A week in Georgia Caucasus region

A week in Georgia to cover 3 major locations

Georgia, a land of rock and stone, medieval fortresses and monasteries, green hills, majestic mountains, deep caves, and rocky beaches. Food and wine are central to Georgia's cultural traditions, and part of Georgians' lifestyle.

Must see places

Old Tbilisi & Mtskheta Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri Fortress Complex, Gudauri view point (Russia–Georgia Friendship Monument)

in Kutaisi: Martvili Canyon, Okatse Canyon, Prometheus Cave

in Batumi: Batumi Boulevard

Prepare

1 Weather

2 Flight rates

3 sunrise/set times (6am-8pm summer)

while booking - ticket, hotels, train, wine cellar visits, all check together.

Best shopping(Bazar, mall, market..), siteseeing/history (waterfall, cave, Monastery, fort)

unique travel: cable car, Funicular trip, stadler kiss train

Language:

hello – “gamarjoba” or thank you – “madloba”

DAY 1

Batumi

(150kms / 2:30hrs from Kutaisi

370kms / 5:30hrs from Tbilisi)

<12:00 room, 2pm lunch at McD>

Europe Square

30min

<5:10-5:40>

astronomical clock

St. Nicolas Church

~~(12, 3, 6pm bell)~~

~~walk 10 min / 600meter~~

Argo Cable Car

1hr / 30GEL (7 GEL for children/10 for student) for round trip ticket / 12min ride one way

<7-8pm>

Good view to Batumi city & black sea

Elevation bottom : 8.5m
Elevation top: 252m
Inclined length: 2586m
speed: 5 m/s

The journey with ARGO begins in Batumi, on Gogebashvili Street, and ends on Anuria Mountain, 256 meters above sea level. On a Cable car, there are 20 eight-seat gondolas; the length of the road is 2,586 meters, and it takes 15 minutes to cross it. In one hour, around 500 passengers can be moved.

Batumi Boulevard

4km

1 Ali & Nino Statue

The steel kinetic sculpture “Ali and Nino” also known as “Man and Woman” is 8 meters in height modern statue. The sculpture was erected in 2010. The author of the statue, Tamara Kvesitadze, was inspired by Kurban Said’s bestseller novel “Ali and Nino” written in 1937.

The statues of two lovers start to move toward each other and embrace briefly until they are still separated. The process takes 10 minutes.

light house

2Alphabet Tower

Entry fee of 20 lari per person

The Alphabet Tower is standing at a height of 130 meters and shaped like a DNA helix, with the Georgian alphabet forming its structure.

Batumi Fountains

Batumi Wedding house

Bamboo Grove

Collonnades (outdoor theatre), Batumi-Summer-Theater,

Bird Zoo

Women-on-Bike-sculpture.

Washrooms

Japanese garden,

[cross road & glance to 26th May Park, stone fountain]

University fountain (Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University)

Batumi Octopus (mosaic art)

Dancing Fountains

<shopping mall>Batumi mall, metro city mall

DAY 2

Breakfast

start 8:30

Hopa Bazar

10:00-7:00pm (Monday closed) / spend 2hrs
<2-4:30pm>
A simple flea market with lots of fake brand shoes, bags and fashion clothes and many souvenirs and even some local spices. On average you should bargain and cut the price by a third!

Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands

UNESCO https://www.naturalworldheritagesites.org/sites/colchic-rainforests-and-wetlands/

Mtirala National Park

45 min

Makhuntseti Waterfall

30min

Day 3

Batumi Botanical Garden

From city: 10kms/20min

Entry 20GEL / timing 9-7:30

spend 3hrs/2.5kms total walk from south to western gates

Botanical Garden, View point, Green cape, Collection of Roses
It have 2 entrance - south & western.

Optional electric bus 10GEL to go top

Mtsvane Kontskhi Beach

Batumi Piazza

Batumi Central Railway station

(Batumi city road have heavy traffic)

DAY 4

Mtskheta

UNESCO - https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/708

The Historical Monuments of Mtskheta are located in the cultural landscape at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers, in Central-Eastern Georgia, some 20km northwest of Tbilisi in Mtskheta. The property consists of the Jvari Monastery (sixth-century Orthodox monastery built atop of Jvari Mount 656 m a.s.l.), the Svetitstkhoveli Cathedral and the Samtavro Monastery.

Chronicle of Georgia

The Chronicle of Georgia is a monument located near the Tbilisi sea. It was created by Zurab Tsereteli in 1985 but was never fully finished. The monument sits at the top of a large set of stairs. There are 16 pillars that are between 30–35 meters tall and the top half features kings, queens and heroes while the bottom part depict stories from the life of Christ. There is a grapevine cross of St. Nino and a chapel.

Tbilisi Reservoir

The Tbilisi sea or Tbilisi reservoir is an artificial lake that serves as a reservoir. The lake has a length of 8.75 km and a width of 2.85 km. It was opened in 1953 and has become a popular recreation spot.

Tbilisi

Bridge of Peace

The Bridge of Peace is a bow-shaped pedestrian bridge, a steel and glass construction illuminated with numerous LEDs, over the Kura River, linking the Rike Park with Old town in central Tbilisi.

Rike Park

1hr

Park opened in 1946 with Aerial Tramway (to Narikala fortress 2.5 GEL) next to Bridge Of Peace

Narikala Fortress

1hr

Narikala is an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and the Mtkvari River. The fortress consists of two walled sections on a steep hill between the sulfur baths and the botanical gardens of Tbilisi. On the lower court there is the recently restored St Nicholas church. You can also see 'Mother of Georgia' a big statue.

Leghvtakhevi Waterfall

On the way coming down from Narikala fortress, there is a dedicated bridge takes to the waterfall

Meidan Bazar

Classic Georgian knitwear, wines, jams, spices & craft items sold in a busy brick tunnel system.

Mount Mtatsminda

1hr

At a length of 501 metres, the "funicular" takes five minutes to carry passengers to the city’s highest point, 727 metres above sea level. Atop this mountain is Mtatsminda Park, which offers far more than just a breath-taking view of the Georgian capital.

Lower Station to Upper Station of the Tbilisi Funicular (2kms/5min)

Liberty Square

30 mins

DAY 5

Zhinvali & Ananuri, Gudauri, Kazbegi

Zhinvali Dam

(from tblisi 55kms / 1 hr)

spend 30 min

hydroelectric dam

Amazing view point with plenty of photo taking opportunity.

Ananuri Fortress Complex

spend 1 hr

historic castle complex with 2 churches & scenic river views.

Moderate size castle and beautiful church with amazing frescos. There is a watch tower behind the church with very narrow & steep steps. The view from top of the water tower is beautiful, but not very safe to climb with small kids.

Russia–Georgia Friendship Monument

A must see place for the amazing view from here.

Dashbashi

Entry 49GEL/34GEL for children

Diamond Bridge

Explore a 240-meter (787 feet) glass bridge over the Dashbashi Canyon, with a diamond-shaped café in the middle about 900 feet above the Tsalka Canyon (also known as Dashbashi Canyon). It's located about a two-hour drive west of the capital city of Tbilisi.

Dashbashi Down Waterfalls

Vardzia

Entry: 15GEL

Spend: 2hrs

Timing: 10-5 (summer it may open till 6 or 7)

Rugged, ancient cave network known for its 12th-century monastery, frescoes & halls.

The Arc (Bell tower)

Church of the Dormition

Vardzia is a cave monastery site in southern Georgia, excavated from the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain on the left bank of the Kura River. The monks that lived inside the cave city created terraces on the mountain slope and implemented a complex irrigiation system.

Vardzia was built in the 12th century, under the reign of King Tamar, the first woman in the history of Georgia that was ever crowned as a king.

(Be aware that there are two Vardzias in Georgia! The cave city is near Aspindza while the same-named town is near Zestafoni. You can find its GPS location here.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Vardzia/@41.9335115,42.7625438,8z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x4042f154446949db:0xa3f04b72bcb61f1c!8m2!3d41.3810511!4d43.284247!16zL20vMDg0cDB5?entry=ttu)

(If you want to go to Vardzia by public transportation (in the form of mashrutkas – minivans), you’ve got to transfer in Akhaltsikhe, from where you’ll have to take another mashrutka or taxi to Vardzia.)

More info: https://www.journalofnomads.com/vardzia-cave-monastery-georgia/

Akhaltsikhe

1hr

Akhaltsikhe/Rabati Castle

Borjomi Central Park

2hrs

Cable car: Borzhomi Cableway Base Station to Borjomi Cable Car Station

Uplistsikhe caved town & Museum

1 hr 30mins

Kutaisi

Prometheus Cave

spend 1 hr

Entry as batches including a guide, fee 23GEL/person

huge cave is located 40 meters below sea level, walk for around 1 hr with a distance of 1.4km/880 steps and whole path was filled with beautiful stalagmites, stalactites.

Optional boat journey (extra pay 17.25 GEL) to see caves from outside

Okatse Canyon

2hrs

Entry 17.5

Okatse's canyon is 3 to 6 meters wide and 20 to 100 meters deep. Along the canyon several waterfalls could be found, height of one it is 70 meters. Okatse Canyon occupies more than 2 kilometers and regarded to be the masterpiece of the nature.

It’s a beautiful walk towards the canyon from the visitor centre. 2,3km each way over a hardened path. Its so deep and no way to avoid the sensation of depth. If you dont want to walk upto canyon then take optional vehicle from visitor center to canyon 4x4 vehicle costs 150 for 4 people (may bargain to 80)

Carry enough water.

Taxi from Kutaisi to Visitor center by Maxim taxi: 34GEL, return booking not available local taxi charges 75! (starts with 100)

Martvili canyon

spend 1hr

Ticket 17.25GEL/Children 5.5GEL

Boating 15GEL

Martvili canyon is an Abasha river erosion canyon located in Samegrelo region of Western Georgia in Martvili Municipality 240 meters above sea level. The water in the Abasha river has deep green color in the canyon. Canyon is 2,400 metres (1.5 mi) long, 5 to 7 metres (16 to 23 ft) wide and 50 to 70 metres (160 to 230 ft) deep.

Dadiani Trail: is a walkway to see the canyon

Pier: Boat journey to see the canyon

Kutaisi City

Rioni River

The Rioni River, one of the main rivers in Georgia, flows through Kutaisi and is such a nice addition to the city’s scenery. It’s very picturesque with the rocks in the middle and old houses built just above it.

Walk across 'white bridge' (pedestrian) across Rioni River

Kutaisi Central Square

Spend 1 hr

David Agmashenebeli Square, Colchis Fountain

Kutaisi Park,

Sakartvelo Cinema, Meskhishvili Theatre

Kutaisi State Historical Museum

Entry 5GEL

spend 1 hr

Small museum with 2 halls of exhibits

Kutaisi cable car

Gelati Monastery

30 mins

UNESCO - https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/710

Founded in 1106 in the west of Georgia, the Monastery of Gelati is a masterpiece of the Golden Age of medieval Georgia, a period of political strength and economic growth between the 11th and 13th centuries. It is characterized by the facades of smoothly hewn large blocks, balanced proportions and blind arches for exterior decoration. The Gelati monastery, one of the largest medieval Orthodox monasteries, was also a centre of science and education and the Academy it housed was one of the most important centres of culture in ancient Georgia.

Bagrati Cathedral

15 - 30 mins

Bagrati Cathedral, towering above the city, is probably the most important of all the places to visit in Kutaisi. It was ordered by King Bagrat (hence the name) and built at the beginning of the 11th century, during the “golden age of Georgia”.

What we can admire now is a reconstructed and rebuilt version though – the cathedral was badly damaged during the Ottoman attack and by the Russian troops.

There is also a giant tree next to the cathedral.

Kutaisi Botanical Garden

Spend 1hr
Entry 1GEL

There is also a chapel carved in Oak tree,

Shopping in Kutaisi

Karvasla

Kolkhida (Green Market)

spend 20 mins

(sculpture building)


Created by Bernard Nebieridze in 1985 and erected on the side of Green Market in 1995

Central Agricultural Market

Berries and cherries are much cheaper there, you can even take to your home.

Restaurants in Kutaisi

* Tea House Foe-Foe

* Palaty (Pushkini Street II, Kutaisi 4600, Georgia)

hacker - pschorr kutanaisi

Sisters (35 Zakharia Paliashvili, Kutaisi, Georgia)

Toma's Wine cellar

Georgian Cuisine

Khachapuri

This traditional leavened bread is canoe-like in shape, with gooey melted sulgani cheese baked into the middle, then topped with chunks of butter and an egg cracked onto the tophis traditional leavened bread is canoe-like in shape, with gooey melted sulgani cheese baked into the middle, then topped with chunks of butter and an egg cracked onto the top

Churchkhela

made from walnuts with concentrated grape juice left over from the annual wine harvest. Each layer is left to dry until the whole strand is enveloped in a dry, waxy crust – tastier than it sounds.

Pkhali

They’re probably best described as vegetable pâtés – carrot, beetroot or spinach is boiled and then puréed with lemon juice, garlic and walnuts, and served over bread. It’s common to see several types served side-by-side, scattered with pomegranate seeds.

Kharcho

kharcho begins with seasoned chicken or beef cooked in a casserole of garlic, Georgian spices, coriander and walnuts

Mtsvadi

mtsvadi are a Georgian variation of shashlik – meat impaled on a stick and cooked over an open flame

Khinkali

Georgian soup dumpling khinkali

Nazuki

A sweet cinnamon bread with raisins from the country of Georgia in the Caucasus region.

Restaurants

Batumi

tbilisi

sakhli #11

shavi lomi

khushi inidan restaurant

maharajah restaurnat

spice garden restaurant

About Georgia

Currency: GEL / Georgian Lari
Capital: Tbilisi
Official language: Georgian
Tel code: +995

Railways: https://www.railway.ge/en/traffic-general-schedule/
internet ticket: https://ticket.railway.ge/

How to read Georgian ticket

Metro: Tbilisi Underground, called the Metro for “Metropolitan”, has two lines and 21 stations. It operates from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The cost is set at 1GEL.

MONASTERY ETIQUETTE

it is important to dress modestly. Women should cover their hair. Shorts and tank tops are definetly a no go.

Men who should make sure to cover their shoulders and wear long pants. men are expected to take their hats off before entering.

INTERESTING READS:

Monasteries in Georgia - https://www.backpackadventures.org/monasteries-in-georgia/

Kutaisi - https://www.mywanderlust.pl/things-to-do-in-kutaisi-georgia/