🌟 What to Do & Local Tips
Explore experiences and tips to get the most from your trip in Georgia
The jeep climbs through cloud. At 2,100 metres, Gudauri ski resort appears—half-empty slopes, spectacular off-piste, lift tickets costing a fraction of the Alps. An hour later, in a village below, the guesthouse owner pours wine from a clay qvevri and sits with you until midnight.
Georgia rewards movement. The country is small enough to combine mountains, wine country, and ancient cave cities in a week. Day trips from Tbilisi reach Kazbegi (3 hours), Kakheti (2 hours), and Mtskheta (30 minutes). But rushing is the wrong approach. The real Georgia is found in a village, at a table that keeps expanding.
Best times: May–June for spring wildflowers and clear mountain trails. September–October for harvest season in Kakheti, warm temperatures, and full cultural calendar. December–March for skiing at Gudauri.
📍 Book Activities & Experiences
Kazbegi Day Trip — Gudauri & Gergeti Trinity Church
Georgia's most popular day trip. Depart Tbilisi, stop at Jinvali Reservoir and Ananuri Fortress, drive the Military Highway through Gudauri ski resort, reach Gergeti Trinity Church at 2,170m. 12 hours, guided, from €25. Optional 4WD to the church (steep track) and paragliding or horse riding at Gudauri.
More info →Kakheti Wine Region Tour — 9 or 10 Tastings
Full-day tour through Georgia's wine heartland. Visit family wineries and prestigious estates, taste amber wine from qvevri clay vessels, eat at a traditional Georgian table. Sighnaghi "City of Love", Telavi, Bodbe Monastery. Around €25–50 from Tbilisi, wine included.
More info →Mtskheta, Jvari, Gori & Uplistsikhe Day Tour
UNESCO sites and cave cities in one day. Mtskheta ancient capital with Jvari Monastery above it. Gori (Stalin's birthplace, museum option). Uplistsikhe cave town carved into a cliff, occupied from 3rd century BC. 10 hours, from €25.
More info →Aragvi River Rafting + Ananuri Castle
Raft the Aragvi River through a gorge past medieval Ananuri Fortress. Grade II–III rapids, beginner-friendly, professional guides. Combine with Mtskheta sightseeing. May–October season. Small group, pickup from Tbilisi included.
More info →⭐ Top Experiences in Georgia
⭐ Tbilisi Old Town Walk
Wander Abanotubani (sulfur bath district), Narikala Fortress, Shardeni Street. Best at dusk when lights reflect in the Kura River. Free. Allow half a day minimum.
More info →🍷 Traditional Supra Feast
A Georgian feast hosted by a local family. Unlimited dishes, natural wine, toastmaster-led toasts. One of the most memorable dining experiences in Europe. Book through your guesthouse or tour operator.
More info →⛰️ Kazbegi Hiking
Trails from Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) to Gergeti Trinity Church, Chaukhi Pass, and Juta village. Day hikes or multi-day routes. June–September best. Guesthouses in Juta village for overnight stays.
More info →🧖 Sulfur Baths Tbilisi
Private rooms in historic domed bathhouses in the Abanotubani district. Natural hot spring water, full body scrub available. Around 15–50 GEL for private room. Open daily from 7am. Utterly unique.
More info →🍶 Qvevri Winery Visit
Visit a family winery and see wine made in the 8,000-year-old Georgian method—grapes fermented in clay qvevri buried in the ground. Kakheti region, best September–November. Combines beautifully with Sighnaghi visit.
More info →🏔️ Svaneti Trekking
Multi-day trek between medieval tower villages in UNESCO-listed Svaneti. Mestia to Ushguli (4 days), Chalaadi Glacier day hike, Koruldi Lakes. July–September only. Fly to Mestia from Tbilisi for the easiest access.
More info →🏰 Narikala Fortress
4th-century hilltop fortress towering above Tbilisi's Old Town. Cable car from Rike Park takes you up in minutes. Walk the ancient walls for panoramic views over the Kura River. Free to enter. Best at sunset when the city lights up below.
More info →🛍️ Dry Bridge Market
Tbilisi's legendary weekend flea market along the Kura River. Soviet memorabilia, antique jewellery, oil paintings, old maps, handwoven rugs. Bargaining expected. Saturday and Sunday from 10am. Arrive early for the best finds.
More info →🧀 Georgian Cheese Tasting
Sample suluguni, imeruli, guda, and sulguni smoked — four completely different cheese styles from different regions. Paired with Georgian bread and natural wine. 2-hour tasting experience in Tbilisi. Includes cheese history and production stories.
More info →💑 Sighnaghi — City of Love
Hilltop walled town in Kakheti with 360° views over the Alazani Valley and the Caucasus range. Cobblestone streets, 18th-century fortification walls, wine bars, and a registry office open 24 hours. Day trip from Tbilisi (2 hours). Best in late afternoon light.
More info →⛪ David Gareja Monastery
Remote 6th-century cave monastery carved into a semi-desert cliff on the Azerbaijan border. Ancient frescoes, honeycombed monk cells, wild landscape. 1.5-hour drive from Tbilisi. Combine with Rainbow Mountains and Sighnaghi for a full day.
More info →🪨 Vardzia Cave City
A 12th-century underground city cut directly into a volcanic cliff face — 600 rooms, a church with original frescoes of Queen Tamar, wine cellars, and hidden tunnels. 4 hours from Tbilisi. Often combined with Borjomi and Rabati Fortress. One of Georgia's most dramatic sites.
More info →🥟 Khinkali Cooking Class
Learn to fold Georgian soup dumplings and bake Imeretian khachapuri. 2.5-hour hands-on class in Tbilisi with a professional chef. Eat everything you make, paired with local wine. Rated 4.7/5 from 1,100+ reviews. One of the most popular tourist experiences in the country.
More info →🌿 Tbilisi Botanical Garden
Hidden valley garden tucked behind Narikala Fortress — 128 hectares of gorge, waterfalls, rose garden, and forest trails. Entry around 2 GEL. Open daily. Locals come for picnics, tourists rarely find it. The Tsavkisi waterfall trail takes 30 minutes.
More info →🌊 Batumi — Black Sea Coast
Georgia's seaside city on the Turkish border. Pebble beaches, palm-lined boulevard, art nouveau architecture, and surprisingly good nightlife. Boat trips along the Black Sea coast leave from the harbour. 5.5 hours from Tbilisi by overnight train or 1-hour flight.
More info →🐴 Horse Riding in Kazbegi
Half-day or full-day horse rides through the Sno Valley near Stepantsminda. Trail leads past river gorges, traditional villages, and mountain meadows. No experience needed. Around 60–100 GEL. Combine with a visit to Gergeti Trinity Church for a full Kazbegi day.
More info →🏞️ Martvili Canyon & Prometheus Cave
Boat ride through a turquoise river canyon with waterfalls cascading from limestone walls. Then explore Prometheus Cave — 1.4 km of illuminated stalactites and underground lakes. Both near Kutaisi. Full-day from Batumi or Tbilisi. Spectacular photography.
More info →⛪ Alaverdi Cathedral, Kakheti
11th-century cathedral in the Alazani River Valley — one of the largest medieval churches in the Caucasus. Active monastery with resident monks. Surrounded by vineyards. 20 km from Telavi. Free entry. Combine with wine tastings at nearby family estates for a full Kakheti day.
More info →🪂 Paragliding at Gudauri
Tandem paragliding from 2,400 metres above sea level over the Caucasus Mountains. Spectacular views of the Georgian Military Highway snaking through the gorge below. 15–20 minute flights, from around €60–100. No experience needed. Season: March–May and October–November.
More info →🎡 Mtatsminda Park & Funicular
Ride the vintage funicular up Mtatsminda mountain for panoramic views across all of Tbilisi. At the top: Soviet-era amusement park, a Ferris wheel, restaurants, and forest walks. Funicular runs until midnight. Around 3 GEL return. Best at dusk when the city transforms below.
More info →💡 Local Tips for Georgia
- 🥂 The toast rule: At a Georgian table, the tamada (toastmaster) leads toasts in strict order. Drinking between toasts is fine. Refusing a toast is rude. Pace yourself—wine is endless.
- 🕌 Dress code at churches: Women must cover shoulders and wear skirts at Orthodox churches. Headscarves provided at most major sites. Men in shorts may be refused entry.
- 🚕 Marshrutka etiquette: Tell the driver your stop before departure. They often won't stop unless asked in advance. No fixed schedule—departs when full.
- 💰 Cash in mountains: ATMs don't exist in Kazbegi, Svaneti, or Tusheti. Withdraw GEL in Tbilisi before leaving. Most guesthouses are cash-only.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Hospitality is genuine: If a Georgian family invites you in for tea or wine, they mean it. Accept. The experience is more valuable than any sight on your itinerary.