Travelling around Georgia - questions and answers

We are still travelling around Georgia, even though the trip is coming to an end. The "schedule" has been intense, so we haven't had time to write many reports, but today we are answering questions we have received instead!

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Questions and answers about travelling in Georgia

Travelling in Georgia is above all about insanely beautiful landscapes, high mountains and the wines produced in the country known as the "cradle of wine". Then we happened to book our trip here at the same time as there were elections in the country. The events surrounding the election, and the outcome, have put Georgia in the news, and we have been following the coverage too, of course.

Some of you readers have had questions about this. In addition, we asked on Instagram for questions about travelling in Georgia, and then there were also questions about a lot of other things. We present the questions, and our answers!

# Are you aware of the election and its outcome?

Before the elections, we spoke to several Georgians, all of whom were adamant that they were going to vote, and several told us they hoped for a change. Throughout the trip, we saw many EU flags flying and many Ukrainian flags painted, often next to a Georgian flag. We also spoke to a number of Georgians, and everyone we spoke to expressed a strong desire for peace, deeper engagement with the rest of Europe and membership of the EU.

On election day, we travelled by car across the country, from the wine region of Kakheti to the mountains of Kazbegi. Along the way, we saw many small polling stations where people enthusiastically gathered to vote.

After the elections, we updated ourselves on the situation both through news reports and by talking to people on the ground in Georgia. We have not seen any unrest or otherwise noticed the outcome of the elections, but we have not travelled in Tbilisi after the elections but in smaller towns. The only thing we hear repeated is that Georgians want peace and they want to be part of Europe.

# Is there public transport?

Yes, there is public transport. In the capital, Tbilisi, there are both buses and the metro. Between towns, you can travel by bus or marshrutka-van (shared minibuses). Trains are available on some routes, for example between Tbilisi and Batumi, on the Black Sea. Taxis are available everywhere and in many towns there is also Bolt.

# Is it easy to get to the hiking trails?

Georgia is an amazingly beautiful country, and it can be incredibly nice to hike here. How it looks around the hiking trails can of course vary a bit in the country, and we have especially scouted in Kazbegi and Bordzjomi.

It seems that hiking trails are not always clearly signposted, but often there is a clear path to follow. If you can't find a map, ask at the local tourist office or hotel to find out where the trails start and how long they are.

You can reach the hiking trails by car or by taxi if you are not within walking distance of the hotel. In some resorts there is also Bolt, and sometimes there may be a bus. Roads can sometimes be of poor quality, so this can be useful to bear in mind when planning a car journey.

# How is the food?

The food is good, and interesting because it is different from food in all the countries we Swedes usually go to. Bread and cheese are important ingredients and a typical dish is "khachapuri" - a stuffed bread containing cheese, and sometimes other ingredients such as herbs, beans or eggs.

The menu also often includes plenty of meat and vegetable dishes. Vegetable dishes include 'pkhali' (vegetable stir-fry with spinach or beetroot, for example) and dishes with aubergine or walnuts. Soups, stews and dumplings are also often on the menu.

They like to order dishes together, which they share, and they like to drink wine. We will of course tell you more about the food in the future!

# What is the price situation?

Prices in Georgia are lower than in Sweden, but we have not experienced that everything is cheap. Some things are very affordable while others are more expensive. We have found that taxis, groceries in shops and food in simple eateries are relatively affordable. As an example, we paid 35 kronor for a 15-minute journey with Bolt in Tbilisi.

Some things we have found relatively expensive, such as freshly squeezed pomegranate juice (80 crowns for a large paper cup in an outdoor stand) and wine in restaurants. However, when it comes to the latter, it can be a matter of which restaurant you choose and how you order. One trick is to go where the locals go and order craft wine in an open jug, rather than a bottle.

Fantastic days in Georgia

Now that the trip is coming to an end, we can say that we have had fantastic days in Georgia. The beautiful nature and the dramatic mountains have left their mark, but also the people. Here in Georgia, guests are considered a gift from God and yes, you feel so welcome!

Best this week

Best this week? For us, it is undoubtedly our journey through Georgia. We often travel many hours by car per day and we try to see and experience as much as possible. Incredibly interesting and rewarding!

Your turn! What can you highlight as positive from your week?

The week ahead

Our trip in Georgia is coming to an end, in a few days we will start heading home to Sweden. Here at FREEDOMtravel you can expect more reports about Georgia, now that we have time to write!

Did you miss the last Happy Friday? Read the Greetings from beautiful and exciting Georgia

Top image in the post, photo: Hélène Lundgren

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