Things to do in Georgia

25 things to do in Georgia

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Wander the Old Town of Tbilisi and climb to Narikala Fortress

  Get lost in cobblestone alleys lined with wooden balconied houses, then take the cable car up to the ancient Narikala Fortress for panoramic views over the capital and the Mtkvari River.

  Tbilisi

• Soak in the sulphur baths of Abanotubani

  Indulge in a traditional hot sulphur bath in Tbilisi's domed bath district, a ritual dating back centuries, with private or public pools in a steamy, mosaic-tiled underground setting.

  Tbilisi

• Hike from Mestia to Ushguli in Svaneti

  Trek the iconic four-day trail between medieval stone towers, crossing emerald valleys and blooming alpine meadows under the shadow of Mount Ushba and Shkhara glaciers.

  Svaneti

• Visit the Gergeti Trinity Church under Mount Kazbek

  Hike or drive to the 14th-century stone church set dramatically at 2,170 metres against the icy peak of Kazbek, a symbol of Georgia's Orthodox faith and mountain majesty.

  Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)

• Savour khachapuri at a traditional bakery in Tbilisi

  Bite into a boat-shaped Adjaruli khachapuri oozing with hot cheese, butter and a runny egg yolk, straight from the brick oven in a backstreet bakery in the capital.

  Tbilisi

• Taste natural wines in the Kakheti wine region with a supra feast

  Sample amber qvevri wines in their birthplace at a family-run marani, followed by a traditional Georgian supra with toasts, singing and plates of mtsvadi and churchkhela.

  Kakheti (Signagi / Telavi area)

• Explore the cave city of Vardzia

  Descend into a 12th-century labyrinth of rock-carved churches, tunnels and monks' cells stretching thirteen levels, built into the sheer cliff of Erusheti Mountain.

  Samtskhe-Javakheti

• Stroll along Batumi Boulevard and see the Ali & Nino statue

  Walk palm-lined seaside promenade of Georgia's Black Sea resort, past contemporary art, dancing fountains, and the moving steel sculpture of lovers that merge nightly.

  Batumi, Adjara

• Ride the Kintrishi Protected Areas' hidden gorges in Adjara

  Drive a 4x4 into lush rainforest gorges, crossing wooden bridges to discover ancient arched bridges and waterfalls, far from the tourist trail in the Lesser Caucasus.

  Adjara

• Marvel at the Katskhi Pillar

  Gaze up at a solitary limestone monolith topped by a tiny church where a devout monk once lived in extreme asceticism, reachable now only by ladder and faith.

  Imereti, near Chiatura

• Discover the Stalin Museum in Gori

  Enter the bizarre birthplace of Joseph Stalin, with his original wooden hut preserved under a classical temple, and a surreal museum of personal artifacts and a private train carriage.

  Gori, Shida Kartli

• Hike to the Chalaadi Glacier from Mestia

  Walk a scenic trail through pine forests and rocky moraine to the foot of a blue-tongued glacier spilling off the highest peak in Svaneti, an easy half-day adventure.

  Svaneti

• Witness the gold mosaics of Gelati Monastery

  Stand beneath the luminous 12th-century apse mosaic of the Virgin and Child in this UNESCO-listed monastery founded by King David the Builder, a masterpiece of Georgian medieval art.

  Imereti, near Kutaisi

• Ski Europe's cheapest powder at Gudauri

  Carve wide open off-piste runs above the treeline with Caucasus views, then après-ski in a slope-side hot tub, all at a fraction of Alpine prices.

  Gudauri, Mtskheta-Mtianeti

• Take a dip in the Black Sea and discover Batumi Botanical Garden

  Swim off a pebbly beach in subtropical Batumi, then climb hillside paths in the vast botanical garden where tea bushes, bamboo groves and colossal eucalyptus trees face the sea.

  Batumi, Adjara

• Do a craft beer crawl in Tbilisi's Fabrika district

  Rustic courtyards and repurposed Soviet sewing factories now house hip microbreweries, converting locals and travellers into craft beer aficionados with Georgian hops and creative brews.

  Tbilisi

• Raft the Rioni River through the Martvili Canyon

  Paddle emerald rapids between mossy limestone walls while waterfalls cascade into the river from the sub-tropical forest above an ancient Colchis kingdom landscape.

  Samegrelo, Martvili

• Discover the rainbow-colored mountains of Upper Svaneti from Koruldi Lakes

  Hike high above Mestia to a chain of glacial lakes reflecting the Ushba massif; in summer, alpine flowers paint meadows pink and purple under a permanently snowy skyline.

  Svaneti

• Attend a performance at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre

  Enter the lavish Moorish Revival auditorium with its delicate blue and gold stucco, for an evening of Verdi or a Georgian national ballet in an Eastern architectural gem.

  Tbilisi

• Explore the dinosaur footprints of Sataplia Nature Reserve

  Walk a glass-bottomed platform over a karst cave and see perfectly preserved dinosaur tracks in limestone, a journey back 165 million years above the treetops of the Imereti region.

  Kutaisi, Imereti

• Shop for antiques and Soviet memorabilia at the Dry Bridge Market

  Browse open-air stalls piled high with enamel medals, samovars, old maps and hand-painted icons at Tbilisi's most atmospheric flea market, where bargaining is a performance.

  Tbilisi

• Climb to the ruins of Queen Tamar's Castle on the Georgian Military Highway

  Scramble to a clifftop fortress ruin associated with Georgia's legendary queen, with the foam-white Aragvi River roaring far below and eagles circling the gorge walls.

  Mtskheta-Mtianeti

• Cook churchkhela and khinkali with a family in Racha

  Join a local home in the highland region of Racha to roll thin dough for huge juicy meat dumplings, then string walnuts on a thread to dip into thickened grape juice for the iconic sweet.

  Racha (Ambrolauri area)

• Photograph the ancient stone towers of Shatili in Khevsureti

  Drive the perilous dirt road to a fortified village of sixty interconnected defensive towers fused into the mountainside, a breathtaking specimen of medieval mountain architecture.

  Khevsureti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti

• Walk the cobbles and secret courtyards of Signagi, the city of love

  Stroll the romantic hilltop town's 18th-century fortified walls with Alazani Valley and Caucasus views, where a 24/7 wedding house makes it a hotspot for spontaneous elopements.

  Kakheti, Signagi