Georgia in 5 steps: discovering the best regions of Sakartvelo together with an experienced traveler
Vladimir Vinogradov August 27, 2023, 13:15 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
This country can surprise anyone.
president of Pro-Vision, author of the Vinogradov.story community
“Incredibly beautiful, delicious, close and unlike any other country, it will take a lot of effort to ‘package’ Georgia into worthy complementary formulations. I propose to get to know Sakartvelo a little more (as the locals call their country) and take a walk through its most famous places, but far from the only ones that stand out”.
The previous article said what to see in Armenia:
Pink city, monasteries and “Wings of Tatev”: what are the must-sees in Armenia?
tbilisi
Trying to get to know Tbilisi from the inside, it is easy to stay in this city for a couple of months. Therefore, the necessary tourist minimum usually includes only a small part of the capital’s attractions: the Narikala fortress, the Rezo Gabriadze puppet theater, the Tbilisi baths praised by Pushkin, the Tsminda Sameba Cathedral, the flea market near the Bridge Seco, Freedom Square and Rustaveli Avenue.
If time permits, it is worth spending a few hours in Sololaki, a colorful area of ”old Georgia” with recognizable carved balconies, “modern Caucasian” details, endless stairs and garlands of clean linen stretched between the houses. And end your walk through the city with a sunset in Mtatsminda and a gastronomic dinner in one of the endless restaurants of local cuisine.
Gudauri and the Georgian Military Highway
You can’t travel through Georgia and never go to the Georgia Military Highway. This very picturesque, but rather dangerous route stretches through the Main Caucasian Ridge, “chaining” a number of authentic villages and magnificent panoramas. It is necessary to make stops at least three times: at the Arch of Friendship between the Peoples of Russia and Georgia, which offers a stunning view of the surrounding mountains, in the town of Gudauri and in the village of Pasanauri, considered the birthplace of Khinkali and where the Black and White Aragvi merge. Further along the road is the Ananuri fortress and the blue Zhinvali reservoir, where it is worth stopping for those who are tired of changing impressions.
batumi
Combining the charm of a southern coastal city with the infrastructure of a modern resort, Batumi is ideal for a combination of city tourism and beach trip. For more than 100 years, the botanical garden has been the pearl of “Adjarian Singapore”, where the most prominent scientists and cultural figures from Georgia and later the Soviet Union inhaled the scents of pine needles, eucalyptus and roses. The garden is on the list of city sights with the avant-garde sculpture “Ali and Nino”, whose love story can be heard on the central promenade.
Kazbek and Stepantsminda
It is better to get to Kazbek, five thousand meters high, early in the morning: already at noon its top is lost in a dense haze of clouds. The imposing slopes of the mountains serve as a spectacular natural decoration of the ancient Temple of the Holy Trinity in Gergeti, the highest mountainous building in Europe. The stone church is literally above the clouds, at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters, which makes it feel like it is floating in the air.
A long walk through the Truso valley, among 60 mineral springs and the Terek waterfalls, will help you to return to the land. Truso Valley is one of the most secluded places in all of Georgia, making it well-suited for being alone with your thoughts and taking a breather between loud parties.
Vardzia
In ancient times, in Vardzia there was a huge cave city, well hidden from prying eyes. But a strong earthquake in 1283 really “cut off” a huge piece, opening up the monastery and the city. Now Vardzia has eight rocky floors and 550 caves connected by corridors. You can go around them in 3-4 hours, getting there is much longer. The drive here from Tbilisi or Batumi is quite an adventure with winding turns, dirt roads and long photo stops. But Vardzia is definitely worth it!
Read about what to see in Tajikistan here:
5 places worth visiting Tajikistan. Traveler’s Notes
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