GEORGIA
Top 8 Tips For Travel To Georgia
THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL GUIDE
Essential Tips for an Unforgettable Trip to Georgia
From Tbilisi’s sulfur baths to ancient cave cities, 8,000-year-old wine, and snowy Caucasus peaks – here are the 8 must-know experiences that will turn your Georgia trip from great to legendary.
8 Unmissable Georgia Experiences
1. Discover the Charm of Tbilisi
Why it’s special: A city where Europe meets Asia – Persian baths, Soviet brutalist architecture, cutting-edge street art, and balconies dripping with grapes.
Must-do: Cable car to Narikala Fortress ($1), private dome bath at Chreli Abano or Orbeliani ($25–60), Fabrika courtyard for craft beer and live DJs, Mtatsminda Park Ferris wheel at night.
Food heaven: 20 khinkali at Shemoikhede Genatsvale ($5), Adjarian khachapuri boat at Machakhela ($6), rooftop dinner at Rooms Hotel or Stamba, late-night churchkhela from Dezerter Bazaar.
Hidden gems: Sulfur bathhouse No.5 (locals only, $12 massage), Stalin’s underground printing press (ask locals for the unmarked door), Dry Bridge flea market for Soviet relics.
Transport: Metro $0.30, Bolt rides $2–4, walking is best in Old Town.
2. Explore the Majestic Caucasus Mountains
Kazbegi (Stepantsminda): Gergeti Trinity Church at 2,170 m with 5,047 m Mount Kazbek – the postcard shot of Georgia.
Hikes: Easy 2-hr church trail, moderate Truso Valley (geysers, mineral lakes, abandoned villages), epic 3-day Juta to Roshka traverse, Chaukhi “Georgian Dolomites” for climbers.
Stay: Rooms Hotel Kazbegi (infinity pool facing mountains), Stancia guesthouse (home-cooked dinner $12), Fifth Season glamping ($60), or local homestays ($15–25).
Bonus: Summer glacier hike to base camp, winter snowmobile tours, paragliding over the valleys ($80).
Getting there: Marshrutka from Tbilisi Didube ($4, 3 hr), GoTrip private car ($60).
3. Enjoy the Flavors of Georgian Cuisine
Signature dishes: Khinkali (twist 18+ folds or pay a fine!), Imeretian khachapuri, Megrelian sulguni, pkhali veggie balls, badrijani nigvzit, churchkhela “Georgian Snickers”, tkemali plum sauce.
Supra experience: 3-hour feast with 15 toasts – tamada (toastmaster) will make you cry, laugh, and drink 2 liters of wine. Never refuse a toast!
Best spots: Barbarestan (1919 recipe book recreated), Keto & Kote (rooftop), Salobie Lado (family-run), Shavi Lomi (modern twist), Culinarium (molecular Georgian).
Street food: Toné bread fresh from underground oven ($0.50), lobiani bean pie ($1), khachapuri on every corner.
Vegetarian paradise: 90% of dishes are meat-free – walnut pastes, bean stews, mushroom khinkali.
4. Visit the Stunning Wine Region of Kakheti
Sighnaghi “City of Love”: 24/7 marriage registry – couples fly in just to tie the knot with Alazani Valley backdrop. Walk the 4 km city walls at sunset.
Wineries: Pheasant’s Tears (natural qvevri), Twins Old Cellar (family lunch included), Okro’s Wines (biodynamic), Schuchmann (château views), Giuaani (women-led).
Rtveli harvest (Sep–Oct): Join grape-picking with 80-year-old grandmas – free homemade wine, chacha, songs until sunrise, dance on grapes barefoot.
Don’t miss: Bodbe Monastery (St. Nino’s tomb), Numisi wine cellar museum (free tasting), David Gareja monastery caves on the Azerbaijan border.
Getting there: Marshrutka to Telavi ($3), GoTrip full-day tour ($80–120).
5. Immerse Yourself in History at Mtskheta
UNESCO trio: Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Christ’s robe buried here), Jvari Monastery (6th-century cross), Samtavro Convent (living nuns, royal tombs).
Day trip: 30 min marshrutka from Didube ($0.50) or Bolt ($8). Combine with Uplistsikhe & Gori (full day $60 private).
Secret spots: Climb Samtavro bell tower for hidden frescoes, visit Shiomghvime Monastery cave complex nearby.
Food stop: Salobie Lado’s Mtskheta branch – best mtsvadi skewers, riverside tables.
History fact: Mtskheta was capital from 3rd century BC to 5th century AD – older than Rome.
6. Unwind in Borjomi’s Healing Waters
Borjomi Central Park: Free hot springs, cable car to plateau ($1), Soviet-era Prometheus statue, mineral water pipeline from 1890s.
National Park: 3-day hiking trails to turquoise lakes, bear & lynx sightings possible, ranger-led horse tours ($25).
Stay: Borjomi Likani Health & Spa Resort (Romanov family favorite), Golden Tulip ($60–120), or budget guesthouses ($20–40).
Bonus: Summer grass sledding on the plateau ($3), winter ice-skating in the park, Romanov summer palace tour.
Getting there: Marshrutka from Tbilisi ($5, 2.5 hr), train ($2, scenic).
7. Marvel at the Cave City of Uplistsikhe
3,000 years old: 700 structures carved into sandstone – theaters, pharmacies, pagan temples turned Christian, secret escape tunnels.
Nearby: Gori Stalin Museum (his childhood home + armored train), Ateni Sioni (11th-century frescoes rivaling Cappadocia), Stalin’s personal underground bunker.
Entrance: $7, private guide $15 – worth every lari for the stories.
Photo spot: The “secret tunnel” exit overlooking the Mtkvari River at sunset – drone-worthy.
Getting there: Marshrutka to Gori ($2), then taxi ($5).
8. Experience Winter Magic in Gudauri
Ski season: 120 km of runs, heli-skiing, night skiing, $25 day pass, snow until May, freeride world tour stop.
Summer: Paragliding tandem ($80), quad biking, highest zip-line in Caucasus, mountain biking downhill trails.
Stay: Marco Polo (ski-in/ski-out), Carpe Diem (budget with sauna), Quadrum Hotel (glass cubes on cliff).
Don’t miss: Soviet “Friendship of Peoples” monument (1983) – insane architecture over 2,000 m cliff, Rooms Hotel Gudauri rooftop jacuzzi under stars.
Getting there: Marshrutka ($4, 2 hr), GoTrip ($50).