Georgia is a wonderful destination for families, with stunning landscapes, warm hospitality, and a relaxed pace that’s great for traveling with kids. It’s easy to find family-friendly restaurants and accommodations, and locals tend to be very welcoming to children. From exploring ancient cave cities to hiking in the mountains or wandering around charming towns like Tbilisi and Sighnaghi, there’s a rich mix of nature and culture to enjoy.
We also spent a few days in Azerbaijan. The city of Baku offers plenty to explore with kids, from futuristic architecture to fun seaside parks and museums. The pace in the city is easygoing, and there are also countryside excursions to enjoy, like visiting mud volcanoes or exploring the mountains.
Itinerary Map: Best Things To See in Georgia and Azerbaijan With Kids
See THIS MAP to view all the best sites for a family vacation in Georgia and Ajerbaijan!
Things to Know When Traveling to Georgia and Azerbaijan
Western Asia and Eastern Europe Packing List
I recommend packing layers, as the weather can shift quickly depending on the region and time of year. Even in warmer seasons, mornings and evenings can be cool, especially in the mountains. Bring a light jacket or fleece, comfortable walking shoes for uneven streets or trails, and a compact raincoat or travel umbrella in case of sudden showers. A scarf or shawl is also useful for visiting religious sites or adding warmth on breezy days. (A bit more about what to wear at religious sites below!)
Here are a few things we took along that were especially useful:
- eSim – I purchased an eSIM before going to Japan, and have been using it for travels since then. Most phone plans cost $7-10 per DAY, which adds up quite a bit, but the plan I purchased through Saily was only $19.99 for 20GB that I could use over 30 days. I constantly use it for things like navigation (I definitely can downloaded Google Maps offline, but then I wouldn’t have real-time updates for public transport), looking up info about places we’re going, figuring out foods, and more. To purchase, I just bought and loaded it into my phone while I had wifi and it was very easy to activate.
- Rain jacket – couldn’t find my nice Patagonia one so got this one that is affordable and had great reviews and it was EXCELLENT – super waterproof and easy to pack
- Airfly – I absolutely love this little device that allows you to connect your own Bluetooth headphones to the airplane’s entertainment system. You just plug it into the headphone jack, connect, and voila – you can listen via wireless headphones.
- Airplane sleep pillow – I’d heard a lot about these and tried it out this time – it was super helpful!! I tend to be a great plane sleeper in general, but it was SO nice to wake up without my neck hurting, and i think it would be extremely helpful for someone who generally doesn’t sleep well on airplanes
- Credit card – here are the best travel cards for families
- REI Tarn 18 backpack – this is the backpack our kids carry on the airplane and/or use as a day bag for going out. It’s great! It carries our snacks/water, jackets, passports/money, and camera when not in use.
- Folding duffel – we love having this bag for traveling back with souvenirs. It’s super lightweight and takes very little room (but is also REALLY sturdy, so it’s held up perfectly being checked in many times) so it’s perfect to take along for some extra space.
More About What to Wear in Georgia
There are some important things to consider when visiting Georgia, especially if you plan to visit any religious sites. In general, dress is more conservative than we’ve experienced in many other countries and it’s worth taking note of if you’re planning a visit. For men, trousers are very much preferred to shorts. For women, a head covering is strongly recommended. There are people who go in without them, but it’s very easy to purchase a thin scarf to tie on your bag to have handy, which is what K, M, and I ended up doing (not really needed for M but nice to do; not necessary for baby S). Skirts that cover the knee are recommended, though this has seemed less of a thing – we’ve seen plenty of Georgian women enter in trousers. That said, Georgia has a pretty conservative culture so while shorts are fine if going around Tbilisi, I’d recommend against them if you know you’ll be visiting churches. No one will say anything to you (and some places have wraps available to tie around – they also have head coverings but we preferred to have our own) but I personally feel it’s more respectful to avoid short shorts in those places.
Best Way To Get Around Georgia
We’d originally planned to rent a car in Georgia, but ended up using a driver from GoTrip instead. It’s basically like a long-distance Uber and really convenient. The price for the full day was the same as renting a car for the day (not even including fuel!) and more relaxing since Dan and I could both catch naps (and while we brought our car seats, they even provided the correct sizes, so would be great if you don’t want to bring yours along). Our driver was great and they’re all licensed and vetted. Highly recommend the service.
That said, much as everyone says Georgian driving is nuts, it’s seemed generally fine to us. People do change lanes without signaling and overtaking is common, but Dan is used to driving in lots of places and this hasn’t seemed like the craziest at all. The roads are good and signage easy to follow so we wouldn’t hesitate to self-drive if it made sense financially/itinerary-wise. If you do choose to rent a car, here’s where we usually find the best deals on car rentals:
And here is a complete post about traveling with car seats. These are our favorites by age:
- Favorite Infant Car Seat For Travel Available at: Amazon, Target, Walmart
- Favorite Convertible Car Seat For Travel Available at: Walmart
- Favorite Booster Restrain Vest For Travel Available at: RideSafer
- Favorite Booster Seat For Travel Available at: Amazon
Get Professional Family Photos for Your Trip
We absolutely love using Flytographer to get beautiful family photos; despite having a camera and tripod, there’s something so special about having someone else capture your family in a way that you can’t. It’s a terrific option for getting photos together while traveling (they have photographers all over the world), and we’ve even used them in our home city. And, there are photographers in Tbilisi! Click below to book a session!
Things To See Georgia: One Week Georgia Itinerary
Our first day was a travel day. We flew from London direct to Tbilisi. It was a little under 5 hours and cost about $180/person on easyjet (during a school holiday, would almost certainly be cheaper another time). After arriving, we checked into our rental in Tbilisi. We LOVED our apartment rental here. Took an extra 5 mins to walk uphill but so worth it for these stunning views off our balcony. Right next to what we found out was a 5th century church and the burial location of the parents of the founder of Tbilisi.
Day 1: Georgia With Kids
Jvari Monastery
We started the morning of our first full day in Georgia at Jvari Monastary, a 6th century Orthodox monastery located near the historic capital of Mtskheta. We were able to catch the end of a service and it was so special hearing the chants and songs.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Then it was over to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the 2nd largest in Georgia and said to house the robes of Christ. We unfortunately couldn’t go inside this day as Sunday services were happening and it was crowded so they were only allowing Georgian worshippers in until 1pm (we arrived before 11:30, so would’ve been quite a wait and we had a couple other stops that day). So we admired from the outside and made a plan to return for a visit on another day.
We did get some churchkela at the Cathedral – a Georgian candy of nuts dipped in syrup so it’s sort of the texture of fruit leather. Delish! If you’re able, consider lunch at Street Garden. It might be wise to call for a reservation, but probably fine to just show up. We also looked at Tsiskvili Restaurant, but weren’t able to make the timing work.
Uplistsikhe
Next it was off to the cave town of Uplistsikhe. We found this similar to cave cities we saw in Cappadocia. It was incredible to see the detailed carvings of the ceilings and structures. The earliest usage in this area was 3500 years ago. It was a major religious and political center, then became a Christian center, and eventually fell into disrepair after Mongol raids. So neat seeing ceremonial structures carved into the rock.
Kvatakhevi Monastery Complex
Our final stop of the day was Kvatakhevi Monastery Complex. This was one of our faves! So, so beautiful and really peaceful, especially in the late afternoon. We were almost the only ones there and it was really special.
We made the drive back to Tbilisi for dinner and rest.
Day 2: Georgian Independence Day
Liberty Square and Dry Bridge Market
The next day was Georgian Independence Day! We walked to Liberty (Freedom) Square/Rustaveli Avenue for the festivities. The whole center was a party! Food stalls, decorations, music, parades, so fun! We spent several hours wandering, snacking, and enjoying the market. We ate lunch from the traditional street vendors and then walked through Dry Bridge Market. The little kids played in some fountains for a bit, and then we made our way to the Crooked Clock Tower, which has shows as noon and 7pm.
Mother of Georgia Tramway
We walked over Bridge of Peace to Rike Park and made our way to the Mother of Georgia Tramway. It was a quick cable car ride – cost about $8 for our whole family and had beautiful views! You can also hike to the top but we were short onto top. We visited the Mother of Georgia Statue and then walked down the hill. Quick note – Narikala Fortress at the top is currently closed but the cable car still great for views and Botanical Garden is up there.
Traditional Georgian Bath
Next we headed to our traditional Georgian bath! We all super loved this. At first we planned on visiting Chreli Abano, which is super old and iconic – but we found out it’s bern redone so less authentic on the inside. So we chose Gulo’s instead and LOVED it! We had a private room and it was perfect for our fam.
Dinner at Odo’s House
We had walked by Odo’s House in the Old Town and it seemed like it had a fair number of vegetarian options so we decided to give it a shot. We LOVED IT. Best meal we had. So good.
Day 3: Georgia With Kids
Open Air Museum of Ethnography
First stop the next day was the Open Air Ethnography Museum. The museum is a great place to explore Georgian culture, with over 70 traditional buildings from across the country. Families can wander through wooden homes, stone towers, and old wineries, many filled with crafts, tools, and household items that offer a glimpse into rural life. The kids loved the open layout and hands-on exhibits. We used GoTrip again this day for a few stops and then to take us up to the mountains.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Next we circled back to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. It had been closed to visitors when we were there our first day, so we were glad we could squeeze it in now! It has gorgeous old frescoes on the walls. So beautiful. Georgia has so many incredible and old churches!
Ananuri Fortress Complex
Next stop was the Ananuri Fortress Complex, a beautifully preserved medieval castle complex overlooking the Zhinvali Reservoir. There are fun turrets, watchtowers, a bell tower, and the ornate 17th‑century Church of the Assumption. We a took a short boat ride on the reservoir, which supplies drinking water to Tbilisi.
Stepantsminda
Finally we headed up to Stepantsminda (also known as Kazbegi) in the Caucasus Mountains. On our way up, we stopped at Restaurant Guda for a late lunch, then made quick stops at Gudauri viewpoint and Jvari Pass (highest point of Georgian Military Highway). We checked into our cabin (with beautiful views) and had dinner there.
Here’s the thing with our cabin. It didn’t have hot water the first night. We thought maybe it was a fluke or we were showering too late. Still didn’t the second evening when giving the kids a bath so we contacted the hosts. They turned on the gas heater (which apparently wasn’t on before?). It still wasn’t warm 45 mins later. So they came to check on it and got mad at us for not telling them sooner. Eventually, they were YELLING at us for the whole situation, which was absolutely bonkers. So, while I can’t exactly recommend the cabin, here is the link. PREETHI TO ADD LINK
Day 4: Georgia With Kids
Gergeti Trinity Church
The next morning, we headed up to Gergeti Church. It was supposed to rain or possibly even snow this day so we were super happy to see the sun and the incredible views. You can (and should) go inside the church itself. Watch your head on the the low door frames, though – N scraped the top of his. Then if you go a little ways away from the church to a second little car park and hike up a steep hill there, you get a stunning view with the church set against the mountains. Magical (and windy)!
Gveleti Waterfalls
Next we took a short hike through the Dariali Gorge. The trail is well-marked and at the end you’ll reach Gveleti Falls. It’s beautiful spot for photos, picnics, or even a quick swim. A smaller waterfall lies just a few hundred meters away, offering a quieter spot with its own charm. The kids loved climbing around on the rocks. The terrain can be rocky and occasionally slippery, so sturdy shoes and layers are wise, especially for families with younger children.
Cooking class at Cabin
Our last activity of the day was a cooking class back at our cabin! So fun. We made khinkali (dumplings) and khachapuri (a filled, raised flatbread) and both were delish and the kids loved rolling and filling.
Azerbaijan With Kids
The next morning our Go Trip driver picked us up at 6am to drive us back to Tbilisi to catch our flight to Baku, Azerbaijan. The flight was quick, just over an hour, so we had plenty of time to explore the rest of the day.
Day 5: Azerbaijan Old City
After arriving, we headed to the hotel to drop our luggage. We stayed at the ©sheratonintourist and it was perfect. Affordable rate, gorgeous hotel. Highly recommend! Then we headed out to tour the Old City a bit for the afternoon! It is so beautiful and the whole city is such a fascinating mix of old and new.
Underground Bath Museum
Our first stop was the Underground Bath Museum. It was a fun and quick stop that we enjoyed after visiting a Georgian bath, but wouldn’t say it’s necessary. Not tons of info and especially if you do visit a bath, this probably isn’t a must do. But still interesting!
Maiden Tower and Juma Mosque
Next we walked over to see the Maiden Tower and Juma Mosque. It’s worth climbing to the top of Maiden Tower for views of the Caspian Sea and the surrounding Icherisheher district. The Juma Mosque is the oldest mosque in Azerbaijan and has been rebuilt several times, with the present structure being built in 1899. There’s evidence of an old Zoroastrian temple at the site, as well. Some rooms in it were used as a madrasa (educational site) at times, and it was a carpet museum during Soviet times. Sadly, it was also the site of a massacre by Armenians in 1918 as Azerbaijanis took shelter here, believing a religious space would be safe.
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
This 15th-century sandstone complex includes a main palace, mosque, burial vaults, and a bathhouse, all with Islamic and Persian-influenced architecture. Inside is quite small but you can learn a bit about the Shirvanshah dynasty through small exhibits and restored rooms. There’s also a museum of miniature books which was closed that day, but we were able to peek in the windows and the kids were delighted.
Dinner at Dolma
With a very quick Google search, Dolma came up with decent reviews and veg-friendly options, so we high-tailed it over. I didn’t have super high expectations since it was just a functional decision but it was DELISH. We loved this meal! And bonus, there was even beautiful decor and live Azerbaijani music.
Day 6: Azerbaijan With Kids
Bibi-Heybat Mosque
The next day, we had a driver + van take us out on some adventures. First stop was the Bibi-Heybat mosque and JUST WOW. The current building was reconstructed in the 1990s, but the original mosque dates back to the 13th century and was destroyed by the Soviets. Inside is the tomb of Ukeyma Khanum, believed to be a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, which makes it a popular pilgrimage site. The golden domes and intricate inscriptions make it one of the most stunning mosques in Baku. A reminder to dress modestly if you’re planning to visit.
Mud Volcanos
Then we headed out to the mud volcanoes. This was very fun. The mud was bubbly but cool, I expected it to be hot. It’s said to have benefits for skin. We requested spots to go for the day and the tour guide also had some recs. This is a popular spot. My friend from Abroad Wife also has a great Baku blog post with lots of tips on what to do and see.
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape
Next, we headed over to see some ancient cave paintings from various periods. There are over 6,000 petroglyphs—ranging from ritual dances and hunting scenes to camel caravans and celestial symbols—etched into cliffs. There’s a museum that’s very well done that explained the thoughts on meaning, what to look for, time periods, insights about the peoples, and more. I really enjoyed it.
Then very cool to go see the rock art! The outdoor rock art site has marked paths across the reserve, where you can see the actual engravings in context and enjoy the landscape dotted with caves and “singing stones”.
Yanardagh
Then it was off to some natural fires! Yanardagh, also known as “Burning Mountain,” is a natural gas–fired hillside flame near Baku that has burned continuously for centuries. Marco Polo even recorded seeing them. The flames ignite in their own. I was surprised at how hot this felt even from a distance!
Ateshgah temple
Then we went to Ateshgah, which was an ancient fire temple and used as a Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrianism temple. (Though the natural gas here now comes from a main.) It was absolutely fascinating learning more about the connections between the religions, how they all came to be there and interacted, significance of fire in them, and more. Loved this!
We had dinner at Shirvanshah Museum restaurant – a little nicer setting, but the food not as good as other places we dined. They did have live music! After, the adults went to gym/sauna at the hotel once the kids were in bed 🙂 It was the perfect way to end the evening.
Day 6: Azerbaijan With Kids
Swans Fountain
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we made a quick stop at Swans Fountain. The Swans Fountain in Azneft Square is a collection of seven sculpted swan statues dancing over a pool—a nod to Nizami Ganjavi’s poem Seven Beauties and Gara Garayev’s ballet.
Heydar Aliyev Centre
Heydar Aliyev is a cultural center and art museum. N immediately recognized it as being designed by Zaha Hadid, who he had studied in a class. It opened in 2012 to celebrate the legacy of Azerbaijan’s former president and now includes the Heydar Aliyev Museum, which has beautiful multimedia exhibits and a vintage car collection. It was so fun to have the opportunity to see it in person!
Carpet Museum
Next we headed to the Carpet Museum, which we were really excited about! The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets alongside ceramics, metalwork, jewelry, and textiles. It was founded by carpet master Latif Karimov to preserve this vital aspect of Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage and now holds over 10,000 items from the 14th to 20th centuries. Inside, you’ll find floors dedicated to flat-woven and pile carpets arranged by region and era, plus live weaving demonstrations, multimedia exhibits, and rotating special exhibitions.
Sadly, the employees generally REALLY disliked having kids there. We got “no touch!!” yelled at us no fewer than 50 times. Which I would get it we were touching/close to touching. But 90% of those times we weren’t even close to the carpets – just walking down the exact middle of the aisle looking. It drives me batty when kids are treated differently in museums/sites for behaving the same as/better than adults and there were plenty of adults WAY closer than we were.
Baku Boulevard + Home
Then we strolled along the Baku Boulevard back to our hotel, which was a short walk. We had planned to ride the Baku Eye but sadly there was a broken car that they were servicing so it wasn’t running. Alas! We also would’ve liked to visit the National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature and Yasil Bazaar but didn’t have time – next time! We ate leftovers at the hotel before before heading to the airport for our nonstop flight back to London.
We had such a great trip and we feel so lucky we could experience these places!
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