Information about Georgia
The Republic of Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It is bounded with Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. To the west it is bounded by the Black Sea.
Georgia is the birthplace of winemaking - Georgians began to make wine 8 thousand years ago and the traditional Georgian method of winemaking in “qvevri” (clay jugs buried in the ground) was included in the list of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind by UNESCO.
Throughout its history Georgia has actively interacted with the countries of Europe and Asia, a large number of architectural and historical monuments of the ancient era and the Middle Ages remained on its territory: churches, fortresses, cave cities.
Three objects are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List of humanity: Gelati Monastery, historical monuments of the ancient capital of Mtskheta, and the Upper Svaneti region. All of them can be seen during a tour around Georgia. The nature of the country is very diverse - there are dense forests, high mountains, fast rivers, a warm sea. There are several ski, balneological and sea resorts in Georgia.
In the fall a period called “rtveli” begins - the grape harvest for a new wine. Like thousands of years ago in Georgia grapes are harvested exclusively by hand. Rtveli begins in the Kakheti region in September and continues in different parts of the country until the end of October. Tourists can also take part in this traditional event while traveling in Georgia. Holidays in Georgia can be combined with a trip to the neighboring countries in the Caucasus - Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Read more about attractions:
The capital of Georgia - Tbilisi
Jvari Monastery and town Mtskheta
Chavchavadze's house-museum in Tsinandali
Bodbe Monastery
Signagi City of Love
Georgian Military Road
Joseph Stalin Museum in Gori
Cave city Uplistsikhe
Resort Borjomi
Cave city-monastery of Vardzia
Ottoman fortress Rabat
Gelati Monastery
Prometheus Cave
Upper Svaneti Region
Batumi seaside resort
Roman fortress Gonio
Batumi Botanical Garden
Bagrat Temple
Martvili Canyon
Makhuntseti Waterfall and Queen Tamar Bridge
-
-
Area: 69,700 sq km
Population: 3.7 million
Capital: Tbilisi
Main religion: Christianity (Georgian Orthodox Church)
Official language: Georgian
Currency: Georgian lari (1 lari = 100 tetri). You can exchange money for GEL at banks and exchange offices. In large cities, they accept credit cards; during excursions to the regions, you need to have cash
Climate: in the west of the country, the climate is subtropical, to the east it turns into temperate. On the coast - mild winters and humid hot summers. In the central part of the country and in the east summers are drier and winters are cooler, in mountainous regions in winter the temperature can drop to -20 degrees Celsius. In ski resorts soft snow cover usually lies from December to April
Time zone: GMT / UTC +4. Georgia does not use daylight saving time
Visa: Georgia has a flexible visa policy. Citizens of most countries can stay on its territory without a visa for a year or 90 calendar days. More information here
Medical insurance: medical insurance is a must for entry to Georgia. Tourists need to pre-arrange in the country of residence medical insurance for those traveling abroad
Import and export of goods: the import and export of foreign currency into Georgia is allowed without restrictions. Upon importation, personal jewelry, goods and personal items with a total weight of up to 100 kg are not taxed. You can import into the country up to 200 pcs. cigarettes, up to 3 liters of wine or up to 10 liters of beer. It is forbidden to import weapons and explosives, drugs and narcotic drugs, pornography and any materials that can offend the political system and moral standards. Items of historical and cultural value are forbidden to be taken out of the country
Features of national cuisine: Georgian cuisine is very bright and rich. Out of habit some dishes may seem too salty or spicy. In Georgian cuisine spices and herbs are actively used. The most famous dishes are khinkali, khachapuri, pork BBQ, and churchkhela (among sweets). Among the drinks - white and red wine, local soft drinks and “Borjomi” mineral water
Tips: in cafes and restaurants the tips are usually included in the bill. It is around 10-18%. In the service and tourism sectors tips are welcome in any size
Electric voltage: 220 volts
Security: Georgia has a low level of domestic crime, in public places it is recommended to follow the traditional rules of personal security. Tap water and drinking fountains in the streets are potable
Culture and customs: when visiting temples men should take off their hats. It is preferable for women to enter the church in skirts and with a head covered (skirts and scarves are freely available at the entrances). It is not recommended to visit religious sites in shorts
-
-
