Why Georgia Is Worth Your 2026
Georgia is worth ten days if you like your history layered and your meals long. It sits where Europe runs into Asia, and it does not tidy the join. Byzantine churches, Persian-style caravanserais, Soviet housing blocks and sharp contemporary design can share one street. The cooking splits the same way: walnut and pomegranate sauces in the west, heavier meat dishes in the mountains of the north. Plan around the country, not just the capital.
Tbilisi is the place to start, and it is lovely in a slightly frayed way. Wooden balconies hang over lanes in the old town. Sulphur bathhouse domes sit low in a gorge. A medieval fortress watches from the ridge, and the Kura River runs fast and brown below. About 1.3 million people live in greater Tbilisi, and they eat well and drink wine with most meals. Strangers are treated as guests, often before they have finished saying hello. That is a generalisation, and a generous one, but it holds up better than most. Do not mistake the warmth for a service. It is a habit, and it works best if you meet it with some of your own.
Georgia also makes a strong claim to be the birthplace of wine. Archaeologists have found traces of winemaking around 8,000 years old at sites south of Tbilisi, which is why the claim is taken seriously. The traditional qvevri method ferments grapes with their skins in clay vessels buried in the ground. The result is amber whites with the grip of a red, and reds with real depth. The natural wine fashion in other countries borrows from this tradition. Here it is simply how many families make their own wine.
Drinking in Georgia is a ritual before it is a pastime. A feast is called a supra, and it is led by a tamada, the toastmaster. Each toast is longer and more serious than the last. Eat before you drink, pace yourself, and accept that dinner will last hours. The honest trade-off is stamina. Georgian hospitality is wonderful and it is also relentless, and you will be offered more than you can finish.
10-Day Georgia Itinerary 2026
- Days 1–3: Tbilisi. Book the sulphur baths in Abanotubani, walk up to Narikala Fortress, browse the Dry Bridge flea market, spend one evening in the natural wine bars (Ikalto Street is a good start) and try for a night at the Rustaveli opera.
- Day 4: Go north to Kazbegi by marshrutka or hired driver. The Georgian Military Highway takes about three hours, and it is one of the finest mountain drives in the region. Leave early, because the road is slow when the weather turns.
- Day 5: Kazbegi. Climb to Gergeti Trinity Church at dawn: one to two hours up, with about 430m of ascent from the village. Spend the afternoon on the easy walk into Truso Valley.
- Day 6: Return to Tbilisi by way of Mtskheta, the ancient capital. Jvari Church stands above the meeting of two rivers, and the view is the reason to stop.
- Day 7: Drive to Kakheti, the wine region, about 1.5 hours away. Base yourself in Sighnaghi and book a family winery tasting, for example at Pheasant's Tears, or visit the Alaverdi Monastery winery.
- Day 8: Head west to Kutaisi, about four hours by road from Tbilisi, so allow most of the day from Kakheti. See Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Monastery (UNESCO-listed, with frescoed walls) and Prometheus Cave.
- Days 9–10: Optional. Fly Tbilisi to Mestia for the Svaneti highlands, about an hour; fares have been quoted around $35 (90 lari; ≈ €30 / £30), but flights depend on the weather, have run irregularly and sell out, so confirm before you plan around them. The alternative is a long day by road, 8 to 10 hours from Tbilisi. Or return to Tbilisi and spend the last days eating and drinking.
Georgia Budget Guide
- Accommodation (estimates, October 2026): a Tbilisi hostel dorm costs $10–$18 (≈ €8.93–16 / £7.87–14) a night. A boutique hotel in the old town costs $50–$100 (≈ €45–90 / £40–80). A Kazbegi guesthouse with dinner included costs $25–$40 (≈ €20–35 / £20–30).
- Khinkali, the soup dumplings, cost $0.58–0.96 (GEL 1.50–2.50; ≈ €0.52–0.86 / £0.45–0.76) a piece. Order 8–10 each, and eat them by hand: hold the knot, bite, drink the broth.
- Khachapuri Adjarian, the boat-shaped cheese bread with an egg, costs $4.60–6.90 (GEL 12–18; ≈ €4.12–6.18 / £3.63–5.45). Share one. It is more filling than it looks.
- A glass of wine at a wine bar costs $3.10–5.80 (GEL 8–15; ≈ €2.75–5.15 / £2.42–4.54).
- A full dinner with wine at a good Tbilisi restaurant costs $15–31 (GEL 40–80; ≈ €14–25 / £12–25) a head.
- Daily spend: $40–$60 (≈ €35–55 / £30–45) on a budget, $80–$120 (≈ €70–105 / £65–95) at mid-range.
- Currency: the Georgian lari (GEL). Roughly $1 (≈ €0.89 / £0.79) = 2.6 GEL in November 2026, but check the current rate. ATMs are widespread, cards work in Tbilisi, and villages often want cash. Carry some.
Safety, Visa & Cultural Notes
- Safety: Georgia is generally safe for visitors, and the UK FCDO says crime levels are low. It advises against all travel to Abkhazia and South Ossetia and against all but essential travel to areas immediately next to their boundary lines. Daily protests have run in Tbilisi since late 2024, mostly outside Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue, and some have turned violent, so avoid them. The US State Department publishes its own advisory; advisories change, so read the current text from each government before you book.
- Do not try to enter South Ossetia or cross into Russia from Georgia. These are disputed lines with a military presence, and your insurer will not thank you.
- Visa and insurance: citizens of the US, EU, UK, Australia and Canada can generally stay visa-free for up to a year, but UK government advice of September 2026 says every visitor must carry health and accident insurance of at least 30,000 lari (about $11,500 (≈ €10,250 / £9,050)), and paid or remote work needs a work permit since 1 March 2026. Confirm both with the Georgian authorities or your own government before you travel.
- The supra: if a family invites you to a meal, accept. Expect hours at the table. The toasts are meant seriously, so listen properly and answer in kind.
- Orthodox churches: women should cover their heads, and everyone should cover their shoulders. Many churches keep fabric at the door.