Sakartvelo (resp. of Georgia)

If you are thinking how to plan a vacation and where better to go, we recommend to pay attention to Georgia. Georgia is a small mountainous country with beautiful exotic species, rich flora and fauna, hospitable people, known for its winery.

Here you can find rest for every taste. You can go to the mountains and take a break from the stuffy cities and civilization. You can go to the seaside to sunbathe and swim. You can discover the secrets of Georgian winery, or go along with the shepherds to a pasture where huge flocks graze. You can go skiing. In the end, you can find a nightclub and discharge in the dance.

Georgia is a country of great opportunities for travelers, but let’s take it in order.

What you need to know about Georgia

Georgia is a republic headed by the president. The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi.

In Georgia, freedom of religion is guaranteed by law, with the overwhelming majority of Georgian believers being Christians.

Georgia is in the UTC + 4 time zone. In other words, the time in Georgia is 1 hour ahead of Moscow.

We also recommend reading about documents for a trip to Georgia.

Where is Georgia located?

Georgia is located on the Black Sea coast. From the northern side, Georgia borders with Russia, from the southern side with Turkey and Armenia, and from the eastern side with Azerbaijan.
You can fly an airplane, drive to Georgia or even take a ferry.

Language in Georgia

The official language in Georgia is Georgian. The Georgian alphabet contains 33 letters that have a unique outline unlike European or Asian characters and hieroglyphs.

Almost all of the local population understands Russian and speaks it quite well. In most cases, and with communication in English will not be problems.

In the capital, in the seaside resorts of Georgia and even in the mountains of Lechkhumi, you can easily find people who speak Russian.

What is the climate in Georgia?

The climate in Georgia is very sharp, after spending some time in Georgia, you will notice that the character of people is very similar to the climate.

Briefly, the climate of Georgia can be described with the phrase “To the full extent”. If summer is hot, then the sun is frying so that you can feel in a huge stove. If it rains, it often pours out of the bucket, and the shower can last only an hour or even half an hour, but it will pour from the heart.

Georgia is unique in the winter. If you look at nature through the eyes of a photographer, then you will not see such colors anywhere else. The weather here can also bring a surprise, for example, if you go from Kutaisi to Tsageri in the winter, then at the beginning of the way you will be green and everything will bloom, and after 40 km everything will be knee-deep in snow. Leaving as a rule, it is difficult to believe that in an hour of driving a real snowy winter will come.

IMPORTANT! If you are going to Georgia in spring or autumn, be sure to keep in mind that at this time of the year the sun is already hot in summer, but at night it is very cool and you need to dress warmly so as not to catch a cold. The temperature difference can be quite significant.

What is the currency in Georgia?

The national currency in Georgia is Georgian lari. The small coin is “tetri”. As in many currencies, 1 GEL = 100 tetri.

What currency is better to go to Georgia?

In Georgia, you can easily exchange almost any convertible currency, but the most common are: the US dollar, the euro and the Russian ruble. Less often in exchange you can get the English pound.

In the bank, the choice of currencies will be wider, but usually less favorable rate.

IMPORTANT! When exchanging currency, be sure to count money on the spot. It is advisable to count everything on a calculator, and then count the money in full view of the operator. By law, exchange offices are required to have a video recording of what is happening in the exchanger. In which case you may request to play the recording. However, it should be borne in mind that such a record does not always have a good resolution and the merits of exchanged bills may not be discernible.

Almost everywhere VISA and MasterCard bank cards are accepted (for reference: Card type can be viewed directly on the card). The number of terminals accepting cards in the MIR payment system is still extremely small.

How long does it take to fly to Georgia?

The flight from Moscow to Georgia takes 2 hours and 10 minutes. During this time, you manage to take off, eat a sandwich, meet a neighbor, land and say goodbye.

From Kiev to Tbilisi flight will take 2 hours and 45 minutes.

It will take 3 hours from Minsk to Tbilisi.

Is there internet in Georgia?

Yes, the Internet is there and a lot of it. Almost every cafe you can find WiFi. The presence of WiFi in hotels is better to specify in advance, but today it has already become a standard.

Traveling, you can use the mobile Internet. 4th generation (LTE) cellular networks are deployed in Georgia and high-speed mobile Internet is available in most places. High in the mountains, the speed may be lower, but the Internet is usually still there.

Read more in the article about Communication in Georgia.