NEW flights launching this month will connect Brits to a bargain European country for the first time in five years.
The UK and Georgia haven’t had direct flights since 2020 after Air Georgian ceased operations.
Direct flights between the UK and Georgia will restart later this month[/caption]
Georgia is also sometimes dubbed the ‘cradle of wine’ because of its long history of wine making[/caption]
This is all set to change within the next 30 days when both British Airways and easyJet launch their new routes to Tbilisi, the Georgian capital.
Launching on March 30, British Airways’ flights will operate from London Heathrow every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
The overnight flights will depart Heathrow at 9.25pm, before arriving in the Georgian capital at 5.30am the following morning.
Sun Online Travel have found return economy fares, which include two pieces of hand luggage, from £276 per person.
Just two days later on April 1, easyJet will launch a twice-weekly service from London Luton to Tbilisi.
The mid-morning Tuesday flights will leave Luton at 11.25am, before touching down in Georgia at 8.25pm.
Saturday flights will depart Luton slightly later at 1.40pm, arriving at 10.40pm local time.
Sun Online Travel have found one-way easyJet flights from £175, which includes an underseat bag.
Tbilisi is a diverse city with both Persion and Russian influences, spotted in both its food and architecture.
Georgia is also sometimes dubbed the ‘cradle of wine‘ because of its uninterrupted winemaking tradition that dates back more than 8,000 years.
Even given this legacy, a bottle of wine is still very cheap in Tbilisi, with the average bottle costing £3.50 and glasses of wine costing around £1.98.
A popular attraction Tbilisi Cable Car, with 70p tickets going up the historic Narikala Fortress alongside views over the city.
There is also the Zipin Narikala Roller Coaster Zipline whch opened in 2017.
The 270m route runs from the Narikala entrance to the National Botanical Garden, with tickets around £17.
Other family-friendly attractions include the Gino Paradise, a water park overlooking the Tbilisi Sea (an artificial lake) in the heart of the city.
Spanning 12 hectares, the water park features a wave pool, a wild river and an outdoor space for kids with slides and a children’s pool.
There’s also a relaxation pool, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, Eastern Europe’s tallest toboggan, an indoor pool and lots of slides.
Entry tickets to the water park start from £20 per person, with holidaymakers needing to pay more to use the wellness spa.
There are plenty of family-friendly attractions in the city, such as a cable car and a zipline (pictured)[/caption]
There’s also the Bridge of Peace, a contemporary pedestrian bridge made of glass and steel[/caption]
Or there is theme park Mtatsminda Park, which is free to enter, with rides such as the rollercoasters and carousel starting from 28p.
For history and culture buffs, the Holy Trinity Cathedral is a great photo spot, as well as the Bridge of Peace.
Other attractions include the Georgian National Museum, which covers everything from ancient history to modern art.
There’s also the Museum of Fine Arts, which has a vast collection of Georgian artwork.
Not only are attractions affordable but food and drink is very cheap too.
If you want to fill your stomach with something traditional, opt for Khinkali – Georgia’s answer to dumplings.
Other family-friendly attractions include the Gino Paradise, a water park overlooking the Tbilisi Sea[/caption]
The dumplings are filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables before being steamed or boiled, while kebabs and lamb stews are also popular
By and large, Tbilisi is a pretty inexpensive city to visit, with bargain hotel rooms from £34, based on two people sharing a room.
Overnight stays are even cheaper if you’re prepared to bunk in a hostel dorm, with beds for just £6 and private rooms for £10.
A short history of Tbilisi
TBILISI dates back to the 5th century, when King Vakhtang I of Iberia founded the city.
According to legend, King Vakhtang discovered the area’s hot springs when he was out hunting and decided to build a city there.
The name “Tbilisi” itself is derived from the Georgian word tbili, meaning warm – about these springs.
Throughout its history, Tbilisi has been a coveted prize for various empires because of its strategic position.
It’s been occupied by the Persians, Arabs Byzantines, and Mongols at different points in its history.
But in the early 12th century, under the reign of King David IV (David the Builder), Tbilisi became the capital of a unified Georgian state and experienced a period of significant growth and cultural development.
The city continued to flourish during the reign of Queen Tamar in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, a time often referred to as the Georgian Golden Age.
In the 19th century, Tbilisi came under Russian control and served as an important administrative and cultural centre in the Caucasus, undergoing significant modernisation and expansion at the time.
Tbilisi played a crucial role during the brief period of Georgian independence following the Russian Revolution in 1917, but it was soon incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1921.
The city remained an important hub within the Soviet Union until Georgia regained its independence in 1991.
Meanwhile, a new international airport could be built in Tbilisi, according to the country’s prime minister.
The new airport will increase passenger flow and boost the country’s economy by $129.65million over the next few years.
Both British Airways and easyJet will start operating return flights between the UK and Georgia[/caption]
