Tbilisi | Budget Bucket List

Tbilisi & Mtskheta

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Having travelled the Balkans for a solid 10 months prior to my Georgia visit, I naively assumed that Stalin’s birthplace would be equally cheap. Let me smash that dream for you, my dear budget backpacker: It is not. It used to be, before covid came crushing the local economy, before Russia turned itself into Georgia’s mortal enemy by getting their hands on Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and before the country realized the steadily increasing tourism flow is a big fat cash cow that can be milked… As such, at today’s day and age of hyperinflation, expect prices that are about 3-4x as high as quoted in most travelblogs you have potentially been reading. Don’t expect Western European prices here (yet!), but be prepared to spend more than you might have apportioned for, based on outdated information.

Now the good news: As anywhere else in this dear world, cheap and even free travel is in fact possible. I managed it in notoriously expensive destinations such as Scandinavia, New Zealand and even Switzerland, so I sure as hell can manage in Georgia as well… even in their capital, Tbilisi:

Tbilisi For Free

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Free Museums

Unfortunately, Tbilisi’s museum entry fees are rather out of proportion. Whereas in cities like London or Sydney you can hop freely into all the renowned state museums without paying a dime (surprisingly so), Tbilisi’s price tags make a cultural day of random museum-hopping a rather costly endeavour. Additionally, discounts (students/seniors/journalists etc.) are only applicable if you are a national. That said, there are some free museums. Not many, 2 to be exact: *

Stalin’s Underground Printing House Museum: Dive into some Soviet history by visiting Stalin’s original clandestine printing press, located at the end of a secret tunnel. A visit includes some communist knickknacks and a tour in either Russian or Georgian (there’s no official entrance fee, but reportedly the guide / museum owner tends to charge a “tip” at his own discretion).
Museum of Books: Located within the National Parliamentary Library, this is your place to trace down rare Georgian books forming a remarkable part of local literary history. Occasionally, an English tour can be included.

* Found another free museum in Tbilisi? Please do report via the form below!

Not free, but relatively cheap is a visit to the Art Palace, where specifically the works of Dadiani (a presumed American painter and sculptor who donated his creations to the Georgian people), as well as Kobuladze and Pirosmanashvili caught my undivided attention. Personally, the building of the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts was my absolute favorite piece of architecture in the city and I couldn’t possibly walk by without stopping in awe. Even if you don’t intend to visit, I recommend a quick peek at its unusual exterior.

Paid museums include: Apple of Love / MOMA (the building is a sight on its own!); National Gallery; Georgian National Museum (definitely worth a visit); Open Air Museum of Ethnography; Museum of Modern Art Zurab Tsereteli; State Museum of Georgian Folk Music and Musical Instruments; Tbilisi Antique Archeaological Museum; State Museum of Folk and Applied Arts; Tbilisi History Museum.

* I read about a 20GEL daily ticket giving access to all GMN Museums of Tbilisi, which was supposedly sold at S. Janashia Museum of Georgia at Rustaveli Avenue 3. However, when I showed up to enquire about this nobody knew what I was talking about.

Free Art

Who needs museums while basically the entire city is a cutting-edge open art museum in itself? Anyone who has been slightly following my travels knows I’m a hopeless sucker for street art. In Tbilisi, home of illustrious ‘graffiteurs’ (a word I just pulled out of my ass) such as Lamb, I certainly got my fill. The best pieces and murals are to be found under the Nikoloz Baratshvili Bridge, as well as in the area around Fabrika. The latter is a repurposed and culturally regenerated former Soviet sewing factory now functioning as an over-the-top-trendy urban hotspot catering to everyone swank and hipster (backpacker’s tip: they have a hostel as well, be it rather expensive).

* The newest murals and street art pieces are generally featured on this Facebook page!

Coming from a very different angle: Tbilisi also boasts a dense conglomeration of Soviet mosaics and bas-reliefs or friezes. This remarkable Brutalist art style doesn’t only embellish the urban landscape in a most peculiar way, it also keeps Georgia’s communist history from fading away in a rapidly changing present. One of the most interesting pieces in town can be found at Fabrika (Ninoshvili Street 8), Ortachala Fire Station (Gorgasali Street) and at Expo Georgia (Tsereteli Avenue). A very useful map featuring Soviet architectonics can be found below:

Want to buy some Soviet era artworks, straight from the people who lived through the era? Get your pick at the antiques of the Dry Bridge Flea Market!

On a more mainstream note, it’s close to impossible to miss the iconic Georgian statues such as the Freedom Monument with St. George and the Dragon, the Berikaoba Sculpture Group and of course Kartlis Deda, the Mother Georgia Monument looking out over her beloved capital. Film enthusiasts are advised to make an effort to check out the Minimo Movie Monument (Ketevan Dedofali Avenue), dedicated to the characters of the 1977 Georgiy Daneliya production featuring the comical misadventures of a Georgian pilot. Also the Sergey Paradzhanov Monument (Shardeni Street) is movie-related, as it portrays this controversial and persecuted Soviet film director. Try to also keep an eye out for the less obvious statues, cheekily popping up in the most unexpected places with each a story to tell… such as the Lamplighter (Baratashvili Street), the Saxophone Player (Rustaveli Avenue), and the typical Georgian Tamada (Shardeni Street). Oh, and did you know that Tbilisi features a piece of the Berlin Wall as well, obscurely hidden at Europe Square?!

Free Sightseeing

Most tourists limit their sightseeing to the Old Town. And indeed, with the traditional architecture and impressive sights such as the traditional bathing houses*, the Narikala Fortress, the Queen Darejan Palace, the quirky Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theatre with its Leaning Clock Tower (staging free short puppet shows) and the overly-Instagrammed Kaleidoscope House there’s certainly enough reason to allocate at least half a day to this section of the city.

However, Tbilisi is much more than that! And it doesn’t hurt to catch a break from the nerve-wrecking chants of bugging tour vendors buzzing in the background (or foreground, more like, it’s quite invasive). For example, it’s worth your while to cross the river to wander through the “back to the future” Rike Park, including the unconventional Peace Bridge, House of Justice, Music Theatre and Exhibition Hall and even a little Ronald Reagan statue (and just outside of the park, the equally futuristic former Presidential Palace with its neoclassical colonnades and glass dome). From here it’s possible to grab a cable car towards the Fortress and Mother of Georgia Statue, but it’s not too strenuous to simply walk there instead (and keep the money in your pocket). While crossing that river towards Rike Park, pay attention to the upper area riverbank, its traditional houses up high dangerously leaning forward over the water, with support beams keeping them from tumbling in. Nowadays these contain mainly restaurants and guesthouses, but its original state is nevertheless preserved and it’s quite the pleasing scene.

Heading out of this area entirely, the Saburtalo Sky Bridge is a rather unexpected sight, as is the Ministry of Highways of the Georgian SSR Building. The Chronicles of Georgia have a much shorter history, being erected in 1985 but never entirely finished, but many travelers find it worth the taxi ride. That said, it’s much cheaper to take bus 60 from Ghrmaghele Metro Station or bus 111 from the Station Square Metro Station (bus stop: Military School). Just promise me one thing: don’t ever refer to it as the bloody “Stonehenge of Georgia”… If I hear/read one more person repeating that chewed out comparison for the zillionth time, I’m gonna throw up in my lap.

Cheap, not free: The name Tbilisi can be freely translated into “a warm place”. As such, it’s almost an obligation to visit some of its famous sulphur baths, ranging from no-frills public bathing houses to fancy private wellness rooms. Full disclosure: I’m a great enthusiast of saunas and thermal baths and made an effort to visit them all over the world, from Lithuanian smoke saunas to Turkish hammams and natural hot springs of Europe, South America and New Zealand… but the Georgian variety is definitely NOT my thing. I frequented bathing house No.5 and found myself standing naked among a mob of female strangers in a situation not unlike a communal locker room group shower, with the crucial difference that the water reeks of sewage. I was equally disappointed with the body peeling I paid extra for: Where the local women got a full 15-20 minutes treatment, 3 minutes at best seemed to be enough for a foreign visitor. Boo! (Still interested? Wanderlush wrote an extensive Tbilisi Sulphur Bath Guide.

Church-wise, Georgia is pretty well equipped. It’d be a tiring task to bore you with the seemingly bottomless list of churches in Tbilisi, but the Kashveti Church of St. George, the Metheki Cathedral, the Sioni Cathedral, the Anchiskhati Basilica, as well as the king-size Holy Trinity Cathedral (Tsaminda Sameba) overlooking the entire city are particularly noteworthy. To balance out the Christian dominance, there’s also a synagogue and a mosque: the Great Synagogue of Tbilisi and the Jumah Mosque.

If I zoom out from the separate “sights” of Tbilisi that can be individually classified and visited, I’d like to additionally point out the overall architecture to be found in every day street life. It effortlessly blends modernity with elements of a world that once was. One of the great charms of Tbilisi are the alluring private courtyards, their entrances hidden in plain sight on the hectic streets of the capital… shyly showing a cheeky little peak into the scene of the barely faded glory lying behind. The attraction of these rundown, yet oh-so-authentic patios stands in sharp contrast with the majestic classical grandeur of the fancy Marjanishvili area, or the almost cosmopolitan allure of Rustaveli Avenue. Not to mention the earlier described futuristic extravaganza of Rike Park. Tbilisi made it its personal mission to keep grabbing attention by throwing the most contrasting, yet thrilling elements at its baffled visitors.

Streets / areas worth visiting: Marjanishvili, Rustaveli Avenue, G. Akhvlediani Street, Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenu, Shardeni Street, Gudiashvili Square, Atoneli Street.

Free Nature

You thought you were merely visiting the country’s biggest city, the epicentre of urban chaos… BUT you’re in Georgia, where nature is never far away. What do I say, you can find an actual waterfall right in its Old Town, pouring down sulphur water nonetheless! Okay, it’s in no position to compare with its Caucasus-competitors, but still: a waterfall right in the city centre. Pretty nuts. From this Dzeveli Waterfall, which is located in the Legvachtahvi Gorge, you might as well continue hiking onto the adjacent Mtatsminda Mountain, combining the feeling of being outdoorsy with a panoramic view over Georgia’s little metropolis (city of contrasts, I told you). On top of Mount Mtatsminda you’ll found the rather tacky Mtatsminda Park, an amusement park that’s free to enter but charges for the rides… but you can also hike on to the Turtle Lake or simple mix and match the many perfectly prepared hiking trails (relatively short distances).

Saving tip: Do NOT take the Funicular op to Mtatsminda Mountain. Getting up to Mtatsminda is the easiest walk you’ll do on your entire Georgia holiday and the price these bastards dare to charge is downright embarrassing. It’s not worth it. If walking isn’t an option for you, bus #90, #121, #124 and #170 all go up as well, for only a fraction of the price.

Alternatively, for a nature-themed day trip one can head to the Lisi Lake, which belongs to the Kura River Valley and forms the habitat area of various exotic birds. A tad further away, bordering Mtksheta, lies Tbilisi National Park. Admitted, it would be a crime to even utter its name in the same breath with references to Svaneti, Kazbegi or Tusheti National Park. Its trails are mediocre, often alternated with busy roads full of cars headed for the UNESCO-listed Jvari Monastery, and snakes and shepherd dogs form a serious nuisance on any hiking venture. Yet, it’s nice that it’s there. I would by all means prefer any patch of nature over an over-developed construction project, as is sadly so often the case with ever-expanding city borders.

WARNING… There’s no such thing as free wine! Especially not in the Old Town, the inescapable tourist trap zone of Tbilisi. Unless you’re 100% resistant to the hardcore guilt-tripping that inevitably follows the hysterically advertised “free tastings”, expect to pay every penny back by the ridiculous profit margin on the bottle prices. After 2 months of daily drinking in Georgia I got quite acquainted with the exact costs of the budget wines, and I can confirm that in those shops the prices are nearly triple.

Mtskheta

It’s easily one of the most touristy destinations of Georgia, but rightfully so. I went. You will go too, it’s inevitable. And you might want to stay a couple of days, while at it, even though all sights can be seen in a few hours. The historical monuments of Mtskheta are collectively crowned UNESCO World Heritage, including the Jvari Monastery, the Samtavori Monastery and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The compact Old Town radiates the vibe of having stepped into a postcard. These factors combined would be sufficient to turn it into an attractive travel stop, but to make the entire setting even more appealing: Mtskheta leans against the Tbilisi National Park while simultaneously being wrapped into the 3-split where the Aragvi and Kuri Rivers come together (the observation deck in front of the Jvari Monastery provide sublime views on this natural spectacle).* To make the experience all the more memorable, I stumbled upon a free hours-long performance of traditional dance… a choreographic display sublimely exhibiting the fibres of local culture, not only folklore but also the contemporary customs of the Georgians (never ever have I experienced such a hectic theatre audience, incl. constant walking around, blocking the views of others and extremely loud talking… and when it comes to the presenters, where else but in Georgia do the verbal introductions of the dance groups take longer than the actual performances? And what’s with the constant singing-intermezzo’s of underaged girls? No judgements, just observations and slight bewilderment.)

* Be careful when strolling along the river banks… they’re infested with snakes!

Photos of the Georgian dance performance by Miles Watson Photography

Quick Budget Fact Overview

Georgia Facts

Capital: Tbilisi
Language: Georgian (separate alphabet)
Population: ± 3.7 mln (Borjomi: ± 10,600)
Sq km: ± 69,700 (Borjomi: ± 1,189)
Currency: Lari (ლ )
Electricity Outlet: C & F / 220 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
Country Code Phone: +995 (331)
Emergency Phone: 113 (ambulance), 111 (fire), 122 (police)
Visa: Check out the visa requirements here.
Climate: Humid Continental (Dfb)
High season: Jun-Sep

Short History Recap

6200BC - 4000BC: Shulaveri (late Neolithic/Eneolithic culture). 4000BC – 2200BC: Trialeti culture. 3400BC - 2000BC: Kura-Araxes culture. 2500BC - 760BC: Diauehi: Coalition of tribes in north-eastern Anatolia. 1200BC - 600BC: Colchian culture (late Bronze / Iron Age). 700BC: Cimmerians & Scythians invade Georgia + Caucasus. Ancient Greek / Byzantine colonization of Black Sea. 600 BC: Kingdom of Colchis appears (west): Earliest Georgian formation. 302BC: Kingdom of Iberia founded (east). 284BC: Georgian alphabet created. 90BC: Artaxiad Dynasty. 65 BC: Pompey the Great makes Kingdom of Colchis a Roman province. 270: Anti-Roman uprising. 284: Chosroid Dynasty. Around 319: King Mirian III of Iberia declares Christianity as official religion. 5th Century: Fighting against Persian domination. 526-532: Iberian War. 541-562: Lazic War. 627: Perso-Turkic War: Tbilisi sacked by Turks and Byzantines. 654: Arabs enter. 1000: Bagrat III of Georgia founds Kingdom of Georgia. 1040: Seljuk Turks invade --> in 1121 defeated at Battle of Didgori. 1204: Queen Tamar (1184-1213 – 1st female ruler) conquers Black Coast of Byzantine Empire --> Empire of Trebizond created. 1400: Conqueror Timur (Turco-Mongol) invades / destroys / takes 60,000 as slaves to Timurid Empire. 1783: Treaty of Georgievsk --> Katli-Kakheti protectorate of Russia. ’95: Iranian invasion. 1801-04: Most of current Georgia part of the Russian Empire. ’79: Stalin born in Gori. 1918: Independent Georgian state. ’21: Red Army invades (Bolsheviks) --> Georgia absorbed into Soviet Union (SU). Independence activists suppressed / killed. ’89: Demands for more autonomy in South Ossetia (SO) --> violent clashes. ‘ 91: Independence from SU declared. Georgian Civil War. SO votes in favour of independence. War in Abkhazia between Georgian government troops and separatist forces --> ’93: Abkhazia drives Georgian troops out. ’94: Ceasefire agreement --> Russian peacekeeping force in region. New currency (lari) introduced. 2001: (Russian) fighters from northern Caucasus back Abkhaz forces fighting against Georgian paramilitaries --> US special forces arrive to train and equip Georgian forces. ’03: Bloodless "Rose Revolution" removes President Shevardnadze (election issues). ’04: Tension in autonomous region Adjara. ’05: Russia starts to withdraw troops. ’06: Explosions on Russian side of border disrupts gas / electricity supplies (suspected sabotage) & suspends imports of Georgian wine. Georgia seizes control of Abkhazia's Kodori Gorge & announces plan for pro-Tbilisi government --> Abkhazia breaks off peace talks. SO vote in favour of independence, again. ’08: Start Russia-Georgia War. Russia strengthens ties with Abkhazia and SO --> Georgia accuses them of planning de facto annexation. ’08: Georgia tries to retake SO --> military conflict with Russia: Russia ejects Georgian troops out of SO & Abkhazia. After 5 days: French-brokered peace agreement, but Russia recognizes territories as independent states & keeps military presence. NATO military exercises in Georgia. ’14: EU trade partnership deal. ‘15 August: Russian forces in SO move internal border 1.5 km further into Georgia, threatening main road linking west and east of country.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

FREE Sights / Activities*

Sights: Old Tbilisi; Narikala Fortress; Meidan Bazar; Gallery 27 / Paradnaya Kaleidoscope (Instagram photo spot); Fabrika; Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theatre & Leaning Clock Tower; Dry Bridge Flea Market; Peace Bridge & Rike Park & House of Justice; Chronicles of Georgia; Mtatsminda Park; Mtatsminda Pantheon; Rustaveli Avenue; Agmashenebeli Avenue; Shardeni Street; Gudiashvili Square; Atoneli Street; Freedom Monument; Minimo Movie Monument; Berikaoba Sculpture Group; Kartlis Deda (Mother Georgia Monument); Holy Trinity Cathedral (Tsaminda Sameba – tallest of Georgia); Kashveti Church of St. George; Metheki Cathedral; Sioni Cathedral; Anchiskhati Basilica; Jumah Mosque; Great Synagogue of Tbilisi; Queen Darejan’s Palace; Saburtalo Sky Bridge; Presidential Palace; Ministery of Highways of the Georgian SSR Building; Betlemi Stairs; Piece of Berlin Wall (Europe Square).
Museums: Book Museum; Writer’s House; Stalin’s Underground Printing House Museum.
Hikes / Nature: Legvachtahvi Gorge; Mount Mtatsminda; Dzveli Tbilisi Sulphur Waterfall; Jinvali Water Reservoir; Lisi Lake; Turtle Lake; Tbilisi National Park.
Daytrips: Mtskheta.

PAID Sights / Activities*

Museums: Apple of Love / MOMA; National Gallery; Georgian National Museum; Open Air Museum of Ethnography; Art Palace of Georgia; Georgian Museum of Fine Arts; Museum of Modern Art Zurab Tsereteli; State Museum of Georgian Folk Music and Musical Instruments; Tbilisi Antique Archeaological Museum; State Museum of Folk and Applied Arts; Tbilisi History Museum.
Activities: Sulfur Baths; Aerial Tramway & Funicular; Ghvinis Karkhana Wine Factory; Tbilvino; Tbilisi “Free” Tip-Based Walking Tours.
Hikes / Nature / Daytrips: Botanical Garden.

* A relatively complete overview of all sights and activities can be found on TripAdvisor… these lists include the ones I personally recommend. You can order your Lonely Planet here.

Evening Entertainment

Nightlife Areas: Around Freedom Square; Shardeni Street; Kote Apkhazi Street; Meidan Area; Wine Factory N1 & around; Bassiani (in underground swimming pool); More info here.
Theatres: Paliashvili Opera House; Kakha Bakuradze Movement Theatre; Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre; Drama Theatre of Shota Rustaveli; Kote Marajnishvili State Academic Theatre; Gabriadze; Griboedov Russian State Theatre; Fingers Theatre; Music and Drama State Theatre; Nabadi Georgian Folklore Theatre; Tbilisi State Marionette Theatre; Rike Park Music Theatre and Exhibition Hall; Royal District Theatre.

Local Festivals

New Wine Festival – May.
Independence Day – May 26 (Rustaveli Avenue).
Georgian Cheese Festival – June.
Art-Gene – July.
Tbilisi International Festival of Theatre – Sept-Oct.
Tbilisoba – Oct.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Budget Bites

Supermarkets: Spar; Foodmart; Magniti; Carrefour; Fresco; Nikora; Smart & more.
Markets: Dezerter Bazaar & Central Bazaar (Abustamani Street); Didube Market; Navtlugi / Samgori (Ketevan Tsamebuli Avenue)… I have mixed experiences at the Georgian markets. Even though there are definitely many honest vendors out there and I prefer to support local merchants over big cooperations, the frequency of being overcharged because I’m a foreigner took away the fun for me. Therefore, I preferred to just go to similar-priced or sometimes even cheaper supermarkets where the prices are labelled.
Local Dishes: Khinkali (dumplings); Acharuli (cheese bread); Khachapuri (cheese bread in different versions); Nigvziani Badrijani (eggplant and walnut paste dish); Lobio (bean stew); Lobiani (bean-stuffed bread); Jonjoli (pickled bladdernut flowers); Tkemali (sour plum sauce); Adjika (spicy tomato sauce); Phkali (vegetable balls); Tolma (meat and rice stuffed in grape or cabbage leaves); Ajapsandali (eggplant ratatouille); Bazhe / Satsizi (walnut sauce); Mchadi / Chishvdari (corn bread with cheese); Gomi / Elarji (cheese corn flour porridge); Gebzhalia (cheese / mint soup); Borano (cheese with boiled butter); Sinori (dough bread with cheese); Gogris Gupta (squash in a ball shape / vegetarian kefta); Qnashi (boiled minced pumpkin seeds); Qababi (kebab); Chakapuli (herbed lamb stew); Mtsvadi (meat skewers); Satsivi (poultry with walnut paste); Bozbashi (soup with lamb / peas / chestnuts / tomatoes); Chehkmeruli (chicken in a cream-based sauce); Puri / Tonis Puri (flatbread); Churchkhela (Georgian snickers). "Keep in mind: While accommodation is rather affordable in Georgia, grabbing a bite in a restaurant is not.
The Veg Situation: Going veg is rather complicated in Georgia, as meat is the main ingredient in most meals. However, where there’s a will there’s a way and there are plenty ‘accidentally vegan / vegetarian’ typical Georgian dishes. Find all veg-friendly in this destination here. Local veg dishes (descriptions above): Mushroom / Potato Khinkali; Acharuli; Khachapura; Nigvziani Badrijani (vegan); Lobio (vegan – verify no meat is added); Lobiani (vegan if not prepared in butter); Jonjoli (vegan); Tkemali (vegan); Adjika (vegan); Phkali (vegan); Ajapsandali (vegan); Bazhe / Satsizi (vegan); Mchadi / Chishvdari; Gomi / Elarji; Gebzhalia; Borano; Sinori; Gogris Gupta; Qnashi (vegan); Puri / Tonis Puri (vegan); Churkhela (vegan); Tarkhunis Ghvezeli (tarragon stuffed bread).
National Drink: Wine; Chacha.
The local food delivery app is called Glovo. However, it’s pretty user-unfriendly and the customer service is a joke. I by all means advise against using it.
Georgia is known for its hospitality, sometimes to an almost pushy level. It’s very common to have alcohol (especially chacha) offered to you and a refusal can be deemed offensive. Vegans / vegetarians might encounter the same issue when having food offered to them, typically containing meat and dairy.

Sleep Cheap

Hostels / Hotels: are relatively cheap in Georgia. If you’re with 2 people or more, a private room or apartment is similar priced as a dormitory bed in a hostel. I personally found the best deals on Booking.com. They also have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs. If you use it often enough, generous Genius-discounts are applied. I heard some tourists claim that a phone call to the accommodation shaves some extra cash off the Booking.com price, but I don’t have the same experience. A problem with Air BnB is that they’re not only more expensive, but many listings that you can book aren’t actually available. After you paid you’ll receive some message in Georgian or Russian that they’re closed for whatever reason, after which you’ll have to attempt to let them officially cancel so you get your money back (generally, if you cancel as a customer there’s only a partial refund). Very annoying! As such: Always email them first to verify if they’re in fact open. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is a better alternative. Generally, you are expected to pay in cash. Writer’s choice: I stayed in several places in Tbilisi, as I kept coming back to regroup and travel to various other Georgian destinations from there. Alex’s Cosy Guesthouse had lovely views and a communal kitchen, but was slightly pricy, the service was a bit odd and heating and aircon was charged extra. Also, I wasn’t too fond of the shower situation. I preferred Guestroom Trip Spirit, which was tiny but contained a private space with everything you might need (incl. a mini kitchen). It was located right next to Mtatsminda hiking trails, which was lovely. Another time, I Couchsurfed. In Tbilisi, I recommend to find an accommodation option close to a metro stop for easy mobility.
Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate request explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). Kutaisi has a decent Couchsurfing community. Alternatives are Trust Roots, Be Welcome, Host A Sister and Warm Showers (for cyclists).
Housesitting: is an amazing exchange allowing you to stay short- or long-term in somebody’s house, while looking after their house and pets. There are many different websites, most of them paid… but once you landed a sit, the subscription fee is pays itself back quickly. The main housesitting site is Trusted Housesitters.
Wild Camping: is entirely legal in Georgia! I recommend keeping a distance from the city centre, as this is something you’d like to attempt.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Mama Said

Safety: Georgia is a very safe country, but use your common sense like everywhere. Don’t walk alone in remote areas after sunset, don’t take valuables along and follow your instincts when entering certain neighbourhoods further away from the centre.
Georgia’s insane inflation: Almost all prices I found online (even in quite recent articles) have doubled or tripled. I was told that both Covid and the Russian War have caused an incredible inflation, so everything is unfortunately much more expensive than it used to be. I still didn’t consider Georgia an expensive country, but I found food, entry prices to attractions and museums as well as public transport not as cheap as I expected it to be. Also, even though the vast majority of the Georgians I met on my 2 months of traveling through the country were quite hospitable and friendly, many do love money a bit too much and will find ways to overcharge a foreigner which they deem by all means richer than they are (I’m not claiming they’re wrong, and I understand the inflation hasn’t been easy on them – but it’s something to keep into account).
The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates without any extra fees and you can create a Georgian wallet. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Keep in mind that some ATMs charge a fee, the amount always indicated before completing the transaction. Payment by card is generally accepted in bigger supermarkets, but smaller shops always require cash. Accommodation is generally paid in cash.
Tap Water: is drinkable.
Simcard: Acquiring a sim card is pretty straightforward and very affordable (avoid the pricy EU roaming charges by getting a local sim). Don’t get a tourist package, which is more expensive than a regular package. You can go to any phone shop with your passport and buy the sim and package that interests you, and they’ll help you to set it up. Magti is said to have the best coverage in Georgia, and they sell both 7-days and 30-days packages. After the first installation, you can simply extend and pay with their app, which is also available in English. Alternatives are Geocell (poor coverage) and Beeline (cheaper but said to have worse service).

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Transport

Walking: Old Tbilisi is small and walkable. From here, it’s also possible to walk to other some of the other main sights outside of the historical centre. Not every sight is in this area though, so some public transport might be required to reach it.
Cycling: Cycling is only for the bravest among us. Calling local traffic “hectic” is an understatement. Georgian drivers are among the most reckless I have seen worldwide. Generally, people don’t even take other drivers into account, let alone cyclists who form a rare sight on the Georgian roads.
City Buses / Tram / Metro: Tbilisi has two metro lines (Red Akhmeteli-Varketili North-South Line & Green Sabutalo East-West Line, change at Station Square - 6:00-00:00) and an extensive bus and mashrutka network (7:00-00:00). The bus line numbers have changed in 2022, and many apps didn’t update this yet, which resulted in great confusion. You can pay with a top-up public transport card, which you can buy and charge in the main metro stations. Top-up is also possible at the Bank of Georgia Express Paybox you find scattered out on the streets, although the menu is rather confusing. This card can be used for multiple people. It’s also possible to buy day, week, month or 3-month cards. You can also tap your bank card, or tap Apple Pay or Google Pay, but then the fee is slightly higher. There are no zones, it’s always a flat fee (I’m not quoting a price due to Georgia’s extreme inflation). Navigation apps such as Google Maps and Moovit do work here, unlike in the rest of Georgia. Google Maps gives more suitable options at this specific destination than Moovit does. Maps.me has the main bus stops pinned incl. the destinations they’re serving, which is very useful. Tbilisi also has three cable cars and a funicular, which are more expensive (especially the funicular). Wanderlush wrote a useful manual.
Taxi / Uber: The main taxi apps are Yandex Go and Bolt. I recommend using these over hailing down a taxi on the street, so you can avoid being overcharged. Keep in mind: It’s quite common for taxi drivers around the bus stations to tell you a certain bus has been cancelled and your only option is taking a taxi… This is in 99% of the cases a lie.
Intercity Buses: The main way of city-to-city transport in Georgia is by minibus / “mashrutka.” Most destinations are labelled on the front window, but generally only in the Georgian alphabet. You can ask around and people will helpfully point you in the right direction. A downside of the mashrutkas is that traveling with a big backpack / suitcase can be rather complicated (sometimes an extra fee is charged), as there’s hardly any storage space. Especially considering the sheer amount of people that are crammed in during the ride, eventually standing crouched over in the pathway and sitting on each other’s laps. Another nuisance is that mashrutkas get cancelled if not enough people get in, which can considerably prolong your anticipated travel time. Most buses in Tbilisi leave from the Didube Bus Station, which can be reached by metro. This bus station is what your worst nightmares are made of: chaos beyond control. Other bus stations include Ortachala and Avlabari.
Train: Trains in Georgia are served by Georgian Railway (purchasing a ticket online doesn’t work quite well – it’s much easier to just buy it at the station). Taking a train here is something you’d do for the experience only, as not only are the trains leaving less frequent than the mashrutkas, they’re also slower, serve less destinations and cost more. During my visit, many train routes were cancelled for unknown reasons. Tbilisi’s man train station is located at the Station Square, which can be easily reached by metro.
Car Rental: Car rental is rather pricy in Georgia and only suitable for very confident drivers. The local traffic situation is a complete mayhem and might not resemble what you’re used to at home. I recommend taking the most extensive insurance package, as damage is easily made when looking at the road behaviour of most drivers.
Airport: Tbilisi International Airport (TBS). Bus 337 brings you downtown in about 15 minutes.
Hitchhiking: is rather common in Georgia. Yet, my experience is that not everyone is keen to stop and at times you might have to wait a bit. Hitchhiking out of Tbilisi is rather complicated (but not impossible of course), as it will take you quite some time to get properly out of the centre and narrow down the traffic stream towards your desired destination. Hitchhiking towards Tbilisi will however be rather easy, as a lot of traffic goes into that direction. You don’t have to trace down a convenient pull-over strip, as drivers will stop anywhere, even if it blocks all other traffic. Take into account that English (or any other language but Georgian and Russian) is not widely spoken, so chit-chat might be complicated.

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National Destinations Close By: Mtskheta; Gori; Borjomi; Telavi; Sighnaghi; Kazbegi (Stepantsminda).
International Destinations Close By: Armenia; Turkey; Azerbaijan; Russia.

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