diff --git a/tempo_embeddings/io/geocoder.py b/tempo_embeddings/io/geocoder.py
index 312d51f..2841f07 100644
--- a/tempo_embeddings/io/geocoder.py
+++ b/tempo_embeddings/io/geocoder.py
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ def __init__(
         """
         self.db_path = db_path
         self.geolocator = Nominatim(user_agent=user_agent, timeout=timeout)
-        self.init_db()
+        self._init_db()
         self.last_request_time = 0
 
-    def init_db(self) -> None:
+    def _init_db(self) -> None:
         """
         Initializes the SQLite database.
         """
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def init_db(self) -> None:
         conn.commit()
         conn.close()
 
-    def get_cached_location(self, place_name: str) -> Optional[Tuple[float, float]]:
+    def _get_cached_location(self, place_name: str) -> Optional[Tuple[float, float]]:
         """
         Retrieves a cached location from the SQLite database.
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def get_cached_location(self, place_name: str) -> Optional[Tuple[float, float]]:
         conn.close()
         return result
 
-    def cache_location(
+    def _cache_location(
         self, place_name: str, latitude: Optional[float], longitude: Optional[float]
     ) -> None:
         """
@@ -97,26 +97,26 @@ def geocode_place(self, place_name: str) -> Optional[Tuple[float, float]]:
         Returns:
             Optional[Tuple[float, float]]: A tuple containing the latitude and longitude, or None if not found.
         """
-        cached_location = self.get_cached_location(place_name)
+        cached_location = self._get_cached_location(place_name)
         if cached_location:
-            return cached_location
-
-        current_time = time.time()
-        elapsed_time = current_time - self.last_request_time
-        if elapsed_time < 1:
-            time.sleep(1)  # Respect the rate limit of 1 request per second
-        self.last_request_time = time.time()
-
-        try:
-            location = self.geolocator.geocode(place_name)
-        except GeocoderServiceError as e:
-            logging.error(f"Geocoding request for '{place_name}' timed out: {e}")
-            lat, long = None, None
+            lat, long = cached_location
         else:
-            if location:
-                lat, long = location.latitude, location.longitude
-            else:
+            current_time = time.time()
+            elapsed_time = current_time - self.last_request_time
+            if elapsed_time < 1:
+                time.sleep(1)  # Respect the rate limit of 1 request per second
+            self.last_request_time = time.time()
+
+            try:
+                location = self.geolocator.geocode(place_name)
+            except GeocoderServiceError as e:
+                logging.error(f"Geocoding request for '{place_name}' timed out: {e}")
                 lat, long = None, None
-            self.cache_location(place_name, lat, long)
+            else:
+                if location:
+                    lat, long = location.latitude, location.longitude
+                else:
+                    lat, long = None, None
+                self._cache_location(place_name, lat, long)
 
         return lat, long
diff --git a/tests/test_geocoder.py b/tests/test_geocoder.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dbb66ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_geocoder.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import os
+import time
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from tempo_embeddings.io.geocoder import Geocoder
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def location():
+    return 12.34, 56.78
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def geocoder(tmp_path):
+    test_db_path = tmp_path / "test_geocode_cache.db"
+    yield Geocoder(db_path=str(test_db_path))
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_geocoder(mocker, location):
+    mock_geocoder = mocker.patch("tempo_embeddings.io.geocoder.Nominatim.geocode")
+    mock_geocoder.return_value = MagicMock(latitude=location[0], longitude=location[1])
+    return mock_geocoder
+
+
+class TestGeocoder:
+    def test_init(self, geocoder):
+        assert os.path.exists(geocoder.db_path)
+
+    def test_cache_location_and_get_cached_location(self, geocoder, location):
+        place_name = "Test Place"
+
+        geocoder._cache_location(place_name, location[0], location[1])
+        cached_location = geocoder._get_cached_location(place_name)
+        assert cached_location == location
+
+    def test_geocode_place(self, mock_geocoder, geocoder, location):
+        place_name = "Test Place"
+
+        assert geocoder.geocode_place(place_name) == location
+
+        # test caching:
+        geocoder.geocode_place(place_name)
+        (
+            mock_geocoder.assert_called_once_with(place_name),
+            "Should have called the remote service exactly once.",
+        )
+
+    def test_geocode_place_with_rate_limit(self, mock_geocoder, geocoder, location):
+        place_name = "Test Place"
+
+        geocoder.last_request_time = time.time()
+        start_time = time.time()
+        assert geocoder.geocode_place(place_name) == location
+
+        assert time.time() - start_time >= 1, "Should have delayed the remote call"
+        assert (
+            geocoder.last_request_time >= start_time + 1
+        ), "Should have updated last_request_time"
+
+        (
+            mock_geocoder.assert_called_once_with(place_name),
+            "Should have called the remote service exactly once.",
+        )