Leisure Pursuits In Georgia:

There are many reasons to travel during the cold season. Some people are attracted to the road by new holiday traditions. Someone is going skiing. Some people prefer the sun, sea and beach. And almost all tourists appreciate the warm welcome. What Georgia doesn’t have in winter is a warm sea. But there are ski resorts, and unusual Christmas decorations too. As for hospitality, local residents are always sincerely glad to see guests. And guests know how to be grateful.

Holidays in Georgia in January:

Pros and Cons:

You’ll look at the reviews about holidays in Georgia in January and start thinking – is it worth going? It seems that it’s either raining, sometimes snowing, sometimes foggy, and you can’t lie on the beach, and you can’t relax in amusement parks… The comments about the weather are correct. But the point is not only about them. The same reviews write about how in January only baked khachapuri warms your hands, how merrily the cypress trees turn green in the capital’s botanical garden, how the sea roars, having finally received the shore as its undivided power, how the snow caps on the mountain tops shine in the sun. All these are the details that make the trip unique and memorable.

Here are the main advantages of Georgia in January:

• predominantly above-zero temperatures in Tbilisi and Batumi;
• excellent conditions for skiing in Gudauri and Bakuriani;
• tranquility in the mineral resort of Borjomi; special customs for New Year and Christmas;
• a small number of tourists after the New Year and Christmas holidays; good conditions for a short trip.

Well, it’s unnecessary to praise Georgian cuisine and wine, because they are wonderful at any time of the year. Below you can read about foods that are safe for children’s stomachs. The disadvantages still include the unstable weather of January.

You also need to take into account that many tourists come to Georgia on winter holidays, and on weekends local residents like to visit mountain resorts. This affects prices and the ability to plan a trip at the last minute. Another drawback is the short daylight hours in January.

This is beneficial for those who love evening skiing, and in the city the evening will be brightened by a trip to the theater, cinema or indoor entertainment center. So where can you relax in Georgia in January? Let’s take things one by one and start with weather data.

Weather in Georgia in January:

If you look at photographs of local residents, you can get a false impression of what the weather is like in Georgia in January-February. It’s not customary to bundle up here; people walk around in unbuttoned jackets and without hats, but you shouldn’t count on any special warmth.

The weather in early January is more reminiscent of late autumn in mid-latitudes. Slight above-zero temperatures, often foggy, cloudy and windy, with occasional rain. There is snow in the mountains, and sometimes Tbilisi is covered in snow.

The weather in Georgia at the end of January remains the same. If your plans include excursions and walks, a windproof demi-season jacket and water-resistant shoes will come in handy.

You also need an additional warm layer of clothing, a hat, scarf and gloves. If the purpose of a trip to Georgia in January with a child is alpine skiing, you will need three layers of clothing: thermal underwear, fleece, ski jacket and pants. For a holiday in Borjomi, it is better to take winter clothes and shoes rather than demi-season ones.

Air and water temperature:

The climate of Georgia – at least its western part – is considered subtropical. Does this mean there is no winter here? It happens, and with snow and frost. Yes, on the Black Sea coast January is more reminiscent of spring, but in the mountains winter is firmly established.

The air temperature in Georgia in January varies from one region to another.
In the capital it ranges from -3°С to +8°С, at sea resorts it can be +1°С and +15°С, and at ski resorts it ranges from -10° to +5° (at night it can also be -15°С). The water temperature in Georgia in January is not for swimmers: only +9-12°C.

Is it possible to swim?

Anyone who really wants to swim in Georgia in January, of course, goes for it. But this is by no means a place for a beach holiday in winter. The weather is damp and windy, the sea is cold and often stormy. Where to swim in January if you come for relaxation? In hotel pools and health centers.

Indoor complexes sometimes have children’s pools with small slides and fountains. In Tbilisi, the indoor part of the Gino Paradise water park is open in winter, but the Batumi water park is closed.

Ski holiday:

A rough plan for a winter trip to Georgia could be as follows: fly to Tbilisi, spend a day or two getting to know the capital, and then head to the mountains. By the beginning of January, the slopes of the Caucasus are covered with a thick blanket of snow.

The sky sometimes frowns and sprinkles with snow, sometimes it pleases with sunshine. The temperature rarely rises above zero, and severe night frosts are possible.

Gudauri is the most modern resort in Georgia and a good place for those who love freeride: there are quite extensive areas for off-piste skiing. There are 13 lifts leading to the upper stations, and there is a “magic carpet” in the children’s learning area.

The ski area is located at an altitude of 2000-3258 m. In January there are usually no problems with snowmaking, but if necessary, snow cannons operate. Of the 75 km of trails, most are intended for beginners. There are trails for night skiing and a snow park. Children aged 7 years and older can attend ski schools. A day of skiing in high season costs approximately 70 GEL for an adult and 35 GEL for a child. Prices drop only in mid-March. On weekends, the resort can be crowded with locals, and if possible, it is better to choose weekdays for skiing. Bakuriani is the oldest ski resort in the country. It is good for experienced skiers, and is also suitable if you want to visit the Borjomi springs.

January at the resort is gloomy, snowy, with light frost during the day and a fairly significant drop in temperature at night. A stable cover on the slopes is formed already in December, and by mid-January the snow thickness is always sufficient for alpine skiing. Skiing altitudes in Bakuriani are 1800-2850 m. The total length of the slopes is 29 km, the main part is designed for those who ski confidently.

There is a freeride area and a children’s educational and play area. The price of the ski pass is approximately 30 GEL for an adult and 20 GEL for a child. A common drawback of the resorts is a meager après ski program and a small amount of entertainment for children. Gudauri hotels sometimes have a games room and a children’s menu (usually for a fee). Please note that there is sometimes a risk of avalanches and some trails and lifts may be closed.

Excursion holidays:

Whether it’s winter or summer, there is no bad weather for travelers to get to know new cities. The capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, is filled with tourists for the New Year, and at the end of January it is empty: you can calmly walk the streets and wander through museums. They usually start with walks through the old quarters, along beautiful aging houses.

Be sure to stop at the Rezo Gabriadze Puppet Theater to inquire about the schedule of performances and watch a philosophical mini-performance in the window of the clock tower. And then they go up to the ancient fortress of Narikala. It’s not for nothing that this powerful structure is called the soul of the city: from above, the whole of Tbilisi is visible at a glance. If it rains – this is a common occurrence in winter – we suggest moving to one of the museums.

For example, Historical, where the past of Tiflis comes to life. At the National Museum, the exhibition is more restrained, but it touches on serious topics, including the causes and consequences of Georgia being part of the USSR.

A real children’s area is the Experimentorium Museum. Children independently find answers to their many “whys,” and parents learn a lot of interesting things.

But to visit the ethnographic museum, it is better to choose a fine January day, because its exhibits are located in the open air. Dwellings and other buildings from different regions of Georgia are collected here: just by the difference in design one can judge the characteristics of the landscape and climate of, say, Adjara or Svaneti. There is also something to see outside of Tbilisi. Very close by is Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, taken under the protection of UNESCO.

With schoolchildren you can go to the cave city of Uplistsikhe, the rock monastery of Vardzia, and the David-Gareji monastery complex on the border with Azerbaijan. Choosing the Batumi resort for a winter holiday is a chance to look at the city with different eyes. You will probably first look at it from the height of the Alphabet Tower, but then we recommend that you step over the threshold of the Nobel Brothers Museum and find yourself in the past of the city of Batum, namely in the period when an oil production and refining enterprise appeared here.

An even more distant past is revealed in the local history and archaeological museums. It’s amazing how similar the filigree patterns of metal on weapons are and those of thread on knitted and embroidered things. The small Museum of Fine Arts of Adjara is worth a visit simply because there are several paintings by Niko Pirosmani on display: children understand his work very well.

Entertainment for children:

Occupying the younger generation is a little more difficult in winter than in summer. But you can’t say that children get bored in the cold season? Preschoolers are always happy to spend time on the playgrounds. One of the best such places in Tbilisi is Rike Park, where there are a lot of interesting things for children.

By the way, there is the lower station of the cable car leading to the Narikala fortress. The botanical garden also has a children’s playground. And this is not the only reason to come to the garden in winter. There is quite a lot of greenery there even in January, and in the greenhouse you can admire blooming tropical plants. In winter, there is also an amusement park on Mount Mtatsminda.

However, whether the attractions will work depends on the weather. But the park has a Woodland playground, a video game area and shooting ranges, all of which are open regardless of weather conditions. A trip to the Gino Paradise water park will be no less enjoyable. The indoor children’s pool has a complex of slides and sprinklers.

For adults there is a swimming pool with a fountain and hydromassage. Several water slides start from an indoor tower, and the finish is also indoors, so they can work in winter. But most of the slides, the swimming and wave pool, and the Lazy River are located in the open air, so there will be a reason to return to Tbilisi in the summer. In Batumi, the main place for walking is the Wonderland Park.

Even if the Ferris wheel is not working, from which you can see the entire Batumi bay, you can look at the unusual sculpture “Ali and Nino”, see Georgian letters and a DNA helix in the “Alphabet” tower, integrate into the installation “Me, You and Batumi” and make original photo. There are children’s playgrounds in the city’s parks, and in the 6 May Park there is also a small zoo.

There is also an aquarium here. It is not impressive in size, but it gives you the opportunity to see the fish inhabiting the rivers of Georgia and the waters of the Black Sea. You can immediately compare whether there is any similarity between an ordinary fox and a sea fox. Children will note the long tail characteristic of both.

From Batumi it is worth going to Shekvetili, where the “Georgia in Miniature” complex is located. There is Narikala, old Tbilisi houses, and ancient buildings of Mtskheta. In the evening, artistic lighting turns on in little Georgia.

Ureki, a famous beach resort, is visited in winter for a walk through the Musical Park. It is decorated with sculptures depicting famous composers and musicians from different eras. And these are not monuments that need to be viewed with reverence (and poorly concealed boredom), but very lively compositions.

Treatment:

Where to go in Georgia in January to take a break from the noise and improve your health? The famous resort of Borjomi does not lose ground even against the background of modern health centers. The role in this is played partly by the habit of traveling to the waters of the Caucasus, and partly by the proven value of Borjomi mineral water, which is useful for diseases of the digestive system.

January at the resort is quite mild, without heavy precipitation, but with a lot of cloudy days. There are frosts at night, and during the day the temperature ranges from -5°C to +5°C. Dress warmly and go admire the mountain scenery.

The Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is especially beautiful, with tourist routes along it. There are several high-class hotels with health centers in Borjomi. You can also rent an apartment. In the middle of winter there are few tourists, so there are no difficulties in finding a suitable option.

Holidays, events and festivals:

Georgia’s holiday calendar in January begins predictably – with the New Year. The celebration traditions are familiar: with a Christmas tree, with tangerines, with champagne at midnight.

Both in houses and in the main squares of cities, chichilaki are installed – decorations made of walnut rods, planed so that thin shavings are held in its upper part. Toys are hung on the chichilaki or a plate with fruits and sweets is placed next to it.

But on January 2, something unusual comes in: Fate Day, or Bedoba, as it is called in Georgia. In order for the coming year to be successful, people try to spend the day as pleasantly as possible, with their family or among good friends. Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. Special treats are prepared for this day, differing from region to region, but almost everywhere they put honey, dried fruits and nuts on the table. After the church service, the “Alilo” procession goes from house to house, congratulating the owners on Christmas and receiving food in return.

Recently, “Alilo” sometimes resembles a carnival procession in which hundreds of people participate. On January 19, the Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated in Georgia, and it is a day off, just like Christmas. The tradition of plunging into water after the liturgy has been revived here, and many even go to Batumi to plunge into the sea for this. After Epiphany, the chichilaki are taken to the wine cellar, left until next year, or burned as a symbol of farewell to the hardships of the past year.

Vacation prices:

Prices in Georgia in January are uneven: they are inflated at the beginning of the month and drop noticeably from the second week. This is a popular winter holiday destination and it’s worth planning your tickets and accommodations in advance.

Flights:

The average price of tickets to Tbilisi in January is quite high. This is most influenced by the New Year and Christmas holidays: after their end, air travel becomes cheaper. Already in February, ticket prices drop by a quarter.

Hotels:

A hotel room or apartment in Georgia in January will cost much less than in summer. During the holidays, you can expect a price increase of 15-30%. After this, prices decline and remain almost unchanged in February.

Tours:

The end of December – beginning of January brings a strong increase in the price of package holidays. As soon as the holidays pass, tour prices are reduced by 20-30%.

Nutrition:

The colder it is outside, the more you want to dive into a cozy restaurant and order something hot. Khachapuri (from 6 lari), khinkali (from 0.5 lari per piece), chikhirtma (from 7 lari) will seem especially tasty. Spicy soup kharcho also has a warming effect (its estimated cost is 5 GEL). We have listed prices in mid-level tourist restaurants, and in establishments where locals go, you can have a hearty meal for 10 GEL.

Khachapuri in street stalls costs only 2-4 lari – and they are also very tasty. Let us add that all types of khachapuri and achma are very popular with children, and other dishes may seem too sour, hot or spicy.

But the kids eat dolma – cabbage rolls in grape leaves – with pleasure. Stewed vegetables ajapsandali, kvari dumplings, and buglama meat baked with vegetables are also suitable for children’s tables. The filling in lobiani and kubdari is often quite peppery.

Something too spicy can be washed down with delicious Georgian lemonade or fermented milk drink matsoni. The market in January is replete with local citrus and pomegranates, as well as imported fruits. For 1 kg of oranges and tangerines you need to pay about 2-4 GEL, pomegranates and quinces – 4 GEL, grapefruits – 4-5 GEL, apples – 3-4 GEL.

Shopping:

Reviews of holidays in Georgia in January often write about shopping trips. Perhaps it’s the weather, but most likely, few people can resist buying one or two bottles of local wine or pickled cheese. We recommend choosing alcohol only in branded stores; cheeses for transportation should be purchased in a supermarket, in original packaging.

Churchkhela, dried fruits, nuts, and Georgian spices are often bought at the market. Before leaving, you can buy fresh baklava or gozinaki. As for fruits, give preference to persimmons – they know a lot about its preparation here. A very elegant gift is jewelry made using the cloisonne enamel technique, or minankari. And a practical one for those who are partial to cooking is the ketsi clay frying pan, in which meat and vegetables are fried or baked.