Travel Guide to Georgia 2026: Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Kakheti Wine & Svaneti
Planning to visit Georgia, the country in the Caucasus? This travel guide to Georgia covers everything for a first trip: where Georgia is, the best time to go, the one-year visa-free stay and the new insurance rule, the 10 best places to visit, a 7-day itinerary, realistic costs, safety tips, and the best hotels and universities. From the sulphur baths of Tbilisi and Gergeti Trinity Church below Mount Kazbek to the wine cellars of Kakheti and the stone towers of Svaneti, this guide shows why the country is famous for hospitality, mountains and 8,000 years of winemaking.
Last updated: October 2026 · Entry rules and costs in this travel guide to Georgia were checked against official sources
📊 Quick Facts for Your Travel guide to Georgia
- Capital: Tbilisi💡 Sulphur baths and wooden balconies
- Currency: Georgian lari (GEL)💡 Cards common in cities. Check today's rate
- Language: Georgian💡 Its own alphabet; Russian and English common
- Population: About 3.7 million💡 Excluding occupied regions
- Area: 69,700 km²💡 About the size of Ireland
- Time zone: UTC+4💡 No daylight saving. Convert times
- UNESCO sites: 4💡 Gelati, Mtskheta, Upper Svaneti, Colchic rainforests
- Power: 220 V, plug types C and F💡 Standard European plugs
ℹ️ Figures in this travel guide to Georgia are 2026 estimates from official and international sources.
📍 Where Is Georgia?
Georgia sits where Europe meets Asia in the South Caucasus. The Greater Caucasus mountains form its northern border with Russia; it borders Turkey and Armenia to the south and Azerbaijan to the south-east, with a subtropical Black Sea coast around Batumi in the west.
Tbilisi is about 5 hours by air from London and 2.5 hours from Istanbul; budget airlines also fly to Kutaisi. Check distances with our distance calculator.
📅 Best Time to Visit Georgia
The best time to visit Georgia is May–June and September–October. Autumn brings Rtveli, the grape harvest, in Kakheti. Mountain roads to Svaneti, Tusheti and high trails are usually open from late June to September. Summer is hot in Tbilisi but ideal for the mountains and Batumi beaches; winter brings good-value skiing in Gudauri and Bakuriani.
Green valleys and city sightseeing.
Svaneti, Kazbegi and Tusheti treks.
Rtveli grape harvest in Kakheti.
Skiing in Gudauri and Bakuriani.
📅 Use the seasons in this travel guide to Georgia to match your trip to the weather, festivals and prices you want.
🛂 Georgia Visa & Entry Requirements (2026)
One year visa-free: citizens of about 95 countries, including the USA, UK, EU states, Canada and Australia, can stay in Georgia without a visa for up to 365 days. Since 1 January 2026, every foreign tourist must also hold health insurance for the full stay.
- InsuranceMinimum 30,000 GEL cover, valid from arrival to departure.
- PassportValid for the whole stay.
- Occupied regionsEntering Abkhazia or South Ossetia from Russia is illegal under Georgian law.
- ArrivalTbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi airports, or overland from Turkey or Armenia.
🔗 Official sources: Georgian consular portal · Georgia Travel. Entry rules change, so always confirm before booking and avoid paid look-alike sites.
🛂 Entry rules in this travel guide to Georgia were last checked in October 2026.
⛰️ 10 Best Places to Visit in Georgia
These are the places we recommend most in this travel guide to Georgia, with the best months to see each one.
Old Town, sulphur baths, Narikala Fortress and Fabrika.
💡 Best time: All yearJvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (UNESCO).
💡 Best time: All yearGergeti Trinity Church below Mount Kazbek.
💡 Best time: May–OctWine cellars and a walled hilltop town.
💡 Best time: Sep–OctMedieval defence towers in high valleys (UNESCO).
💡 Best time: Jun–SepA 12th-century cave monastery cut into a cliff.
💡 Best time: Apr–OctGelati Monastery's golden mosaics (UNESCO).
💡 Best time: All yearBoat rides and caverns near Kutaisi.
💡 Best time: May–OctA Black Sea boulevard and botanical garden.
💡 Best time: Jun–SepMineral springs and a national park.
💡 Best time: May–Oct🗺️ 7-Day Georgia Itinerary: Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Kakheti & Kutaisi
Marshrutkas and trains are cheap; drivers from Tbilisi make day trips easy.
Follow this route from our travel guide to Georgia day by day, or shorten it to fit your trip.
- Tbilisi: Old Town, the cable car to Narikala and the sulphur baths.
- Mtskheta and the Georgian Military Road: Jvari, Ananuri and on to Kazbegi.
- Kazbegi: hike to Gergeti Trinity Church; back to Tbilisi.
- Kakheti: Sighnaghi, Bodbe and a winery supra dinner.
- Tbilisi: Fabrika, the Dry Bridge market and the National Museum.
- Kutaisi: train west; Gelati Monastery and Bagrati.
- Martvili Canyon and Prometheus Cave: then fly from Kutaisi.
➕ With more time: add 3 days for Mestia and Ushguli in Svaneti, Vardzia and Borjomi, or Batumi on the coast.
💵 How Much Does a Trip to Georgia Cost?
Georgia is very good value. These are approximate daily costs per person in 2026, excluding flights. Use our currency converter.
| Travel style | Per day (approx.) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | US$30–50 | Guesthouses, khachapuri and marshrutkas |
| Mid-range | US$80–140 | Boutique hotels, wine tours and drivers |
| Luxury | US$250 + | Design hotels and private guides |
💡 All prices in this travel guide to Georgia are per person, per day, and change with the season and exchange rates.
🚕 Use Bolt or Yandex Go in Tbilisi. Many restaurants add a 10–18% service charge.
💡 Safety & Travel Tips for Your Travel guide to Georgia
Georgia is generally safe and very welcoming. Large political protests have taken place in Tbilisi since late 2024; avoid demonstrations. Never try to visit Abkhazia or South Ossetia, and drive carefully, as road safety is poor. Check your government's travel advice before you go.
Required since January 2026.
A feast led by a tamada toastmaster.
Women cover hair; no shorts.
Svaneti roads are long and winding.
Fair prices without haggling.
"Gamarjoba" means hello.
🏨 Best Hotels in Georgia: 6 Top Picks
Tbilisi has great design hotels; book Kazbegi and Kakheti ahead in harvest season.
A converted Soviet publishing house.
Check prices on Booking.com →Central, with a rooftop pool.
Check prices on Booking.com →Terraces facing Mount Kazbek.
Check prices on Booking.com →In historic Tsinandali gardens.
Check prices on Booking.com →Qvevri wine tastings and a spa.
Check prices on Booking.com →An Autograph Collection resort by the sea.
Check prices on Booking.com →🔎 How we chose for this travel guide to Georgia: chosen for location, reputation and a spread of regions. Prices and availability change daily, so the buttons open live Booking.com results for each property.
🤝 Affiliate disclosure: hotel buttons are affiliate links. If you book through them, AtlasWise may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which hotels we list.
🎓 Top Universities in Georgia
Tbilisi is home to Georgia's leading universities.
| University | City | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University | Tbilisi | Public |
| Ilia State University | Tbilisi | Public |
| Georgian Technical University | Tbilisi | Public |
| Caucasus University | Tbilisi | Private |
The oldest university (1918).
Visit website →Research in sciences and humanities.
Visit website →Engineering and architecture.
Visit website →Business, law and technology.
Visit website →🔎 How we chose for this travel guide to Georgia: the leading universities in Georgia by reputation. Last checked: October 2026.
🍷 Georgian Culture & Food
Georgians say "a guest is a gift from God". Feasts called supra are led by a toastmaster, polyphonic singing is UNESCO-listed, and wine fermented in clay qvevri jars is also on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. Georgia adopted Christianity in the 4th century.
Try khachapuri (especially the boat-shaped Adjaruli), khinkali dumplings, badrijani (aubergine with walnut), lobio beans, shkmeruli chicken, churchkhela and amber qvevri wine.
❓ Travel Guide to Georgia: FAQ
Do I need a visa for Georgia?
No, citizens of about 95 countries can stay visa-free for up to one year.
Do I need travel insurance for Georgia?
Yes. Since 1 January 2026 all foreign tourists need health insurance with at least 30,000 GEL of cover.
Is Georgia safe to visit?
Generally yes; avoid protests and the occupied regions.
What is the best time to visit Georgia?
May–June and September–October.
How do I eat khinkali?
Hold the top knot, bite a small hole, sip the broth, then eat the rest (not the knot).
Can I visit Abkhazia?
Not legally via Russia; check your government's advice.
What currency does Georgia use?
The Georgian lari (GEL).
How many days do you need in Georgia?
Seven to ten days for Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Kakheti and Svaneti.
📚 Trusted Resources for Your Travel guide to Georgia
- Georgia TravelOfficial tourism portal
- Consular portalVisa and entry rules
- UNESCO: GeorgiaWorld Heritage Sites in Georgia
Finished this travel guide to Georgia? 🌍 More Caucasus and nearby guides: Armenia · Azerbaijan · Turkey · Kazakhstan · Uzbekistan · All of Asia
⚖️ Compare Georgia with other countries in Compare Countries.
🏛️ Planning a bucket list? See the 20 best World Heritage Sites to visit.
Ready to explore Georgia?
Start planning your Tbilisi days, Kazbegi hike and Kakheti wine tour.
Explore more Asia guides → Free travel tools🔖 Bookmark this travel guide to Georgia and check it again before you travel: we update entry rules, prices and hotels regularly.