Georgia might not be top of your bucket list destinations right now – but it should be.

Mark my words – Georgia (and Slovenia) will be among the top destinations in Europe in years to come for outdoor lovers.

So why should you visit Georgia? It’s affordable, safe, possesses tons of history and mountains and oh my gosh, the food! And I can’t forget about the Georgian wine.

But the time to go is now – before Georgia’s popularity soars and you’re swimming in a sea of people when you just want some to enjoy some serenity in the mountains.

Where is Georgia?

First of all, where is Georgia? No, I’m not talking about the American state – I’m talking about the country. Georgia is classed as a transcontinental country and it sits between Europe and Asia – but you’ll feel it has more of a European feel to it than Asian.

Georgia was once part of the USSR and is located south of Russia, across the Black Sea from Bulgaria, and also borders Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

When To Go?

The best time of year to go to Georgia is between May and September. This is the peak season to enjoy Georgia’s mountain areas – one of the country’s key attractions.

July, August and September are the best months for hiking, after snow has melted in the high mountains.

Be aware that while the summer months are the best time to visit, the weather is humid and you may experience thunderstorms most afternoons.

In the mountain areas, anything can happen in the space of a couple of hours. Be prepared for rain, sun, snow and hail and make sure you have warm and wet weather gear on your packing list.

What to See And Do

Read on for my ultimate guide to Georgia to discover what to see and do.

Tbilisi

If you’re coming by air, your arrival into Georgia will either be in Tbilisi (Georgia’s capital) or Kutaisi (Georgia’s former capital). Increasingly budget airlines are flying into Kutaisi Airport from many European destinations. You can get to Tbilisi from Kutaisi in 3-4 hours by marshrutka (mini bus).

You can also reach Georgia overland by road from Armenia, or by marshrutka or a night train from Azerbaijan.

Tbilisi is one of those cities that will grow on you the more time you spend in it. All roads seem to lead to Tbilisi, and you’ll also find yourself coming in and out of the capital after visiting other parts of the country.

Tbilisi is a great city to wander, but the main sights can be visited in two full days. Sights include the Old Town, the Narikala Fortress and taking a dip in one of the sulphur bathhouses.

You can walk up from the Old Town to the fortress via a steep hill, go exploring along the ramparts and check out the views. There’s also a cable car up to the fortress.

From the fortress, head down the hill and roam aimlessly through the less touristy part of the Old Town past rose gardens with a view and character filled houses.

The sulphur bathhouses are located below the fortress. Prices and standards vary so do your research to find the best fit for your thermal bath experience. I recommend finding one with a room that has both a hot pool and a cold pool.

Above the city, you’ll spot a Ferris Wheel. This is Mtatsminda Park, a theme park on top of Mtatsminda peak. You can hike up here or take a short funicular ride. There’s great views of Tbilisi from up, and on a clear day you can even see the mountains.

Factor in some time to roam the markets located sporadically across the city selling everything from roses to paintings. If you’re after clothes, the underground walkway leading to the central train station is overflowing with clothing stalls.

Other things to do in Tbilisi is relax in the gardens of a café with a coffee, or try some traditional Georgian food such as khachapuri (bread filled with a heavenly butter, cheese and egg mix) , and khinkali (dumplings).

Transport in Tbilisi

Tbilisi is serviced by a great metro system – signs are in Georgian and English and it’s easy to use. There’s only two lines.

To use the metro (and local buses), first you need to buy a reloadable card for 2 GEL ($0.80 USD)and load some money on. You can do this easily at the counters at the entrance to the metro stations. Each trip costs only 1 GEL ($0.35 USD) no matter the distance. You can also tap on with a debit card to get on the metro or on buses, however this costs slightly more per ride.

The central train station is located adjacent to the Station Square metro station and has connections to destinations across Georgia and also to Azerbaijan.

Marshrutkas to most touristy destinations across Georgia leave from the bus station outside the Didube metro station. From here, you can get to Mtskheta, Borjomi, Mestia, Kazbegi, Kutaisi and Batumi. To get to Sighnaghi, you need to go to the bus station next to the Isani metro station.

Mini vans to Armenia’s capital of Yerevan leave from outside the Avalabari metro station. They leave every  couple of hours from 9am.

Mtskheta and the Jvari Monastery

Only a 30-minute drive from Tbilisi is the town of Mtskheta – Georgia’s former capital.

Mtskheta is a compact but pretty town and hosts the impressive Svetitskhoveli Cathedral at it’s centre. The cathedral dates back to medieval times and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a look inside and you’ll be amazed by the beautiful frescos.

Towering above Mtskheta, you can’t miss the 6^th century Jvari Monastery atop a hill. You can get here from Mtskheta by taxi. The monastery isn’t as spectacular as the cathedral below, but the views down to Mtskheta are worth the trip.

Independent travellers can get to Mtskheta from Tbilisi by marshrutka for 1 lari ($0.40 USD).

Many tour agencies in Tbilisi also offer tours out to Mtskheta and the monastery. They also usually include a visit to the town of Gori (Stalin’s birthplace) and the Uplistsikhe caves.

Kutaisi

Kutaisi is worth a stop to break up the trip between Tbilisi and the mountains or the sea, and visit nearby attractions.

This includes the former spa town of Tskaltubo, Martvili Canyon and Prometheus Cave.

Tskaltubo is located only a 20 minute bus ride from Kutaisi and you can then explore some of the old bathhouses of this once very popular destination during the time of the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the bathhouses were abandoned and left to go to ruin.

But be quick – if you want to see any of the original bathhouses, then you will need to go soon. As of June 2023, many bathhouses were starting to be fenced off and renovated. While this will be nice, I did enjoy exploring the old bathhouses and imagining what would have been like at the height of its popularity. There’s already some operating bathhouses in Tskaltubo‘s park.

The bathhouses are scattered throughout Tskaltubo area, but you can walk between them – although it’s a lot of walking. I found Sanatorium Metallurgist and Medea to be the most interesting and still accessible as of June 2023. However, be mindful that people live in parts of these sanatoriums so be respectful.

To get to Tskaltubo, take marshrutka #30 from the Red Bridge in Kutaisi. Cost is 2 GEL.

Mestia

Mestia is one of Georgia’s premier hiking destinations and you’ll find every other traveller will ask you if you’re going there. It’s the MUST DO destination in Georgia.

There’s a couple of options to reach Mestia. You can take a train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi and then a marshrutka to Mestia, or take the marshrutka all the way to Mestia. The marshrutka takes 9-10 hours.

But trust me – whatever way you choose to get there – seeing Mestia is well worth the journey.

On the approach to Mestia, you’ll soon spot the beautiful Caucasus Mountains that attracts locals and tourists alike for hiking and skiing.

June to September is the best time for hiking, but is also possible to hike at lower altitudes during the shoulder months.

The most popular hikes are to the Chalaadi Glacier, Koruldi Lakes and the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli. Chat to the friendly staff at the Tourist Information Centre in Mestia to find out your trekking options and snow conditions.

Personally, I don’t recommend the hike to the Chalaadi Glacier as there are way better hikes in the area.

The hike to Koruldi Lakes is spectacular. You start from the centre of town – and it’s a steep, steady push up the mountain. You get great views of the surrounding mountains along the entire hike, especially at a viewing platform about halfway up. The hike takes about three hours each way.

The Mestia to Ushguli hike is a great way to explore Georgia. Along the way, you’ll see snow capped peaks, glaciers, rivers, meadows with a mountain view, daily life in villages complete with Svaneti towers.

The Svaneti towers date back to the 12^th century, and were once used by villagers to protect themselves against invaders.

You’ll also get to enjoy amazing Georgian hospitality and food.

From Mestia, you can choose to head straight back to Tbilisi, onto the Black Sea resort town of Batumi, or even Borjomi – home of the unique salty mineral water of the same name.

Borjomi

If you’re wanting more hiking, head over to Borjomi. There’s several lookouts scattered around the city where you can get a great view of the town and breathe in some mountain air.

From Borjomi, make sure you also head to Vardzia to check out the 12^th century cave monastery site carved into Erusheti Mountain.

It’s possible to take marshrutkas to Vardzia from Akhalisitke – which also has a cool, recently renovated fortress.

Entrance to Vardzia is 8 GEL ($3.20 USD) and the cost to enter the Akhalisitke fortress is 6 GEL ($2.40 USD).

You can also reach Vardzia and Borjomi on a day tour from Tbilisi.

Kazbegi

If you’re craving more mountains after Mestia, then head to Kazbegi, located on the east side of Georgia.

The drive from Tbilisi to Kazbegi takes about three hours. You can catch a marshrutka for 15 GEL ($5 USD) or if you’re in a group of three or more, you may be also able to negotiate a more comfortable ride in a taxi for also for 25 GEL per person.

Base yourself in the town of Kazbegi (also known as Stepmansminda) to enjoy views of 5,047 metre Mt Kazbek, the Gergeti Trinity Church and head up to the base of the Gergeti Glacier.

You can start the hike to the Gergeti Glacier from the centre of Kazbegi and it takes about 9 hours return.

It’s a steady uphill slog to the base of the glacier via the 14th century Gergeti Trinity Church. Take a break at the church and have a look inside. Women need to wear a skirt to go inside but you can borrow one at the entrance. Entrance is free.

From the church, head straight ahead and follow the footpad along, steadily gaining altitude.

Be prepared for trekking across snow, experiencing very cold and windy temperatures, and getting caught in hailstorms and white outs from low clouds and fog during this hike. Essentially, be prepared for every type of weather – so that means bring warm and wet weather gear.

Sadly I didn’t quite make it to the glacier due to an intense white out – but I did get this view.

Other areas near Kazbegi worth seeing include the Truso and Juta valleys.

To get to these areas from Kazbegi, you can take a tour, hail a taxi or hitchhike.

A taxi works well if you are a group of three or more people. You can expect to pay anywhere between 100-150 GEL ($35-$50 USD) for the return trip for the whole car. Make sure you agree on the return price and duration of your hike (at least six hours).

If you’re a solo traveller or a group of two, the best option to organise a transfer with Mountain Freaks, a tour company based in the centre of town.

To get to Juta or Truso valleys, Mountain Freaks charges 45 GEL per person to be dropped off at either trailhead and picked up after six hours. You’ll depart Kazbegi at 9.15am and be picked up at 4.30pm.

The six-hour return hike into the Juta Valley is well marked and easy to follow. Continue walking past the main spa resort you get dropped off at, and climb straight up the steep hill next to you. About 20 sweaty minutes later you will reach the top of the hill leading into the Juta Valley.

This hike is set out in a large L shape, hooking to the left towards the end of the first valley. It takes about an hour of heading very gradually up, and one or two river crossings to come to a turn, then another two hours and countless false peaks later you will arrive at the highlight of the hike – the three lakes.

This hike follows a glacier-fed river with drinkable water, however there’s no shade on this route.

If you are running ahead of schedule for the pick up time and it’s a sunny day, you can chill out on the hammocks and enjoy a hot or cold drink at the Fifth Season bar and accommodation on your way back. Fifth Season is located about a 20 minute walk from the start of the trailhead.

The Truso Valley is often described as the most beautiful valley in Georgia. The walk through Truso Valley is a unique experience as you wind past bright green rolling mountains, abandoned villages or villages with only a few inhabitants, mineral springs, travertine formations and end at a fortress.

Truso Valley is accessed from the village of Kvemro Okrokana. The route is extremely easy to follow. Cross a small bridge over the Terek River near the village, turn left, and follow the dirt road for three hours, occasionally moving to the side for any tour buses driving through. This is not a strenuous hike, but there’s no shade, so bring water, a hat and a packed lunch.

The hike ends at the ruins of the Zakagori Fortress on the border of the disputed region of South Ossetia. Make sure at least one person in your group also brings their passport or the border patrol at the fort may not let you visit to take photos. You’re not allowed to take photos in the direction of South Ossetia.

Sighnaghi and the wine region

You can’t go to Georgia and not sample the wine. Georgia is so proud of its wine (and so they should be) you even get wine tastings in supermarkets to help you choose the right one for you.

Georgia has many wine regions – but the best one to visit is around the Telavi area.

You may also want to visit nearby Sighnaghi – which features a compact but beautiful old town.

The best way to see the wine region is on a tour. All tour agencies in Tbilisi offer wine tours. It’s also possible to get to Sighnaghi by marshrutka from the Isani metro station.

For everything you need to know before your first visit to Georgia – head to my handy guide.