a little later.
So... How to look for cheap flights? What websites are the most convenient for booking inexpensive accommodation? How to invest in your existing budget and organize an independent trip to Georgia without extra costs? Let's go through the points. The introduction was already too long.
Purchasing air tickets
Tip #1. Do not look for plane tickets on the websites of certain airlines. Instead, it is better to use the capabilities of so-called ticket search engines, which allow you to immediately “see” offers from different (!) airlines and all the best connections (if any are needed). Personally, I usually use the Aviasales website (I just like its interface). Although, if desired, you can use some of its analogues - for example, Buruki or Skyscanner. They also show good results. Search for flight options on all three of these sites. This will save you an additional 5-6 euros.
Tip #2. Use the special “tricks” of ticket search engines, for example, the flexible search of the Buruki website (button – “I don’t know the exact dates, I want cheaper”) or the “Low Price Calendar” of the Aviasales website (see the sign below). Flights on different days have different prices. Adapt to them, and don’t bang your head against the wall shouting “I want tickets from 1st to 10th and nothing else.” It’s better to buy tickets first, and then go to your boss to ask for leave for the required dates. Or is there no way to reach an agreement with your boss at all?
Tip #3. As a rule, the cheapest tickets to Georgia are found on the Minsk – Kutaisi route. You can fly to the same city on the low-cost Wizz Air, which flies there from Vilnius. You can then get to Batumi or Tbilisi by train or minibus. Although in Imereti itself there is also something to see. An example is the Prometheus caves, Sataplia park with fossilized dinosaur tracks, Martvili canyons and much more.
See the price calendar for this route below.
I wrote more about how you can cheaply get to Georgia from Belarus. All the best travel options are listed there. Be sure to read it. It describes all this in more detail.
Important! If you don’t know the exact dates of your trip yet, it makes sense to monitor various sales in this direction. You can do this by subscribing to the Aviasales newsletter or various VKontakte public pages, which collect messages on their pages about the start of promotions and sales. As an example - vandrouki.by, fly4free.pl, pirates.ru and others. Plus - you can also subscribe to our group on VK (https://vk.com/mytraveldiaryby). This is welcome ;)))
How to rent cheap housing in Georgia?
The Caucasus is a special region of the planet, so not all modern housing booking systems work well there. The only exception is Tbilisi. Everything is as usual here. There are many hotels, guesthouses, and private apartments. You can rent a hotel in this city inexpensively through search engine sites (for example, on the RoomGuru website). Such services compare the cost of a specific room on dozens of booking platforms (such as Booking, Agoda, HRV, etc.), and then redirect the user to where the specific room costs the cheapest. This is a good saving option.
Another alternative is to look for private apartments on the AIRBNB website instead of hotels (discount when registering using the link provided). For example, in September 2016, we easily found a beautiful studio in the center of the old city of Tbilisi for only 25 dollars per day. Although here we need to make a reservation: in fact, I actually paid even less. The thing is that there are many different promotional codes and discount bonuses on the AIRBNB website. Therefore, I will not go into details now.
As for other cities in Georgia, it really makes sense to rent housing right on the spot. Another option is to look for apartments through specialized VKontakte groups. Most Georgians rent their homes the old fashioned way, without bothering with taxes and bank transfers. Therefore, on the same AIRBNB website, even after posting a specific advertisement, many owners say in plain text that they will not rent anything through this system. Here you can correspond with them, bargain, discuss details. But the money will have to be paid from hand to hand. There are exceptions (), but they are few.
VK groups where you can find suitable rental options:
https://vk.com/club37965380
https://vk.com/ihome
https://vk.com/rentapartmentsbatumi
https://vk.com/batumi_beach
https://vk.com/club62933149
https://vk.com/small_batumi
But I advise you to avoid the batumiphotos group. I don’t know why, but there are always a lot of frankly inadequate comrades who can correspond with you for a couple of weeks and then rent out the house to someone else. I came across two of these at once.
Tip #1. Do not choose just one from the proposed options and try to look for housing on a variety of sites. Who knows which one will give the best result.
Tip #2. When renting housing in Batumi, be sure to bargain. Personally, this summer I had several cases when apartment owners asked for $1,000 per month, and then after saying “No, thank you,” they immediately reduced the price by almost half. Georgians usually first quote the maximum price, but almost always agree to make a discount.
It is written in great detail about all the nuances of finding housing in Batumi!!!
Travel insurance to Georgia
I liked Georgia and liked Georgian food, but believe me, sanitation rules are not always strictly observed in this country. On the streets you can often meet people selling homemade adjika and cheese directly from their cars. And at the market, I once saw with my own eyes how a woman stroked a cat, and then, without any twinges of conscience, without washing her hands, she simply went to sell churchkhela.
Where am I leading with all this? Moreover, insurance is mandatory when traveling to Georgia. Don't risk your health. And remember that paying a doctor’s visit is not cheap. For example, at the Paracelsus clinic, with whose doctors we (unfortunately) once had the opportunity to communicate in person, an appointment with a doctor cost from 13 to 17 dollars. Moreover, insurance prices can start as low as $8. In general, do not neglect purchasing a policy. The likelihood that it may be useful to you in Georgia is very high.
Transport in Georgia
Georgia's transport system is very poorly developed. Attempts to change something were made during the time of Saakashvili. However, the Georgian authorities still have a lot of work to do in this area. Therefore, be mentally prepared for the fact that many of Georgia’s attractions can only be reached by car. Local taxi drivers know this, so they mercilessly raise prices for their services. Here's a simple example: in the center of Tbilisi, some taxi drivers ask for 70-100 lari for a trip to Mtskheta (the ancient capital of Georgia). You can do the same trip by minibus for 1 lari. As they say: I have everything.
In general, do not let yourself be deceived, and if you suddenly really need a taxi, it is better to use those services that set the price according to the meter. Next I will post brief information regarding transport in Georgia.
Taxi Maxim(transportation in Tbilisi, Batumi + some surrounding areas of Batumi). Immediately when ordering a car on the website, it shows the cost of the required trip. But in rainy weather and late at night, cars arrive very slowly.
Tbilisi bus stations are located at Didube and Samgori metro stations. From Didube you can go to Kazbegi, Mtskheta, Akhaltsikhe, Kutaisi, Borjomi, Batumi and many other cities. From Samgori station there are minibuses to Sighnaghi, Telavi and other regions of Kakheti.
Batumi bus stations located on Mayakovsky and Gogol streets. There are always a lot of minibuses going in the direction of Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Borjomi, Zugdidi and other cities. Come and ask for the required flight. The transport system in Georgia is very bad and confusing. There is practically no clear flight schedule. But, as they say, we have what we have.
Private bus companies, working in Georgia, mostly represent Turkish business. Luks karadeniz travels from Batumi to Turkish cities. And the Metro company (http://geometro.ge/ru/home) also operates flights within the country. There are flights to Tbilisi, Batumi, Gori (Stalin’s birthplace), Kutaisi and other cities. As surprising as it may be for Georgia, all buses have a clear schedule, route and price. These are not minibuses that can stand for half an hour because the driver is waiting for some old lady he knows with a bag of peaches.
Batumi railway station. Located outside the city. You can get there by bus No. 8 and No. 10.
Rail transport in Georgia– in fact, the only thing about which there can be no serious complaints. The trains are all new. The carriages have Wi-Fi, sockets, snack machines, and good toilets. The only thing worth noting is that all trains, in fact, run on one single line - Batumi - Tbilisi. There is no serious railway network in Georgia. You can get there this way only to Kutaisi, Gori, Zestafoni, Ureki and some other cities. The full route map can be viewed on the website http://www.railway.ge/
How to get to the city from Batumi and Tbilisi airports
To Batumi: by bus number 10. It runs from 7 am and goes through the entire city (to the railway station). Travel time is 20-30 minutes. The fare is 40 tetri (0.4 lari).
In Tbilisi: by bus No. 37, which runs around the clock at intervals of 15-20 minutes. Fare: 50 tetri. There is also a railway station next to Tbilisi airport. With its help you can easily get to the city's central station. The price is the same 50 tetri. But there are relatively few trains.
In Kutaisi: still simpler. There is a special company at this airport, Georgian bus, which provides transportation to all major cities of Georgia (including Batumi, Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Mestia, etc.). The bus schedule is linked to the plane schedule. You can view prices and buy a ticket online on the carrier’s website (http://georgianbus.com/).
How to navigate in an unfamiliar city?
Personally, I use the MAPS.ME mobile application for these purposes. This program, created by Belarusian developers, is a collection of offline maps with a GPS navigation system. Just set the required point on the city map and follow the arrows. Everything is very simple. The main thing before your trip is not to forget to download a map of Georgia separately. All this is done for free.
How much money to take with you to Georgia
To tell the truth, Georgia is not the cheapest country. Most prices in shops and restaurants here are higher than in Belarus. The only thing that costs less than ours is Georgian wine and Georgian mineral water. It turns out very convenient. In the evening you drink wine. In the morning - mineral water.
Big story about prices in Georgia. Everything is described there in very, very detail. For now, I will present here only a small cost estimate.
Cost of rooms in Batumi hotels ranges from 20 to 30 euros (per day). But you shouldn’t be too attached to these prices, if only because the cost can change at different times of the year and from season to season. Specific prices can be found on the websites Hotellook and RoomGuru. I wrote about all this in more detail above. On average, for a trip of 10 days, expect to pay 200-300 euros (for 2 people). In Tbilisi, it makes sense to look for housing on the AIRBNB website. By using their discount coupons, you can shave $20, $40, or even $100 off your total. Read more about this.
Food in a restaurant: average bill 15-20 lari ($1 = 2.3 lari). But here, of course, everything largely depends on your personal preferences. If you are smart and completely turn off the excitement, you can eat in Batumi for 1 lari. I already wrote about this life hack in one of the.
Food in a store in Tbilisi and Batumi costs more than in Minsk supermarkets. Two liters of juice - 5 GEL, milk - 3 GEL, a pack of khinkali - another 7. Cigarettes 2.40 - 3.60 per pack. Personally, for two of us, for a month of living in Georgia, it cost us 400 dollars. Although I tried to buy everything as thoughtfully as possible. The best stores in Georgia are the Yalcin and Willmart chain supermarkets. Although it is cheapest to buy food at the Batumi market (Mayakovsky St.). This place is unsightly, and the sellers here are not particularly fond of washing their hands, but the prices here are lower than in stores. Therefore it is worth visiting. Just wash all your purchases thoroughly at home afterwards.
You can get to the market by buses No. 1, No. 1a, No. 4, No. 8.
Excursions around Georgia (cost of travel by minibus). Prices are for one way travel per person.
Renting a taxi or traveling with a tour company will cost much more. See photo below. The photo was taken in the capital of Georgia.
Again, I wrote in more detail about the cost of excursions in the article about. Be sure to read it. There's a lot of interesting stuff there.
General impression of Georgia
Georgia is a bright and interesting country. But like any other state, it has its shortcomings. For example, I was personally unpleasantly surprised by the fact that many attractions here can only be reached by car. And the fact that sometimes you need to travel from one city to another with a transfer also somehow does not add optimism. Another disadvantage I would include is the rather high level of prices for rental housing near the sea. Here's a simple example: last year we rented an apartment for $24 a day. In Batumi in September, sometimes they asked for $30 or $35 to rent a small apartment. Although normal offers are also found here.
On the plus side, I would note the fact that Georgia has very nice people (especially those not related to tourism). Plus delicious wine, beautiful nature and many interesting historical sights - all this is also an indisputable advantage of this Caucasian state.
Read more about my impressions from the trip to Batumi and Tbilisi. And I will slowly finish this review. Have a nice trip and all the best.
The ancient state with spectacular nature, excellent cuisine and colorful features is highly popular among tourists. Even a short trip to Georgia will bring a lot of bright positive emotions. In order not to spoil the impressions, it is necessary to prepare for the future voyage.
Significant innovations in 2019
From March 1, 2018, new conditions for compulsory insurance of vehicles of foreign countries came into force in Georgia. The driver is required to insure the car to travel around the country. Insurance packages are divided depending on the required duration of the trip: 15, 30, 90 days and 1 year. The cost of insurance for 15 days is 30 GEL.
In this case, there is no need to try to save money. The fine for moving without a policy will cost much more - from 100 to 200 lari.
You can buy an insurance policy in any convenient way:
- in Banks (“Liberty”, “Bank of Georgia”)
- through payment terminals (“TBS”, “Liberty”, “Bank of Georgia”)
- at official sales points near customs
- via the Internet before the trip
- in the offices of insurance companies
Another significant innovation this year was the appearance of a special tourist patrol. Tourist police take care of the safety of city visitors and can help in various situations. Patrol officers are fluent in several foreign languages and are able to provide information support to travelers from different countries.
Travel documents
The first question that worries a tourist is whether it is necessary. In 2012, Georgia introduced a visa-free regime for Russian citizens. Russians do not need a visa to Georgia when staying in the territory for less than a year.
Although Georgia is a visa-free country, the customs procedure at the border has a number of strict requirements. When going on a trip, you need to know clear rules about what you need for a trip to Georgia.
Special requirements for the import of funds apply to amounts exceeding GEL 30,000. Cash currency and traveler's checks of lower value do not need to be declared when crossing the border. This allows you to take a comfortable supply of cash in any currency.
You can withdraw money from numerous ATMs. Just like all over the world, payment by card is common.
Three requirements for a tourist passport:
- The validity period of the passport must cover the entire period of the trip
- two free pages for stamps
- absence of seals and South Ossetia.
Trip with animals
Travelers with animals will need a special passport with a mark from the veterinary service of the Russian Federation confirming the health status of the pet. You can get it before your trip at the nearest veterinary clinic.
The attitude towards animals in the Caucasus is friendly. According to well-known accommodation booking services, several hundred hotels and apartments in Tbilisi allow guests to stay with pets.
Getting to Georgia
You can get to Georgia by several types of transport:
- by plane;
- by sea;
- by bus;
- by car.
“You can only cross the border by bus or car. When traveling on foot, to pass the checkpoint on your own, you must use a ride."
Several airlines operate flights to Georgia from Russia. Regular flights depart mainly from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov and Krasnodar.
By sea you can travel from Sochi on a special passenger line of the SPK Express-Batumi along the Sochi-Batumi route. The journey by sea will take at least 6 hours. Sea connections open in June and operate until September. It is better to buy tickets immediately in the same direction and in the opposite direction.
You can go to hospitable Georgia by bus. The route Krasnodar - Tbilisi is popular, flights depart several times a day. The journey takes 14 – 15 hours. Ticket price is 2500 rubles. Bus service to Tbilisi from Moscow, Samara, Sochi and from Nalchik to Batumi has been developed.
The abundance of options for modes of transport allows you to choose how to travel to Georgia depending on your personal preferences. Some people want to save money, others want to see as many attractions as possible, and others care about comfort.
Traveling by car in Georgia
Traveling by car has a lot of advantages and nuances. When going on a trip on your own, you can drive through secluded corners of the country and explore distant sights. Mountain monasteries, picturesque canyons, ancient fortresses - it will be much easier to get there by private car. When entering the country, travelers are fascinated by the Georgian Military Road. From the Ossetian language its name is translated as “Heavenly Gorge Road”. The path along it is accompanied by many ancient monuments.
Upon entry, a special sticker is affixed to your passport and is valid for 65 days. Before the end of the period, according to customs legislation, the car must leave the country.
Required documents for drivers
- vehicle registration certificate
- driver's license with data written in Latin letters
- Georgian car insurance policy
- international passport
When crossing the border, you will not need an insurance policy. It will be available to purchase immediately after entry at Georgian points of sale.
Under no circumstances try to get to Georgia from Russia through Abkhazia. Heading from Sochi or Gagra legally, you will have to make a circle of more than 400 kilometers. According to Georgian legislation, travel through the checkpoints of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, namely through the Gantiadi-Adler and Rock-Nizhny Zaramag border checkpoints, is considered a criminal offense.
These checkpoints have been declared illegal. Crossing them is punishable by a significant fine and imprisonment. Therefore, when choosing how to travel to Georgia, forget the word “Abkhazia”. This country is worth visiting, but you can’t combine them.
The financial side of travel
The national currency of Georgia is the lari. The name of the currency according to the international standard is “GEL”. 1 lari, by analogy with Russian kopecks, consists of 100 tetri. During the second half of 2018, the exchange rate of the lari against the ruble fluctuated; as of January of this year it is 23.83 rubles per 1 lari.
Purchasing tickets and booking hotels long before your vacation will help you save a lot. Modern services allow you to select the function of canceling a reservation for a certain period before the start of the trip.
Another local feature that will help significantly reduce costs is the availability of bargaining. Whatever the price is, it's worth bargaining. You can often reduce the cost by two or three times.
Rules for how to have a cheap vacation
- pick up free maps with marked attractions at tourist information centers. Such tourist centers are present in all major cities of Georgia.
- install mobile applications with navigation programs and built-in guides in advance;
- if you plan to rent a car, it is better to do it online;
- purchase a Georgian one for the duration of your visit if you plan to use the Internet and make local calls;
- Use Wi-Fi to access the Internet. In Tbilisi, the public free network Tbilisi Loves You operates throughout the city. Free wi-fi is available in the capital in minibuses and on central streets.
Prices in Georgia are comparatively not high. How much money to take is determined by everyone depending on their personal needs. The cost of cheap housing in summer per night for two in Tbilisi starts from 10 lari. In Batumi you will have to pay a little more - from 17 lari. Housing in winter in the resort of Gudauri will cost at least 100 lari per day.
Travel safety
Often girls who dream of vacationing in Georgia wonder how safe it will be to vacation alone. According to the international security and crime rating “Crime Index for country 2018”, Georgia’s security index is very high and amounts to 80%. This indicator is one of the best in the world. For comparison, the security index of the Russian Federation is only 56%.
Bakuriani is located in a picturesque area. It’s worth driving along the exotic narrow-gauge road “Bakuriani – Borjomi” and enjoying the mountain views. Where to go to Gudauri or Bakuriani is a difficult question. Both resorts are constantly improving and are worthy of attention.
It is convenient to travel around Georgia with your own car. An approximate route for a week, allowing you to travel to the best popular attractions, might look like this:
The famous Stepantsminda - Tbilisi - picturesque Sighnaghi - Gurjaani - fort and monasteries Telavi - Mtskheta - Gori - Borjomi - Rabat fortress - Vardzia - Batumi - Ureki - Kutaisi - Upper Lars.
Beach and educational holidays in Georgia
In summer, hospitable Adjara invites you to relax on comfortable and clean beaches. You can get to modern Batumi from Tbilisi by train.
Magnetiti beaches with black magnetic sand are especially attractive. Healing sand relieves many diseases. It’s incredible to imagine how many kilometers connoisseurs of the wonderful properties of magnetic beaches travel to improve their health.
Background. Two tourists from Kazakhstan, who once went on vacation abroad through a travel agency, very quickly wanted to be independent. It's decided! This year is my first independent trip.
The country was chosen immediately - Russia. This was the perfect place to start: no language barrier, an incredible number of attractions, the greatest cities - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan. Preparations for the trip lasted almost six months: maps, routes, transport, accommodation. The last days of waiting and we are finally... in Georgia!
How is this possible? And it’s all very simple, a month before the trip we looked at photographs of Georgia and were already there in our minds, but a month later we were no longer there in our minds. Why waste time on trifles?
Express retraining for the trip to Georgia took less than a month. Again maps, routes, transport, housing.
Housing
We didn’t book in advance, we looked for it on the spot, or rather, it was always there. There are a lot of guest houses in Georgia, before you even have time to get off the minibus, there is already “housing” nearby! Kidding! The one who offers it is worth it: owners, brokers. We looked at the hotels in advance on the booking page, chose the ones that were suitable for price and location, read the reviews, marked them on the map and with 100% confidence that there would be free rooms, we simply went to the address. In all cases, we checked in without any problems.
Tickets
We didn’t bother with air tickets - we bought them at the ticket office (flight Astana-Baku, Air Astana, the journey takes 3 hours, ticket 118,000 tenge, that’s $336, purchased 5 days before departure). From Baku to Georgia we traveled by night train to Tbilisi (the price of a Baku-Tbilisi reserved seat ticket is 32 manats, to Baku from Tbilisi - 40.27 lari reserved seat).
Cards
We used a printed Openstreetmaps map with additions from Google maps and the MAPS.ME application. There are no completely panoramic maps of Georgia, where all the streets are visible, on the Internet, so we had to be content with point panoramas on Google maps.
Route
Born in pain. He did not get ready, did not adjust, did not become ringed. During the trip, due to our own stupidity, Racha, Zugdidi, Svaneti: Mestia, Ushguli dropped out of the route (later we regretted it many times), because we were afraid of the road - the mountain serpentine road is very poorly tolerated. And here's ours plan for the greatest conquest of Georgia standard route for 19 days (the actual one, the planned one looked more beautiful and more logical), the numbers in the first column are the dates of September:
6 Tbilisi (by train from Baku)
7 Tbilisi – Sighnaghi – Tbilisi
8 Tbilisi - Batumi (night train)
9-12 Batumi + surroundings
13 Batumi - Kutaisi
14-16 Kutaisi + surroundings
17 Kutaisi - Borjomi
18 Borjomi - Bakuriani - Borjomi
19 Borjomi - Tbilisi
20 Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Tbilisi
21 Tbilisi - Kazbegi
22 Kazbegi - Tbilisi
23 Tbilisi - Akhaltsikhe - Vardzia - Akhaltsikhe - Tbilisi
24 Tbilisi - Baku (night train)
Georgia is good because it is perfect for your first independent trip. Georgian realities are similar to ours, local residents speak Russian, and planning a trip will be extremely simple. This is an incredibly beautiful country that greets travelers with stunning views, ancient architecture and original cuisine. I remember it for the spiritual gatherings in the restaurants of Old Tbilisi, and also for the amazing Batumi embankment.
No visa required. Citizens of the Russian Federation are allowed to stay in Georgia for up to 90 days without a visa. A foreign passport is required.
What to see
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is located on the banks of the Kura River. This is an ancient city with many attractions. Getting around them all is a good idea only if you are here for at least a month. Let's see the most interesting things.
Narikala Fortress
The main asset of Tbilisi is the ancient building on Mount Mtsatminda. Now most of the fortress has been destroyed, but even in the form of ruins, the Narikala fortress is one of the most visited places. You can get to the fortress either on foot or by cable car. Free admission.
Abanotubani or sulfur baths
More than one traveler paused with a camera in front of the low, neat domes in the center of the Old Town. The famous baths are located under these domes. The water there comes from natural sulfur springs, so going to the bathhouse in Tbilisi is not only interesting, but also very good for health.
Cable car
Thanks to the cable car, which runs from Europe Square to the Sololaki Temple at the Narikala Fortress, for 2.5 GEL you will have a stunning view of the Old City. There is an observation deck at the top.
Anchiskhati
This is an ancient church in Old Tbilisi. A small, modest-looking church is fraught with a long and distant history. The quiet, peaceful atmosphere inside the temple and the spirit of antiquity give you goosebumps.
Tsminda Sameba
In my opinion, the most atmospheric place in Tbilisi. Blown by all the winds, this church is under the sky, clearly visible. You can also see the Old Town from above, only from the other side.
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Peace Bridge and Parliament Building
Modern architectural sophistication from the times of Saakashvili. The bridge glows beautifully at night, so I recommend coming after sunset. In front of the Parliament building there is a picturesque park with lavender bushes.
Metekhi Temple
Located on a cliff above the Kura River. Most travelers prefer to admire it from afar, because it really looks more beautiful from the outside.
Batumi
Resort town on the Black Sea coast. Batumi will appeal to those who love beach holidays. Although there are not many attractions in this city, I will still highlight some of them.
View of the beach along the embankment in Batumi Batumi Botanical Garden
One of the best gardens where a traveler can be lucky enough to visit. The garden's territory is huge, consisting of 21 natural zones and about 5,000 species of living plants. You can spend the whole day there, walking along the paths, observing the rare beauty, relaxing in the shade of giant trees and drinking real Georgian lemonade. The botanical garden is located not in Batumi itself, but a few kilometers away.
Batumi embankment
Very long - 10 km, with equipped bike paths. In the evening you can rent a bike and ride to the very end. And on the way back, go to one of the restaurants on the Black Sea shore. Personally I really like it Grand Grill Restaurantс view of the Singing Fountains.
Argo cable car
After driving along it, you will see Batumi from a bird's eye view. The entire journey will take approximately 10 minutes.
One way ticket price - 7.5 GEL.
Alphabet Tower
This is a modern structure, but this building is worth seeing. This tower is located in "Park of Wonders". The height of the building is 130 meters. There is an elevator inside, which will open up a beautiful panoramic view of Batumi. There is also a restaurant in the tower. It's best to come an hour before sunset to admire the departing rays.
Prices
The national currency of Georgia is the lari, but many people willingly accept euros and dollars. Almost everywhere on the Georgian Military Road you can pay in rubles.Prices at local spontaneous markets are lower than in supermarkets, and there is always fresh food there. The most popular market in Tbilisi - "Deserter". It is located near the railway station.
Lunch in a cafe in Tbilisi will cost from 250 rubles per person. Dinner with meat delicacies in a restaurant starts from 500 rubles. It is noteworthy that prices in Tbilisi are 10-15% lower than in Batumi.
Food
One of the most famous Georgian dishes is khinkali. They eat khinkali exclusively with their hands, holding it by the top, molded from dough. Georgia is famous for its unusual and delicious dishes. The cuisine is rich in meat dishes with a large abundance of spices, seasonings and sauces. The most popular Georgian dishes include:
- Puri- traditional Georgian bread. Puri is prepared in stone ovens and the shape of the finished bread resembles a boat. There are many varieties of puri. The most famous include khachapuri - cheese flatbread, Adjarian khachapuri - bread with egg, butter and cheese.
- Khinkali- balls of minced meat or minced meat with the addition of various seasonings, spices and herbs, wrapped in dough.
- Lobio- a dish of beans, onions and herbs. The method of preparation may vary depending on the establishment. Lobio is served in clay pots. Many lovers of this dish add a piece of hot pepper to it.
- Soup kharcho- thick spicy soup with beef, rice and tkemali sauce. There are also many varieties of kharcho soup. There are meat-free cooking options for vegetarians.
- Mtsvadi or Georgian kebab. The peculiarity of this dish is that the meat is not marinated at all before cooking. Kebab is served with herbs, vegetables, satsebeli or tkemali sauces. The finished meat is generously poured with pomegranate juice.
Most dishes of Georgian cuisine add a lot of spices, due to which the food can be very spicy.
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Restaurants in Tbilisi
The choice of establishments with national Georgian cuisine is very diverse in the capital. Not far from the sulfur baths in the Old Town, in the building of the Caravanserai Museum, which is located on Sioni Street 8, there is a small cozy wine bar-restaurant Shukhman.
The prices here are moderate, there is a large selection of dishes and wines, and a very atmospheric atmosphere. The restaurant is also distinguished by its signature molecular cuisine.
Excellent restaurant Samikitno on Freedom Square in Tbilisi, they serve the best khinkali and many types. One of my favorite places, overlooking the river and Metekhi temple.
Sahli 11- restaurant on Galaktion Tabidze street 11 in the city center. A small establishment with very talented chefs and friendly waiters. Sakhli 11 has affordable prices, a good wine list, and a large selection of traditional Georgian dishes.
The Tsiskvili restaurant on Beliashvili Street 75 differs from other establishments with its unusually beautiful interior. The restaurant has 4 large rooms, one of them with access to the veranda. “Tsiskvili” is very popular, so it is advisable to book your seats in advance.
Restaurants in Batumi
To truly taste how Georgian dishes are prepared in Batumi, you need to visit "Heart of Batumi". A small cafe on General Mazniashvili Street 11 is a very popular establishment in Batumi. Since the hall can only accommodate a small number of people, it is better to pre-book a seat.
Lovers of hearty food should visit this establishment "Sazandari" on Gorgiladze Street 78. The portions here are very generous, the prices are low, an ideal place for the whole family to go out. The restaurant is located near the beach, so it is often crowded, but despite this, the waiters serve quickly.
Wine
Kakheti winemaking technology is recognized throughout the world as one of the best ways of making wine.
The essence of the technology: wines are infused in large clay jugs at a certain temperature. Thanks to this preparation, Kakheti wines are rich and tasty.
One of the most famous varieties is the semi-sweet red wine Akhasheni. The drink is made from Saperavi grapes.
Dry white wine lovers will love this Rkatsiteli, which is produced from the grape variety of the same name. This aromatic wine with a rich taste is perfect with salty snacks, fish, and simply as an aperitif.
You can taste Georgian wines in the wine store " Winery Khareba" along Vakhtang Gorgasal street 1. You can also go to cellar Karalashvili wine cellar, which is on Vertskhli street 19, where they will tell you about the history of varieties.