A week is ideal for a first taste of Georgia. In seven days you can see the capital, ancient Mtskheta, the Kazbegi mountains and wine country Kakheti without turning your holiday into a race. Below is a tried-and-tested route based in Tbilisi with a night in the mountains, plus tips on transport, budget and alternatives.
Route at a glance
| Day | Route | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival, old Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| 2 | Tbilisi: museums, Sololaki, Narikala | Tbilisi |
| 3 | Mtskheta, Ananuri, Georgian Military Road | Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) |
| 4 | Gergeti, Truso Valley or Juta | Stepantsminda / Tbilisi |
| 5 | Return, modern Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| 6 | Kakheti: Bodbe, Sighnaghi, wineries | Sighnaghi or Telavi |
| 7 | Alaverdi, Tsinandali, return and departure | — |
Day 1. Old Tbilisi
Arrive, check in and enjoy your first dinner. If you land during the day, stroll the old town:
- Freedom Square → Leselidze (Kote Abkhazi) Street → Abanotubani and the bath domes;
- the Leghvtakhevi gorge and waterfall;
- the Bridge of Peace and Rike Park;
- in the evening, dinner with khinkali and khachapuri.
Tip: visit a sulphur bath on your first evening — a great cure for travel fatigue.
Day 2. Tbilisi in full
- Morning: the Georgian National Museum on Rustaveli Avenue.
- Walk around Sololaki — painted entrance halls and 19th-century mansions.
- Cable car from Rike Park up to Narikala, city views and the Kartlis Deda statue.
- The Botanical Garden (next to Narikala).
- Evening: Shardeni Street, a wine bar and a Georgian wine tasting.
Day 3. Mtskheta and the Georgian Military Road
Leave in the morning by car, with a driver or on a tour.
- Jvari Monastery — views of the river confluence (20 minutes from Tbilisi).
- Mtskheta — Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Samtavro Monastery.
- Zhinvali Reservoir viewpoint.
- Ananuri Fortress — churches on the shore.
- Gudauri and the Friendship Monument above the Devil's Valley.
- The Jvari Pass and the descent to Stepantsminda.
Overnight at a guesthouse or hotel in Stepantsminda, with mountain khinkali for dinner.
Day 4. Kazbegi
- Sunrise hike to Gergeti — 1.5–2 hours on foot or by 4x4. The view of Kazbek is the shot of the trip.
- In the afternoon, choose:
- Truso Valley — travertines, mineral springs, abandoned villages;
- Juta — a hike to a lake beneath Chaukhi;
- Dariali Gorge and Dariali Monastery near the border.
In the evening return to Tbilisi (about 3 hours) or spend another night in the mountains.
Day 5. Modern Tbilisi and rest
A calm day after the mountains:
- Fabrika — courtyard, cafés and graffiti;
- Dezerter Bazaar — spices, churchkhela, cheese;
- Mtatsminda — funicular and amusement park with city views;
- Chronicles of Georgia at sunset;
- in the evening, a folk ensemble concert or dinner with live music.
Day 6. Kakheti
Leave in the morning (1.5–2 hours to Sighnaghi).
- Bodbe Monastery — burial place of Saint Nino.
- Sighnaghi — fortress walls and views of the Alazani Valley.
- Lunch with wine at a family marani.
- Tastings at 1–2 wineries — ideally with a driver so nobody has to drive.
Overnight in Sighnaghi or Telavi.
Day 7. Kakheti and departure
- Alaverdi Monastery — one of Kakheti's main churches.
- Tsinandali — the Chavchavadze estate and its historic wine cellar.
- Gremi or Nekresi — optional.
- Return to Tbilisi (2–2.5 hours) and fly home.
Important: if your flight is early in the morning, return to Tbilisi on the evening of day six and keep day seven relaxed.
Getting around
- Rental car — maximum freedom. Mind the mountain roads and traffic rules; in Kakheti plan tastings with a driver.
- Driver for the day — convenient and not too expensive, especially for 2–4 people.
- Group tours from Tbilisi — a budget option for Kazbegi and Kakheti.
- Minibuses — cheapest: from Didube metro to Stepantsminda, and from Samgori/Isani to Sighnaghi and Telavi.
Rough budget per person
Prices are indicative and seasonal:
- accommodation: $30–100 per night per room in the mid-range;
- food: $20–40 a day;
- transport: from $30 (minibuses) to $200–400 (car or driver for the week);
- entry fees and tastings: $30–60.
Alternatives
- Kutaisi instead of Kakheti: fly into Kutaisi for the Martvili and Okatse canyons, Prometheus Cave and Gelati Monastery, then Tbilisi and Kazbegi.
- Batumi in summer: swap Kakheti for 2 days by the sea (the Tbilisi–Batumi train takes about 5–6 hours).
- Borjomi: a day trip with mineral springs and the park.
- Vardzia: a long but impressive day via Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe.
When to go
The best time for this route is May–June and September–October. Summer is hot in Tbilisi but beautiful in the mountains. In winter the Georgian Military Road sometimes closes for snow, while Kazbegi becomes a winter wonderland.
In short
Seven days in Georgia means Tbilisi, Mtskheta, the Georgian Military Road with Ananuri, Gergeti against Kazbek and wine country Kakheti with Sighnaghi — based in Tbilisi with one or two nights in the mountains and one in Kakheti. It's a balanced introduction to the country, and it will almost certainly make you come back for Svaneti, Tusheti and the sea.
