Winter holidays in Georgia, why not! The Georgian winter is much warmer than the Moscow one. There are more sunny days here. The purest mountain air is healing for body and soul. Thermal springs and therapeutic mud can be used all year round.
Weather in Georgia in winter
The weather in December is warm enough, in Tbilisi and Batumi about +12 ° C. There are frosts at night. The sea is already cold, the water temperature drops to +8 ° C. In mountainous Gudauri, during the day, about -4 ° C.
In January and February in Gudauri, the average monthly temperature is already -6 ° C during the day and -9 ° C at night. Much snow falls to the delight of winter sports fans. On the coast at this time, life calms down, and the daytime temperature is kept around + 10 ° C.
- Monthly weather:
What to do on vacation in January
At this time in the mountains is the peak skiing season. Ski resorts have excellent hotels and slopes designed for different levels of skill.
If you are not a fan of alpine skiing, then it is worth visiting Tbilisi and taking part in the Alilo carnival. The participants of the procession pass through the city center and collect gifts from everyone (fruits, toys, souvenirs, various things). After the procession, they are distributed to orphanages and hospitals. You can go on a gastronomic journey and eat traditional cuisine in restaurants.
How to get to Georgia from Moscow
There are several options to get to Georgia in winter. Let's consider two of the most real ones:
- The easiest way to get to Georgia is by plane. Flights from Moscow fly to Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi. Direct flight Moscow-Tbilisi of Ural Airlines flies in 2 hours 30 minutes and costs from 10,200 rubles round trip.
- Taking advantage of the plane and the car. Flight Moscow - Vladikavkaz. You can also find tickets worth 3260 rubles with baggage for a round trip. The flights are operated by the low-cost airline Pobeda. Closer to the new year, the cost of the flight will increase several times.
Choose tickets:
Further, there are three options to choose from:
- By car with fellow travelers from the Bla Bla Car website. The cost of a seat in a car to Tbilisi is about 500 rubles.
- Taxi - from 1500 rubles. We recommend using Kiwitaxi, the service will be especially relevant after a long flight with tired children, a large group of friends, heavy luggage. After booking, you will be welcomed without delay at the airport with your name sign.
- By minibus of the company "TransKavkaz". She leaves at 7 am, you will need to spend the night in Vladikavkaz. A bus ticket costs 800 rubles. You will spend almost 5 hours on the road.
Vladikavkaz airport is located closest to Tbilisi. The route from Sochi through Abkhazia is unsafe, if at all possible. Traveling by bus or train from Moscow is also possible, but it will take a lot of your time and money.
Where to go to rest
Winter Georgia attracts with ski and balneological resorts. Mountain climbing enthusiasts, romantics and artists tend to come here. Couples travel to the Black Sea coast.
Holidays in ski resorts
Where is the best place to relax in Georgia in winter depends on your preferences. But to the question of where to ski in Georgia, you can confidently advise some of the best places. Three ski resorts: Bakuriani, Gudauri and Khatsvali are known not only in the state. There are good tracks here, and the prices for vacations are lower than at similar resorts in the south of Russia.
Prices for ski holidays in Georgia start at 78,550 rubles for a tour for two in a 3-star hotel. Accommodation for 7 nights.
- Good Aura Hotel 3 stars in Gudauri. Interesting design of the hotel, all rooms have panoramic windows. Not far from the cable car. The hotel has its own bar and restaurant with European and Georgian cuisine. Animals cannot be brought to the hotel.
- Alpina Hotel 3 *. Small hotel in Gudauri. The cost of the tour for two is 89670 rubles. Modern hotel with a large terrace and mountain views. Tourists celebrate cozy rooms and quality service. The restaurant serves local and European cuisine.
- Marco Polo Hotel 4 *. The cost of the tour with accommodation and breakfast at this hotel starts from 106,281 rubles for two. Modern hotel interior, lots of fun. Free Wi - Fi. Nearby is a cable car.
Tours to Georgia from Moscow
Tour operators offer several types of winter tours:
- With rest on the seaside.
- Health tours to the mountains and to mineral springs. At your service; mineral springs Borjomi and Sairme, thermal waters of Tskhaltubo and Akhaltsikhe and magnetic sands of Ureki.
- Tours with a visit to the capital of Georgia.
The cost of rest in Georgia for two for the winter starts from 35,712 rubles. This is if you purchase a 7-night tour with accommodation in a good 3 * hotel on the beach in Batumi (Iberia Hotel). In the city itself there is a water park, a dolphinarium and a lot of entertainment. Such tours are suitable for active and family holidays. It is better to book the tour in advance. During the New Year holidays, prices will rise sharply.
Mountainous area in Gudauri
Prices for holidays in Georgia in winter 2021-2022
You may want to plan your vacation in Georgia on your own. It’s quite real. You can book a hotel or apartment on the popular Booking.com website. You can eat in a cafe or products from the store (from the market).
Rental of property
The minimum price for housing, during the New Year holidays, in the mountain resort of Kazbegi in the Tower guest house. A double room for 7 nights will cost you 16461 rubles. Includes airport shuttle, free Wi-Fi and parking. The reception is open 24 hours a day.
For the same period, a hotel by the sea can be booked from 39534 rubles per room. For example, in the Divan Suites Batumi 5 hotel *. This is a new hotel in the center of Batumi, one of the best on the coast. The hotel has a spa, a restaurant serving Georgian and Turkish cuisine. To the sea just 5 minutes walk.
Food prices
The prices for food in Georgia are quite reasonable, but for some products the cost is higher. For example, dairy products. Simply because in Georgia, few people are engaged in breeding cows. There are few fish products, and those that are available are expensive.
Food cost (lari):
- juices (1 l) - 3.3
- bread - from 1
- dairy products - from 3
- cheese (1 kg) - 10.8
- sausage (1 kg) - 12.8
- eggs (10 pcs.) - 3.15
- oatmeal (0.5 kg) - 2.35
- biscuits (100 g) - 1
- sunflower oil (1 l) - 3
- ice cream - from 0.6
- vegetables (1 kg) - up to 1
- grapes (1 kg) - 7.5
- oranges (1 kg) - 3
- wine - 6.8
How much does it cost to eat in a cafe:
- Meat dishes - 3.6 - 6
- Chicken or mushroom dishes - from 3.6 - 4.6
- Salads - 2.7 - 4.3
- Khachapuri - 3.05
- French fries - 2.7
- Coffee - 2.1
- Tea - 1.5
- Juices - 2.6
For one lari, you need to pay about 24 rubles at the time of publication of the material.
Road to the mountains
Entertainment and what to see
Winter in Georgia is mild and sunny. It is unlikely that she is able to interfere with your rest or cancel the tasting of Georgian cuisine. Wine tasting or Georgian cheese tasting can be a separate topic in your trip.
You can make a whole list when planning a route:
- Tbilisi... It is worth taking a walk through the Old Town, getting to know the history of Tiflis and taking the cable car up to the Narikala fortress. Visit Abanotubani - miraculous sulfur baths, ride the Tbilisi funicular and visit the Mtatsminda amusement park. All the best places in Tbilisi.
- Truso... A gorge full of volcanic lakes, geysers and mineral springs. Among the mountain villages against the backdrop of glaciers, the mysterious towers of the ancient Svans rise. Here you can have a picnic and taste the local beer.
- Georgian military road... The road runs along the chain of Caucasian mountains and gorges through the Cross Pass, past the former residence of the princes of Aragvets - the Ananuri complex, bypassing temples and medieval towers over Lake Zhinvali.
- Ancient capital Mtskheta... It is worth going on an excursion to the city - the Mtskheta Museum and the medieval castle of Anauri. The road will run along the Caucasian ridge and the Aragvi mountain river.
Caucasian ridge
- Sighnaghi... A small cozy town in the Alazani Valley.The first Georgian wine factory appeared here.
- Gergeti... It is worth making a pilgrimage trip to the ancient temple in Gergeti, rising to a height of 2,170 meters. The temple overlooks the Terek river valley.
- Uplistsikhe... This is the center of paganism of pre-Christian Georgia - the cave city of Uplistsikhe.
- Chiatura... A small town with a network of free cable cars in the gorge of the Kvirila River. On one of the rocks is the inaccessible Katskhi monastery.
- Kazbek Peak... Travel along mountain roads to the foot of one of the highest peaks in the Caucasus. The height of the peak is 5047 meters above sea level.
- Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe fortress... It is worth visiting this resort town in the Borjomi Gorge - the birthplace of the mineral water of the same name.
- Vardzia. eight - a storey cave city of 600 rooms, built during the reign of Queen Tamara. There is a hot spring nearby.
- Ushguli... This is the highest mountain village in Europe. The Svan community is located 46 km from Mestia. From there you can go on a walking route to the Shkhara glacier and Laptarsky pass..
A complete list of all the main and interesting places in Georgia in our separate review with photos and descriptions. If you are used to sightseeing with excursions, we recommend using the author's programs that will be most informative for you and your children, all offers and prices can be viewed on Tripster.ru.