FSTA Rent Car Blog

Hand-painted ceramics and woven textiles displayed at an artisan market stall in Yerevan
Travel Guide
What to Buy in Yerevan (2026)
Best things to buy in Armenia and where to find them in Yerevan. Dried fruits, brandy, ceramics, carpets, pomegranate crafts.
Dried apricots, nuts and lavash bread at a covered food-market stall in Yerevan
Travel Guide
Yerevan Food Markets: A Self-Drive Guide
Your complete guide to Yerevan's food markets. Where to find the best dried fruit, flatbread, spices, and local produce.
Pink tuff-stone buildings and pedestrians around Republic Square in Yerevan
Travel Guide
Yerevan City Guide: See, Eat & Get Around
What to see and do in Yerevan, Armenia. The Cascade, Republic Square, Genocide Memorial, best food, and day trips to Garni, Khor Virap.
A traveler walking a snowy stone village lane in Cappadocia
Tips
Winter in Turkey Without the Guesswork
Plan winter in Turkey with advice for Istanbul, Cappadocia, thermal towns, mountain routes, packing, quieter sights, and driving expectations.
Purple, white and yellow wildflowers in a fresh green Caucasus meadow
Travel Guide
Georgia's Wildflower Season Guide
Explore Georgia wildflower hotspots from Marneuli poppy fields to Algeti chamomile, Bakuriani orchids, and Svaneti meadows by car.
A whirling dervish in a white robe inside a modest historic hall
Tips
Whirling Dervishes in Istanbul: A Respectful Visitor Guide
Attend a whirling dervish ceremony in Istanbul respectfully with context, venue tips, etiquette, clothing advice, and planning notes.
The curved glass Peace Bridge spans the Mtkvari River beside Tbilisi's Old Town
News
What's New in Georgia 2026
Everything new in Georgia for 2026: record tourism numbers, new flight routes, faster highways, mandatory insurance, museum openings.
Hiking boots, a daypack, layered clothing and small travel essentials laid out for a trip
Tips
What to Pack for Georgia (2026)
What to pack for Georgia by season. Clothing for Tbilisi, mountain gear, church dress codes, driving essentials. Includes FSTA self-drive planning context.
Eroded clay badlands and golden steppe in Georgia's Vashlovani Protected Areas
Routes
Vashlovani National Park Travel Guide
Plain English guide to Vashlovani National Park in Georgia. When to go, what 4x4 you need, permits, the road and where to sleep.
Ancient grey-stone churches with conical roofs in a grassy Armenian monastery courtyard
Travel Guide
UNESCO Sites: Georgia & Armenia
Complete guide to all 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Georgia and Armenia. How to visit each one, tentative sites, intangible heritage.
A gravel switchback winds across green slopes on Georgia's Abano Pass toward Tusheti
Routes
Tusheti by 4x4: Abano Pass Self-Drive Guide (2026)
Complete guide to driving to Tusheti over the Abano Pass. 4x4 requirements, village-by-village itinerary, hiking trails, cultural etiquette.
Simit, olives, cheese and tea on a Turkish breakfast table
Travel Guide
A Flavor Trail Through Turkey's Living Food Traditions
Turkey food-travel guide covering breakfast, tea, markets, coffee, regional dishes, etiquette, and road-trip meal planning.
A parked SUV overlooking a winding Turkish Mediterranean coastal road
Road Trips
Turkey Road Trip: 9 Cinematic Stops That Feel Huge in Person
Plan a Turkey road trip around nine cinematic stops, from valleys and ancient sites to coasts, villages, viewpoints, and smart route pacing.
Sunlight falls across weathered columns and tiled floors in a Tskaltubo sanatorium hall
Travel Guide
Tskaltubo: Georgia's Abandoned Soviet Sanatoriums
Complete guide to visiting Tskaltubo's abandoned Soviet sanatoriums near Kutaisi, Georgia. History, access tips, photography advice, and nearby…
Eternal flame and flowers inside the circle of basalt slabs at Tsitsernakaberd in Yerevan
Travel Guide
Tsitsernakaberd Museum Guide
Complete guide to visiting Tsitsernakaberd, the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum in Yerevan. Hours, how to get there, and what to expect.
A white and blue double-decker passenger train at a railway platform in Georgia
Tips
Trains in Georgia: Routes, Tickets & Schedules
Complete guide to trains in Georgia: every route from Tbilisi to Batumi, Zugdidi, Borjomi and beyond. Includes FSTA self-drive planning context.
A passenger train and travelers beside a small tree-lined railway station in western Georgia
Travel Guide
Tbilisi to Zugdidi: Train, Bus & Car Guide for 2026
How to get from Tbilisi to Zugdidi in 2026: train timetable and fares, coach bus, marshrutka, rental car, and private transfer compared.
Overnight passenger train with warm-lit windows beside a Caucasus railway platform at dusk
Transport
Tbilisi to Yerevan by Train: Complete Guide
Complete guide to the overnight sleeper train from Tbilisi to Yerevan. Schedules, ticket prices, classes, border crossing details.
Vardzia cave monastery cut into a tan cliff above the green Mtkvari valley and its access road
Routes
How to Get to Vardzia from Tbilisi (2026)
How to reach Vardzia from Tbilisi in 2026. Marshrutka, transfer, day tour, and car options with fares and driving tips. Includes route-planning context.
Gravel road across the Abano Pass toward Tusheti with a small 4x4 and green Caucasus slopes
Routes
Tbilisi to Tusheti: Conquering the Abano Pass in 2026
Tbilisi to Tusheti in 2026: 4x4 taxi, private driver, and tour options with Abano Pass conditions and costs. Includes FSTA self-drive planning context.
Approach road to Mestia with stone Svan towers, a small passenger minibus and forested Caucasus mountains
Routes
Tbilisi to Svaneti: Every Way to Reach Mestia in 2026
Tbilisi to Svaneti in 2026: compare marshrutka, train, flight, transfer, and car options with fares and schedules. Includes FSTA self-drive planning context.
Mountain road entering Shatili valley beside a river and medieval stone tower houses in Khevsureti
Routes
Tbilisi to Shatili: 2026 Guide
Tbilisi to Shatili in 2026: marshrutka schedule, driving tips, Datvisjvari Pass conditions, and costs. Includes FSTA self-drive planning context.
A passenger van beside a quiet lane through green vineyards in Kakheti
Travel Guide
Tbilisi to Kakheti: Sighnaghi & Telavi (2026)
How to get from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi and Telavi in 2026: shared taxi, marshrutka, rental car, and private transfer compared with fares.
A parked SUV beside a cleared mountain road and snowy slopes near Gudauri
Travel Guide
Tbilisi to Gudauri: Every Transport Option Ranked for 2026
How to get from Tbilisi to Gudauri in 2026: self-drive, private transfer, marshrutka, and shared taxi compared with prices, schedules.
A parked sedan beside a riverside street and wooded valley in Borjomi
Routes
Tbilisi to Borjomi: 5 Travel Options (2026)
How to get from Tbilisi to Borjomi in 2026: updated train schedule, marshrutka times, rental car route. Includes FSTA self-drive planning context.