Contrary to what you may expect from winter in Georgia, the weather doesn’t tend to be all that harsh, especially in cities like Tbilisi or Batumi. While the western regions are damp, and the Caucasus become a haven for snow bunnies, you can expect lovely conditions for wandering through the capital and its (absolutely massive) botanical gardens.
Arguably, winter is the best time to fully appreciate Tbilisi’s famous sulfur baths. It’s easy to be lured in by the fancy mosaic facade of Chreli-Abano – what it lacks in traditional domed roof, it makes up for in high-end (English-speaking) service. Gulo’s Thermal Spa offers the best of both worlds, with the classic brick walls, marble and intricate murals, topped off with a hot tea after your soak.
But if you’d rather plunge into the authentic local experience, head to Sulfur Bath No. 5, where the baths may or may not be in order and customer service is especially “gruff”. Just what you want when you’re half naked in front of strangers.
With the festive season in Georgia comes a whole raft of new treats for us to claim we’re having “just one more” of. The main ones to watch out for are gozinaki, a chewy, crunchy, honey nut brittle usually made with walnuts, and churchkhela, a strand of nuts threaded along a piece of string and dipped in grape syrup until they resemble candle sticks. And of course, that’s all best washed down with a nice warming glass of chacha.
There are a couple of staples on every Christmas table in Georgia, too – the obligatory Imeruli khachapuri, and aubergine rolls stuffed with – you guessed it – walnuts. Traditionalists needn’t worry, as turkey still features (albeit covered in walnut sauce), but other Georgian celebrations will be less familiar. Christmas is celebrated on 7th January, according to the Orthodox calendar, so don’t be surprised if you find people burning shaved hazelnut branches and parading through the streets after New Year.