GEORGIA

TRANSPORT

• TRANSFER TO T’BILISI DIRECTLY FROM THE AIRPORT – GREAT OPTION OF MEANS OF TRANSPORT AND PRICES. WE WAITED FOR THE CARRIAGE SEVERAL DOZEN MINUTES (HOWEVER WE DEMANDED 1 MINIBUS FOR 10 PEOPLE). VERY GOOD OPTION: Georgian Bus, 7 Dadiani str. Karvasla Tel: (+995 32) 243 01 09  Cell: (+995 592) 00 60 63  E-mail: teonabakuridze@gmail.com, FACEBOOK
• IMPORTANT !!!! AT THE AIRPORT THEY ARE GIVING FREE MOBILE STARTERS. AFTER PAYING SMALL AMOUNT AN EXTRA BONUS WAS GET FOR USE. CALLS COSTS THE BUCK. WE TOP UP ONE CARD BY 5 GEL (LARI) AND IT WAS ENOUGH FOR THE WHOLE PERIOD OF STAY. REMEMBER TO TAKE FROM YOUR COUNTRY SOME OLD MOBILES WITHOUT SIM LOCKS …
• ATTENTION AT THE TAKE-OFF: IF YOU HAVE LUGGAGE EXCEEDING THE PERMITTED DIMENSION YOU MUST GO TO THE DESK STANDING ON THE SECOND END OF THE DEPARTURES HALL TO PAY APPROPRIATE FEE. YOU CAN PAY CASH IN LARI (GEL). IT IS POSSIBLE ALSO TO PAY CASH IN € OR US, BUT… THEN THE PAYMENT IS RISING VASTLY BECAUSE THE CONVERSION FACTOR IS VERY DISADVANTAGEOUS. IT IS POSSIBLE ALSO TO PAY EVERYTHING WITH CARD. UNFORTUNATELY CAN NOT CONNECT TWO DIFFERENT FORMS OF PAYMENT. e.g.: YOU GOT 50 GEL IN CASH, AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PAY 80 EXTRA GEL. YOU CANNOT GIVE THESE 50 AND PAY OUTSTANDING 30 BY CARD. YOU MUST COVER EVERYTHING FROM THE CARD (EXTREMALLY BAD CURRENCY RATES)

• TAXI TO LOCATED ENTIRELY OUTSIDE THE CITY THE GELATI ORTHODOX MONASTERY COMPLEX AND THE BAG RATI CATHEDRAL – PRICE INCLUDES  WAITING TIME AT THE FIRST SPOT

• BESO – DRIVER WITH A TEN-PERSON MINIVAN – БЕСО (BESO) PHONE: (00995) 599-27-67-70 KUTAISI – BATUMI

• MINIVAN FROM THE HOTEL IN THE CITY CENTRE TO THE AIRPORT

„… Every 10-15 minutes (or maybe every 30) leaving marshrutka to Tbilis from Mtskheta. Cost 1 Lari p.p., c 30 minutes of the ride. From T’bilisi it is possible to reach this place by minibus from the station Didube (6 underground stations, c 15 min. rides from Freedom Square) 2 times per day from Mtskheta runs the train to Gori; at 7:00 and 17:00, cost 4 Lari p.p. In the tourist information office it is possible to order the minibus in the similar price. Alternatively, someone can take from the Didube station marshrutka (4 Lari) or taxi (5 Lari /p.p. by the set). They are going over an hour…” – QUOTATION FROM GDZIEONA BLOG.

• TOURS: THE SENSATIONAL DRIVER AND THE GUIDE – ZVIAD, MOB: +995555342364; 6 PASSENGERS VW MINIBUS. PRICES NEGOTIATED EARLIER
  ALL-DAY TRIP TO VARDZIA – 200 GEL + 20 TIP + 2 TIMES THE MEAL (WITH US)
• ALL-DAY TRIP TO DAVID GAREJA MONASTERY COMPLEX AND KACHETI – 200 GEL + 20 TIP + 2 TIMES THE MEAL (WITH US)
• 10 HOUR LONG – GEORGIAN MILITARY ROAD – 160 GEL + 20 TIP

220 GEL / 6 p.

180 GEL / 2 p.

ACCOMMODATION

(ALL PRICES PER DOUBLE ROOM WITH BATHROOM OR EN SUITE)

• HOTEL AEETES PALACE – THIS IS RATHER NOT A HOTEL BUT FIRST-CLASS BOARDING HOUSE. ALL REFURBISHED AND CLEAN. VERY GOOD SERVICE. NEAR THE CENTRE, ON THE QUITE BUSY STREET. ROOMS ARE LIKE LUXURY APARTMENTS. HUGE APPROX. 40 m² ROOM DIVIDED WITH THE SOLID WALL UNIT INTO TWO ROOMS – THE LIVING ROOM AND THE BEDROOM. THE LARGE, BRIGHT BATHROOM WITH BATHTUB. HERE IS ALL THAT CAN BE FOUND IN 3+ STARS HOTEL. VERY HIGH PRICE. DOUBLE ROOM SUITE TYPE (THE OTHER DOES NOT EXIST) WITH BREAKFAST

• WALKING BACKSTREETS OF THE UPPER OLD TOWN EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES WE SPOTTING SOME FUNNY SMALL HOTELS AND PLACES OFFERING CHEAPER SLEEPING THAN OUR CHICKENSHIT HOTEL. IF I WILL PAY A VISIT TO T’BILISI AGAIN, I WILL CERTAINLY COME HERE TO SEEK ACCOMMODATION.

• BABILINA HOTEL – THE OLD TOWN. STRANGE POSTURE BUILDING. THIS SUPPOSEDLY 5 STOREY HOTEL, INSIDE MAKES APPEARANCE A VANILLA KIND OF HOSTEL WITH THE PRICE OF THE HOTEL CLASS SUPERIOR … THE VIEW FROM SOME ROOMS WONDERFUL, DEFINITELY MORE BETTER THAN THESE ROOMS. EXORBITANT PRICES GOING THROUGH THE ROOF. THE ENTIRE BUILDING IS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE …
• PLUSES: ONE CAN USE THE OWNER’S PC WITHOUT THE PROBLEM…
• CONS: BREAKFAST FROM 9:00 AM TO 11:00 AM – IF YOU WANT LEAVE EARLIER, GO WITHOUT THE BREAKY … (EATING HERE IS NOT THE MOST INTERESTING, BUT DEFINITELY DECENT)

WORTH SEEING

• OLD TOWN
• THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH
• CATHEDRAL OF THE MOTHER OF GOD – MAIN BATUMI CATHEDRAL
• THE SEASIDE BOULEVARD
• BEACH – NO SAND. EVERYWHERE ONLY PEBBLES

• CHICHKHITURI TOVER
• LAVRA – MAIN MONASTERY OF THE COMPLEX

• TO SEE ANOTHER PART OF THE ROCK CITY ONE NEEDS TO CLIMB NOT VERY STEEPLY SLOPE TO THE VERY TOP OF MOUNT GAREJA. EASY ASCENDING. THE VIEW FROM THE PEAK IS WASHING THE BREATH

• AT THE TOP, ON ARMENIAN SIDE, CAVES FULL OF PARTLY DESTROYED FRESCOS OF THE UDABNO ORTHODOX MONASTERY AND THE SMALL TEMPLE ON THE PEAK. SEVERAL DOZEN METRES FARTHER HERMITAGE DAVID GAREJA – DOLIDZE

• EASY DESCENT. GOING DOWN YOU WILL PASS THE WELL, SO-CALLED „TEARS OF DAVID”

• MUSEUM OF STALIN. ACCORDING TO THE GUIDES IS BORING. WE DIDN’T WANT TO TOUR THIS PLACE IN ORDER TO NOT CONTRIBUTE IN THE FINANCING OF OF GLORIFICATION OF THE BIGGEST GENOCIDER OF THE WORLD. WE MANAGED TO SEE FOR NOTHING REPORTEDLY THE MOST INTERESTING OBJECT – SALOON CAR OF THE SATRAP. BORING

• ANANURI – STRONGHOLD FROM THE TURN OF THE 16^th AND 17^th CENTURY

• HISTORICAL MUSEUM – (18 Pushkini Street, 4600, Kutaisi). SMALL BUT WORTH VISITING

• COLCHIS FOUNTAIN ON THE SQUARE OF THE KING DAVID IV (THE BUILDER)

• GELATI MONASTERY COMPLEX – ON THE LIST OF THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE FROM 1994

• BAGRATI CATHEDRAL – THE CATHEDRAL OF THE DORMITION (1003) – ONE OF THE GREATEST MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE

• UKIMERIONI HILL

• TSMINDA NINO COMPLEX

• SVETITSHOVELI CATHEDRAL 'CATHEDRAL OF THE LIVING PILLAR’

• SAMTAVRO COMPLEX – INCLUDED WALKING TIME FROM THE DISTANT CAR PARK

• JVARI MONASTERY (MONASTERY OF THE CROSS) – WITH THE OWN ACCESS FROM THE COMPLEX a/m

SIGNAGI – ONE OF THE PRETTIEST SMALL TOWNS OF GEORGIA. VERY CLEAN, NEAT; AND, WHAT IS NOT COMMON IN GEORGIA – AFTER SUNSET TEEMING WITH LIFE …

• FORTRESS SURROUNDED BY 2.5 km OF WALL, MANY TOWERS AND A FEW GATES
• BODBE MONASTERY

• ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE (TSMINDA GIORGI)

• SHOTA RUSTAVELI AVENUE – BUILDINGS OF THE GEORGIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SHOTA RUSTAVELI MONUMENT, NATIONAL THEATRE, QASHVETI CHURCH, THE OLD BUILDING OF THE PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA, 9 OF APRIL MONUMENT AND MANY OTHERS

• ANCHISKHATI ORTHODOX CHURCH – 6^th AD

• OLD METEKHI HOTEL

• THE SIONI CATHEDRAL OF THE DORMITION

• JVARIS-MAMA CHURCH

• „NORASHEN” ARMENIAN CHURCH

• KARTLIS DEDA

• THE BRIDGE OF PEACE NICKNAMED THE „ALWAYS ULTRA”

• ABANOTUBANI – OLD BATHhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Trinity_Cathedral_of_Tbilisi

• HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL OF TBILISI – THE BIGGEST SACRED OBJECT OF GEORGIA

• TEMPLE METECHI

• FLEA MARKET DRY BRIDGE

• NARIKALA FORTRESS

• SMALL STREETS OF THE OLD TOWN – T’BILISI CARVED BALCONIES

• THE GREAT SYNAGOGUE (SEPHARDIC)

• MOST INTERESTING PLACES IN TBILISI

• 10 km FROM GORI.  ESTABLISHED IN THE THIRD MILLENNIUM BC THE BIGGEST ROCKY CITY OF GEORGIA. VERY INTERESTING. WORTH SEEING. IN THE SMALL MUSEUM AT THE ENTRANCE AT PRESENT TIME ARE ONLY ANCIENT DRESSES

• KHERTVISI FORTRESS – APPROACH STEEPLY ENOUGH, BUT AVAILABLE FOR AN AVERAGE ACTIVE 65-YEAR-OLD. CLIMBING SLOWLY WE ACHIEVED OUR GOAL IN 10 min.  LARGISH AND INTERESTING RUINS. IT IS WORTHWHILE TAKE THE SLOPE TO THE RIGHT OF FORTRESS AND OUT OF HERE SHOOT SOME COOL PHOTOS.

• COMPLEX OF CAVES – ATTENTION !!! YOU CAN BUY SHIFT TO THE ENTRANCE OF COMPLEX FOR ONE MORE LARI. BELIEVE ME, IT IS NOT WORTHWHILE TIRING TO GO ALONG SWITCHBACKS… THE MAN WILL HAVE SUFFERED FUTILELY, HAVING UP FRONT PLENTY OF TRAIPSINGAT THE TOP AT ENTERING GATE GUIDE SPEAKING ENGLISH – 15 GELTOTAL VISITING TIME INCLUDING BUS TRIP FROM THE CHECKOUT UP TO ENTRANCE MAX 150 min. ADD 30-45 min. IF YOU ARE NOT USING BUS. WATCHING ALL AND SHUTTING EVERYTHING WE DIDN’T GET TOO MUCH TIRED …ORTHODOX MONASTERY FOR SEEING IN UPPER VARDZIA LOCATED ABOUT 6 km AWAY. WE PASSED c. 4 km … AND STOPPED ON THE PADLOCKED GATE.

• 10 HOURS – GEORGIAN MILITARY ROAD – 160 GEL + 20 GEL TIP
• ALL-DAY TO VARDZIA – 200 GEL + 20 GEL TIP + 2 TIMES THE MEAL WITH US
• ALL-DAY TO DAVID GAREJA MONASTERY COMPLEX AND TO KAKHETI – 200 GEL + 20 GEL TIP + 2 TIMES THE MEAL WITH US

FOOD

• THE QUIET WOMAN PUB IN BATUMI PLAZZA – SPLENDID COFFEE, COOKIES, BEER. SUPERB PLACE

• ROADSIDE EATERY BY BORJOMI – TRULY GEORGIAN BREAKFAST. CHACZAPURI WITH CHEESE, AUBERGINES WITH THE NUT SAUCE, CHACHA AND VERY COLD BEER

• „RVELI RESTAURANT ” (41.8698 GPS, 43.4179).  c. 20 min. FROM THE CENTRE OF BORJOMI ON THE RIGHT, GOING TOWARDS GORI. SOME LITTLE ONES FISHES – NOTHING SPECIAL. DELICIOUS LOCAL SALADS, THE MEAT A BIT TOO TOUGH. MUTTON OK. GENERALLY RECOMMENDABLE PLACE

• კაჭრეთის ჩემპიონი RESTAURANT (KACHRETI CHAMPION). GPS: 41.6347, 45.6862; ADDRESS: VILLAGE KAKHRETI Tel: (+995 5 98) 14 54 59 – FANTASTIC PLACE WITH GEORGIAN DELICACIES – MEAT, DUMPLINGS OF DIFFERENT KIND, BREAD STRAIGHT FROM THE STOVE, VEGETABLES, CHEESES etc. DRINKS: WATER, THE REGIONAL WINE, BEER AND CHACHA. CONSIDERING THE TASTE IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST INTERESTING PLACE IN WHICH WE ATE DURING OUR TRIP TO GEORGIA. LOCATED ON A ROUTE S5 GOING FROM T’BILISI ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, AT THE KACHRETI RAILWAY STATION LEVEL, 10.7 km BEFORE THE SIGHNAGHI ZIP.

• CAFE-RENNES

• KUTAISI’S „MIRZAANI” IS SITUATED ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER RIONI. UNINTERESTING INTERIOR. YOU CAN EAT AT THE LARGE, NICE TERRACE. DEFINITELY MORE BETTER SERVICE THEN THE ONE IN THE CAPITAL CITY. DISHES ONLY OK. HOWEVER, IF SOMEBODY ISN’T AFRAID TO EAT THE NEATLY SERVED UNKNOWN DISHES, I THINK THAT THIS RESTAURANT NETWORK IS GUARANTEEING THE MORE INTERESTING AND DEFINITELY MORE BETTER MENU THAN McSHIT IS SERVING AT SIMILAR PRICES

• AEETES PALACE HOTEL – VERY COOL BREAKFAST – TOMATOES, CUCUMBERS, EGGS, A FEW TYPES OF CHEESE, SAUSAGES, EXCELLENT GEORGIAN BREAD, FRESH FRUITS, JAM, JUICES, WATER, TEA, COFFEE. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

• EXCELLENT RESTAURANT (NEAR THE COLCHIS FOUNTAIN). EVERYTHING DINED HERE WAS REALLY VERY GOOD. LITTLE LAMB AND THE PORK KEBABS, CHICKEN, A FEW TYPES OF THE GEORGIAN BREAD, SALADS, DIFFERENT DUMPLING. THERE WAS NO WINE, BUT THE OWNER IMMEDIATELY SUGGESTED THAT WE BOUGHT IT IN THE GROCERY STORE BESIDE. RESTAURANT „DOWN TOWN”? (ძველი ქალაქური) KUTAISI, TAMARAS MEPE # 41 (PROBABLY) BESIDE EXPRESS EXCHANGE INTEL. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE

• A FEW ROADSIDE BARS RIGHT BEHIND THE RIKOTI TUNNEL. IN ONE ON THE LEFT GREAT EGGPLANT WITH THE NUTTY SAUCE, KHACHAPURI WITH CHEESE AND BREAD. IT WASN’T PERHAPS VERY CHEAP BUT ACCEPTABLE AND VERY GOOD …

• SMALL, STONE BUILT PUB TO THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD. THE COFFEE SO-SO. THEY CHARGE DOUBLE FOR EVERYTHING. ATTENTION !!! DEFINITELY AVOID THIS PLACE … (ხალხური სახლი (KHALKHURI SAKHLI) 41.722965 GPS °, 45.337936 °)

• PASTORALI RESTAURANT

• CAFÉ GABRIADZE BESIDES THE PUPPET THEATRE – VERY GOOD RESTAURANT. EXCELLENT PLACE FOR THE ROMANTIC DATE. NICE FOOD. EXPENSIVE

• MIRZAANI RESTAURANT LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT BY THE VAKHTANG GORGASALI SQUARE. CHAIN GEORGIAN RESTAURANT-BREWERY (4 IN T’BILISI). VERY STYLISH DECOR. DELICIOUS BEER. GOOD FOOD. SERVICE TRAGICALLY SLOW. NOT REALLY LOW PRICES

• RESTAURANT ALANI IS LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT OF THE CORNER BUILDING, WHOSE FACADE OVERLOOKS THE RIVER. RIGHT NEXT TO HISTORIC BATHS OF THE ABANOTUBANI DISTRICT. FANTASTIC.
  QUITE DIFFICULT TO GET HERE BECAUSE THE PLACE DOESN’T HAVE A STRIKING ADVERTISING. YOU HAVE TO GO DOWN THE STAIRS TO REACH THE RUSTIC, CLIMATIC PLACE LOOKING LIKE THE CAVE. TO CHOOSE FROM QUITE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OSSETIAN AND GEORGIAN DISHES. GREAT BREAD, DIFFERENT KIND OF DUMPLINGS, SALADS AND THE MEAT (LARGE SELECTION). SPLENDID BEER AND CHACHA. THE WINE WAS ALL RIGHT BUT NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT. A BIT SLOW SERVICE. LOUD MUSIC. YOU CAN DANCE AND AND SOME ARE DOING IT. PRICES OK. VALUE FOR MONEY VERY GOOD. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. T’bilisi, 1 Gorgasali Sr., Tel: 272 16 28

• OASIS CLUB BAR -RESTAURANT – HOTEL – IT’S A CLASSIC PLACE. PROPERTY OF THE YOUNG POLISH COUPLE. DELICIOUS CHACHA

SAMPLE PRICES

• KUTAISI’S MIRZAANI – DELICIOUS BEEF BRAINS IN A CLAY BOWL

• EXCELLENT RESTAURANT (NEAR COLCHIS FOUNTAIN). RESTAURANT „OLD TOWN”? (ძველი ქალაქური) Kutaisi, Tamar Mepe # 41 (PROBABLY) NEXT TO INTEL EXPRESS EXCHANGE

• PASTORALI RESTAURANT – DINNER

• CABLE-CAR (IT IS POSSIBLE TO BUY THE RETURNABLE PASS FOR 2 € PER PERSON. THE REFUND IS TAKING PLACE ONLY IF YOU PROVIDE THE RECEIPT OF THE PURCHASE IN THE MOMENT OF THE RETURN)

• CAFÉ GABRIADZE – BOTTLE OF BEER, THREE GLASSES OF WINE, SMALL PORK SHISH KEBAB AND RATHER SMALL PORTION OF THE SEMICHKI LAMB. EXPENSIVE

• SMALL NEWSPAPER CONE OF SHELLED SUNFLOWER SEEDS

• MIRZAANI’S BY THE VAKHTANGA GORGASALI SQUARE. CHAIN GEORGIAN RESTAURANT – BREWERY (4 IN T’BILISI).  TYPE OF SOUP WITH BEANS IN THE CLAY POT. PRICE FROM JULY 2016 4.3 GEL

SOME COOL LINKS