The Best of Georgia and Armenia — Self-Launched

Fly into Yerevan (Zvartnots Airport) and take the cheap airport bus or a Yandex taxi (roughly 1,500-2,500 AMD) into the centre. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in the Kentron district. Wander Republic Square, then walk the Cafesjian Cascade complex and climb the 572 steps for sunset views towards Mount Ararat. Grab dinner at a local eatery — try khorovats (barbecue) and lavash with herbs.

🚌Airport bus/Yandex taxi from Zvartnots (~£2-4); walking in the centre

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in central Yerevan (dorm £8-12, private double £18-28)

• →Republic Square evening stroll
• →Cafesjian Cascade complex and art museum (free exterior, small fee for galleries)
• →Local dinner and lavash tasting

Build your own guided half-day by taking a marshrutka or shared taxi to Echmiadzin (roughly 300-400 AMD) to see the UNESCO-listed Echmiadzin Cathedral and the Zvartnots ruins en route — both sit close to the airport road. Return to Yerevan and visit the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial and museum (free entry, very moving) and the History Museum of Armenia on Republic Square. Alternatively book a small-group GetYourGuide half-day tour covering Zvartnots, Echmiadzin and the memorial for roughly £25-35.

🚌Marshrutka minibus from Yerevan to Echmiadzin (~£0.50) or shared taxi (~£5); walking/metro in town

🛏Same Yerevan hostel/guesthouse

• →Echmiadzin Cathedral
• →Zvartnots ruins
• →Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial and museum (free)
• →History Museum of Armenia (~£4)

Take a marshrutka or shared taxi from Yerevan to Garni (roughly 400 AMD / £0.70), visit the Hellenistic Garni Temple, then hike down into the Garni River gorge to see the 'Symphony of Stones' basalt columns. Continue to the UNESCO rock-cut Geghard Monastery — either walk uphill or grab a local taxi. Back in Yerevan, browse the Vernissage craft market if it's a weekend, and optionally visit the Ararat brandy factory.

🚌Marshrutka/shared taxi Yerevan-Garni (~£1-2 each way); short taxi to Geghard

🛏Same Yerevan hostel/guesthouse

• →Garni Temple (~£1.50 entry)
• →Garni gorge hike to Symphony of Stones
• →Geghard Monastery
• →Vernissage craft market
• →Optional Ararat brandy factory tour (~£8)

This is the trickiest day to replicate alone, so book a small-group day tour via GetYourGuide or a local operator in Yerevan (roughly £35-50). It typically covers the Armenian Alphabet Monument near Aparan, the high-altitude Amberd Fortress on Mount Aragats, and a lavash baking demonstration with lunch in Oshakan village. If you'd rather self-drive, rent a car for the day with other travellers (roughly £35-45 split between 3-4 people) — the road up to Amberd is paved and straightforward in summer. Finish with a look at the Matenadaran manuscript library back in Yerevan.

🚌Shared small-group tour minibus, or split car rental

🛏Same Yerevan hostel/guesthouse

• →Armenian Alphabet Monument
• →Amberd Fortress
• →Lavash baking demonstration and village lunch
• →Matenadaran manuscript library (~£2.50)

Book a shared minibus day trip towards Lake Sevan or hire a driver with fellow travellers — the highlights are spread out and hard to chain by public transport. Stop at Khor Virap Monastery for the classic Mount Ararat backdrop, then Areni for a wine tasting (roughly £8-10), Noravank Monastery set in its red canyon, and the Noratus khachkar cemetery. Arrive at Lake Sevan, walk up to Sevanavank Monastery, then continue to Dilijan for the night. In the evening, find a guesthouse offering a gata (Armenian pastry) making demo.

🚌Shared minibus/day driver (roughly £30-40 per person split 4 ways) or organised shared tour

🛏Guesthouse in Dilijan (£15-22 private double, dorm £9-13)

• →Khor Virap Monastery
• →Areni wine tasting (~£9)
• →Noravank Monastery
• →Noratus khachkar cemetery
• →Sevanavank Monastery
• →Gata baking demonstration at guesthouse

Stroll Dilijan's Sharambeyan 'museum street' of craft workshops and wood-carved houses. Take a shared taxi or day hire to the UNESCO Haghpat Monastery, then head to the Armenian-Georgian border at Sadakhlo/Bagratashen. From the border, a marshrutka or shared taxi runs to Tbilisi's Ortachala or Samgori station (roughly £5-8, 2 hours). Check into a Tbilisi hostel in the Old Town, then walk up to Narikala Citadel at dusk and optionally soak in the Abanotubani sulphur baths (a private room is roughly £20-35, shared public baths much cheaper).

🚌Shared taxi to Haghpat; marshrutka/shared taxi across the border to Tbilisi (~£6-10 total)

🛏Hostel in Tbilisi Old Town (dorm £8-13, private double £20-30)

• →Dilijan Sharambeyan Street
• →Haghpat Monastery
• →Narikala Citadel at sunset
• →Abanotubani sulphur baths (optional, ~£20)

Join a free (tip-based, budget £5-8) Tbilisi walking tour to cover Metekhi Church, Sioni Cathedral, the Old Town lanes and Narikala. Then drift on your own: the Peace Bridge, the Leaning Clock Tower, the Georgian National Museum (roughly £5), and the city's excellent café scene. In the evening, try a traditional supra dinner — khinkali and khachapuri are cheap and filling at around £8-12 with wine.

🚌Walking and metro (~£0.30 per ride)

🛏Same Tbilisi hostel

• →Free walking tour (tips)
• →Metekhi Church and Sioni Cathedral
• →Peace Bridge and Old Town wandering
• →Georgian National Museum (~£5)
• →Supra dinner with khinkali and khachapuri

Take a marshrutka from Didube station to Mtskheta (roughly £1) for the Jvari Monastery viewpoint and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Continue by marshrutka towards Kaspi for a small winery tasting (roughly £6-10), then catch a marshrutka or the slow train onwards to Kutaisi (marshrutka roughly £5, 3.5 hours; train similar). Base yourself near the centre of Kutaisi.

🚌Marshrutkas Tbilisi-Mtskheta-Kaspi-Kutaisi (~£7-9 total)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Kutaisi (£14-22 double, dorm £8-12)

• →Jvari Monastery and viewpoint
• →Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
• →Kaspi winery tasting (~£8)

Catch an early marshrutka or the comfortable Georgian Railways train from Kutaisi to Batumi (roughly £4-6 each way, 2-3 hours). Walk the Old Town, Piazza Square and Europe Square, stroll the long Batumi Boulevard, and find the moving Ali and Nino sculpture. Eat ajarian khachapuri by the sea, then return to Kutaisi in the evening. If you'd rather stay over, budget hotels on the seafront run £20-30.

🚌Marshrutka or train Kutaisi-Batumi return (~£9-12)

🛏Same Kutaisi guesthouse

• →Batumi Old Town and Piazza Square
• →Batumi Boulevard walk
• →Ali and Nino sculpture
• →Ajarian khachapuri lunch

Visit Kutaisi's farmers' market, then take a taxi or marshrutka to the UNESCO Gelati Monastery complex (and Motsameta if time allows). Head to Borjomi (marshrutka roughly £2-3), walk Borjomi Central Park and taste the sulphurous spring water free from the fountains. Continue by marshrutka to Akhaltsikhe (roughly £3-4), and explore the restored Rabati Castle in the late afternoon light.

🚌Marshrutkas Kutaisi-Borjomi-Akhaltsikhe (~£6-8 total)

🛏Guesthouse in Akhaltsikhe (£12-20 double)

• →Kutaisi farmers' market
• →Gelati Monastery
• →Borjomi Central Park and mineral water tasting
• →Rabati Castle (~£3)

Hire a shared taxi from Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia with other travellers (roughly £15-20 each way split between 3-4, or a full-day driver for £30-40). Stop at Khertvisi Fortress on the way, then spend a couple of hours exploring the extraordinary Vardzia cave monastery carved into the Mtkvari River cliffs (entry roughly £2.50). Return to Akhaltsikhe for dinner.

🚌Shared taxi Akhaltsikhe-Vardzia return (~£8-12 per person)

🛏Same Akhaltsikhe guesthouse

• →Khertvisi Fortress
• →Vardzia cave town and monastery (~£2.50)

This is a long transport day — marshrutka back towards Tbilisi, then out on the Georgian Military Highway. Break the journey at Gori for the Stalin Museum (roughly £4, with a slightly dated but fascinating guided room), then take a marshrutka from Tbilisi's Didube station up the Military Highway, stopping at the photogenic Ananuri Fortress on the Aragvi River. Sleep in Gudauri (ski-season prices peak in winter; off-season guesthouses are £15-25).

🚌Marshrutkas Akhaltsikhe-Tbilisi-Didube-Gudauri (~£10-12 total)

🛏Guesthouse in Gudauri (£15-25 double off-season)

• →Stalin Museum, Gori (~£4)
• →Ananuri Fortress
• →Georgian Military Highway scenery

Take a marshrutka from Gudauri to Stepantsminda (roughly £2-3). From town, hike up to the Church of the Holy Trinity (Gergeti) — about 1.5-2 hours uphill with Mount Kazbek looming above. Or take a local taxi up for roughly £10-15. Descend, grab lunch in Stepantsminda, and enjoy the Greater Caucasus views before returning to Gudauri for the night. GetYourGuide also lists small-group Kazbegi day trips from Tbilisi for roughly £30-40 if you'd rather base yourself in the capital.

🚌Marshrutka Gudauri-Stepantsminda return (~£5); optional local taxi to church (~£12)

🛏Same Gudauri guesthouse

• →Hike to Gergeti Trinity Church
• →Mount Kazbek viewpoints
• →Stepantsminda village lunch

Travel down to Tbilisi and on to Telavi in Kakheti (marshrutkas roughly £6-8 total, 3-4 hours). In Kakheti, book a short winery visit direct: small family cellars in Vardisubani demonstrate qvevri clay-vessel winemaking, and Kondoli producers pour the amber-style zhghia wine — tastings and a cellar tour run roughly £8-15. Stay in a Telavi guesthouse, which often includes dinner and homemade wine.

🚌Marshrutkas via Tbilisi to Telavi (~£7)

🛏Guesthouse in Telavi (£14-22 double, often with dinner)

• →Qvevri winemaking demonstration in Vardisubani (~£8)
• →Kondoli cellar visit and zhghia wine tasting (~£10)

Start at Telavi's farmers' market, then take a local taxi or marshrutka to Alaverdi Cathedral and Gremi Fortress (roughly £3-5 in total). Arrange a home-cooked lunch with a local farming family through your guesthouse or a rural-tourism scheme — expect garden vegetables, cheese and wine for roughly £8-12. Return to Tbilisi by marshrutka (roughly £5) and settle into your Old Town hostel for a final night.

🚌Local taxis/marshrutkas in Kakheti and Telavi-Tbilisi (~£9)

🛏Hostel in Tbilisi Old Town (dorm £8-13, private double £20-30)

• →Telavi farmers' market
• →Alaverdi Cathedral
• →Gremi Fortress (~£2)
• →Home-cooked farmhouse lunch (~£10)

Spend a final morning at the Dry Bridge flea market (best on weekends) for Soviet memorabilia, then meander through the Botanical Garden or the Blue Gallery. Treat yourself to one last sulphur bath in Abanotubani before heading to the airport — the cheapest route is the 37 bus to Tbilisi Airport (roughly £0.30) or a Bolt/Yandex taxi for roughly £8-12.

🚌Walking, metro and bus/taxi to the airport (~£2-8)

🛏None (departure day) — consider a late checkout or luggage storage

• →Dry Bridge flea market
• →Tbilisi Botanical Garden (~£2)
• →Optional sulphur bath (~£15-25)