Best Time To Visit Georgia

When is The Best Time To Visit Georgia

For anyone wishing to visit Georgia, you will be glad to hear that it is possible to visit at any time of the year. Depending on your reason for travelling, the geographic location of Georgia and its relatively small size, mean that your trip to Georgia can happily take place at any time.

Georgia is located in the mountainous South Caucasus region of Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.  Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan have borders to the south of the country and to the north is Russia. The varied topography of Georgia means that there are a number of different climatic regions.

To the north, the Greater Caucasus range helps to moderate the climate to its south as it acts as  a barrier to the cold air coming south  from Russia. This helps by allowing the warm moist air from the Black Sea to dominate in the coastal lowland areas as it moves in from the west. Georgia has 310k of coastline which stretches along the Black Sea coast, from Abkhazia to the Turkish border. This Black Sea coast does tend to see a lot of rain and also has a relatively high humidity. You will see palms trees growing here as the winters are very mild.

Of course, in the Caucasus Mountains it tends to be cold and snowy while if you stay in the capital, Tbilisi, then you will find that the summers can feel incredibly hot.

Spring in Georgia

Many people think that the best time to visit Georgia is in the Spring. It certainly is a great time if you are planning to tour around Georgia as the temperature starts to warm up and there is less rainfall. Travelling in Georgia between mid-March through to mid-June you will find that the temperatures are warm, but not too hot and that walking in jeans and a t-shirt is common.

If you want to hike in Georgia, this is the perfect time as the wild flower meadows should be starting to bloom and the lowlands will be absolutely wonderful to explore. For travel to high altitude locations, you may need to wait until the end of spring as many of the passes in the rural areas can still be closed.

A great reason to visit Georgia in spring is the number of holidays that are celebrated at that time of year. Easter is certainly the biggest of the Georgian holidays and as they use the Orthodox calendar, Easter here falls a couple of weeks after the Catholic Easter. At Easter, you will hear Georgians greet each other with the words “Christ is Risen!” instead of saying hello and the reply is then “Indeed”. You will find that the doors of all the locals’ houses are open to guests and you may be able to taste home-made Paska (Easter cake) and try the dyed red Easter eggs.

Another reason to visit Georgia in the spring is to attend the Independence Day celebrations. Georgia celebrates its Independence Day on the 26th May, which is the date that in 1918 the Act of Independence was signed. This then established the Democratic Republic of Georgia in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Throughout the country there will be military parades, fireworks, concerts, fairs, and political speeches and ceremonies.  Georgia also seceded from the Soviet Union on April 9th 1991 and April 9th is now celebrated as another national public holiday.

Summer in Georgia

From mid-June until the end of August, things can get hot in Tbilisi with temperatures getting close to 35’c not uncommon. For the population of Tbilisi, summer is a time to escape the city and travel to either the coastal region or the less humid highlands and mountain regions.

This is the perfect time for hiking in the Caucus Mountains. At this time of the year, Georgia is a trekkers’ paradise and if you like long, remote treks or you prefer to spend your time walking between the wonderful medieval villages there is a trek for you.

In July and August you will find that throughout Georgia, there are many different concerts, festivals and outdoors events taking place. The Black Sea Jazz Festival is one such event and well worth a visit. Held in Batumi every July, it is no longer just for jazz fans. The festival has opened up and now includes a variety of music and performers ranging from rock, R&B, soul, disco, funk and hip-hop. Past acts that have performed at the Black Sea Jazz Festival include Robert Plant and The Prodigy!

Autumn in Georgia

September through to November is still a good time to explore Georgia.  Temperatures will start to drop and it will be getting wetter. Warmer clothes and an umbrella are needed for this time of year. Snow will have returned to the peaks of the Caucus Mountains and travel in the most remote areas will again become increasingly difficult.

However, travel in Georgia during autumn does have its benefits. The beautiful autumn colours make hiking in the lowlands a photographers delight. Visiting the coast at this time of the year means you do not have the large number of domestic tourists however; many of the resorts attractions may be closed or closing for the season.

Autumn in Georgia  is harvest time. And the best harvest to be in Georgia for is the grape harvest! The  gathering of the grapes is a big event in Georgia and depending on the variety of grape, the harvest can take place at any time between the end of August until November. Regions like Kakheti, Racha and Imereti are famous for grape-gathering and to witness the traditional methods that are still used by many wine making families is a highlight of any tour to Georgia.

Winter in Georgia

If travelling to Georgia between December and February, then be prepared for it to be cold. This does not mean that you should not travel as there is plenty to keep the active traveller entertained. Like the Alps in Europe, Georgia has great trekking in the spring and summer which means that it also has great skiing in the winter.

Georgia’s largest and the most popular of its ski resorts is Gudauri just north Tbilisi. With an elevation of 3250m and a 1250m skiable vertical, Gudauri ski resort is a great location for anyone looking for something a bit different. It boasts a modern lift infrastructure, over 60km of piste and ski pass prices that are usually half what you would pay in Europe.

If skiing is not your thing, then why not consider a winter break in the capital Tbilisi? Explore the Old Town while feasting on khachapuri or delicous meat-filled Georgian dumplings. The crowds have almost all gone at this time of year and you can stroll around the Old Town, take in a play, an opera or one of the famous puppet shows. There are plenty of wonderful restaurants and cafes to snuggle up in and keep warm with a glass of Georgian red.