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May 8, 2026
Georgia is one of the most comfortable destinations for independent travel. Locals are incredibly welcoming and hospitable. Getting there is easy, and prices are remarkably low. In Georgia, you'll see both sea and mountains, enjoy delicious food and wine, admire the beauty of historic buildings with their carved wooden balconies, and soak in the authentic atmosphere of central streets in Georgian towns.
If you've decided to visit this hospitable country, the best time is during blooming week. It usually falls in late March — early April. First, cherry and apple trees dress in snow-white mantles — you'll see this in parks and old courtyards — and a bit later, pomegranate blooms pink, creating a magnificent spectacle. In the Tbilisi Botanical Garden, you can even admire sakura.
Photo: Tbilisi
The second great period is the velvet season in September. The temperature is comfortable, the sea — if you're at the seaside — is warm, fruits and wine are abundant, and there are far fewer tourists. In winter, visitors mainly come to the ski resorts of Gudauri and Bakuriani.
Photo: Bakuriani / Vladimer Shioshvili
In Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia (which in Georgian isn't Georgia at all, but Sakartvelo), the best place to stay is in the historic city center. The Old Town consists of the Zemokala and Kvemokala districts, meaning Upper and Lower parts. The atmosphere is incredible: cobblestone streets lined with vine-covered houses, filled with the aromas of grilled meat and smoky braziers.
Photo: Tbilisi, Old Town
Small apartments with good renovations cost around $50–60 per night for two. Very often, hosts gift their guests homemade wine and churchkhela — many have houses in the countryside where they or their relatives practice farming.
The main attractions of Tbilisi include Narikala Fortress, the Botanical Garden, Mtatsminda Mountain, Sioni and Sameba Cathedrals, the architectural ensemble of Freedom Square, and the respectable Rustaveli Avenue with the best restaurants and cafes.
Photo: Narikala Fortress / Alexxx1979
The ancient citadel of Narikala (4th century) rises on a spur of Sololaki Mountain. Within the fortress grounds stands the fully restored Church of St. Nicholas, founded in the 12th century. You can climb to the fortress on foot — it's steep but not too difficult — however, it's faster, more convenient, and more spectacular to take the cable car from Rike Park on the left bank of the Kura River. The panorama of the Old Town unfolds dynamically before you. A one-way trip costs 2.5 lari (about $1). On windy days, the cable car stops operating.
Besides the cable car, Tbilisi has a funicular connecting the city center to the top of Mtatsminda Mountain, where there's a large park more oriented toward children (rides, petting zoo, cafes), offering what many consider the best view of Tbilisi. Though it must be said, there are many panoramic viewpoints in Tbilisi, and the views from each are impressive.
For example, near Narikala Fortress there's a viewing platform at the "Mother of Georgia" monument. And right there is one of the entrances to the Tbilisi Botanical Garden (ticket price — 4 lari, about $1.50). The garden is beautiful and enormous (316 acres / 128 hectares), located in a gorge, meaning it's multi-level with terraces, bridges, and beautiful landscapes. It houses a collection of three and a half thousand plants. A curious detail: its operating hours are listed as "until sunset."
Photo: Tbilisi, Botanical Garden / Mostafameraji
In the same area, you'll see a mosque of stunning beauty — an ancient red brick building with a minaret. The mosque has an expressive domed roof and is decorated with colorful tiles. Entry is only in appropriate religious attire. By the way, at the lower entrance to the botanical garden near the mosque, they sell red wine ice cream. They sell it near the Sulfur Baths too. You'll spot tourists with cones in hand along the way.
The Sulfur Baths are also nearby — a wellness complex built over hot sulfurous springs, featuring Persian architecture, with the Colorful Bath with its minarets standing out particularly. Pushkin and Alexandre Dumas père bathed in the Tbilisi Sulfur Baths. Admission starts from 30 lari (about $11).
In the northern part of the Old Town stands the most ancient church in Tbilisi, dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary — the Anchiskhati Church.
Photo: Sioni Cathedral
The most significant of the city's ancient temples is Sioni, or Sioni Cathedral. It's consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos and houses the right hand of the Apostle Thomas, as well as the country's main Christian relic — the Cross of St. Nino.
On the opposite, left bank of the Kura, on the high St. Elijah Hill stands Tsminda Sameba Cathedral (Holy Trinity Cathedral). It's currently the largest church in Tbilisi and in all of Georgia.
Photo: Tsminda Sameba Cathedral
This is a new church, built in 2004, beautifully integrated into the urban landscape. It's very tall — 331 feet (101 meters) — and visible from many parts of the city. At the foot of the cathedral is a viewing platform where you absolutely must watch the sky turn pink, then lilac, crimson, and violet; admire the funicular lights in the distance, and see how its glittering path cuts through the steep forested slope.
Photo: Lake Lisi
If you want to relax in nature, you can visit Lake Lisi, located west of Tbilisi. It's a popular resort area. The lake has boat rentals, an embankment where you can feed ducks, tennis courts, and a paintball area.
Georgia is famous for its delicious and inexpensive food. Khinkali cost about $0.50–1 each. The best khinkali restaurant in Tbilisi is "Pasanauri" on Rustaveli Avenue. You should also try khachapuri (Adjarian style, Imeretian style), lobiani (pie with red bean filling), ojakhuri (meat with potatoes, vegetables, and spices, served on clay plates called ketsi), ajapsandali (a dish of baked eggplants with tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic), shoti (oblong bread with a hole), baklava and churchkhela (local desserts), chestnut honey, fig jam, Georgian fruit leather tklapi, lemon-peach lemonade, barberry tea, and of course alcoholic beverages — wine, brandy, chacha, local beer. The quality of the latter ranges from decent to excellent.
If you love khinkali and khachapuri, you can take a cooking class in Tbilisi or Batumi. And if you're a fan of Georgian wine, you can take a wine tasting tour to Kakheti, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from Tbilisi.
You'll see the Alazani Valley and the small cozy town of Sighnaghi with its stepped cobblestone streets and tiled roofs. The town has a fortress with several viewing platforms on the fortress wall for contemplating the panorama of the Alazani Valley. And in the town museum, you can see works by the artist Niko Pirosmani — the same one immortalized in the famous song about a million red roses.
Photo: "Feast", Niko Pirosmani
You can also travel from Tbilisi to Borjomi. It's a very cozy small town located in the Borjomi Gorge — a long canyon of the Kura River. Borjomi is famous for its park, near which stands the luxurious Crowne Plaza hotel (from $200 per night for two).
Photo: Borjomi / tourister.ru
In the park (entrance — 5 lari, about $2) there are mineral springs where you can fill a bottle of Borjomi water straight from the tap. At the entrance is the Lower Station of the cable car connecting the park with the Upper Plateau — there you'll find a viewing platform, a cafe, and a path to the forest chapel of St. Seraphim of Sarov, near which lies a stone that grants wishes (*verified by the article's author — it works; to communicate your wish to the stone, write a note and place it beside it). You can also hike up and down via a walking trail — it's not strenuous.
Photo: Borjomi, Chapel of St. Seraphim of Sarov / Olga E
From Borjomi, you can travel to Kutaisi. Another charming town where we tried the best khinkali in Georgia — at a place called Baraqa. It's right in the city center. The turbulent Rioni River flows through it, and an evening stroll along its embankment is truly romantic: deserted sidewalks, streetlights, and the roaring stream in the darkness. Apartments with river views start from about $25 per night for two.
Photo: Kutaisi
Near Kutaisi is a natural attraction — Martvili Canyon. The canyon has four waterfalls of varying power and a dam. A river flows along its bottom, and visitors can take inflatable boat rides.
Photo: Martvili Canyon / radioiskatel.ru
In the surrounding area, you can visit ancient monasteries and walk through the forest on the way to another canyon — Okatse. It's also beautiful, and the most exhilarating attraction is the suspension bridge over the abyss.
Photo: Batumi, beach
From Kutaisi, it makes sense to head to Batumi, to the sea. Especially if your trip falls during swimming season. Georgia has 60 miles (100 kilometers) of coastline — from Abkhazia to Turkey, but there's no resort better than Batumi. The neighboring Kobuleti is often suggested instead, but there you'll find carbonaceous shale and black sand that you'll be shaking out of your swimsuit with annoyance. Batumi has pebbles. The beaches are clean and well-maintained. There are many pleasant cafes. Beach vendors will bring churchkhela and bananas right to your lounge chair (3 lari, about $1).
Photo: sculpture by Irakli Tsuladze "First Love"
Batumi's calling card is its miles-long seaside promenades with futuristic sculptures, the most famous being "Ali and Nino" — figures of a young man and woman passing through each other. You can watch Ali and Nino begin moving toward each other at 7:00 PM.
Photo: sculpture by Tamara Kvesitadze "Ali and Nino"
Right there on the central promenade is Miracle Park with a Ferris wheel that operates year-round.
After dark, the singing fountain turns on along the promenade — it's located in the northeastern part of Batumi Boulevard, near the Wedding Palace. Another singing fountain is located on Lake Ardagani — it's more modern and larger-scale.
Photo: Lake Ardagani / Aleksandr Che
Batumi, like Tbilisi, also has a wonderful botanical garden. There's the Argo cable car, which takes you to a viewing platform with panoramic city views.
Photo: Batumi, Botanical Garden
Stroll through the center, admire Piazza Square (an architectural replica of Venice), visit the modern Batumi Opera music center — it's impressive — and dine at a restaurant with views at the Sheraton hotel. Enjoy.
Photo: Batumi, Piazza Square / Roberto Strauss
- Entry requirements: valid passport; visa-free for most nationalities.
- Languages: Georgian, English (in tourist areas).
- Currency: Georgian lari (GEL). 1 USD ≈ 2.7 GEL.
- Medical insurance: not required for entry, but recommended.
- Getting there: direct flights to Tbilisi or Batumi from major European and Middle Eastern hubs; also reachable by car from Turkey or Armenia.
- Power outlets: European standard (Type C and F), 220V.
- Transportation: public transport costs are very low.
Advice from EventForMe
Don't take taxis off the street — use ride-hailing apps like Bolt (the most popular locally). Rides will cost significantly less.
Photo: famous Tbilisi cats
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Eva Dobrovaauthor