Tips for Georgia and Armenia in a short period, please?

[danito1987]

Salam, Բարեւ, გამარჯობა,

I hope you are well

I was wondering if you have any advice to do Georgia and Armenia in a short period, please? I am excited to discover both countries. I will be travelling alone. I have hotels booked in Tbilisi and Kutuasi but I can always modify the reservations if it helps adapt the schedule.

I would be keen to try the local food and learn about the culture and history. I appreciate it is a short period of time but my main interest is to soak in some highlights of Armenia and Georgia but without rushing around, trying to do too much in one day.

Would you have any suggestions, please?

This is my confirmed schedule:

Fri. May 17th - Tbilisi, flight lands at 15:50

Sat. May 18th - TBC (To be confirmed)
Sun. May 19th - TBC
Mon. 20th - TBC
Tues. 21st - TBC
Weds. 22nd - TBC

Thurs. 23rd - Kutaisi to Madrid. Flight departs at 12:20pm

Many thanks,

Dan

[adi]

Shorten Tbilisi and spend a day in Stalin’s home town Gori -- the museum is not to be missed (the fortress out of town to which the cabbies want to take you is).
Also you may want to consider the day before departing overnight in Tskaltubo a spa town unbelievably decaying, that is not too far from Kutaisi.

[Milad]

Mh. IMO, Gori has nothing interesting but the Stalin Museum, which you should absolutely visit if you're interested in Soviet history (not because of its accuracy, but because it's an absurd example of propaganda). If you're not, skip Gori.

Aside from this, I think this is too little time for both countries, so I'd stay in Georgia. If you really want to go to Armenia too, the night train Tbilisi - Yerevan is great because it saves you time (you travel while you sleep).

[Lzh]

Hi,

I agree with Milad, in my opinion, for such a short period, I wouldn´t spend a day in Gori. But also not even a quick visit to the Stalin Musem, which for me was just a couple of rooms with some paintings full of dust. And almost all the info was in russian and georgian, which seems fair but, unfortunately, I couldn´t understand anything. Perhaps I missed "something" but I remember it as a very dissapointing museum.

For the time you have I would stick to Tblisi and Yerevan where you can have a lot of history, most thing to do, the best food and also you can make day or half day trips to visit Mishketa, Rustavi or even Stepantsminda from Tbilisi, and some famous Monasteries (Geghard and Khor Virap), or something similar, from Yerevan.

Fri. May 17th - Tbilisi, flight lands at 15:50 Bus or Night train to Yerevan
Sat. May 18th - Yerevan
Sun. May 19th - Yerevan
Mon. 20th - TBC Tbilisi
Tues. 21st - TBC Tbilisi
Weds. 22nd - TBC Tbilisi
Thurs. 23rd - Kutaisi to Madrid. Flight departs at 12:20pm

Hope you enjoy the trip!

[danito1987]

Much appreciated folks

Do you have any tips on moving between Tblisi and Yerevan? Night train sounds interesting. Is this the link buy tickets ?

https://www.railway.ge/en/traffic-general-schedule/

I'd prefer to avoid flying if possible but I'm aware it's also an option

[Milad]

You can buy tickets for this train with Armenian Railways: https://www.railway.am/

Note that it runs every second night only, except for summer.

[TheNonFlyingDutchman]

I’d also say stick to one country. Even Tbilisi alone is worth a week. But if you want armenia too, also consider a marshrutka to there. It’s half the time and you moght be able to catch one in the morning. Not sure if you’ll really have a ‘proper’ night rest in the nighttrain anyways, also with the border check breaking up your night. For Georgia, you could also make your way to Kutaisi via Gori and a lil detour to Borjomi. Plenty of forests, natural springs and spa. Depends on what you’re in for

[Jonesy]

Visit the 1984 Jazz bar in Tbilisi. I was there last week. Great music and wine.

It's a nice city. I stayed in the Atrium hotel - would throughly recommend. If you go to Batumi, try the Graphic Hotel - again, would highly recommend, lovely staff and rooms. Unfortunately I only spent two days there in total.

Some parts of Tbilisi are a dump. The touristy parts are nice. It's a good city for walking around.

[danito1987]

Awesome, thanks again