Private Tour Guide               Georgia 

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

Batumi — “City of the Nobels” In this blog, I mainly focus on the Nobel brothers’ connection to Georgia, but I also want to expand the topic to the broader subject of the historical ties between Georgia and Sweden. I am personally a big fan of the Nordic countries, especially Sweden. Even though I have never been there, it gives me great pleasure to write about them. Before moving to the 19th century and the Nobel brothers, I do not want to skip one fascinating story. Around

Tbilisi is such a magical city. It is not only a blend of different architectural styles(Persian, European Art Nouveau, Soviet, and modern glass) but its central avenues also reflect a mix of architects from various European countries. I have already written blog posts about Italians and Germans architectural contributions, which brought many brilliant buildings to the capital. In this blog, I want to focus on Polish architects who created several outstanding buildings in the

1.The first visual depiction of the city of Tbilisi belongs to the French traveler Jean Chardin. Born in Paris into a wealthy merchant family, he traveled through Georgia in the 1670s on his way to Persia. He later wrote a remarkable book about his journey from the Black Sea to Tbilisi. Most importantly, he provided the first visual representations of the city at a time when photography did not exist, giving us an idea of how Tbilisi looked in the 17th century. Today, there i

Germany holds a special place in Georgian history. It is such a broad and rich topic that not just one blog—or even one or two books—would be enough to cover it fully. Still, I will try to summarize a few stories that may be interesting not for historians or researchers, but for first-time visitors from Germany who come to Georgia as tourists. After hiking in the mountains, they may want to learn a bit more about the history of the city and the country they are discovering. O

I have been a tour guide in Tbilisi since 2016. I also graduated from the Faculty of History at TSU. Tbilisi is a city that constantly surprises me, When I guide tours, I naturally share my knowledge with my guests, but in my free time I continue learning more and more. Tbilisi is full of interesting and inspiring stories. Every day we discover something new. Most of these stories are connected to famous writers, travelers, and historical figures who are no longer around. In

1. George W. Bush Street in Tbilisi Many Americans—even those who live in Georgia or have visited—are not aware that the country is one of the few in the world with a major street named after George W. Bush. This avenue is part of the main highway connecting Tbilisi International Airport to the city center. George w bush street in Tbilisi 2. A Unique Presidential Visit George W. Bush remains the only sitting U.S. president to have visited Georgia (in 2005). During his visit,

As part of my blog series about people who built connections between Georgia and their home countries, today I want to talk about the Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun (born 1859 in Lom, Norway), a Nobel Prize laureate, who traveled to Georgia in 1899 with his wife. Hamsun traveled under various names to avoid attention. Rather than spending time with the elite, he wanted to experience ordinary Georgian life, meet local people, and immerse himself in the country. He fell in love w

In recent years, Georgia has become increasingly visible in the United Kingdom. As a tour guide, I have noticed more and more British visitors coming to Georgia, especially after the restoration of direct flights from London Luton Airport to Tbilisi International Airport. Before arriving, most travelers search for information about the country. Many already know about Georgian wine, traditional food, and the beautiful Caucasus Mountains. However, I believe that most British v

Everything started In the 19th century, modern Georgia was not an independent country as it is today. At that time, the region had been annexed by the Russian Empire. In 1801, the empire abolished the Georgian monarchy and deported members of the royal family, the Bagrationi dynasty, to different parts of the Russian Empire. The Bagrationi dynasty had ruled Georgian kingdoms for centuries, and this event marked the end of the Georgian monarchy in eastern Georgia. However, the

The first historical connection between Italy and Georgia dates back to the 13th century and is associated with the famous traveler Marco Polo. Although he never actually visited Georgia, he mentioned the country in his book, describing Georgians as “brave Christian warriors” and “good sailors.” In honor of Marco Polo, one of the streets in Tbilisi was named after him, and today several hotels and restaurants also operate under his name. What I have mentioned so far is a

One of the most common questions I receive is: “What is the best time to travel to Georgia?” The answer depends on what kind of experience you are looking for. Georgia has a subtropical climate and four distinct seasons. Despite being a small country, it offers remarkable climatic diversity: winter (December–February), spring (March–May), summer (June–August), and autumn (September–November). From my professional perspective as a local guide, the most convenient period to vis