Georgia is one of the easiest short breaks from the UAE: a visa on arrival for most residents, a flight of around three and a half hours, and five days are enough to see three very different sides of the country. This itinerary covers the capital, the high mountains and the wine region, with time built in to relax rather than rush between sights.
Day 1 to 2: Tbilisi
Start in the old town, where balconied wooden houses lean over narrow lanes below the Narikala fortress. Take the cable car up for a view over the whole city, then walk down through the sulphur bath district, where you can book a soak in a private bathhouse. Spend the second day at a slower pace: wander across the Peace Bridge to the riverside parks, and leave an evening free for a long dinner, since Georgian meals are built around sharing several small dishes rather than one main course.
- Walk the old town and cross the Peace Bridge
- Ride the cable car up to Narikala fortress
- Try a sulphur bath in the Abanotubani district
- Eat khachapuri and khinkali at a local cellar restaurant
- Watch the sunset from the park above the city
Day 3: Kazbegi
A three-hour drive north along the Georgian Military Highway brings you to Kazbegi, in the shadow of Mount Kazbek. The road itself is part of the day out, climbing through a mountain pass with views back down the valley. The highlight is Gergeti Trinity Church, reached by a short 4x4 ride or a steeper walk, with the church sitting on a green hilltop below the clouds. Most visitors return to Tbilisi the same evening, though an overnight stay gives more time to walk further into the valley.
Day 4: Kakheti wine country
Georgia’s wine region is an easy day trip east of Tbilisi. Sighnaghi’s hilltop old town has views over the Alazani valley, and most wineries offer a tasting of qvevri wine, made in clay vessels buried in the ground, a method said to go back 8,000 years. A day trip usually includes lunch at a family-run winery, with the local toasting tradition part of the experience, so pace yourself if you plan to taste at more than one stop.
Day 5: Departure
Keep the last morning free for souvenirs at the Dry Bridge market, where sellers lay out everything from old cameras to hand-painted ceramics, then head to Tbilisi airport for your flight home. Allow extra time if your flight is in the evening, since the market and nearby cafes are an easy way to fill a last afternoon.
Visa and money
Most UAE residents do not need a visa for short stays in Georgia, but entry rules do change from time to time, so check the current position with us before you book. The Georgian lari is the local currency, and cards are widely accepted in Tbilisi, though it is worth carrying some cash for markets, taxis and smaller towns such as Sighnaghi and Kazbegi.
