Private Tour Guide               Georgia 

On May 24–26, 2026, renowned British musician Damon Albarn, frontman of Gorillaz and Blur, visited Georgia. During his three-day stay, I had the pleasure of being his private tour guide. The trip was arranged after I was contacted by a representative of an English travel agency. Damon and his companion stayed at Hotel Kisi in Tbilisi. There was an amusing moment at the beginning of their stay. Initially, the hotel staff did not recognise Damon and treated him like any other g

In 1975, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark visited the Soviet Union on an eight-day state visit, accompanied by her husband, Prince Henrik. During their journey, the royal couple visited several destinations, including Moscow, Leningrad (today’s St. Petersburg) and Tbilisi, (Georgia was only county out of 16 scout union countries she visited outside Russia) Their visit to Georgia was particularly interesting. At that time, Georgia was already well known throughout the Soviet Unio

Sighnaghi is probably one of the two most popular day-trip destinations from Tbilisi, and there are several reasons why visitors love it. One of them is its location: it takes only about 1.5 hours to reach Sighnaghi from Tbilisi. Although there is plenty of information available online about this destination, as a local tour guide, I would like to share some tips to help you make the most of your trip without missing anything interesting. I would include all the activities an

Chiatura is a small town in western Georgia, about three hours from Tbilisi. It is famous for its old Soviet-era cable cars and the nearby Katskhi Pillar. It is an interesting place to visit, and you can easily spend at least a day exploring the town and its surroundings. However, in this blog post, I am not going to tell you about the attractions mentioned above. Instead, I would like to share a fascinating story that is not widely known, even among Georgians. Did you know t

One of the most common reasons tourists visit Georgia is its wine. Many of my guests have told me that they first tasted Georgian wine and then decided to travel to Georgia to discover more about it. Of course, I can understand their decision. Georgia has something truly special to offer when it comes to wine. Many countries around the world, including France, Italy, Spain, and the United States, have long-established winemaking traditions. But Georgia has its own distinctive

Gergeti Trinity Church is one of the most popular attractions in Georgia. It is easy to find information about the church online: it dates from the 14th century, stands at around 2,200 meters above sea level, and since 2002 has functioned as a monastery. Even if you are not particularly interested in the history of the church, the location alone is impressive. The view from the church towards Stepantsminda is spectacular, and the surrounding mountains make the experience even

I have been working as a tour guide in Georgia since 2016. During these years, I have hosted thousands of guests from all over the world. Georgia is still not a country that most tourists put at the top of their travel list in the same way they might think of Italy or France. For many visitors, Georgia still has to be discovered. And one of the ways people discover Georgia is through food. I have met many guests who first learned about Georgia because they had visited a Georg

There is plenty of information about one of Tbilisi’s most iconic modern landmarks—the Bridge of Peace. You can easily find articles describing its unusual glass-and-steel design, its thousands of lights, its Italian architect and the story behind its name. But I don’t want to simply repeat what is already available online. As a tour guide, I would rather tell you the story from my own perspective. I grew up in Georgia and witnessed the transformation of Tbilisi during the ve

I have been working as a tour guide in Georgia since 2016. When I started my career, the Chronicle of Georgia was not nearly as well known as it is today. In fact, it wasn’t even included in our regular Tbilisi city-tour itineraries. At the time, we didn’t think it was particularly important to show tourists, especially because Tbilisi and Georgia have so many other beautiful and historically significant attractions. But over the years, things changed. The monument gradually

When you hear the name Joseph Stalin, it may immediately evoke fear, repression and some of the darkest chapters of the 20th century. You might therefore wonder why I am writing a blog about him. Is this an attempt to promote his legacy? Absolutely not. As a Georgian, my personal attitude toward Stalin is very clear. Although he was born in Georgia, I do not admire him, and I believe it is important to remember the enormous suffering caused by his regime. Georgia itself exper

When travelers come to Georgia, most already know that they are visiting a country with a very old and fascinating history. But what many visitors may not realize is how deeply the history of Georgia is connected with the history of the Jewish people. The story of Georgian Jews is not simply the story of a minority living in Georgia. It is a story of coexistence, migration, faith, culture, and shared historical experiences that stretches back more than two thousand years. The

Palm Jumeirah is often called the Eighth Wonder of the World. There are probably very few people who have never seen it, at least in a photo. It is even visible from space, together with the Burj Khalifa. These landmarks have helped make Dubai one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting around 20 million visitors every year. Today, many people in Dubai know about Georgia, as Dubai has become one of the main sources of visitors to Georgia. However, I belie

In this blog, I want to tell an interesting story that connects three countries: Georgia, Portugal, and India. Today, Georgia has become quite an attractive destination for Indian travelers, especially those living in GCC countries. They come to see snow, mountains, and nature. That is what they usually experience, and of course this part of the country impresses them. However, there is another part — a historical connection that may seem unimaginable, considering the great d

I have been working as a tour guide in Georgia since 2016 , I have hosted around 300 guests per year on average. Of course, among so many travelers, you meet people with very different interests. Some are collectors of paintings, antiques, rugs, or vintage items, and the city of Tbilisi has many places that can satisfy those interests. The most famous flea market in the city is probably the Dry Bridge Market, where people sell old Soviet-era medals, ceramics, paintings, camer

As you may know from my previous blogs, I enjoy writing about the historical connections between Georgia and other cultures. The Netherlands is one of the countries I have always wanted to write about. I have personally hosted many guests from the Netherlands, and I have always been impressed by their kindness, discipline, punctuality, and respect for local culture. Of course, they also love Georgia, so I believe this story could make Georgia even more interesting for them. T

The Tbilisi Funicular is one of the city’s highest-rated attractions. As a tour guide, I often take my guests on this short but unforgettable 10-minute ride from the lower station to the top of Holy Mountain (Mtatsminda). I always see how impressed they are by the views and the experience they take in during this journey. Tbilisi funicular A funicular is a type of railway transport system designed to move people or goods up and down steep slopes. It usually consists of two co

As a tour guide in Tbilisi and across Georgia, I always try to discover stories that help visitors see the country from a deeper and more interesting perspective. Nowadays, tourists can easily explore cities on their own and take photos of famous landmarks, so I believe the real value of a guide is sharing the history, legends, and hidden stories behind those places. One of my favorite stories is connected to the famous Funicular Restaurant, located on top of Mtatsminda Mount

This blog explores the historical connections between Georgia and the United States by highlighting prominent individuals of Georgian origin who made significant contributions to the development of the U.S. military and aviation. Alexander Kartvelishvili — Pioneer of American Military Aviation Alexander Kartveli (born Aleksandre Kartvelishvili in 1896 in Tbilisi) was a pioneering aeronautical engineer whose work had a lasting impact on American military aviation. From an ear

When you see the headline of this blog, you might be surprised at how it was possible for a 19th-century Georgian prince to end up on another continent. However, his story is very interesting, and I am glad to present it in a simple way, accessible to ordinary readers rather than at an academic level. Niko Bagrationi 1868-1933 Before moving to the main topic, I would like to briefly introduce the Georgian royal dynasty, the Bagrationi family. They ruled Georgia for almost nin

(Chai, China, Chakvi) could be another headline for the blog I am presenting now. In the last three years, Georgia has been becoming increasingly popular among Chinese tourists. According to statistics, around 130 000 visitors came to Georgia in 2025, which is a 40% increase compared to 2024. As I personally have experience working with them as a tour guide, I can say that their main interests are nature, mountains, hiking, and picturesque places. However, they are also quite