Project Georgia & Armenia

I believe that we should all try and make our travels as easy as they can get. I don’t mean to ruin the fun and intrepidness of your journey, only to help you better plan and organise your travels (both time-wise and money-wise), so that you don’t miss out on the attractions that you are dying to see! :-)

Here are some important details of my last trip, October 20^th – October 30^th 2012.

Project Georgia & Armenia:

• Day 1:

-          18:30 – 19:30 (Italian time): flight from Bucharest Otopeni to Rome Fiumicino

-          22:10 (Italian time) – 04:10 (Georgian time): flight from Rome Fiumicino to Tbilisi

• Day 2:

-          Trains from/to the airport start running at 8:00; buses from/to the airport start running at 7:00 >> cab to the train station: GEL 35

-          08:00 – 12:45 Train from Tbilisi to Batumi (Makhindjauri): GEL 24 [Be sure to book online, as it can get pretty crowded even at the end of October, which is still high season, and be prepared for delays.]

-          Local marshrutka ride to Batumi centre: GEL 0.50

-          18:00 – 21:00 Marshrutka to Zugdidi [from Maiakovski Bus Station]: GEL 12 [The last marshrutka to Zugdidi leaves at 18:00.]

-          Accommodation in Zugdidi, Hostel Zugdidi: GEL 25/person, private room [I do not recommend it, so try and find some other place to stay.]

• Day 3:

-          Ask the manager of the place you are staying in to book the marshrutka to Mestia, so that it comes and picks you up in the morning.

-          07:30 – 12:00 Marshrutka to Mestia: GEL 20 [This bus ride to Mestia could take less; it really depends on the driver and on how frequent his breaks are. Word of advice: try not to eat food from dubious restaurants found along the way to and from Mestia. I got food poisoning.]

-          Accommodation in Mestia + small lunch + dinner + breakfast [also suited for vegetarians], Nino Ratiani Homestay: GEL 40/person

-          Vehicle ride to Ushguli (5-6 hours): GEL 180/car

• Day 4:

-          Ask the manager of the place you are staying in to book the marshrutka to Gori (Tbilisi), so that it comes and picks you up in the morning.

-          04:30 – 13:30 Marshrutka to Gori: GEL 30 [Expect long breaks and difficult-to-handle smells.]

-          Accommodation in Gori /I left everything as I wrote it down in 2012, even the pictures lack because it was my first blog post; you can surely find better accommodation now; also, many things may have changed in terms of travel times and opportunities; 15.03.2026/, Hotel Victoria: GEL 40

-          Stalin Museum (32 Stalin  Ave., opening hours (Monday-Sunday): 10-17): GEL 10 + GEL 5 (for Stalin’s private train car) [Students: GEL 10, Stalin’s private train car included]  

-          Taxi ride to Uplistsikhe (return to Gori): GEL 30/car

-          Uplistsikhe (opening hours (Tuesday-Sunday): 10-18); if you manage to get in before 18:00, you may stay for as long as you like): GEL 3 [Students: GEL 1]

• Day 5:

-          Ask the receptionist of your hotel to book you on a shared taxi to Tbilisi.

-          08:30 – 09:30 Shared taxi to Tbilisi: GEL 5

-          Buy a metro card (GEL 2) and charge it with money worth at least 2 trips (GEL 0.50 each); take the metro to Samgori Bus Station.

-          11:00 – 12:30 Marshrutka to Sighnaghi: GEL 6

-          For the wall, take the cobbled road down to Tsnori, enter through the tower at the arch. [There is an old man on a street parallel with this road charging you only to climb up a tower; it’s not worth it, you will find several towers on the way to Tsnori.]

-          Book in advance a wine tasting at Pheasant’s Tears (18, Baratashvili Street), Pheasant’s Flight (4 wines): GEL 18 [The food is also delicious here and not so oily as in other parts of Georgia; they also have many vegetarian and vegan dishes. You may try eggplant with takhini & mushroom rice biryani with Georgian herbs and saffron, you will not regret it.]

-          16:00 – 17:30 Marshrutka to Tbilisi: GEL 6

-          Warning! Trains to Yerevan run on odd days, trains from Yerevan run on even days. Marshrutkas to Yerevan start running from 07:30 and until 17:30 [07:30; 08:15; 09:45; 10:30, etc.) from ‘Ortachala’ Bus Station.

-          Accommodation in Tbilisi, Walker Hostel: GEL 30/person, private room

• Day 6:

-          Ask the manager of the place you are staying in to call for a cab [you should pay between GEL 3-6/car from the centre of Tbilisi to ‘Ortachala’ Bus Station].

-          07:30 – 13:30 Marshrutka to Yerevan: GEL 30

-          Armenian Visa (if applicable): AMD 8000 (approx. USD 8) [Bring USD 10 with you, but don’t expect any change. :-)]

-          Accommodation in Yerevan, Grammy Hostel: AMD 7000/person, private room, breakfast included

-          Taxi from Grammy Hostel to the Blue Mosque: AMD 600/car

-          Blue Mosque (Mashtots Avenue, opening hours: 10-18): AMD 300 [Have change on you and expect to wait if you arrive during prayer times.]

-          Book ahead by phone (+37410540000) a tasting tour at Ararat Brandy Company (2, Admiral Isakov Avenue): AMD 3500

-          Taxi ride to Geghard Monastery and Garni Temple: AMD 10000/car [Make sure you arrive before closing time (18:00) to Geghard!!]

-          Garni Temple (open until 19:00): AMD 250     

• Day 7:

-          Ask the manager or the receptionist of the place you are staying in to book you on a shared taxi to Goris (there are also marshrutkas leaving to Goris between 07:00 and 9:00 every day; cost: AMD 3000). [Expect delays, low speed, many breaks along the way.]

-          9:30 – 15:00 Shared taxi to Goris: AMD 4000 [You may probably find it also for AMD 3500; expect to be charged a different price from local travellers.]

-          Taxi from Goris to Wings of Tatev (opening times: 10-18): AMD 3000/car

-          Return ticket for the longest cable car ride in the world (a must!!): AMD 4000

-          Have lunch or dinner at Wings of Tatev Restaurant. I highly recommend the traditional omelette, the salads, and the Zhingyal Bread.

-          Warning! The last marshrutka to Yerevan (Yeghegnadzor) leaves Goris at 17:00. You are very isolated at Wings of Tatev, so be cautious.

-          Accommodation in Yeghegnadzor, Hotel Arpa: AMD 9000/person, breakfast included

• Day 8:

-          Ask the manager or receptionist of the place you are staying in to call a taxi for you to get around Yeghegnadzor.

-          Taxi to Areni and Noravank Monastery (return to Yeghegnadzor): AMD 5000/car

-          Call 1 day prior to your visit to book a tasting tour at Areni Wine Factory (+37494424427). It is free and you can sample some amazing and very rare wine! You can purchase wine bottles at the end of the tasting.

-          12:00 – 13:30 Marshrutka from Yeghegnadzor to Yerevan (Khor Virap): AMD 1250 [Ask the driver to drop you off in Khor Virap.]

-          Taxi from Khor Virap to Khor Virap Monastery: AMD 600/car

-          Taxi from Khor Virap Monastery to Yerevan Bus Station: AMD 6000/car

-          16:30 – 18:30 Shared taxi from Yerevan to Gyumri: AMD 2000

-          Accommodation in Gyumri, Varduhi Guesthouse (142, Frunze (L. Madoyan) Street; taxi drivers don’t know the address, so try to call Varduhi first: 093450557): AMD 6000/person, private room [Do not expect 5-star standards, but Varduhi is very nice and she can even fix you dinner for AMD 5000 (2 persons).])

• Day 9:

-          Leave at 08:45, go up the street into the main avenue and flag down a taxi, asking the driver to take you to the bus station.

-          10:00 – 14:00 Marshrutka to Akhaltsikhe: AMD 4000 [You may find it for AMD 2500, it depends on the driver and on how much he wants to rip off foreign travellers. :D Do your best to be at the bus station at 9:00; there is only 1 bus/day to Akhaltsikhe and it usually gets pretty crowded.]

-          Taxi ride to Vardzia and Khertvisi Fortress (return to Akhaltsikhe): GEL 50/car

-          Vardzia (opening times (Tuesday-Sunday): 10-17): GEL 3 [Students: GEL 1] [Try not to be there at weekends, it can become annoying because of the crowds.]

-          Khertvisi Fortress: free

-          18:00 – 21:00 Marshrutka to Tbilisi: GEL 12 [Last marshrutka leaves for Tbilisi at 19:00!!]

-          Accommodation in Tbilisi: don’t stay at Friends Hostel; try to book ahead and stay at Walker Hostel instead.

-          Have dinner at Mirzaani /permanently closed; 15.03.2026/; they have excellent vegetable salads, mchadi, lobiani, and beans with walnut.

• Day 10:

-          Have a quick salad or a frozen yoghurt for breakfast, then head to the Bath District. I recommend Bath no. 5. Private room: GEL 50; scrub: GEL 10; massage: GEL 10; towel: GEL 1

-          Take the metro to the Central Station and visit the vegetable market (Georgians are renowned for their products and the prices are really low.)

-          Take the cable car (return ticket: GEL 2) to Narikala Fortress and Mother Georgia.

-          Have dinner at a Georgian restaurant and a homemade lemonade at one of the many cafés in the centre.

• Day 11:

-          Ask the manager or receptionist of the place you are staying in to book a taxi to get you to the airport the following day. You should pay GEL 25.