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Voykit pocket guide · Georgia
Telavi
თელავი
Stay 2 nights in Telavi as a Kakheti wine base, not 1: the town itself is a half-day, but Alaverdi, Ikalto and Tsinandali need a car or taxi.
Telavi is the small capital of Kakheti, about 20,000 people, in the Alazani valley 2–2.5 h from Tbilisi by marshrutka. The town is walkable in an afternoon: the Erekle II palace, the old Cholokashvili street and the 900-year-old plane tree. Its real value is as a base for the wine villages and monasteries around it, which need wheels. Two nights covers the town plus two day loops; one night only works if you arrive by car and skip the town.
- Country
- Georgia
- Local name
- თელავი
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, Gombori pass snow), Jul–Aug (hot, 35 °C+)Dec–Feb (cold, Gombori pass snow), Jul–Aug (hot, 95 °F+)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GEL
- Money
- Currency is the Georgian lari (₾, GEL). Change money at banks or exchange offices, not in the airport hall.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₾70–120 excl. bed · Mid ₾120–220 excl. bed · High ₾220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Magti, Silknet (Geocell) and Cellfie sell SIMs with a passport; cheap data.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance and fire 112 · Telavi tourist information +995 350 275 317
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European plugs fit.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Check the bill for a service charge; otherwise 10%.; Drivers and guides: GEL 10–30 a day.
- Water
- Tap water is widely drunk in Tbilisi and mountain towns (check locally); bottled is cheap.
- Toilets
- Free in cafés for customers; small fees at stations.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ₾3–6 |
| Khinkali, per piece | ₾1–2 |
| Lunch or dinner, Georgian restaurant | ₾20–40 |
| Glass of house wine | ₾5–10 |
| Marshrutka ride in the region | ₾0.5–3 |
| Taxi, town centre to Tsinandali | ₾5–15 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₾20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TBS · Tbilisi International
- About 2.5–3 h by road via the Gombori pass; no direct bus to Telavi, so taxi or a pre-booked transfer.
- KUT · Kutaisi International
- About 5–6 h by road; only worth it if your flight is much cheaper.
Typical fares
- Marshrutka Tbilisi (Ortachala) → Telavi
- ₾15, up to 2.5 h (check)
- Marshrutka Telavi → Tsinandali
- about ₾0.5
- Taxi Telavi → Tsinandali
- about ₾5
Get around
The centre is flat and walkable in 20–30 min end to end. Everything else — Alaverdi, Ikalto, Shuamta, Tsinandali, Gremi — is 8–25 km out and needs a taxi, a hired driver or your own car. Agree the price and the waiting time before you set off; a half-day loop with a driver is the usual arrangement. Marshrutkas run to Tsinandali and toward Alaverdi but are infrequent and stop early.The centre is flat and walkable in 20–30 min end to end. Everything else — Alaverdi, Ikalto, Shuamta, Tsinandali, Gremi — is 5–16 mi out and needs a taxi, a hired driver or your own car. Agree the price and the waiting time before you set off; a half-day loop with a driver is the usual arrangement. Marshrutkas run to Tsinandali and toward Alaverdi but are infrequent and stop early.
See and do
Known for
- Kakheti wine cellars
- Palace of King Erekle II
- Alaverdi Cathedral
- 900-year-old plane tree
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Alaverdi Cathedral | Taxi or car, 20 km northeast up the Alazani valleyTaxi or car, 12 mi northeast up the Alazani valley | About 40 min each way |
| Ikalto Monastery | Taxi or car, 10 km westTaxi or car, 6.2 mi west | About 25 min each way |
| Tsinandali | Marshrutka from the main station (about ₾0.5) or taxi (about ₾5), 8 km eastMarshrutka from the main station (about ₾0.5) or taxi (about ₾5), 5 mi east | About 20 min each way |
| Gremi | Taxi or car, 25 km east toward KvareliTaxi or car, 16 mi east toward Kvareli | About 40 min each way |
| Sighnaghi | Only 1–2 marshrutkas a day; otherwise taxi or your own car | 1.5–2 h by road |
Sleep
- Centre, around Erekle II street
- Walk to the palace, the plane tree, the market and most restaurants. Best for a first night without a car.
- Alazani Avenue / marshrutka station side
- Cheaper hotels and the bus and marshrutka stations; 10–15 min walk to the old town.
- Kisiskhevi and the wine villages
- Winery stays 5–10 km east; you need a car or a driver, and taxis are hard to find after dark.Winery stays 3.1–6.2 mi east; you need a car or a driver, and taxis are hard to find after dark.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | გამარჯობაgamarjoba |
| Thank you | მადლობაmadloba |
| How much is it? | რა ღირს?ra ghirs? |
| Where is the toilet? | სად არის ტუალეტი?sad aris tualeti? |
| I don't drink and drive | მე არ ვსვამ და არ ვმართავme ar vsvam da ar vmartav |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; cheek kiss among friends; avoid: Refusing hospitality outright
- Church: Cover up; do not turn your back to the altar; avoid: Shorts, bare shoulders, loud talk
- Supra: Follow the tamada; drink on toasts; avoid: Toasting with beer; leaving early without thanks
- History: Listen; avoid: Calling Georgia part of Russia or the region 'post-Soviet' casually
Scams and watch-outs
- The palace of King Erekle II has been closed for renovation for years: check locally before you count on it.
- The 900-year-old plane tree now has a glass fence around it (since 2025), so you cannot walk up and hug it.
- Gombori pass (highway 38) is the short route from Tbilisi but has many bends and can be snowed in during winter: take the longer Gurjaani road then.
- Only 1–2 marshrutkas a day link Telavi and Sighnaghi, so do not plan on that connection without checking the schedule.
- Wine tastings add up: agree a price per tasting and a driver before you start, and never drive after tasting.
Telavi is a small, calm town and street crime is rare. The real risks are the Gombori pass in winter, unlit roads and unmarked verges at night, and drinking at tastings before driving: hire a driver.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Telavi yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kakheti wine cellars
- Palace of King Erekle II
- Alaverdi Cathedral
- 900-year-old plane tree
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Telavi municipality: telavi.gov.ge/
- Georgian National Tourism Administration: georgia.travel/
- Wikivoyage: Telavi, revision 5272421 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5272421
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Telaviთელავი
ამ მისამართამდე, გთხოვთ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance and fire112
- Telavi tourist information+995 350 275 317
No embassies in Telavi; most are in Tbilisi, about 2–2.5 h away.
112 works from any phone, English is available.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/telavi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.