Here’s something about me – I am a bit of a solo traveller. I like to travel all by myself, it’s just my thing. Earlier this year in April, I had taken a solo trip across Eastern Europe (more about this trip in the next blog, I promise). This was my first solo trip after my daughter Jo (now 4.5 years old) was born, and of course, after the pandemic; so, this was a new experience for me. Out of the 10 days I spent on this trip, I was miserable for the first three. So many thoughts would cross my mind every day – “Why was I doing this alone?”, “I would have loved to see the world with Jo”...”oh, this café is so cute, Jo would have loved it here!” I eventually got out of my misery and saw why I needed this solo travel so much. It helped me reconnect with myself, and I had a blast the rest of the days on my trip. But something did change in me. I now wanted to bring Jo on my adventures. I wanted us to see the world together. So, a few months down the line, as my husband was leaving for a 25-day-long trek in Nepal, I found the perfect opportunity to plan a trip for Jo and myself.
No matter how many solo trips I have done, I was a bit hesitant at first to do a trip alone with a toddler. It was daunting venturing out of the country on my own with a kid. Nonetheless, I started my search for the perfect destination for my trip with Jo – I wanted to choose a country that is not too far, is safe, economical and would grant a visa quickly. Since a bunch of people I know had recently visited Georgia, it became my first choice. Although initially, I was a bit discouraged as a few people had told me that Georgia is not really a kid-friendly country vs. maybe a Singapore. There’s a lot of walking involved, and it is known for its wine and nightlife. Now, my kid HATES to walk. She needs to be lifted all the time and refuses to walk more than a few steps. Anyhow, looking at pictures of Georgia’s beauty, I took that leap of faith and booked my tickets to Georgia. Georgia is a mountainous country situated between Europe and Asia, although Georgians prefer to identify as Europeans. It was Indigo has direct 5-hour-long direct flights to and from Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. The timings are a bit inconvenient, especially with a kid, since the flight lands in Tbilisi after midnight and the only return (direct) flight is an overnight flight. And given that one has to go through immigration and luggage collection at the airport, Jo was supremely cranky both times.
Visa: The visa process is easy – Georgia has an e-visa option for Indians, and it takes about 5 working days for the visa to arrive. The visa fee is about INR 4,000 in total. But make sure all your paperwork is in place and you have enough money in your bank account. Flight can be cheap if you book well in advance (ranging between INR 28,000 and INR 40,000 for a return flight)
Weather: We went to Georgia in mid-September. It was chillier than I expected although nice and sunny on the last days. So, make sure to carry light woollens along with your cute dresses or a jacket.
Itinerary: Jo and I were in Georgia for 7 days. We could have planned 3 regions in these 7 days, as suggested by some travel blogs, including Tbilisi (the capital), Kakheti (the wine region), and Kazbegi (the mountain region). I could have also planned Tbilisi and Batumi. Batumi is the second largest city in Georgia and is known to be kid-friendly since it has a dolphin aquarium and other fun stuff. It is 5-6 hours by train from Tbilisi, but the train needs to be booked well in advance. However, I did not want to rush through cities and wanted to take it slow with a toddler. So, I chose to visit only Tbilisi and the Kakheti region.
Stay and budget: I like to identify as a budget traveller when on solo international trips – staying in hostels or BNBs, walking for the most part or taking public transport, and eating two meals a day. This trip needed to be planned differently. I spent on nice hotels and travelled by cabs. Georgia is, thankfully, pretty pocket-friendly. 1 Lari (Georgian currency) is about INR 30 and the rates are the same as in India. Cabs are even cheaper. It did not burn a hole in my pocket. You can convert your USDs to Lari in Georgia itself as I did not find any options to convert INR to Lari (GEL) in India. For cabs, you can download BOLT or Yandex app. All in all, it cost me INR 2.5 Lakhs for an 8-day trip. I admit though, it could have been cheaper if my planning was better.
Food: The culinary landscape of Georgia bears the imprint of various external influences. Try the soups, stews, the meat dishes, Khachapuri, Kinkhali and the cheese platters. Vegetarians will not have a hard time in Georgia, unlike some European countries.
Visit Georgia for its hospitality, culture, wine and wineries, picture-perfect (or as they say Instagrammable) sceneries, fewer crowds, and a budget-friendly trip.
Tbilisi
What a romantic, splendid city! Georgia reminds me of Europe from 10 years ago. When it was commercial but still empty and not crazy. Now all we see in most of Europe is tourists. I honestly cannot even differentiate between the locals and the tourists and one of the reasons I love visiting different countries is to experience local culture. In Tbilisi, some places were so empty that at one point Jo just kept asking me, “Where are all the people?” In India, she isn’t used to seeing empty roads. The cobblestone lanes, the river running through the city, the cute cafes, the hilly terrain, and the views from the fortress make Tbilisi the perfect Asian-European town (reminded me of Turkey a little bit).
I was staying in the nice part of town – the heritage city, known as the old town. I booked my stay at Hotel Ambassadori, a few hundred metres from Freedom Square. I loved the hotel. The rooms were spacious and nice, the buffet breakfast was great (even wine was included), and it had a casino (that bit was useless for me). Most of the sites to see were within walking distance. Our first day in Tbilisi was the best. Jo was super excited. She was absolutely enjoying the vibe, the European weather, and the empty lanes. Ahhhh…the empty lanes! Also, to my utter surprise, Jo walked 16,000 steps that day. She was as excited as me to explore this new country, which she was loving every bit of.
We spent 3 days exploring Tbilisi and the surrounding areas. There is quite a lot to see in Tbilisi with only a few tourists, and if you’re not in the mood to be adventurous, just sit back and relax in one of the cute and cosy cafes. The old town itself has a lot to offer – take a cable car or the stairs (we did both) to the Narikala Fortress, walk through the Bridge of Peace, take a hot air balloon ride at Rike Park, enjoy the view of the Liberty Square (Freedom Square), and you may also visit the known cathedrals and basilicas. If you are with kids (or not), I would recommend a visit to the botanical garden. It is a massive forested area and is beautifully maintained. The walk down from the exit of the garden to the main street is fun, with street vendors inviting you to try their wine ice cream. Boating in the Kura River that flows through Tbilisi was a highlight of Jo’s trip. Do visit the huge Flea Market by Dry Bridge for some cheap trinkets and vintage items.
On my third day in Tbilisi, I took a day trip to the neighbouring village of Mtskheta. It is about 40 minutes from Tbilisi by cab, and it cost me INR 2700. You can also take a minibus from Didube metro station, which is a lot cheaper and costs 1 GEL (INR 30) per person. Mtskheta is a tiny, ancient town. You will fall in love with its old-world charm, cobbled-stone streets, warm and welcoming restaurants, churches, and monasteries. The village is situated by a river, overlooks the mountains and is perfect for a day of laid-back exploring while gorging on doughnuts. Visit the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Jvari Monastery, and the Museum of Mtskheta. Do remember to dress conservatively while visiting the holy places in Georgia.
On our fourth day, we set off on a 2.5-hour road trip to the Kakheti region, let’s call it the wine heaven. We were there for 3 days and 2 nights. Kakheti region has two main towns to explore – Telavi, the capital of Kakheti, and Singhnagi, a quaint little hill town. I chose to stay in Telavi, while doing a day trip to Sighnaghi before going back to Tbilisi on the third day.
Telavi is a bustling but small town with a few local markets and nice restaurants. I stayed at Holiday Inn, which is a decent hotel in the heart of the city. The room had a balcony overlooking the Fortress and even though it was a busy street, nights were peaceful and quiet. The views of the mountains from their restaurant situated on the fifth floor were splendid. But….the highlight of the city was its wineries. Georgia is the OG wine country – where, as per locals, every household has its own wine cellar. Commercial wineries came up much later, and the best one to visit is the Shumi Winery in the Tsinandali village. It is a 20-minute drive from the main town, and you’ll be charged between 10-15 GEL for a one-way taxi ride. As you enter the winery, you’ll walk past the beautiful vineyards. A 30-minute tour of the winery, including the wine cellars, costs 10 GEL. You can then sit and relax in their garden restaurant and order from a variety of wine tastings and food. Jo and I spent 3-4 hours just chilling there. It was the perfect sunny weather and Jo spent her time playing around the beautiful garden compound. We then walked (through a very busy highway) a few hundred metres to the Tsinandali Estate. Tsinandali Estate is a huge palace and historic winery estate, which once belonged to the 19th-century aristocratic poet Alexander Chavchavadze. You can stroll the grounds, wine and dine, and visit the palace museum. It is a Radisson property (apparently the best Radisson property) so you can plan to stay there as well.
The next day we visited a small Family Winery ‘Rostomaant Marani’. I called and reserved a wine tour. The owner of the winery was a wonderful lady, who gave me a tour of the wine cellar and spent time with me while I sat in the cosy wine-tasting area, getting tipsy on some amazing wines and cheese selections. Jo had a great time trying out their jams and breads. They also do Khinkali-making classes with bigger groups.
On our third day, Jo and I were picked up by our taxi to visit the picturesque hill town of Sighnaghi before returning to Tbilisi. Sighnaghi is a 50-minute drive from Telavi. It is the perfect little town to take a stroll and enjoy the views. I wouldn’t recommend buying anything here as the prices are higher, as it is a touristy sport. Jo and I walked around for a bit before having lunch at a family-run winery and restaurant ‘Okro Wine Restaurant & Cellar’. I miss the amount of wine I had in Georgia with all my meals (obviously within safe limits as I had a kid with me). The restaurant offered beautiful views of the entire town. It was nice and breezy and pleasantly peaceful. After our lunch, we visited the Bodbe’s St. Nino’s Cathedral. The highlight of the cathedral was its beautiful Heidi-like Gardens, where Jo rolled around on the grass while I basked in the sun. After an hour or so, we reluctantly headed back for Tbilisi. It was a 1.5-hour drive back.
We were in Tbilisi for another night and a full day. This time we stayed bang in the middle of the Freedom Square at Courtyard By Marriott. It was an average hotel and nothing like our previous hotel in Tbilisi. We were joined by some of my extended family that was visiting for the upcoming week. And then the rest of the time was all about visiting fancy restaurants and spending time with the family.
I would say Georgia was one of the best countries I have visited in a long time. Maybe it was the weather, the wine, the beautiful people, the lack of too many tourists, or maybe I am just biased because this was a very special trip for me with my daughter, we both had the most memorable time in the country. Jo was the best travel partner one could ask for. She loved to explore all the places with me, eat the local food, and enjoy the scenery. She was a super easy child and I, too, followed her lead. If she was tired, we would rest and if she wanted to call it a day at 7 pm, we would do that and order in. The memory of this trip is etched on my mind forever and I hope to have more adventures with Jo very soon.