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General Information Country: Georgia (Georgian: Sakartvelo) Capital: Tbilisi Getting there Georgia can be reached by plane, train, bus, boat and car. Visas were abolished in 2005 for EU citizens staying longer than three months; a passport valid for at least six months is required for entry. If you intend to stay longer, you should contact the Georgian consulate or embassy in your home country or in Georgia in good time. *** It is possible for German and Austrian citizens to enter Georgia with an identity card, but as some airlines do not accept identity cards, it is advisable to carry a passport. Safety and security in Georgia With the exception of the conflict areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the situation is generally calm, but the same security precautions apply in all major Georgian cities as in major cities elsewhere. It should be noted that although same-sex partnerships are legal in Georgia, there is less acceptance of them in Georgian society than in Western Europe. Medical advice Compulsory vaccinations: No vaccinations are required for travel to Georgia. First aid kits for Georgia: Most standard medicines are available from pharmacies throughout the country. However, we recommend that you bring your own personal first-aid kit (painkillers, diarrhea medicine, cold remedies, insect bite ointments, sun cream). Travel insurance for Georgia You are advised to take out international health insurance in your home country before travelling to Georgia. Travel Cancellation Insurance We recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance with the following international agencies Currency in Georgia The local currency in Georgia is the lari (GEL) 1 dollar about 2.70 GEL Currency Exchange The most common foreign currencies are the dollar and the euro, which can be exchanged easily (and free of charge) at one of the many bureaux de change. Before travelling inland, especially to the mountainous regions, it is advisable to stock up on lari, as the exchange rate in Tbilisi is the cheapest and foreign currency is generally not in demand in some areas.Credit cards are accepted in most hotels and shops. Banks are connected to the international debit card system and have ATMs where you can easily withdraw cash using debit and credit cards. (It is advisable to carry Georgian money in smaller denominations, as smaller shops and restaurants are often unable to change large notes. Credit cards are not always accepted, especially outside the capital, Tbilisi. Water and electricity The electricity supply is 220V at 50Hz. Sockets are usually two-pin, often narrower, and do not accept Schuko plugs, so some appliances require an adapter, which can be bought in markets or specialised shops. Water from the tap is drinkable, but it is still recommended to drink water from bottles available in shops. Spring water in Georgia is clean and can be drunk fresh. Time of day Central European Summer Time is not used in Georgia. The time difference is therefore plus 2 hours in the summer months and plus 3 hours in the winter months. Customs regulations There are no special import restrictions, but valuable antiques and important cultural artefacts may not be exported. These matters should be clarified with the dealer before purchase. Language and script Georgian is the official state, colloquial and literary language. Georgian is an indigenous Caucasian language belonging to the Ibero-Caucasian language family and has no similarities with the languages of other countries; those who speak Russian have a distinct advantage, but many also speak German and younger people, including children, learn English at school or university. Cuisine Georgian cuisine has a huge variety of dishes and is the most varied in the Caucasus, with a balanced mix of vegetables and meat dishes that are very digestible for Western European tastes and stomachs. The climate It is impossible to say anything about the climate of Georgia as a whole. The country straddles two seas, is covered by rising and falling mountains, valleys, plains and plateaus, creating a complex network of microclimatic conditions; nevertheless, some climatic zones can be outlined with relative certainty. The west and south-west have a subtropical climate. The eastern part of the country has a temperate continental climate. The climate in the Greater Caucasus can be described as alpine. Average temperatures for the whole of Georgia vary between minus 2 and plus 3 degrees in January and between 30 and 40 degrees in August. Religion and Church Georgia and Armenia are the two Eastern countries where Christianity has been established and maintained as the state religion. Christianity was declared the state religion in Georgia in 337, and about three-quarters of the population belong to the Georgian Orthodox Apostolic Church. 200,000 Muslims live in Georgia, about 8% of the population. 2% are Catholics, Protestants and Evangelicals. Daily life, customs and traditions Despite their precarious economic situation, Georgians are always helpful, open-minded and hospitable. It is easy to make contact with them. To help you prepare for your visit, we have tried to outline some of the characteristics of the Georgian mentality. Dress Georgians take great pride in their clothes and appearance. From hairstyles to clothes and shoes, everything must be neat and tidy. Time factorLife in Georgia begins much later in the day than in Central Europe and consequently ends later. Very few people wear watches, so time is not a major factor. People are generally very relaxed and there is always time for a chat - punctuality is not a Georgian virtue, but it has its advantages: if you are late for an appointment, no one will take offence. Women in society in Georgia Women have had the right to vote in Georgia since 1918, before some Western European countries, and are accepted as equal members of society. Women in Georgia are highly educated, have no restrictions and are paid the same as men. Georgia will have a female president in 2019 (Salome Zurabishvili). Starting a family It is incredible how early Georgians marry. In practice, 25 is considered the "magic number". If you are not married by the age of 25, it is difficult to find a partner. Despite early marriage, divorce is less common in Georgia than in Germany. Tips on behaviour On the whole, there are no special rules of behaviour that differ fundamentally from the Central European code of conduct. Georgians are hospitable and tolerant. The question is whether the guest behaves accordingly. It's bad if Western Europeans know better and always have to be right. Restraint and respect are in order. It can't hurt to take a few gifts, but they shouldn't embarrass the host. Sweets are always appropriate for children, and a few postcards or well-illustrated guidebooks from your home country will take up little space in your luggage. Please note that it is not customary to unwrap gifts, and if you plan to swim in the Black Sea, there are no nude beaches and going topless is not the norm. Tipping in Georgia A small tip is generally expected. In restaurants and for taxis, 10% of the bill is appropriate. As a general rule, the amount you tip should depend on the service provider's commitment and qualifications. For English-speaking tour guides, you should tip 2 to 3 euros per person per day, and 1 to 2 euros per person per day for the driver. Telephone calls Buying a Georgian SIM card is easy with a passport. Before you leave, make sure your phone is unlocked for other SIM cards. Public holidays in Georgia - 1 January: New Year's Day - 7 January: Christmas Day - 19 January: Baptism of Jesus - 3 March: Mother's Day - 8 March: International Women's Day - 9 April: Day of Restoration of Independence of Georgia - 12 April: St Andrew's Day - 26 May: National Day (Declaration of Independence of the First Georgian Republic on 26 May 1918) - 28 August: Mariamoba, Dormition of the Virgin Mary (Assumption Day) - 23 November: Giorgoba, St George's Day Emergency call: Police/Ambulance/Fire: 112 Self-drive in Georgia There are various possibilities to organise an individual trip in Georgia without a group or a travel agency. It often depends on how much time you have, what you want to get out of the trip and how you want to experience the country. Here is a little information for all those who want to drive themselves in Georgia, or who want to undertake the trip on their own. Public transport in Georgia The most common means of transport in Georgia is a so-called Marshlutka (micro-avtobusi in Georgian), which is a minibus, usually over 15 years old, with about 20 very narrow seats, usually without a seat belt. They are very cheap and you can get almost anywhere by bus, even faster than you think or than the traffic signs say. One small thing to look out for is the signage of the destinations the Marshutkas go to. These are sometimes written in Georgian, especially within a city. The Georgian script is very beautiful (now part of the intangible world heritage) but difficult to read for a European. (მარშუტკა) is how the minibus is written in Georgian. The trains in Georgia There are relatively good train connections within Georgia, especially towards the Black Sea. You can take a modern train from Tbilisi to Batumi for about 15 euros. It is a total of 400 kilometres and the train journey takes 5 hours. You can also buy tickets online at https://tkt.ge/railway. You can travel from Tbilisi to Yerevan (capital of Armenia) or also to Baku (capital of Azerbaijan). The tickets cost about 20 euros. Hire a car in Georgia Due to sparse traffic signs, sometimes bad roads, but above all aggressive and unpredictable driving behaviour of the locals, it is often recommended not to drive a car yourself in Georgia. Nevertheless, with a European driving licence you can rent a car in Georgia and drive yourself. Major car rental companies such as: Europcar and Sixt, are also represented in Georgia. A car is often rented to save on travel costs, but this does not necessarily make the overall price cheaper. A car with a Georgian, English or German-speaking driver is often cheaper than a rental car. For more information on this topic, see: Car hire with driver in Georgia Traffic signs in Georgia Traffic signs are rare, but they are written in both Georgian and English, which makes life much easier for foreign drivers. Self-drive to Tusheti, Svaneti and Chevureti These are 3 regions where you should seriously ask yourself whether you really want to do it. A trip to Georgia is quite adventurous even without driving yourself to these regions, in a positive sense of course. The main road to Svanetia, at least as far as Mestia, is fine and if you don't drive in heavy rain or in the dark, it shouldn't be too difficult to overcome slight obstacles on the way. The road to Mestia is also open in winter and you can easily drive it with a four-wheel drive vehicle. Continuing to Ushguli and especially a drive to Lentechi via Zagaro Pass, is definitely to be risked with a good 4x4 car and only in good weather. Self-drive to Omalo (Tusheti) This is a route where you should have an experienced driver with you, one who has driven the road many times. For more info, see: Travel by car to Omalo. By car to the region of Chewsuretin (Shatili) The road to Shatili will be closed from mid-October until the beginning of May. For those who like off-road driving, this is a good opportunity to let off steam. Depending on where exactly you want to go in the region, you will need a light or good off-road vehicle. Some people go to Shatili in a vehicle without four-wheel drive, but it is not necessary, because if it rains, you have a problem. Refueling in Georgia There are many petrol stations in the country and you can pay for most of your petrol with your card. However, it is advisable to have cash with you. There are no petrol stations in the regions of Tusheti and Khevsureti. There are two petrol stations in Svaneti and they are only in Mestia. With your own car to Georgia There are 3 main routes from Germany, or from Austria to Georgia. 1. Germany - Austria - Italy - with the ferry to Greece - Turkey - Georgia. 2. Germany - Austria - Hungary - Romania - Bulgaria - Turkey - Georgia 3. Germany - Czech Republic - (Austria) - Slovakia - Hungary - Serbia - Bulgaria - Turkey - Georgia. In all 3 cases the pure driving time to Georgia takes 3 to 4 days, depending on where exactly you start, that is 3 to 4 thousand kilometres. Costs for fuel, toll, ferry etc. approx. 500 Euro. Not including overnight stays in hotels on the way. |
