Armenia and Georgia recommendations?
 

We will be flying into EVN in a few weeks and out of TBS. Right now, we have 2 fulls days in Yerevan, and then on the 3rd day we have a private car to take us to Tbilisi. Then we have 2 full days there before we depart.

Given the short time in each city, we were planning to do a city tour and site-see each town for one of the 2 days. For the 2nd day, is there anything one could recommend going to see and do on the outskirts?

I'd say TBS is worth more time than EVN as far as the city is concerned.

In EVN get a driver/guide for the day, and have them take you to Echmiadzin you can stop at Saint Hripsime Church on the way (it's close to the airport). On the way back stop at Zvarnots Cathedral.

Then on the other end of the city you should visit Garni and Geghard.

Yerevan itself - the Genocide memorial is interesting.
Go up the cascades and walk around victory park.
Walk around the center

That's about it.

Make sure the driver takes the route by the Sevan lake. Stop there to enjoy it :)

Tbilisi...
Take a stroll around the old Tbilisi. Take the aerial tram to the top to see the view of the city. Walk along Shota Rustaveli Avenue to see some of the Stalinist architecture.

Stroll through the Dry Bridge market and maybe buy some Soviet memorabilia.
Take the Tbilisi funicular to Mtatsminda Park
Visit the Tbilisi Sameba Cathedral and have some Lagidze Water after touring the cathedral.

Visit the sulfur baths and have a relaxing experience.
Go visit a typical market at Samgori metro
Take a trip to Mtskheta (just on the outskirts of Tbilisi, a short minibus ride away from Didube metro).
Take a quick trip to Gori to visit the Stalin museum.

If it was me, I'd spend more time in Tbilisi than in Yerevan. Yerevan (and everything I wrote above) can be seen in 1.5 days.

Thanks.
i think the 1.5 days is about what we have, given that we will probably tired when we arrive and would want to grab a nap.

On the drive from EVN to TBS we will be stopping at Sanahin and Haghbat and Akhtala fortress monastery

Very good advise from Palal!

To add: when in Mtskheta visit old Jvari Monastery, it has a great view overlooking the confluence of two rivers. Its a short and cheap taxi ride away.

When in Gori (which I think is overrated), take a taxi to Uplistsikhe (some 10km away). An ancient cave city carved out of the rocks - spectacular on a nice day!

With a car for the day and leaving early, all of them can easily be combined even. Gori is nothing more than the Stalin museum, Jvari is only a small church, and Mtskheta while pleasant to enjoy and sit down is not big at all.

If into culture and a few great historical sights and one nice view, this is the best to spend the day out of Tbilisi.

To offer two alternatives:

If into mountains and spectacular sights, one day you are able if you rise early to go to Kazbegi/Stepantsminda and hike up and down to lovely Gergeti Trinity Church (which features on almost every guidebook). If by own transport, stop halway on the way there at Ananuri, a castle with a grand lake view.

If into wine, make a daytrip into the wine country (I'd imagine its prime harvesting season!). Go to Sighnaghi, scenery resembles Tuscany at times! With own car you can even combine it with the cave monastery at David Gareja (using public transport to Sighnagi and a taxi might be doable as well, but its stretching it!)

Agreed, as is the Stalin museum. Hopefully there will be a museum on the Russian invasion into Georgia built soon.

Yes, agreed


Also, if you're into urban decay, Chiatura is a cool place, but it's too from Tbilisi to be a good day trip.

Any particular tour companies you could recommend?
I found one - envoy tours

http://www.envoytours.com/armenia/armenia-tours/
http://www.envoytours.com/georgia/tours/

Does anyone have restaurants to recommend in Yerevan and Tbilisi?

I can recommend Vino Underground in Tbilisi. They do cook food there but the are best at the smaller independent Georgian wine producers. If you like wine at all, you really have to take a little time to learn about Georgian orange wines. Enek at Vino Underground is ex-pat US who can help you learn.

Thanks for that!

Do you have information on typical charges for hiring drivers; and how to get in touch with them?

We have organized a trip to Georgia and Armenia, booked all hotels on our own, and are using Advantour to supply car/driver/guide.

Thanks.

I recall Entree Artisan Bakery in Tbilisi as a great place for light and tasty lunches.

homestay option?
 

We are considering doing a homestay type of stay in Tbilisi (and possibly outside Tbilisi as well; we'll have 5-6 nights in Georgia). Does anyone know of such a place, or of an organization that arranges such things?

We want to experience the culture, people, food. Not really interested in touristy things.

Staged "experiences" arranged by an organization strike me as phony as a $3 bill.
You might want to look up and reasearch Couch Surfing, where relationships are direct and reciprocal, the partners screen each other and leave reviews.