Traveling with a child has its own characteristics and difficulties. In order for your holiday in Georgia with children to bring only pleasure and positive emotions, Viva-Georgia will help you consider some of the nuances that need to be taken into account on such a trip.

6 reasons to choose a holiday in Georgia with children

1. Firstly, Georgians have a special attitude towards children. You must be prepared for the fact that everyone on the streets, from old men to young guys, will express their admiration, which he may not be used to.
2. It is necessary to take care of transport in advance. If your child still has difficulty walking, you need to purchase a stroller with wide and durable wheels, which will help you get to the oldest parts of the cities during tours to Georgia with children.
3. The vouchers provide everything necessary for your child, and, first of all, the availability of playgrounds and attractions.
4. Travel on public transport is free for children under 2 years of age.
5. In cafes and restaurants you will always find children's corners and places to relax.
6. All necessary products for children, including baby food and diapers, can be purchased at pharmacies or specialized stores.

6 exciting places for family holidays in Georgia

In Batumi, your child will not only be able to relax, but also learn a lot of new and useful things. That's why this city is the best option for your pastime - we at Viva-Georgia guarantee it!

1. The Batumi Dolphinarium will offer you individual and group dolphin therapy sessions. For only 140 GEL you will get both a powerful healing effect and undisguised delight for your child. If you want to go to a dolphin show in your family holiday in Georgia with children, it will cost you 12 lari.
2. A visit to the Batumi Botanical Garden will amaze your child’s curiosity; here he will learn a lot of new things from the life of plants.
3. For entertainment, you can visit a water park and attractions.
4. If you are ready to organize good vacation in Georgia with a child, then the Aquarpark Hotel 4* will be the ideal place for you. Here you can visit the swimming pools and waterslides which are located on the hotel premises.
5. A visit to the Batumi Aquarium will reveal to you representatives of the Black Sea fauna, numbering about 100 inhabitants of the sea and freshwater bodies. Entrance to the water park costs 2 GEL.
6. And, of course, you will be attracted by clean beaches that will ensure the safety of you and your child.

Basic programs for holidays in Georgia with a child

Viva-Georgia will offer you a wide variety of programs. Tours with children 10 years and older are of the following types:

1. “The Best of 7 Days” is a tour that offers visits to Tbilisi, Gudauri, Mtskheta and Kazbegi. The purpose of the tour is to show the best and most interesting that Georgia has to offer. In 7 days you will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the most important historical places and attractions, enjoy the gastronomic masterpieces of Caucasian cuisine, visit the most significant religious places and admire the unsurpassed natural landscapes. The cost of the tour is from 56,000 rubles, which includes hotel accommodation and breakfast.
2. You can also surprise your children with a sea tour visiting Batumi, Mountain Adjara, Kutaisi, Trabzon (Turkey), Kobuleti, Ureki with a return back to Batumi. You will not only purchase a ticket, but also transfer, hotel accommodation, breakfast, and many excursions.

Georgia is a song. Polyphonic, like an echo in the mountains, a folk song; lyrical tune “Suliko”; pathetic “Tbiliso”; full of everyday philosophy “Chito Gvrito”; daring "Taya-taya". This is a song about harsh mountains and sunny valleys, about soft shoti, rich khash and fragrant “Kindzmarauli”, about freedom, about hospitality and about a ardent, even assertive love for life.

There are no songs yet about the tourism opportunities of this country, so it’s in prose: Vogue magazine named Georgia one of the most popular tourist destinations of 2017. But family vacations in Georgia became popular much earlier, and are only gaining popularity from year to year. Because is there any other place in the world where they believe that guests are sent by God?

In our article you will read why this country attracts travelers so much. In the meantime, take my word for it: holidaying with children in Georgia is a unique experience.

Where is Georgia

Georgia ( official name Sakartvelo) is a state in the western part of Transcaucasia. In the north it borders with Russia, in the south with Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. West Coast washed by the Black Sea. The area of ​​Georgia is 69.7 square meters. km, population - 3.718 million people. The capital and largest city of the country is Tbilisi. For tourist trip Georgia does not require a visa, however, for citizens of a number of countries, the period of visa-free stay is limited to 90 days.

Vacation with children

People come to Georgia with children to sunbathe on the seashore. They come - and their hearts warm, meeting the willingness of local residents to help with advice, treat them to the most delicious khachapuri in the world and put them up in the best apartments (you need to be careful with this).

The country's tourism infrastructure is indeed largely supported by the hospitality of the locals. Everyone here rents out houses, apartments and rooms.

To relax comfortably with your child, it is better to stay in good hotel- There are more and more of these, however, they are only available in large resorts.

Specialized family hotels not in Georgia yet. But if you are planning to come here with an infant, there will be a crib waiting for you in your room. The list of services for children is gradually expanding: hotels are equipping playrooms, offering nanny assistance, and creating a children's menu.

Holidays in Georgia are not only about the sea. A sample travel plan might look like this:

1. See the mountains.
2. Drink real Georgian Borjomi mineral water.
3. Try the main dishes of Georgian cuisine and try to decide which is tastier.
4. Learn the patterned Georgian alphabet to read bus schedules and signs on country roads.
5. Understand why Georgians love to sing so much.

What's good about Georgia for children? Let's answer briefly: everything. Bright sun, warm sea, fresh fruits, delicious churchkhela, healthy matsoni - this is how you need to get healthy. High mountains, wild forests, noisy waterfalls - this is what can surprise you. Children's playgrounds, unusual museums, amusement parks - this is where you can have fun. Be surprised and have fun!

When is the best time to go?

There is no time of year when Georgia is not good. But since tourists have special goals - most often to sunbathe and go on excursions, then best time Late spring, summer and the first half of autumn are considered for travel.

The swimming season in Georgia opens in mid-June and lasts at least until the end of September. But the beach season starts earlier: already in May you can sunbathe on the Black Sea coast. It is good to come to Georgia with a baby in May, before the heat sets in.

A vacation with a child at sea should be planned for May-June or September. During these months, you will not be bothered by the heat, the sea will be clean, and the beaches will be sparsely populated.

This is also the best time for city excursions. In summer the air heats up to +40° C, but warm days in spring or autumn are excellent conditions for walking around old Tbilisi.

But on mountain resorts there is no heat. Here you can relax at a time when unbearable heat sets in on the coast. If you are going to the sea in July-August, then plan a tour of the mountains to enjoy the cool weather.

Among other things, the warm season is the time for fresh fruit. Already in May, strawberries are harvested in Georgia, in June - cherries and apricots, in July - peaches, melons, watermelons, in August - figs, pears, apples. In September, the time of the famous Kakheti grapes begins, and in October the first pomegranates and persimmons appear on the markets.

When is the best time to go to Georgia to improve your health at balneotherapeutic resorts? Usually, health centers are open all year round , although they have fewer visitors in winter.

Weather and climate

The climate of Georgia is heterogeneous. The western part of the country is an area of ​​humid subtropics, where in summer the air temperature rises to +30-35° C, and in winter does not fall below +2-4° C. In the central regions, located at an altitude of 500-800 meters above sea ​​level, the summer heat is somewhat milder, and in winter there are slight frosts.

Eastern Georgia is characterized by low air humidity, record hot summers (temperatures can reach +40°C) and mild winters. Well, the high mountainous areas do not experience heat at all, but the winter there is frosty and snowy. In mountains with a height of 3-5 thousand meters, snow lies constantly.

The holiday season in Georgia is considered to be the period from May to September-October. At this time, you can sunbathe by the sea, relax at mountain balneological resorts, and go on excursions. But you can also plan a vacation in Georgia for the winter months, when ski centers in the north of the country operate.

Season opening on seaside resorts Western Georgia falls in May, when the air temperature rises to +19-20° C. In June, the air warms up to +23-24° C, and in July-August average temperature is +26° C - while daily readings often exceed +30° C.

In September, all conditions are in place for best holiday in Georgia with children: the air temperature drops to +24-25°C, and the sea remains very warm. Often the beach season continues into October, although the air usually cools down to +20° C by mid-autumn.

A peculiarity of the western regions of Georgia is frequent rains. The least precipitation falls in May.

The weather in Eastern Georgia, including Tbilisi, is not much different - but the humidity here is noticeably lower, and therefore the heat is easier to bear. But still, July-August, when the temperature can stay at +35-40° C for a long time, cannot be called a good time for city excursions. The rainiest time in Tbilisi is May-June. In September-October it rains very rarely.

IN mountainous areas in summer it is much cooler. In the hottest months, daytime temperatures barely reach +25° C. In late spring and early autumn, thermometers show + 19-20° C.

Georgia is characterized by a significant temperature difference during the day. In spring and autumn, the night air temperature can be only +13-15°C, in summer +17-20°C.

Season on ski resorts occurs at the end of November, when the daytime air temperature drops to -1-2° C. In January-February, frosts can reach -6-7° C.

The ski season lasts until the end of March, when the thermometers begin to rise above zero. In winter, there is frequent snowfall in the mountains, while the days are sunny and windless.

Sea water temperature

You can sunbathe in Georgia as early as mid-May. But the swimming season begins only in June: at the end of spring, the sea temperature reaches only +17-19° C, but in the first month of summer the water warms up to +22-23° C. In July-August, the water temperature in Georgia rises to +24 -25° C, and if the weather is hot for a long time, the sea heats up to +27-28° C.

The water temperature in September depends on the weather. If September is hot, then until the end of the month the sea will maintain a temperature of +25° C. If there is no abnormal heat, then by the end of September the water will cool down to +22° C.

It happens that in October the sea remains very warm. But, as a rule, the water temperature gradually drops and by November is only +18-19° C.

Nutrition

Georgian cuisine is praised - and it still deserves praise. But, when going to Georgia with a child, it is worth remembering that food in this country is generously salted and seasoned with spices.

It won’t necessarily be spicy, but new dishes should still be offered to your child with caution. Don’t be afraid that your child will go hungry: restaurants always have the usual side dishes, and they won’t refuse to prepare food for your baby without spices.

What a child will definitely like are the pies: khachapuri - either in Adjarian style, at least in Etin style, even in Mingrelian style, achma, kubdari with meat filling and lobiani - with beans. The child will not refuse traditional Georgian desserts: kozinaki, churchkhela and pelamushi (this dish can be called a semi-finished churchkhela).

As in many countries, in Georgia it is worth choosing the restaurant where the locals gather. We also recommend reading reviews from vacationers. It should be warned that smoking is allowed in Georgian restaurants, although a smoking ban law is expected to be adopted.

Not every child is ready to try new dishes, and in this case, hotel restaurants can be a good help. As a rule, they offer European cuisine, often served as a buffet.

However, we note that the all-inclusive system is not used in Georgia. A special children's menu is also a pleasant exception rather than the rule.

If you are planning an independent holiday in Georgia with children and want to cook familiar food, it is better to settle in large cities where there are supermarkets and markets. The quality of products in supermarkets is quite high, and markets sell vegetables and fruits grown in Georgia, local cheeses, fresh meat and fish.

Baby food is sold mainly in pharmacies, sometimes in large supermarkets. The choice is not very large: several well-known manufacturers and Georgian products. If your child is accustomed to a certain type of food, we recommend bringing formula, porridge or puree with you.

Treatment

Georgia's resort potential is impressive. During the Soviet period, there were a lot of sanatoriums here, using all the natural resources of the region: warm sunny climate, mountain air, magnetite sands, thermal waters. The sanatorium facilities are gradually being restored, so far mainly in the form of health centers at hotels.

Treatment programs in hotels are designed only for adults, but sun, air and water - the main healing factors - are available to everyone, regardless of age.

Health centers operate in Borjomi, as well as in neighboring resorts Likani and Nunisi - they produce water as healing as the famous Borjomi.

Abastumani, Surami, Sairme, Nabeglavi, Zvare, and Tskhaltubo are famous for their thermal springs. And how can we not mention the sulfur springs of Tbilisi, which envelop the city with a specific aroma?

Transport

When traveling around Georgia, you can safely rely on public transport. The most convenient way to travel between major cities is by train, between small towns and villages - by bus or minibus; within the city limits you can use a taxi.

Buses are the most common and cheapest type public transport in Georgia. A ticket from Tbilisi to Batumi, for example, will cost 20-25 lari, depending on the carrier.

It costs about the same to travel by minibus. You can get from Batumi to Kobuleti for 5 GEL. Timetables are available at bus stations major cities, and in small resorts it can be found in tourist information centers.

A train ticket will not cost much more. So, a ticket for the Tbilisi - Batumi express train costs 25 lari. If you are traveling with a child under 10 years old, then traveling by train will be even more profitable, since children under 5 years old have free travel, and tickets for children from 5 to 10 years old are sold at a reduced rate. There are no discounts for children on buses.

The most expensive form of transport in Georgia is a taxi. The road from Tbilisi to Batumi by taxi will cost 240-270 lari. The cars are not equipped with a meter, so you need to discuss the cost of the trip with the driver in advance.

Within the city, taxi rides are relatively inexpensive. Yes, up to the desired hotel or the museum in Tbilisi can be reached for 3-6 lari. City transport is only available in major cities. A ride there costs 0.40-0.50 GEL.

If you are going to travel a lot, it is convenient to use a car to get around Georgia. Car rental companies have offices at airports and major resorts.

I receive a lot of questions about vacationing in Georgia with children, and I have a gap in knowledge on this topic, so today on the blog there is a guest post from Daria and Kirill Shelukhin, who are traveling with their two sons: Max and Kolya.

The guys spent a total of more than a year in Georgia and share their reviews and useful tips about where it is better to relax at sea with a child, what documents a child needs to enter Georgia, how to feed children, why Georgia is an excellent alternative to the resorts of Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory.

Below is Daria's text.

Summer is ahead and many families are planning to spend their holidays with their children by the sea. In this article I would like to describe the features of holidays in Georgia with children and tell why Georgia is a worthy alternative habitual Krasnodar region or Crimea.

Entry to Georgia with a child

Let's start with the visa issue. To enter Georgia (citizens of Russia, Ukraine and 92 other countries) do not need a visa; a valid passport is sufficient.

For a child to enter, a child’s passport is required or the child must be included in the passport of one of the parents. There is a lot of information on the Internet that it is mandatory for the child’s photograph to be in the passport, but in reality this is not the case.

If, according to the rules of your country, photos are not pasted in, tell them so at the border if a question arises. We traveled with our children many times, passed through different borders (both air and road), a couple of times they asked us “where is the photograph,” but they let us through without any problems.

On the official websites of Georgia they write that a document confirming kinship is required, such as a birth certificate. This is probably just in case the child has his own foreign passport. Our children are registered and therefore we were never asked for any certificates.

If a child is traveling without parents, a notarized permission from one of the parents is required.

Roads in Georgia

The roads in Georgia are good. If you are relaxing by the sea and will only drive along the sea, there is no need to worry at all - everything here is flat and without sharp turns.

If you are traveling to the sea from Tbilisi, be prepared for a 6-7 hour drive. The section from Khashuri to Zestafoni is mountainous and a child can get seasick here. The rest of the road is very flat. Along the roads there are restaurants with playgrounds. And at every gas station there are free toilets.

But sidewalks are often not designed for walking with children.

Which beach resort in Georgia to choose for a holiday with children

We looked into this issue for a long time, traveled to all the resorts, lived by the sea in Georgia, talked with other families. And based on this they formed their opinion.

If you come with children to the sea for a period of up to 3 days, it is best. The sea is not there best quality, but your child will be delighted with a visit to the water park, dolphinarium, zoo, a ride on the cable car, playgrounds with cartoon characters on the Batumi embankment and walks around evening Batumi.

Batumi embankment – perfect place for walks with children
The venues in Batumi in the center are very well thought out. The same cannot be said about the outskirts.

If your vacation is a standard 1-3 weeks, then it is better to settle in a beautiful or. There is no entertainment for children there (only simple playgrounds and traditional rubber band trampolines are available), but there is a very clean sea and healing mountain air. Well, to unwind, you can go to Batumi 2-3 times a week (by bus - 20 minutes, $0.4).

Beach in Sarpi. Very clean sea, but boring for children.
The site in Gonio turns into a muddy mess after the rain

As you know, almost the entire Georgian coast is pebble. Adults experience much more discomfort from walking on stones than children. But it’s worth considering that at noon the stones get very hot, and you can’t walk on them without shoes. I recommend rubber slippers - you can wear them both on rocks and in water.

As for the shore itself, most often it is quite deep, the depth reaches 1 meter already 2 meters from the shore. If there are waves, they roll in such a way that even an adult sitting on the shore can be dragged into the sea. So keep an eye on the kids.

In my opinion, the pebble beach is much better with kids. No matter how you wash your child of sand, it will immediately stick again. And visually such a beach seems cleaner.

For those for whom it is critical that there is sand and not so deep, it is worth going to or to Grigoleti. And children have a place to build castles and adults can benefit from it.

Ureki sands are special magnetite sands, famous for their healing properties (indicated for diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems, as well as childhood diseases and infertility). But you should be prepared for the fact that these resorts have a small selection of accommodation and it is advisable to book it in advance.

If for some reason you liked Kobuleti, it’s worth settling closer to the city center, because it’s boring on the outskirts and there’s nothing to do, and walking along the 5-6 km embankment every day with children is somehow stressful.

We settled on the outskirts of Kobuleti and it was completely deserted.

Georgians' attitude towards children

In general, Georgians love children very much. They probably even pamper them too much and look after them with extreme care. Get ready for the children to be treated to sweets, picked up, squeezed and kissed.

But Georgian men are especially successful in this. I noticed this feature in women. Young girls without their children are thrilled in front of your child. Adult women are either indifferent or with slight contempt (like, “I’m so tired of these children, I have seven myself”).

Separately, I would like to discuss the topic of “naked” children. Our 1.5 year old child ran along the beach without panties. No one has ever said anything about this. But only twice did I hear indignation that the child was naked and was embarrassing other children. A strange remark, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find a summer photo about the love of Georgians. But there is a very indicative winter one.

Food for children in Georgia

If we talk about older children, then Georgian cuisine is very specific - it has a lot of mixture of spicy and spicy. This does not mean that the food is very spicy (although there are such dishes, for example, khinkali, spicy, chashushuli, adjika, satsivi), but if your child is not used to seasonings, it may be a little difficult.

But almost any establishment serves mashed potatoes or boiled rice, and you can order poultry kebabs, salads, stewed vegetables or meat with them.

But children will be delighted with churchkhela (nuts in grape juice) and carbonated drinks (tarragon, duchess, etc. from Natahtari - very good quality).

Now about small children who need special nutrition. In Batumi, large supermarkets and pharmacies have departments with a large selection of baby food (canned fruit and vegetable purees, milk porridges).

At other resorts everything is sadder. Here, even if you find baby food at the pharmacy, the choice will be very small (not 4-5 brands, but 1-2). And, of course, if your child is used to a certain brand or has a special diet, you shouldn’t risk it; it’s better to take it with you.

As for dairy-free mixtures, I couldn’t find instant dairy-free porridges in Georgia. But I was happy with the option of dairy-free porridge, which needs to be boiled. I only saw this in Georgia and even then, when we left, I specially bought more.

Company Baia food ltd, Zestavoni. Rice, millet, corn, oatmeal, buckwheat, a mixture of 5 grains, similar in grinding degree to flour. Without any additives at all, which is very useful. The only thing is that to cook such porridge, you need a kitchen.

Photo from the Internet There is almost no information about Baiafood, mostly all in Georgian.

And also important feature– There is practically no fresh milk in Georgia. Only highly pasteurized (stored for a year) is available in stores. Fresh can only be found in markets or by special order from locals.

Where to go on a beach holiday in Georgia? Selection popular resorts For active rest, treatment and vacation with children. Prices for all-inclusive packages, hotels and groceries. Tips and reviews from tourists.

Georgia is a hospitable, friendly and very diverse country. It literally has everything. Majestic mountains, warm sea, delicious food and wine, friendly locals and rich culture - every guest will find something to do on vacation in Georgia.

Last minute tours search on services and they will find best deals among different tour operators. Want to save money? Explore our.

Rent a car- This The best way travel! - reliable and convenient car rental service in Georgia. Choose a car to suit your taste and budget - there is a wide choice. Car rental costs from $23 per day. Do you have any questions? The Russian-speaking support service will help you with everything.

Beach holidays in Georgia

The Caucasus Mountains provide the country with protection from cold winds, and the climate near the sea is very favorable.

The peak summer tourist season in Georgia is July and August. At the same time, people also swim in the sea in May and September.

In June and September, daytime temperatures on the beaches of Georgia are the most comfortable - up to +25°C. The sea warms up to 20°C. July and August are hotter months; during the day the air warms up to +30°C, and the water temperature at this time is +25°C.

However, not everything is so rosy, because the weather in the country is changeable - there are winds, big waves, and rain. In general, you will remember a seaside holiday in Georgia in the summer because of the hot weather.

(Photo © jagermesh / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

Which resort in Georgia to choose for a beach holiday

Where to go on a beach holiday in Georgia? The most famous seaside resort countries - . This is one of the favorite vacation spots not only for Russians, but also for residents of the CIS countries. Batumi will appeal to those who want to relax by the sea without leaving civilization. Here, ancient buildings coexist with skyscrapers, and all this is right on the Black Sea coast.

In addition to relaxing by the sea, in Batumi you can visit central District- the sights are collected there. These are singing fountains, a summer theater, a dolphinarium, and a little further - the Botanical Garden. With children in Batumi you can visit the dolphinarium, zoo and Seaside Park.

Not far from Batumi there is a village Gonio. There is practically no entertainment here, but the nature is very beautiful. There are ancient houses and fortresses. The beaches in Gonio are more secluded and calm - only casual tourists need to be wary. This combination - the lack of infrastructure and a beautiful natural landscape - is typical of many Georgian resorts, but if you are going to explore the country from the inside, then these are the best options for relaxing by the sea in Georgia.

Kobuleti- Also popular place for holidays in Georgia. First of all, the resort is known for its healing properties - clean air and forest area. The beaches in Kobuleti are small-pebble, and entertainment includes yachting, catamaran and scooter rentals.

According to tourists, the roads in Kobuleti are not very good, but in the north of the resort you can easily stay in a tent on the shore. Villages are also suitable for a more secluded holiday. Shekvetili, Grigoleti or Tsikhisdziri- you will find a wild beach holiday in Georgia right here.

(Photo © booking.com / Mgzavrebi Gonio ApartHotel)

By the river- the resort is more relaxed and inexpensive. The uniqueness of this place is the black magnetic sands, which have healing properties. Sand beach in this region of Georgia (in fact, Ureki is a small village) is very attractive to tourists, because pebbles are not suitable for everyone. Tourists note that these places are characterized by rain, and as a result, mosquitoes. However, lovers of a relaxing beach holiday will love this corner of Georgia.

(Photo © torbence / flickr.com)

There are also beaches in Georgia with mountain air and crystal clear water. First of all, this is Kvariati - a village near the border with Turkey. The combination of mountain and sea air makes this place unique in its healing properties, and it is also the only place in the country where you can go diving.

To summarize, Batumi is a large modern city with infrastructure, Kobuleti is small resort average level, and Ureki is a small village with sandy beaches.

According to tourists, the cleanest sea in the Batumi region is in the villages Sarpi, Kvariati, Gonio, in a southerly direction. North of Batumi best beaches- near Cape Verde.

Prices for tours and hotels in Georgia in 2019

Georgia - enough inexpensive country. Let's consider prices for tours to Georgia with a seaside holiday (Batumi, Kobuleti) with departure from Moscow.

In July 2019, prices for tours to Georgia start from 60 thousand for two in Kobuleti and from 65 thousand for two in Batumi. For this price you will get a week of beach holiday in a three-star hotel, about 500-1000 meters from the sea. In August, prices are even nicer - from 53 thousand in Kobuleti and from 56 thousand in Batumi (the conditions are the same). But there are almost no all-inclusive holidays in Georgia. Hotels above three stars are very rare, and the rooms in them are many times more expensive.

If you travel on your own, you can find accommodation right on the spot or book online on the Rumguru service. For example, in Batumi, a room in a 3* hotel costs from 1,500 rubles per night, and the location can be very good - literally a few blocks away from the sea.

Keep in mind that Georgia also has a huge selection of private housing. Search for apartments, apartments or houses through the Airbnb service. There you can choose both original and simply budget accommodation.

See how much hotels cost in Georgian resorts in the summer of 2019:

(Photo © booking.com / Argo Hotel)

Prices in Georgia - 2019

You will remember your seaside holiday in Georgia at reasonable prices. A 1.5 liter bottle of water costs only 1 GEL (about 25 Russian rubles), wine is also inexpensive - from 11 GEL per bottle. A cup of cappuccino costs 3.5 GEL, the same price for a 0.33 liter can of beer.

The average bill for dinner in a restaurant is about 15 GEL. On the embankments and in tourist places food costs more. Keep in mind that portions in Georgia are generous, so one dish is often enough for two adults.

You can travel by bus within the city for 0.5 GEL, between villages - 2-3 times more expensive.

Beach infrastructure is also affordable. Renting a sunbed and umbrella costs from 3 to 5 GEL for one thing, depending on the beach - this is the price per day. You can pay by the hour, then an umbrella and a sunbed will cost 1 GEL per hour.

(Photo © kryshen / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Seaside holidays in Georgia with children

What is important to know if you are going to Georgia on vacation with a child?

You don’t need a visa, but you need to include your child in your passport or get him your own.

If you are planning a seaside holiday in Georgia for less than a week, it is better to stay in Batumi. There is definitely entertainment for both the child and you - a dolphinarium, a water park, walks along the shore and along the embankment. Batumi also has many pharmacies and supermarkets where you can buy medicines and baby food.

For older children, you can order dishes in a cafe, simply specifying that less spices are needed. In addition, almost any menu includes such familiar things as rice or potatoes, so you and your child can eat without any problems.

If you come for 2-3 weeks, resorts with less developed infrastructure are suitable. Kvariati you will enjoy the purest mountain air, By the river- sand and flat bottom. From here you can get to Batumi by bus in about 20 minutes. A ticket costs about 1.5 lari.

An important feature of Georgia is the absence of big cities fresh milk, only ultra-pasteurized, stored for a year. Therefore, living with a child in small village and buy fresh milk from locals - a good option, you definitely won’t find this in supermarkets.

(Photo © varfolomeev / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC 2.0)

I think that every third reader of my LJ will travel to Georgia in the coming years. And since almost all of my readers have children, the post is more relevant than ever)) So, welcome.

To begin with, why Georgia? Many people asked, why not Türkiye or Greece?

Here's why.

I don’t see any point in leaving Moscow in the summer; it’s good in the Moscow region in the summer, and crazy crowds at airports are not my passion. But in the fall – that’s it. But in the fall - that means in September, because by October it is already cold, and then returning to November is not very good for acclimatization. So September is ideal.

But in September it is still very hot in most countries. All sorts of Italy, Greece, Spain, etc. - heat. Yes, I’ve been there before, and I won’t say that I’m really drawn to it again (I’m lying, I’ve never been to Italy, but I would go there without a child - he’s not interested in sightseeing...). To Turkey in a hotel - eh, boring, or rather, I would just go with a man, lie on the beach, eat, sleep and... well, in general, not bad. How about staying in a hotel with a child? When he is grown up, you can put him in the nursery. And it’s too early for small things. In general, boring.

There's a war in Egypt, and it's also boring in the hotel, not in the hotel - I don't like Egyptians, they pester me.

It's already cold in the Baltics in September. Last year we went to Bulgaria with our child, post for those interested, under the same tag. The weather there was good, it was close to fly there, there was a good beach for children, food was not expensive there, everything was good there, except for one thing - I didn’t want to go back there, that’s all. I don’t know why, the echo of the Soviet Union, the crowding, but I don’t want to, and that’s all. There is no spirit of any kind... Probably, you can find a lot of nice places there, but we didn’t look for them, we just lived at the resort.

So there really isn't much choice. Another moment of money. With a child, fly for at least three weeks, but I prefer for a month. Living in a good hotel for a month somewhere in Turkey is expensive, and it’s a shame to pay for it.

So Georgia is interesting, close, and not hot. It's not very common yet, but it's still to come.

Part 1. Batumi.

So, you can fly to Georgia to Tbilisi or Batumi - the airport is both. Tbilisi is real Georgia, but there is no sea, the city is large and not particularly suitable for a child. Batumi is located on the sea, it’s not exactly Georgia, but Adjara, but a person from Moscow can’t understand the difference)

From Tbilisi to Batumi it takes 4 hours by car, train or minibus, if you wish you can drive.

A couple of companies fly there, we took Aerozena, it takes everyone from Domodedovo to Batumi on Fridays and Sundays, or on Tuesdays too, on a completely normal plane, well, not super-super, but it can fly. Flight – 2 hours 15 minutes – perfect!!! The ticket is around 15,000, but once you get it, you have to look for it. No visa is needed, money can be changed right at the airport, the exchange rate is normal everywhere, the difference is three kopecks.

A taxi at night to the city from the airport costs 20 GEL, that’s 400 rubles. We drove back for 10)) that is, we could haggle, but it’s not a pity. It takes 10 minutes to get to the city.

The season in Georgia is short - in June it is still cold to swim, in July-August there is terrible heat and an influx of tourists, but September is good, although there is always a chance of rain. During our time, the weather changed greatly - there were frankly cold days, and downpours, and heat. So you need all sorts of different clothes, but for me, a change in weather is good, interesting and increases the subjective feeling of the duration of the trip. WE had a great time walking even in the rain. But it depends on who, of course.

On the spot in any tent, it is better to buy a local SIM card and have a device with you in addition to an iPhone for this case) this way you can negotiate about an apartment and call a taxi, although you can do without it.

Where to live. Without visiting Batumi, it is difficult to decide whether you want to spend all your time there, or go somewhere else along the coast, because in Batumi the beach is stone, and, in general, a city is a city.

Therefore, we preferred to book a hotel for the first two days and look around there. In general, when traveling with a child, I don’t need a hotel, but an apartment, so my plan was to find an apartment.

There are many hotels in the city, I took one through Booking.com that was average in price, but it was luxurious. Because ordinary numbers were frightening even when looking at the front sights. The price surprised me - this suite - an ordinary room with a bed and a sofa, in the Marani hotel, cost 2,500 rubles with breakfast. A bit expensive for poor Georgia. But housing prices are not Georgian at all, but quite European.

How to choose a hotel. If you look at a map of Batumi (there is one in Google Maps, Yandex doesn’t know this), you can find Chavchavadze Street, it runs in the city center along the sea. This street divides the city into a new, renovated part - the one that is closer to the sea, and an old, miserable part - the one that is further from the sea.

Our hotel was “beyond the line”, in general, it’s also good there, but it’s a bit far from the sea with a stroller if you live for a long time. In two days we were not tired, on the contrary, but we saw the whole city at once.

And there is something to see. I have never seen such an embankment as in Batumi. My beloved Haifa smokes on the sidelines. It’s huge, wide, long, you can ride a bike, in a stroller, run, walk on it all day long, and you’ll never get to the end.

And the United States is pumping a lot of money into the city to help it recover after hard times. Unreal, strange buildings are built on them, striking in their size, strange shapes and scale of construction. Construction is everywhere, the spirit of old Batumi is already barely felt, but I think in another 5 years it can be easily felt. But in 10 years it will be a city of the future.

The city is small, but there is a lot to do with children.

Dolphinarium - 2 times a day, at 2 pm and at 5 pm they give a show. For my girl, this was her first real performance, and it was Delight.

There are carousels near Lake Pionerskoye and in the center on the embankment. There are not many of them and they are for children under 10 years old, but still. For adults - a Ferris wheel and trolleys going up the mountain along a cable - cable car or whatever it's called.

The aquarium is a disappointment, it’s old and useless, but for a small child it’s all the same, but there are carps swimming in the fountain - it was a huge success.

On the embankment there is a small bird park, swans, parrots and all that. It’s also a success, how much does a child need?

There is a small zoo.

You can go to the Botanical Garden, they say it’s gorgeous, but we didn’t go - the child won’t understand yet, but we had a good time in the city.

There are many cafes in the city, of course, you need to look for a good Georgian one. How to tell - they serve khinkali there. We found it right next to the house, I’ll try to post a map where it’s marked. If I’m lazy, the cafe is called Khash, in the area of ​​Gorgasali Street, ask around. Well, or give me a map. The main sign of a good cafe with Georgian cuisine is that there should always be locals there, both during the day and in the evening. Otherwise, it’s crap for tourists.

Well, the food is divine, what can I say. As I write, my saliva flows. Adjarian khachapuri, khinkali, tongue salad...mmm.... But! After a couple of weeks, khachapuri comes out of your ears, you can’t see the spicy-fatty stuff. It’s good to live in an apartment to be able to make an omelette in Moscow)

The child ate this way: from past travel experience, I know how difficult it is to find decent milk, and we are fans of cottage cheese and kefir. Therefore, take a cooler bag with you, straight into your suitcase; ours is light and soft. It contains cold packs and Agushi's supplies for two weeks. And two weeks later my mother flew to us and brought us a supply again.

And take with you a supply of meat in cans. So I’m calm - I took meat from a cafe, there you give her a tomato, throw rice in the meat - the child is full. Well, kefir is our everything. You can give water to the locals, but why?

Part 2. Ureki.

I write in such detail about Batumi, although in fact we lived there for only two days and left. And then they returned for another 2 weeks - and then I learned everything that I described above.

Why did they leave? There were waves, and it was impossible to bathe a child on the stone beach. I wanted to. Besides, while it was the first half of September, I wanted to lie on the beach myself, and I wanted to travel along the coast and see.

Therefore, after 2 days, when the hotel expired, we left for Ureki. This place is 40 km from Batumi, it is famous for its magnetic sand on the beach. In addition, the sand turned out to be black, which is cool) I saw one like this in Santorini and it was passed off as a really cool thing, but here it’s black, so what))).

You can take a taxi, it costs about 1200 rubles. We are cool and went by minibus. We were lucky, and the hotel owner took us to the station in his Merc (in Georgia, anyone who doesn’t drive a Merc is a complete loser), and there we spent a long time looking for the right minibus. We would have found it ourselves, too, but in about three hours. The station is dirty and classic, the magical refurbishment has not yet touched it

The drive is very beautiful and picturesque, and if you chew khachapuri at the same time, it’s generally good.

The advantage of September is that there are not many people anymore, so we were confident that we would find accommodation to our liking without any problems.

In general, Ureki is a village with one street. But pine trees grow along the sea, the beach is good. It took me a long time to get used to black sand, but then I really fell in love with it. It's so... so... sandy, it sticks well) Ideal for Easter cakes. Locals come there for treatment and bring their children. They bury them in the sand and are happy. Like, it’s extremely useful, we even bought a special book about this sand. We have nothing to treat, but it’s still nice)

So, we arrived, got out, walked on foot, went into the first hotel, “Albatross,” and stayed there. Then we learned from our new Ukrainian friends there that they spent six months choosing a hotel, corresponded with several, read reviews, etc. - and chose this one. Well, we just passed by.

Since we really liked the hotel, I am writing about it in detail. The hotel has a swimming pool, which is important if there are waves or something else. There are only two of them in all of Ureki, it seems)

The beaches are shared, and after storms and high tides they can be a bit dirty. Not with cigarette butts, but with branches, etc. So the hotel is not a guarantee here, although our staff cleaned the beach.

Plus - the hotel is far from the center (if you can say that about UReki), there are significantly fewer people.

The only thing that annoyed me on the beach were the horses. They walk right along the beach with the aim of taking children for rides. I stepped in poop once, ugh.

Rooms cost 70 lari during the season, which is 1,400 rubles per person. This with three meals a day, I must say, is very decent. What kind of pies!!!oooo!!! Food is very important, you get tired of eating in a cafe, you don’t feel like cooking, there are grocery stores, and there aren’t really apartments there, all kinds of wooden houses, it’s of course much cheaper, but we wanted to good conditions live.

Since it was not the season, we were given a room on the fifth floor (no elevator!) without a balcony, but with three beds. At first I didn’t appreciate it, but then I loved our room so much! He's the only one there (to the right of the stairs, I've already forgotten the number, stupid guy). Not with an additional children's bed - but we sleep together and you can't move it, but with a full one-and-a-half bed. We moved it next to our double and got a three-meter bed!!! Plus there are windows on two sides and Wi-Fi is better than everywhere else.

Afterwards, when my husband left and my mother arrived, we moved to a two-room suite, 150 GEL - 3000 per room, that is, for two adults, with meals.

If you are traveling without a child, then the room opposite is very good - one room, one double bed, many windows, a balcony, very cozy!

Why am I writing in such detail about the rooms - they are different, there are no shower stalls, you just stand on the floor in the bathroom and shower, and the water goes into a hole in the floor. So just look at all the numbers or use my tips)

At first we paid for one day. Then another one. Then two more. We wanted to return to Batumi, but we still didn’t really see anything. But it’s impossible to leave - how delicious the food is, how good it is for a child on the sand, how beautiful the sun sets in the sea and illuminates the pine trees, how... yes, everything is good there!

And we paid for another day, then another... In the end, we stayed there for two weeks, my husband flew to Moscow time, never returning to Batumi)))

It seems like this vacation plan is ideal. By the 20th the hotel was closing, by that time almost all the cafes and shops were no longer open - the season was over. Here, after eating our last lunch of the season at the Albatross Hotel, we finally left back for Batumi.

We already needed an apartment there. There were many options through friends, but all blindly. And it’s very important to me where to live, I wanted to see photographs. I typed “rent apartments in Batumi” into a search engine, went to some website, chose it, and wrote to the owners. This is where a phone would come in handy.
Prices start from 40 bucks a day, 50 is quite okay, but this is in September. During the season, something good is 70 bucks.

I wrote to the guy, since I already knew the city and the place was good. A hotel employee drove us, everyone was very ready to help and there were no problems with it.

And here a bummer awaited us. The apartment turned out to be terrible. No, everything is as in the photo, but in life it’s a disaster. Dirt, slaughter, although you can see the sea from the windows. But the worst thing was that the apartment was FULL of mosquitoes. The first night I didn’t sleep until 4 am, saving the child, on the second night they bought fumitox ointments, nothing helped. I’m terrified – are there really such mosquitoes in Batumi in September?! (the bites are still going away, more than a month has passed(((().

It turned out - no, only in this apartment. Therefore - advice - never pay for the entire term at once. In September you can easily afford it. We paid for two nights and ran away in horror, although the child was very injured.

For this price (50 bucks) on the same site, I found a DIVINE apartment, the hostess came to pick us up, took us, and we didn’t even believe right away that we would live here. It turned out that she was doing renovations for herself, and by that time she had only rented it out sporadically for 3 months. If you get ready, I'll give you her email. Territorially excellent, and in general.

If you live somewhere else, I highly recommend the places around Lake Pionerskoye - it’s very nice there, and everything is nearby - the Dolphinarium, the sea, the carousel-zoo and that cafe Khash)).

Living in this apartment, we spent another 2 weeks in the city, walking, swimming - we needed special slippers, the stones were not sharp, but our feet still hurt. You can buy it on the spot, or you can take it with you. It’s difficult for a child to swim in Batumi, but it’s possible, and words cannot describe how happy he is with the stones that he can play with, throw, paint)

They treat Russians with caution, without the former enthusiasm, but we have never experienced any negativity. Everyone is kind and helpful, even the owner of the terrible apartment, whom we abandoned, was sweet and gentle and helped with the suitcases.

I read all sorts of horrors about Georgia online - and they harass women, even if she is with a child, and there is nowhere and nothing to eat, and everything is expensive... I don’t know what kind of Georgia there were poor people in, unfortunately, no one pestered me, I ate I eat it often and it’s very tasty, it’s expensive - only the accommodation, in a cafe for two you can overeat for 400 rubles.

By the way, the only bummer is the wine. There is no delicious, divine Georgian wine. Everything is disgusting - homemade, this and that, white and red. Well, nothing like that, but we were waiting for something!

We went there mainly for the sake of the child, the climate, the sea, and the short flight. And we didn’t expect that we adults would like it so much. Of course, this is not Europe and not five stars in Turkey, you need to take this into account and be prepared for dirt in some places (the center of Batumi is very clean) and for all sorts of possible entanglements of the USSR. But overall we were extremely pleased with the trip and think we'll be back.