Georgia Travel Day 1 – Unexpected Beauty Under Grey Skies: Budget Tips, Wine, and Riverside Stays

 

Georgia Travel Day 1

A Cloudy Start, but a Bright Journey: Our First Day in Georgia

🚘Departing Abu Dhabi at Dawn – A Calm Start to a New Adventure

Our Georgia trip began in the quiet darkness of Abu Dhabi at 2:45 AM.
We used the ENBD Marriott World Elite Card’s complimentary airport pickup service, which arrived precisely on time.
The peaceful drive through empty streets set the tone: this wasn’t just another vacation—it was the beginning of something meaningful.

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🌧️ Forecast: Stormy Skies, but Spirits High

In the days leading up to our trip, the weather forecast for Georgia remained grim—clouds, thunderstorms, and rain across Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Mtskheta.

But rather than be discouraged, we packed light ponchos and reminded ourselves:
Sometimes the best stories begin under cloudy skies.

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✈️ Choosing Wizz Air – Budget Over Convenience

Flights to Georgia offer two main choices:

• Fly Dubai/Emirates: direct to Tbilisi, faster, more convenient

• Wizz Air: lands in Kutaisi, far cheaper, but requires a bus ride to Tbilisi

As we had extra time and wanted to experience the land route, we chose:
Wizz Air to Kutaisi + Georgian Bus to Tbilisi – a perfect mix of savings and scenic transit.

📌 Tip:

• For speed, go direct to Tbilisi.

• For budget and more local experience, Wizz + Georgian Bus is perfect.

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🕐 Detour in the Sky – Flight Delays and Reroutes

Our departure was delayed by 1.5 hours, and due to tensions between Iran and Israel, the flight path was rerouted.
What should’ve been a 3.5-hour journey turned into 5.5 hours in the air.
Tiring, yes—but Georgia was worth every minute.

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🛬 Kutaisi International Airport – Small, Simple, Smooth

It was overcast when we landed at Kutaisi International Airport.
The airport was clean, organized, and surprisingly efficient for its size.

Inside, there was only one small cafe, but it offered the perfect pick-me-up:

☕ Coffee, warm khachapuri, a ham croissant, and a soft pastry filled with sweet white cream.

It wasn’t gourmet, but it felt like a warm welcome.

The sky greeted us with a thick layer of clouds.

The airport was clean, quick, and well-organized—impressive for a small city hub.

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🚌 The Georgian Bus – Long Ride, but Reliable

The Georgian Bus is one of the most convenient ways to travel from Kutaisi to Tbilisi.
It adjusts its schedule based on flight arrivals, so you don’t have to worry about delays.

⚠️ Payment Tip:
We made an online reservation using a credit card, and unfortunately, it triggered a cash advance fee (~150 AED).

✅ It's better to use a debit card when booking online, or simply pay at the Georgian Bus counter at the airport, where no such fee applies.

We arrived in a rainy Tbilisi, but our mood was still bright.

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🍞 A Street Bakery Between Bus and Hotel

After arriving at the Tbilisi intercity bus terminal, we decided to walk to our hotel.
Along the way, we stumbled upon a tiny street bakery where locals lined up.

We picked up a crispy bread filled with white cream—light, airy, and perfectly sweet.
One of those magical travel moments you can't plan.

The kind of discovery that makes walking worth it.

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🏨 Moxy Hotel Tbilisi – Room 444 and a Lucky Number

Our stay was at the stylish Moxy Hotel Tbilisi, and we were assigned Room 444.
While some avoid the number 4, we saw it as our lucky charm for the trip.

🪟 From our room, we enjoyed a quiet view of the Kura River under a moody sky.

📌 Room Tip:
If you want a river view, ask for Room 446, 444, or 346—
they all offer scenic views of the Kura River, which we found far more peaceful than a city-facing room.

Unlocking luck on day one.

The hotel’s brick-and-glass facade stood confidently by the riverside.

From our room: the peaceful Kura River under a moody sky.

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🌉 Evening Walk – From Kura River to Peace Bridge

After settling in, we took a sunset stroll along the Kura River.
The air was cool and damp, the sky thick with clouds—but it only made the lights shimmer more brightly.

As we reached the iconic Peace Bridge, its glowing glass arc lit up the moody skyline, inviting us into the heart of Tbilisi.

In the distance, we caught a glimpse of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, its golden dome gleaming behind the haze.

A glowing arc of glass and steel lighting the grey city sky.

View of the Holy Trinity Cathedral glowing behind the clouds.

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🍽️ Dinner at Restaurant Usakhelouri – A Perfect Welcome Meal

Dinner was at the warm and cozy Restaurant Usakhelouri.
We tried:

• 🥂 Saperavi red wine

• 🍗 Grilled chicken in creamy sauce

• 🥟 Khinkali dumplings

The flavors were rich and soulful—perfect after a long journey.

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🍷 Wine Bar Nightcap – Mtsvadi and Didgori

To cap off the evening, we found a quiet wine bar tucked in an alley.
There, we ordered a bottle of Didgori red wine and a plate of mtsvadi (pork BBQ).

🎵 With mellow music playing and a gentle breeze from the river, it was the perfect way to end Day 1.

The wine was smoother and lighter than Saperavi—easy to sip and easy to love.

This Didgori wine was smoother and lighter than Saperavi—ideal for winding down.

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🌙 Summary – Clouds Above, Smiles Within

Georgia welcomed us not with sunshine, but with depth.

The first day had delays, drizzle, and detours—yet it was everything we’d hoped for.
Quiet rivers, soft pastries, honest flavors, and unexpected joy.

Travel isn't always about perfect weather.
Sometimes, it's about choosing your mood, not waiting for it.