Georgia (not that one!) on my mind

April 7, 2013 4:05 PM

Unexpectedly visiting Tbilisi, Georgia in the near term, and not much free time between now and then to prepare. What should I know? Eat? Visit? Read?

I will be moderately occupied during my (brief) visit, but will have some leisure time. I've scoured the usual online travel references for key points, but would love recommended travel lit/blogs, interesting history or fiction reading to absorb before I get on my flight. Must eats/drinks, must visits, interesting cultural facts/taboos, and must buys would be extra helpful. I'm caught a little flat footed by this trip as it hadn't even been on my radar so I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. No restrictions - since Georgia is a totally new place on my horizon I'm willing to seek out new things! Many thanks.

posted by xaire to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total)

Can you leave Tbilisi? The NYTimes (I think) had an article about homestays in the last few months. I did a few home stays back in '05 that were awesome. The food and hospitality were both really special. Also most of the more notable sites (churches mostly) are outside of Tbilisi.

Ok it was 2011

Anywhoo - the food is fantastic. In that vein the Darra Goldstein book might be worth a read?
posted by JPD at 4:17 PM on April 7, 2013

Best answer: Food is wonderful. Tbilisi is wonderful. Eat khinkali (dumplings) and khatchapuri (cheese bread). Especially adjaruli khatchapuri - bread boat filled with cheese, butter, and eggs. If you have time to travel get someone to take you to Davit Gareja or Vardzia (gorgeous monasteries). A shorter, but still interesting trip, would be to Gori, home of the Stalin Museum, where you may gaze upon his death mask and schoolboy poetry.

If you're a man and you visit a Georgian household, be ready to drink quite a bit. Don't toast anyone with beer: that's an insult. Pizza is terrible and will have mayonnaise on it.

Georgian singing is definitely worth hearing if you can figure out how to attend a concert. I also suggest a homestay outside of Tbilisi if you are able, because Georgian people are incredibly hospitable, especially to Americans, and you have a better chance of getting a unique cultural experience.
posted by chaiminda at 5:01 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

You will have an amazing time. Food is so good. People are so nice. Totally jealous.
posted by k8t at 5:03 PM on April 7, 2013

Best answer: Eat khinkali (dumplings) and khatchapuri (cheese bread). Especially adjaruli khatchapuri
OMG, this this this yes. And any Georgian wines. The dingier the reused bottle, the better...

I also agree with the suggestion of Gori. If you can get out to Uplistsikhe, too, that's a delight. In town, just walk around and observe the contrasts. There are no bad neighborhoods. Get up to Narikala for a view of the city. I wasn't really impressed with the museums I saw in Tbilisi, but they certainly are an experience.
posted by knile at 12:52 AM on April 8, 2013

Georgia is beautiful. There are a bunch of very old churches and ruins in the area around Tbilisi if that's your thing, too. But as everyone else is saying: Food. OMG. For real - don't eat for a week before you go because you're going to be so well fed it's crazy.

The Georgians I've met are the very best - so friendly, so lovely. Also, the Georgian language in it's written form is just gorgeous. It's so beautiful. And now I'm jealous. Have fun!
posted by monkey!knife!fight! at 3:42 AM on April 8, 2013