Georgia

About Georgia of The Caucasus

Georgia is located on the Black Sea Coast between the mountain ranges of the Greater Caucasus and lesser Caucasus. Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey surround this country. The capital and heart of the country is the city of Tbilisi. Georgia is a country of green valleys, colorful rivers, and historic monuments with Vineyards and old cathedrals. In this post we will be giving you an overall travel guide to this country. We will also be listing the top attractions and things to do in each city. Plus, we will talk about the dress code, transportation system, Currency of Georgia and more. For a more detailed travel guide to cities of Georgia, you can check out our Blog’s posts.

attractions of Georgia
old Tbilisi
old georgia

Things Not to Miss in Georgia

There are attractions and things to do that you absolutely do not want to miss while visiting Georgia. Before getting to that, we are going to give you an introduction to the history, art, and cuisine of Georgia.

The History of Georgia

According to archeological findings, there are some traces of prehistoric settlements in Georgia. The traces of these settlements dates back to early Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. However, it was in early 1st millennium BCE that the origins of the Georgian nation emerged.

During the Middle Ages, the country went through many ups and downs. It was then that Georgia got into conflicts with Byzantine Empire and different Persian Empires namely the Sassanids.  During the 11th century, Queen Tamar brought a golden age to Georgia by forming a pan-Caucasian empire. However, this golden age met its downfall after the Mongol and then Timur, the Turkic conqueror, invasions.

National Revival of Georgia by the Russians

After years and years of Turkish and Persian domination, the Russian came to flourish the commerce and trade of the country. However, the 1905 Revolution in Russia brought a series of disturbances in Georgia. After a series of happenings, Georgia’s independence was recognized around 1920. Then, Georgia was established as a Soviet republic. This itself, brought many more repression on Georgia. Yet, the country was swiftly moving toward independence.

The independence & other movements

At last Georgia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Council of Europe and the World Trade Organization. The history of Georgia goes on with Rose Revolution and challenges such as the Georgian Dream government until today.

Georgian Culture, Art, and Architecture

The history and the culture of Georgia has given Georgian Art a special sense of aesthetic and antiquity. Georgia was one of the countries on the famous trade route of Silk Road which connected Europe to Asia. The exchange of culture between European and Asian countries is evident in Georgian Art and Architecture. Overall, there are criteria that shaped the cultural heritage of the country. You can see the reflection of Georgian Art on the historic sites and Georgian customs and traditions. Some of these criteria are:

  • The influence of religions such as Christianity
  • Mesopotamian, Anatolian, Greek, Persian, Roman and Byzantine art

Georgian Cuisine, Local Food & Signature Dishes

Just like its culture, the Georgian Cuisine has traces of flavors from several cultures. Aside from a variety of local dishes, sweets, and condiments, Georgian Wine has a worldwide reputation. The tradition of wine making in this country dates back to about 8,000 years ago. You can book Travelopersia’s 6-day Wine Tour of Georgia and taste the world famous Georgian wines and brandies. Now, let us get into introducing some of the signature dishes, sweets, and condiments of the country:

Traditional Dishes

  • Khinkali (Georgian Dumplings)
  • Lobio (Bean Soup)
  • Dolmas ( stuffed vegetables)
  • Mtsvadi (fire-roasted Kebab)

Breads

  • Khachapuri (Cheese Bread)
  • Puri (Flatbread)

Cheese and Yogurt

  • Matsoni yogurt
  • Sulguni cheese
traditional foods

Condiments(spices and sauces)

  • Adjika (Chili Paste)
  • Svaneti salt
  • Pkhali ( spinach and walnut paste)

Sweets

  • Tatara, a pudding made of grapes
  • Churchkhela ( sausage shaped candies made with strings of walnuts and coated with Tatara

Cities and Historical & Natural Attractions of Georgia

In this post, we will be listing the top historic attractions of different cities and regions in Georgia. Notably, a great part of the cultural heritage of Georgia is in the heart of its breathtaking nature. That said, we will also be listing the natural wonders of Georgia along with its historic sights. These attractions range from monasteries and churches to canyons and forests of Caucasus and sea resorts by the Black Sea. For more information about different cities, regions and each attraction, you can check out our blog’s posts.

Tbilisi

Tbilisi, the Capital of Georgia

  • Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi or Sameba Cathedral
  • Georgian National Museum
  • Liberty Square
  • Rustaveli Avenue
  • Sioni Cathedral
  • Old Town district
  • The puppeteer’s Clock Tower (Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater)
  • Steel and glass Bridge of Peace
  • The Fortress of Narikala, on a hill by the Legvtakhevi Waterfall
  • The Mother of Georgia statue
  • Tbilisi Mosque
  • Sulfur Bathhouses
  • Metekhi Church

Mestia

  • underground waterfalls, lakes, and magical halls of Prometheus cave
  • Okatse Canyon
  • Ski Lift
  • Chalaadi Glacier
  • Margiani Museum
Mestia

Borjomi

  • Borjomi National Park, the largest national park in Georgia
  • Blue Palace “Firuza”
  • Mineral Water Park
  • Borjomi Museum Of Local Lore
  • Gogia’s Castle
  • Peter’s Castle
  • Romanovs’ Palace
  • Timotesubani Monastery, the Cathedral Of Holy Virgin
  • The Green Monastery
  • Kvabiskhevi Church Of The Assumption

Kakheti

  • Winemaking factories
  • Alaverdi monastery and winery, the highest monastery in Georgia
  • Twins Wine Cellar
  • Qvevri Wine Museum

Tsinandali

  • Chavchavadze House Museum
  • Shumi Winery
  • The forest highway of Gombori Pass leading to Tbilisi

Gudari

  • The Gudauri Resort area and Mount Kazbek
  • Gets the finest powder-snow in the Caucasus for skiing
  • Speed riding, horseback riding and paragliding
  • Routes and lifts
  • Russian-Georgia Friendship Monument

Kutaisi

  • Motsameta Monastery, surrounded by forests over Rioni River
  • The UNESCO site of Gelati Academy and Monastery
  • Martvili Canyon with green and blue waters
  • Bagrati Cathedral, the symbol of United Georgia
  • Chateau Mukhrani Wine Company
  • The health resort of Sairme, located south of Kutaisi

Mtskheta

  • The UNESCO Site of Jvari Monastery, located on a hill at the confluence Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers
  • The UNESCO Site of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
  • Jinvali Water Reservoir ( located in Zhinvali Town near Mtskheta)
  • Ananuri Fortress overlooking the Aragvi River( located in Ananuri region near Mtskheta)

Akhalstsikhe

  • Rabati Fortress at the shores of Potskhovi River
  • fortress of Atskuri
  • Saphara monastery
  • The Underground historic cave monastery and fortress of Vardzia
  • The UNESCO recognized Khertvisi Fortress

Batumi

  • Seaside resort of Green Cape
  • Batumi Botanical Garden
  • The Roman Gonio Fortress
Batumi

Svaneti

  • Exceptional mountains, valleys, and wild rivers
  • The UNESCO village of Ushguli, highest village in Europe
  • Villages of Ipari and Kala
  • Lamaria church
  • Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography

Gori

  • Stalin House Museum
  • The cave city of Uplistsikhe with rock-cut structures and houses

Zugdidi

  • Dadiani Palace Museum ( exhibiting Napoleon’s death mask )
  • Ganmukhuri And Anaklia (Black Sea Resorts)
  • Kolkheti National Park
  • Kuakantsalia, the Swinging Rock
  • The Khobi Monastery
  • Skuri Mineral Water Resort
  • Complex Of Otsindale
  • The nature of Shurubumu
  • Canyon Of Intsra
  • Inguri Hydropower Plant
Zugdidi

Kazbegi Protected Area

  • Stepantsminda Historic Museum
  • Gergeti Trinity Church (reachable by hiking or a jeep ride to Mount Kazbegi)
  • Gveleti Waterfall
  • Hiking trail of Devdoraki Glacier
  • Dariali Gorge
  • Upper Truso Gorge
  • Khada Gorge, near the Russian border
  • Gorge Of Artkhmo
  • Juta Village, one of the highest settlements in Kazbegi

Sighnaghi

  • Marriage registry offices that are open 24/7
  • The Pilgrimage site of Bodbe St. Nino Convent
  • Many ancient and modern wineries such as Pheasant’s Tears winery

Gremi

  • Gremi Archangel Complex
  • The Monumental Gremi Castle

Need to Know

Things to Consider Before Traveling to Georgia

Without doubt, before traveling to a country, there are travel tips you might want to consider. Accordingly, below, are the things you should know before traveling to Georgia. If you have more questions about traveling to Georgia, do not hesitate to contact us at Travelopersia. We would be happy to guide you to your trip to one of the unique gems of the Caucasus.

Visa for Georgia

There are about 98 countries whose citizens can travel to Georgia without a Visa for 1 full year. It is notable that there are exceptions in the duration of stay for some of these countries. Other foreigners can apply for a short term or long term Visa depending on the purpose of their visit. We will talk about ways of applying for a Georgian Visa, its rules, documents, and more in another blog post.

How to get to Georgia?

One of the most common ways of traveling to Georgia is by plane. You can book flights that either land at Tbilisi or Kutaisi International Airports. From Tbilisi International Airport, you can get to city center by the bus or the online Taxi App, Yandex Taxi. As for Kutaisi, there are also bus services that can take you from Kutaisi International Airport to Tbilisi.

If you are traveling to Georgia from Armenia or Azerbaijan, you can take the train. You can also use local bus services which are called Marshrutka. From the Train Station and the Bus Stations, you can easily get to Tbilisi by Metro. After three stops, from just near the metro station, you will arrive at the famous liberty Square.

How to get around Georgia?

In different cities, especially in Tbilisi, you will be walking, since most attractions are within walking distance of each other. You can also use the metro and bus services between and through the cities. For this, you can check out different routes on Tbilisi public transport company. For using the local transport services, you need to buy a card. With this card, you can also use Cable Cars to get to attractions such as Narikala fortress. As another option, you can book a driver guide or rent a car for your journey around this country.

Dress code in Georgia

Overall, Georgia does not have a dress code. The people of this country range from followers of Christianity, Islam to paganism. Though, the majority of them are orthodox Christians. You should only keep in mind the following if you want to visit the churches of the country. For entering an Orthodox Church the dress code is as below:

  • Women should wear a head scarf and a long dress at least down to the knee length. They should also have something to cover their shoulders with.
  • Men should wear long trousers and take their hats off upon entering the church. They should also wear something that keeps their shoulders unrevealed.

What is the language spoken by the locals in Georgia?

The locals speak Georgians which is a Kartvelian language. It is better to know some basic phrases in Georgian for traveling around the country. However, people can speak English in central cities such as in Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi. Azerbaijani and Russian are other languages spoken by a minority of people and mainly immigrants.

Mobile Service and Internet

Magti, Geocell, and Beeline are the three main mobile providers in Georgia. Each of these providers can offer you a variety of mobile internet bundles. It is worth mentioning that the service and data is better in central cities than remote areas. For a quality internet, you can use the WI-FI in cafes, bars, restaurants, and accommodations.

Exchange and currency

The official currency of the country is Georgian Lari. Notably, the abbreviation for Georgian Lari is GEL. Upon your arrival at Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi airports, you can find currency exchange places. Plus, all Georgian Banks provide exchange services. Also, you can exchange money at special places around the central cities. The exchange rate might be accordingly better this way since there is no service fee included.

Country Map

What Is The Best Season To Travel To Georgia?

For finding the best time to visit Georgia, we should check out the weather in this country during different seasons. The Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea control the weather of Georgia. Overall, the weather is:

  • Colder in the eastern side
  • Warmer with more frequent rainfalls on the western side
  • More mild near the coastal areas of the Black Sea

All in all, Georgia, enjoys a sub-tropical climate. That said, you can travel to Georgia all year round. However, below is the season by season weather guide to Georgia. Depending on the purpose of your visit, you can travel to this country during different seasons.

Season by season weather guide to Georgia

  • Spring (March to May): The best time to visit Georgia is during spring and especially in May. Frequent rainfalls might occur during the spring. Overall, during this season, the weather is neither too hot nor too cold.
  • Summer (June to August): Summers in Georgia are pleasantly warm with temperature ranging from 20 to 30 degree Celsius. Keep in mind that the coastal areas can be much humid during this season.
  • Autumn (September to November): Frequent rainfalls occur mostly during autumn. It is better to always pack Rain Gear and clothing when traveling to a tropical country like Georgia.
  • Winter (December to February): winter is the ideal time to travel to Georgia for skiing and other winter sport activities. It is worth mentioning that during this season, the temperature can even drop to 0, especially at nights.