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Georgia
VisasA passport and a visa are required. Visitors must acquire a visa from a Georgian embassy abroad or upon arrival at the airport before being admitted into the country. Travelers arriving with a valid visa from Armenia or Azerbaijan are not required to have a Georgian visa unless they plan to stay more than three days. Travelers must also fill out customs declarations upon arrival and present them to customs officials when departing the country. Failure to declare currency and other items can result in fines or other penalties. In any case advisable to check the visa requirements before departuring to Georgia Getting to Georgia There are three main ways to enter Georgia : via Tbilisi international airport , Batumi port on the Black Sea , land border crossings with Russia , Azierbajan, Armenia and Turkey. By air Number of world-known air carriers have regular flight to Tbilisi - "British Airways", "Lufthansa", "Air France", "Aeroflot", "Turkish Airlines" and "Olympic". "Georgian Airways" flies to many European destinations, as well as to Istanbul, Larnaca and Tel-Aviv. It would be hard to find any cheap flights to/from Georgia. The cheapest flights are between Tbilisi and Russian towns : Moscow ($120-150 one way), Stavropol ($70 one way), Minvody ($60-65 one way), Vladikavkaz, Krasnodar, Saratov. By train Regular trains run to Erevan (Armenia), 12 hours, 6-8 USD ; and to Moscow via Baku (Azerbajan), 70 hours, 40-50 USD. There are no trains along the Black Sea coast because of unstability in Abhazia region. The same problem with the Moscow's train which runs via Gudermes in Chechnya. Trains were running in august '99, the nowdays situation is unknown. There is no railway connection with Turkey. By bus Bus would be your only way to travel between Georgia and neighbor countries. Buses connect Tbilisi with Turkish town of Trabzon several times daily, via Batumi ( Border officers would try to cause you to pay between 5-20USD for "Leaving Georgia", know, that their demands are unlawful, but the problem is that you have nothig to do, unless to pay them. Try to persuade an officer, that travelers cheques - are the only money you have. Sometimes it helps. Regular buses run to Erevan (Armenia), via Alaverdi ; Baku (Azerbajan) ; Istanbul via Batumi and Trabzon ; Minvody and Stavropol (Russia), via Georgian Military Highway, which runs through Dariali gorge. The highway that connects Georgia and Russia along the Abhazian coast via the Caucasian tunnel is closed. The only way to visit Abhazia is via Russia. The border between Georgia and Abhazia is closed. By boat Batumi and Poti are the points of departure for cargo ships leaving for Odessa ( Ukraine ), Sochi and Novorossijsk ( Russia ), Trabzon and Istanbul (Turkey) and Piraeus (Greece). The only regular passengers line is to Trabzon (Turkey ). Traveling in Georgia The only local air connection is between Tbilisi ,Kutaisi and Batumi. Trains run along the main railway line : Telavi - Tbilisi - Kutaisi - Poti - Batumi. Local electrified trains connect between Tbilisi and Rustavi, Tbilisi and Barjomi. Currently the coastal railway lines and a highway are blocked due to the conflict in Abhazia, so rail travel in the north and west is very difficult. Travel elsewhere is possible, though train services are unfrequent to some destinations. Public transport is cheap and quiet regular in Tbilisi, with an undergound train system, bus, cable-car and trams all plying the streets of Tbilisi. Tbilisi The capital city of Georgia, its biggest city ( 1,5 million people) and the main commercial and cultural center of the country. Tbilisi is famous for its historical monuments and gorgeous architecture, which include the Sioni Cathedral Church that dates from the 5th century and the ancient Narikhala fortress. Visitors can also take in the local theatre scene.Three of the city's most famous and long-established theatres are situated in Rustaveli Avenue, including the Paliashvili Opera House, founded in 1851. Many changes passed Tbilisi after the independence in 1991. The most of ethnic russians leaved Tbilisi for their home country. Russian language was removed from the official using. The russian names of the streets were changed for Georgian names and its alphabet. Today's Georgia changes its political orientation for the West, its relationships with Russia became much more complicated, then in the past. Around Tbilisi Uplistsikhe - David Gareji - Varadzia Georgia is rich with its historical and cultural monuments: churches, monastery-complexes, towers, fortresses, cathedrals and etc. Cave towns represent this great cultural heritage. Cave towns were developed in the Asia Minor, but for the scientists, Georgian cave-towns significantly differ from the similar ones in Asia. The reason of difference is its artistic level. We mention only three great cave-towns: in Uplistsikhe, David Gareji and Vardzia. Uplistsikhe is situated in the Inner Kartli, on a left bank of the river Mtkvari. It's a cave town of anticquity. Upistsikhe was born as a cave town in the first century A.D. and existed till the XIII-XIV centuries. With its planning and architectural conclusion it rather differs from cave-towns of Asian type. Halts and constructions made in stone attract with their size and high level artistic decorations. Masters of antiquity worked out the stone surface with realous dilligence so that trials of instrument dices do not appear. In Uplistcichke's complex are included: long construction, Western Church, houses, halls. Here was a building even for theatre. Architectural complex of Vardzia is a unique monument of Georgian culture. 13 stages of Vardzia's front are extended on 500 ms along Mtkvari bank ( Gavacheti, South- Western Georgia). This place was chosen for the best building properties, good conditions of life and self-defense and also for existence of spring water in this area. Vardzia was a royal monastery. Historically it was composed from parts: cave-village Ananaur; (X-XI c.) and monastery of Varzia (XII c.) Ananauri's complex is situated in the Western part of Vardzia. In the center we see great hall-type cathedral. Complex includes also living spaces, small hall-type churches, refectories, wine cellars, feast-hall and etc. Number of cells reaches several hundreds. Cathedral of Vardzia Keeps portraits of Rati from Surami, King George III, Queen Tamar (young Tamar stands near her father with a little model of cathedral in her hands) Vardzia was built during Queen Tamar's kingdom, while the cultural and historical power of Georgia. It's the one of the most important examples of Georgian renaissance culture. The third cave town is David Gareji's monastery-complex (situated in the East Georgia, in Kachketi). It was established by Asurian Father, David Gareji. David came to Garejian desert with his pupil, Lukiane and settled in the little natural cave. So was formed Davit's Lavra. Time by time it was branched, the number of monasteries came to 12. The monastery complex of David Gareji is carved in the Garejian Cave Mountains. Most intensively it was built in XII-XIII century, the own order of monastery life and constructing, own schools of frescoes painting were formed here. Wall painting of main churches and refectories is quite attractive. David Gareji was a very important heart of medieval culture. The friaries of David Gareji made a great educational work they were multiplying manuscripts, composing collected volumes and etc. Batumi The town of Batumi is a good entiry pint if you are coming from Turkey by sea. Its mainly industry center of western Georgia and an old traiding port. Once the coastal region between Batumi and Sukhumi was one of the largest resorts zones of the former USSR, with its sunny beaches, luxiry hotels, spa centers, a variety of entertaiment facilities. Today, after the collaption of Soviet Union, economical unstability and continious war with Abhazia - Batumi looks abandoned. Many of its interesting buildings and sites are destroyed or damaged. Today Georgian goverment makes every efforts to regain its wonderful Black Sea riviera. A dolphinarium - the proud of locals is worth to visit, The Botanical Garden, which are genuine highlights. The castle was reopened for visitors at resent years. Sent by Yair, Israel |
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