1 hour journey to georgia

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The Ultimate Georgia Itinerary for 1 or 2 Weeks

//  by  Kristin

Georgia is a fairly small country and might not be that well known (yet) but as this Georgia itinerary details, there are a wide variety of sights worth seeing.

Over one or two weeks you can hike in the Caucasus, visit ancient villages, go wine tasting in Kakheti, see cliff-edge monasteries and explore the capital Tbilisi.

Travelling in Georgia is cheap and the visa policy is very flexible, enabling citizens from 90 countries to stay for up to one year.

This post will cover

Top 10 Places to Visit

• Svaneti National Park – visit ancient Svan villages with their stone defence towers or do the 4-day Mestia- Ushguli hike past glaciers and 5,000-metre-high mountains
• Kazbegi – fantastic mountain views and luxury accommodation in Rooms Hotel Kazbegi
• Wine region of Kakheti and Sighnaghi – this Tuscanesque hilltop town is the perfect base for arranging wine tastings at the nearby vineyards
• Tbilisi – the capital with an atmospheric old town as well as futuristic architecture
• Gelati Monastery close to Kutaisi – a medieval monastery covered in frescoes
• Stalin Museum in Gori – not many people know that Stalin was born in Georgia and this museum sings his praises
• Vardzia – a cave city from the 12 th Century
• Akhaltsikhe – a large and lavishly restored castle
• David Gareja – a monastery built on a cliff edge in the desert-like landscape along the border with Azerbaijan
• Batumi – Georgia’s second largest city is a Black Sea resort

All of the places mentioned above are described in further detail in the Georgia itinerary destinations section below to allow you to decide where you would like to visit.

How Many Days to Spend in Georgia?

You can easily spend two weeks and not see everything the country has to offer.

In one week in Georgia you can see the main sights, but I would recommend going for one and a half or two weeks so you can include places further away such as Kutaisi, Svaneti and Vardzia.

How to Get There

There are two international airports, one close to Tbilisi and one just north of Kutaisi. Most airlines fly to Tbilisi, but budget airlines fly into Kutaisi which is located four hours by bus from the capital.

Georgia also has land borders with Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Russia.

For further details on border crossings and other useful travel information read my Georgia Travel Guide .

How to Get Around

Car rental – the best choice when doing a round trip starting and ending in the same location. Car rental companies offer pick up or drop off in a different locations for a fee. The roads are generally in acceptable condition but read my article about 7 Things to Know Before Driving in Armenia, Georgia or Azerbaijan to learn about our experience driving in the region.

Taxi – provides some of the flexibility of a rental car. Taxis work particularly well if you plan to do any of the longer hikes during your Georgia itinerary, this would leave a rental car unused for several days. Taxis can easily be arranged as you go.

Marshrutka – minibuses are cheap and plentiful. The downside to travelling by public transport is that it normally means going via Tbilisi, increasing travel time. There are limited services between the smaller towns.

Train – there are not many train lines and it is a slow way to travel. But it is more comfortable than marshrutka for longer journeys, such as to Batumi or Svaneti. Sleeping compartments for two people sharing are available.

Georgia Itinerary

To help plan your itinerary in Georgia there are suggested travel routes for one or two week trips below. The routes are based on my experience and includes an indication of how long to spend in each place. Any locations mentioned are described in further detail below allowing you to decide where you want to spend your time. 

Renting a car or using taxis means that you see more, but it increases the cost of the trip. The below itineraries are based on this assumption and do not including travel via Tbilisi to change marshrutka, which adds significant travel time.

All the itineraries are possible in either direction. If you are adding Armenia and Azerbaijan to your trip it does not matter which country you visit first as long as you are not planning on going to Nagorno-Karabakh. Read my Armenia and Azerbaijan Travel Guides for further information.

2 Week Georgia Itinerary (16 Days) – the Best of Georgia and the Caucasus Mountains

Tbilisi 2 days – Svaneti 4 days – Kutaisi 1 day – Gori 1 day – Kazbegi 3 days – Sighnaghi and Kakheti 3 days

• Day 1-2: Arrival and sightseeing in the capital Tbilisi. Overnight in Tbilisi
• Day 3: Travel to Svaneti by rental car, train or plane. A night train to Zugdidi is also available providing extra time in Tbilisi or to visit David Gareja. Overnight in Mestia or onboard the train
• Day 4-7: Explore Svaneti. Hike the 4-day Mestia- Ushguli trek or visit ancient villages by car. Overnight in Mestia and Svaneti villages
• Day 8: Travel to Kutaisi. The journey takes 4-6 hours depending on traffic and your mode of transport. Overnight in Kutaisi
• Day 9: Visit Gelati and Motsameta in Kutaisi before travelling the 2.5 hours to Gori for a visit to the Stalin museum. Overnight in Gori
• Day 10-12: Travel to Kazbegi. The drive takes 3.5 hours by car or taxi but a full day travelling by public transport since the route will be via Tbilisi. Overnight in Kazbegi
• Day 13-15: Drive the 4.5-5 hours to Sighnaghi and the wine region of Kakheti (travel by public transport would again be via Tbilisi). Overnight in Sighnaghi, or consider spending one night at a vineyard, such as Nelkarisi in Shilda
• Day 16: Fly home or travel to Azerbaijan

2 Week Georgia Itinerary (16 Days) – the Best of Cultural Georgia

Tbilisi 2 days – David Gareja 1 day – Kutaisi 2 days – Akhaltsikhe 1 day – Vardzia 1 day – Gori 1 day – Kazbegi 3 days – Sighnaghi and Kakheti 3 days

• Day 1-3: Arrive and explore the capital Tbilisi. Overnight in Tbilisi
• Day 4: Day trip to David Gareja. Overnight in Tbilisi
• Day 5-6: Travel the 4 hours to Kutaisi and explore Gelati, Motsameta and Bagrati Cathedral. Overnight in Kutaisi
• Day 7: Travel the 3.5 hours to Akhaltsikhe. Overnight in Vardzia valley or Akhaltsikhe
• Day 8: Visit Vardzia. Overnight in Vardzia valley or Akhaltsikhe
• Day 9: Drive the 2.5 hours to Gori for the Stalin museum and Uplistsikhe. Overnight Gori
• Day 10-12: Travel the 3.5 hours by car or taxi to Kazbegi. This journey takes a full day travelling by public transport since the route will be via Tbilisi. Overnight in Kazbegi
• Day 13-15: Travel the 3.5 hours to Sighnaghi and the wine region of Kakheti via Mtskheta (travel by public transport will be via Tbilisi). Overnight in Sighnaghi, but consider spending one night at a vineyard, such as Nelkarisi in Shilda

1 Week Georgia Itinerary (10 Days) – Best of Georgia

Tbilisi 1 day – David Gareja 1 day – Kazbegi 3 days – Gori 1 day – Sighnaghi and Kakheti 3 days

• Day 1-2: Arrive and explore Tbilisi. Overnight in Tbilisi
• Day 3: Day trip to David Gareja. Overnight in Tbilisi
• Day 4-6: Travel the 3.5 hours to Kazbegi for mountain views or the 4 hours to Vardzia for the ancient cave city. Overnight in Kazbegi or Vardzia valley
• Day 7: Visit Gori’s Stalin museum and Uplistsikhe. Overnight in Gori. From Kazbegi this stop is only possible with a rental car or using taxis. If travelling by public transport use this day to travel to Sighnaghi
• Day 8-9: Travel to Signaghi and Kakheti via Mtskheta. Overnight in Sighnaghi
• Day 10: Fly home or travel to Azerbaijan

Georgia Itinerary Destinations

• Time from Tbilisi to Svaneti : c10 hours by bus or train and bus. Flights are also available
• Trek from Mestia to Ushguli
• Explore the 5 villages that makes up Ushguli
• Visit Adishi village

Being located in the northwest of the country close to the border with Russia, it takes a lot of effort to get here. But you are rewarded by views of Shkhara (the highest mountain in Georgia at nearly 5,200 metres) as well as Ushguli, the prettiest village in the country.

What makes the Svan villages so special are the stone defence towers attached to nearly every house. Originally they were built to protect villagers in times of unrest.

The 4-day Mestia Ushguli trek is the most popular thing to do in Svaneti. It deserves all its accolades, but it is also a great area to visit without doing any walking. The traditional villages can be visited by car, as suggested in our itinerary to Svaneti without hiking.

Svaneti and Kazbegi were the highlights of our Georgia itinerary.

Top tip: trek Mestia to Ushguli in early September for smaller crowds

How to get there?

It is not easy to get here. The quickest way is an internal flight from Tbilisi, but it is difficult to book unless you are in the country.

Driving from Tbilisi takes at least 8 hours. Going by marshrutka takes over 10 hours from Tbilisi and about half that time from Kutaisi. From the capital the journey can be done by a combination of train and marshrutka which is the most comfortable option if you cannot fly.

For further information see the Transportation Section of my Mestia Ushguli trekking guide .

Where to stay

The region’s growing popularity has resulted in an increasing number of mid-range hotels in Mestia. One such recent addition is Chalet Mestia which has modern rooms and bathrooms.

In the smaller villages the accommodation is still basic with shared bathrooms.

Booking in advance if travelling between June and mid-September since the top guest houses get booked up quickly.

• Time from Tbilisi to Kazbegi : 4 hours by bus
• Enjoy the fabulous views of Mt Kazbek from Rooms Hotel ‘s sun terrace
• Hike to Gergeti Trinity Church
• Hike to the Gergeti glacier

The above view is what convinced me I had to find a way to include Kazbegi in our itinerary. And the view really is that amazing!

Not only does the area have uninterrupted views of Mt Kazbek (which is over 5,000 metres high), it is also home to Gergeti Trinity Church, one of the most photographed churches in Georgia.

But what would make me come back again is the high-end spa hotel, Rooms Kazbegi. Staying at Rooms makes this a much more luxurious mountain experience than Svaneti.

Top tip:  The best chance of seeing the top of Mt Kazbek is early in the morning – so stay overnight

Marshrutkas leave Tbilisi every hour. There is also the option of shared taxis which stop along the way at Annanuri castle and the Russian Georgian friendship monument in Gudauri.

To travel direct to any destinations, except for Tbilisi, you need to take a taxi or have a rental car. All public transport is via the capital.

Stay at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi in one of the mountain view rooms for the highest chance of seeing the top of Mt Kazbek.

Kazbegi has become a popular tourist destination so there is accommodation across all price brackets.

3. The wine region of Kakheti and Sighnaghi

• Time from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi : c2 hours by bus
• Explore Sighnaghi and its city wall
• Go for a wine tasting at a vineyard
• Try amber wine

Georgia was one of the first countries in the world to make wine over 6,000 years ago.

The traditional way of producing wine is in a qvevri, a large clay pot which the grapes are buried in for 5-6 months to ferment. Today the larger vineyards use modern techniques. If a qvevri is something you would like to see make sure you ask whether it will be possible when booking the tour.

In addition to wine tasting the other experience not to miss is a visit to Sighnaghi, a pretty hilltop village with a Tuscan feel. Sighnaghi has been renovated in recent years and is one of the prettiest villages in Georgia, with cobble stone streets and panoramic views over the Alazani valley.

Top tip: Stay overnight in Sighnaghi. It is a popular day trip destination and the late afternoons and early mornings are quieter times to walk its cobbled streets

Direct marshrutkas leave every other hour. Buy tickets in advance since the marshrutka are usually full on the day.

Travelling via Tsnori is another option. From here you can get a marshrutka or taxi up the hill to Signaghi or to other parts of Kakheti.

For any other destination travel by public transport is via Tbilisi meaning that a taxi or a rental car is more convenient.

Kabadoni is the best hotel in town. It has a good location on the main square.

Boutique Hotel Bellevue is another good mid-range option. The deluxe double rooms with a balcony are nicer than they look in the photos. The veranda is also the perfect place to enjoy a glass of amber wine, looking out over the Alazani valley below.

• Explore the area around the Royal Baths and the old town
• Take the aerial tramway to the top of Narikala hill
• Cross the Bridge of Peace and admire the modern architecture

Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia. It is large and busy. On first impression it can seem a bit touristy with large tour groups walking past and people on every corner trying to sell you a day trip.

But stroll down the cobbled stone side streets and you might change your mind. Some of the buildings have been renovated in bright colours with intricate decorated balconies. Others have paint peeling off. The smaller streets in the old town or the Royal baths let you see the atmospheric and quieter side to Tbilisi.

The city has lots of nice cafes and restaurants making it easy to linger. But I didn’t fall in love with Tbilisi. Reading other blogs you will see that many people do fall in love with the city and it is definitely worth a day or two to explore its old and new architecture.

Top Tip: Tbilisi is full of cosy cafes and restaurants. Treat yourself to dinner or lunch at Café Littera.

Tbilisi is a transport hub and from there you can get to anywhere in the country.

The metro is cheap and efficient for travelling to different parts of town. To take the underground a metro card is required. It costs 2 GEL (a one-way trip only costs 0.5 GEL), but note that the card can only be returned for a refund by providing the receipt.

Tbilisi has hotels in all price ranges. The Old Town is the best location to stay since you are within walking distance of the main tourist attractions.

It is surprisingly difficult to walk outside this area of the capital so take the metro when travelling anywhere else.

• Time from Tbilisi to Kutaisi : 4 hours by bus or train
• See the frescoes at Gelati Monastery
• Visit Motsameta Monastery
• Admire the view over Kutaisi from Bagrati Cathedral

Kutaisi has an interesting cathedral and market, but the main attraction is Gelati monastery, 10km outside town. This UNESCO listed monastery from the 12 th Century is covered in colourful frescoes.

Motsameta monastery is located between Kutaisi and Gelati and is a worthwhile stop when visiting Gelati. The wall paintings have recently been restored so it feels newer and less impressive than Gelati. But the location on a cliff top is spectacular.

These two monasteries are different from all the others in the region where the location and landscape are the main draw. For these two monasteries it is what is inside that counts.

Top Tip : The Best Western, where we stayed, arranged a cheaper taxi for a half-day trip to Gelati and Motsameta than the prices quoted by local hostels.

Being a reasonably large town by Georgian standards the transport links in Kutaisi are good. The city has a train station and direct marshrutkas run to Svaneti, Zugddidi, Batumi and Tbilisi, among other destinations.

There are no mid-range hotels, it is either the Best Western or quite basic accommodation. When we visited a new hotel was being built across the bridge from the Best Western. It looked like it will be another higher-end option when it opens.

• Time from Tbilisi to Gori : 1.5 hours by bus or train
• Get a glorified version of Stalin’s life at the Stalin museum
• Explore the rock-cut town from the Iron Age
• Admire the views from Gori Fortress

Gori is famous for being the birthplace of Stalin and the Stalin museum is unsurprisingly the main tourist site.

Come prepared for a slightly different representation of the man than you might expect. Here Stalin is still seen as a local boy done good and the purges and gulags of his regime are not mentioned.

It is still an interesting museum, displaying the house where he was born, a replica of his Kremlin office and his train carriage.

I thought the interior of the museum was as fascinating as the exhibits. It looked like it had not been updated since Soviet times.

How to get there

From Tbilisi there are plenty of trains and marshrutka departing every day. Alternatively take one of the organised daytrips which also includes Mtskheta.

It is more difficult to travel to and from other destinations. The Tbilisi-bound bus from Kutaisi stops at the side of the motorway 5km away from Gori. For other destinations you need to go back to Tbilisi to change bus, so a taxi or rental car are the easiest options.

Few people stay overnight so there are not many hotels. Two places where you can get a private bathroom are Hotel Continental and Guesthouse Levani.

• Time from Tbilisi to Vardzia : 4 hours by bus
• Visit the large cave monastery from ancient times

Built in the 12 th Century, the caves and tunnels carved into the rock cliff used to house 2,000 monks. Apparently at that time they had 13 churches but 25 wine cellars!

Since the end of the Soviet Union it has become a working monastery again and today a few of the caves are inhabited.

Top tip: Stay overnight

It is possible to travel by public transport from Akhaltsikhe but a taxi or a rental car gives you more time to explore the caves. Day trips can be arranged from Borjomi and Tbilisi, but be aware that means a very long day travelling from the capital.

Vardzia Resort is the nicest accommodation in the area, but budget lodging is also available.

8. Akhaltsikhe

• Time from Tbilisi to Akhaltsikhe : 3 hours by bus
• Visit recently reconstructed Rabati castle
• Travel to the nearby cave monastery of Vardzia

It is not the prettiest town but the Rabati castle has been lavishly resorted. We did not visit this area of Georgia but from speaking to other travellers I would recommend stopping on the way to Vardzia. 

There are few direct marshrutkas. On most journeys you must change marshrutka in the town of Khashuri, located on the main road between Kutaisi and Tbilisi. A rental car or travelling by taxi means a quicker and easier journey.

Although Akhaltsikhe is not as well connected as other larger cities in Georgia, it is the only other place on this list, in addition to Tbilisi, that has a direct route to Armenia. Every morning a marshrutka leaves for the 7-hour journey to Yerevan.

9. David Gareja Monastery

• Time from Tbilisi to David Gareja : 3 hours by bus
• Admire the monasteries and their scenic setting

Close to the border with Azerbaijan this monastery is a popular day trip from Tbilisi. There are two monastery complexes and a chapel with century-old frescoes. Access is a 3 km walking trail so make sure you bring comfortable shoes and water.

The setting is as interesting as the buildings themselves. This is a common feature across Georgia where monasteries and churches are often built in fabulous locations with little to see inside.

Top tip: The exact border demarcation between Azerbaijan and Georgia where the monastery is located is under dispute. It is safe to visit but bring your passport in case you meet an Azerbaijani border guard

Gareji Line provides a bus service leaving Tbilisi at 11am, returning around 8pm. The bus stops for lunch and dinner. This is not a tour, just a transfer, regardless of what you are told.

It is possible to stay overnight in nearby Udabno

• Time from Tbilisi to Batumi : 6 hours by bus or train. Flights are also available
• Walk along the beach
• Spend a few days relaxing on the beach or by your hotel pool
• See the town lit up at night

Batumi is the second largest city in Georgia. It is a large Black Sea resort. It is not my type of place, so we did not visit.

Other travellers we spoke to described it as a big city with interesting modern buildings, especially when lit up at night.

Batumi is well connected with a train station and an airport, although most flights are from Tbilisi or neighbouring countries.

Best Time to Visit Georgia

Spring – May and June bring comfortable temperatures, particularly in Tbilisi. However, this period sees higher rainfall in the Caucasus and the high mountain passes in Svaneti are still covered in snow. If mountain views and hiking are not key reasons for your visit to Georgia, consider going in spring.

Summer – Tbilisi can be hot at this time of year with temperatures reaching mid-30 degrees Celsius. We visited at the end of August and Tbilisi was sweltering since there was a heatwave. This is also the summer holiday period both locally and in the rest of Europe so expect larger crowds and higher hotel prices.

The positive of this time of year is the good weather which makes it the best time to visit areas such as Vardzia, Kutaisi and the Caucasus mountains.

Autumn – My preferred month is September. The weather is pleasant all over the country and the longer hikes are still possible, but you miss the summer crowds.

Towards the end of September or early October the harvesting of the grapes in Kakheti starts. During this period the Rtveli is celebrated, a local harvest holiday. It is accompanied by local festivals, musical events and feasts. You can even help with picking and stamping the grapes!

Winter – Expect snow everywhere except for Tbilisi. In fact the Caucasus has lots of ski slopes and this is increasingly becoming a winter destination. As long as you do not mind the temperature being around zero degrees Celsius there will be a lot less people.

Adding Armenia or Azerbaijan

Georgia has the widest variety of sights of the three countries in the Caucasus. But I recommend adding on a few days in Armenia or Azerbaijan since the countries offer a very different experience.

There are direct trains from Yerevan, Armenia and Baku, Azerbaijan to Tbilisi. An alternative which I recommend is to travel from Sighnaghi, Georgia to Sheki, Azerbaijan rather than on the direct train to Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku.

All the itineraries below start and end in Tbilisi and Sighnaghi making it easy to add on Armenia and Azerbaijan to your trip.

I think Armenia has more to see than Azerbaijan. Read my Armenia and Azerbaijan Travel Guide to decide which country interests you most if you are unable to visit both.

One thing to be aware of when planning your trip is that there is no transport or border crossing between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They are officially at war. You can visit both countries on the same trip, but you must travel through Georgia.

You might also be interested in

Georgia Travel Guide

The 5 Most Instagrammable Views in Tbilisi

Mestia Ushguli Trek – Everything I Wish I had Known Before Going

Inspiration.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did”