Georgia

Georgia: attractions, the sea and wine that is 8,000 years old

Georgia (in Georgian — Sakartvelo) is a small country in the South Caucasus, on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, between Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey. Behind its modest size hides everything at once: the peaks of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, Black Sea resorts, ancient churches and a wine tradition said to be the oldest in the world. Just about ten years ago Georgia was a destination "for those in the know", and today it is the most visited destination in the South Caucasus — and one of the most budget-friendly holiday options.

Georgia: attractions

• Tbilisi — a historic core of narrow streets and crooked houses, Narikala Fortress, the sulphur baths and the city's main axis: Rustaveli Avenue and Freedom Square.
• Mtskheta — the former capital of eastern Georgia and the centre of the Georgian Orthodox Church; Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Jvari Monastery are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and easy to visit as a day trip from Tbilisi.
• Kazbegi, Gergeti Church and Mount Kazbek — the iconic church on a hill above the gorge, reached by the high-altitude, sharply winding Georgian Military Road.
• Ushguli and Svaneti — UNESCO-listed villages of Upper Svaneti, the highest inhabited area in Europe, with medieval stone towers and alpine landscapes.
• Vardzia — a 12th-century cave monastery complex carved into the rock above a large river gorge in the south of the country.
• Uplistsikhe — a cave town on the Silk Road about 3,600 years old, once a major centre of pagan cults.
• Batumi — the second-largest city and the main Black Sea resort: classical architecture side by side with skyscrapers, palm-lined beaches, and casinos.
• Kutaisi — the third-largest city and the ancient capital of Colchis, home to two World Heritage Sites: Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery.
• Kakheti — a wine region of valleys, churches, monasteries and wineries, including the 19th-century estates of Château Mukhrani and Tsinandali.
• Prometheus Cave and Okatse Canyon — natural attractions that the national tourism board counts among the country's highlights.
• David Gareji monastery complex — a 6th-century cave monastery on a mountain above the Azerbaijani desert, famous for its frescoes.

What to see in Georgia on your first visit

Don't try to cover everything in one trip. A workable plan for a first visit: two days in Tbilisi, a separate day for Mtskheta, another for Kazbegi and Gergeti Church, and a day for Kakheti with its wineries. This itinerary gives you a taste of the city, the mountains and Georgian winemaking.

The best cities in Georgia for a holiday

• Tbilisi — the country's cosmopolitan centre, home to almost a third of Georgia's population: people come here for the Old Town, the baths and the atmosphere.
• Batumi — the choice for those who want the sea: the main Black Sea resort with beaches and modern architecture.
• Kutaisi — a quieter option with a rich history and UNESCO sites.

Holidays in Georgia with children

For a family holiday, Batumi is the more popular choice: it is the country's main Black Sea resort, with beaches and urban infrastructure. Long mountain routes are harder with children: the Georgian Military Road winds high along the slopes, and between cities people most often travel by minibuses.

When is the best time to go to Georgia and what the weather is like by month

Winters in Tbilisi are relatively cold and summers hot: the average January temperature is around +0.9 °C, and July around +24.4 °C. Most precipitation falls in May and June. In summer there are usually a great many tourists in the country; September still allows for hiking and active outdoor holidays, while the cool winter will suit fans of winter sports. For trips into nature, spring and early autumn are usually recommended.

How much a trip to Georgia costs

The currency in Georgia is the Georgian lari (GEL). Transport benchmarks: a bus from Tbilisi airport costs about 1 lari with a Metromoney card (1.50 lari when paying by contactless card), a taxi from the airport to the centre is roughly 20–30 lari, and a minibus from Kutaisi to Tbilisi is about 20 lari. The average length of a tourist's trip to Georgia is about 6.5 days, so it is convenient to calculate a budget on that basis.

How to get to Georgia from Uzbekistan

The main air gateway is Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport (TBS), about 17 km east of the city centre; it is served by flights from many cities in Europe, the Middle East and the region — for example Amsterdam, Istanbul, London, Munich, Paris, Prague, Rome, Tel Aviv and Vienna. An alternative is Kutaisi airport, used by low-cost carriers. There are also overland rail and bus connections with Armenia and Azerbaijan. Within the country, the metro, buses and minibuses are convenient with a single Metromoney card, as are taxis via the Yandex.Go and Bolt apps; the Tbilisi–Batumi train takes about 5 hours and runs several times a day.

Onyx Tour will help you put your trip together

Onyx Tour will find you a great-value tour to Georgia, catch a last-minute deal and take care of flights, hotel and transfer — all you have to do is choose your dates. Book your trip with Onyx Tour.