💰 Currency & Money
Georgia uses the Georgian Lari (GEL). €1 ≈ 2.8–3.0 GEL. Use bank ATMs (TBC Bank, Bank of Georgia) for the best exchange rates — widely available across the city. Tbilisi is very cheap by European standards — daily costs rival Eastern European countries from 10–15 years ago.
- ✔ Coffee: 3–5 GEL (€1–1.80)
- ✔ Beer in a bar: 8–15 GEL (€2.80–5)
- ✔ Khinkali (dumplings, 5 pieces): 8–15 GEL (€2.80–5)
- ✔ Restaurant meal: 25–50 GEL (€8–17)
- ✔ Metro ticket: 1 GEL (€0.35)
- ✔ Sulfur bath private room (1 hour): 20–40 GEL (€7–14)
🛂 Visas
EU, UK, US, Australian and most Western passport holders do not need a visa for Georgia for stays up to 365 days (one of the most generous visa-free policies in the world). Check the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for your specific nationality. Georgia is not in the Schengen Area — Georgia visits do not count toward your 90-day Schengen limit.
🚌 Getting Around Tbilisi
The Tbilisi Metro is excellent, cheap and covers the main areas — buy a MetroMoney card at any station (€1.50 deposit, top up as needed). Buses and minibuses cover outer areas. Taxis via Bolt or Yandex Go are very cheap (€1.50–4 for most city journeys). Avoid unmarked taxis — negotiate the fare before getting in if not using an app.
🍽️ Food Tips
Georgian food is one of the world's great undiscovered cuisines. Always order khinkali (soup dumplings — eat by holding the top knot, bite and suck the soup, then eat the meat, leave the knot) and khachapuri (cheese bread — the Adjaran version with egg is the finest). For wine, ask for the house natural wine — almost anywhere in Old Tbilisi serves excellent local wine by the carafe at very low prices.
🔐 Safety
Georgia is very safe for tourists — one of the safest countries in the region. The old city has steep, uneven streets (good footwear is essential) and some parts are poorly lit at night, but crime against tourists is rare. Georgians are extraordinarily hospitable — being invited to join a stranger's meal or offered wine on the street is a genuine cultural phenomenon, not a scam.
📱 Connectivity
Georgia has excellent mobile coverage and cheap SIM cards. Get a Magti or Geocell SIM at the airport for €5–8 including data. Free wifi is widespread in hotels, cafés and restaurants. Tbilisi is one of Europe's best-connected cities for remote workers.
⛪ Etiquette
Dress modestly when visiting Georgian Orthodox churches — shoulders covered, women should wear a headscarf (usually available at the entrance). Georgians make toasts before drinking — the tamada (toast-master) at a Georgian feast can be very demanding. Photography inside churches varies — ask first. Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory (10% in restaurants).