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Tbilisi, Georgia
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Sighnaghi, Georgia
On the second day, you can travel from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi in the morning and
spend the rest of the day exploring this beautiful town (see day 3 of “The
Backpacker’s Route” for info on how to get there, things to do and where to stay
in Sighnaghi). On day 3, you can visit Telavi and its surroundings and return to
Tbilisi in the evening. Telavi is located in the heart of Kakheti, the
historical region of eastern Georgia. It’s one of the most ancient cities in
Georgia and it used to be an important trading center on the Silk Route from
China to Europe.
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Telavi, Georgia
* visit the Batonis – Tsikhe fortress in the center of the city. This fortress
used to be the residence of the Kakheti tsars and is now transformed into a
history and ethnography museum * visit the Alaverdi Monastery, the second
tallest church in Georgia * visit the Ikalto and Shuamta Monasteries * taste the
delicious wine of Kakheti at the Shumi winery and learn more about the wine
traditions in Georgia
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Udabno, Georgia
Davit Gareja is a monastery with hundreds of caves tucked away into the
half-deserted slopes of Mount Gareja. It was built in the 6th century by
Assyrian Priests to strengthen Christianity in Georgia. The whole complex
consists of 15 monasteries spread out in the hills of the semi-desert area
around the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan. It’s one of Georgia’s most
remarkable ancient sites!
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Gori, Georgia
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Mtskheta, Georgia
Mtskheta was the previous capital of Georgia and one of the oldest cities in the
country. It’s the spiritual heart of Georgia and home to three of the most
important churches: Svetitskhoveli, Jvari, and Samtavro Monastery.
Svetitskhoveli Monastery is one of the biggest and most important churches in
the country. There’s also a legend that the robe of Jesus Christ is buried in
the church. The Jvari Monastery is located on a mountaintop with a great view
over the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, as well as the entire city of Mtskheta. It’s
also a popular spot for wedding shoots so you might see people dressed in their
finest clothes!
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Akhaltsikhe, Georgia
Akhaltsikhe is a small city in the South of Georgia. It was founded in the
Middle Ages and the newly renovated Rabati Fortress is its most important
landmark. Akhaltsikhe is rather a sleepy town but definitely worth a visit if
you are into culture, history, and unique places. * visit the Rabati Fortress.
This fortress was built in the 13th century but has been destroyed and rebuilt
several times. In 2012 there was a large reconstruction and the fortress turned
into a town within a town. * Visit Sapara Monastery, a church hidden in the
mountain forests, about 12km outside of Akhaltsikhe * visit the Khertivisi
Fortress
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Vardzia, Georgia
Vardzia is a spectacular cave monastery, dug out from the slopes of the Erusheti
Mountain. It looks like one of the movie sets of Lord of the Rings, although it
wasn’t the home of dwarves but of many monks. This underground monastery was
built in the 12th Century under the reign of King Tamar. It used to be
completely hidden until a severe earthquake exposed and destroyed the cave
monastery. In my Vardzia Travel Guide, I’ll explain in detail what’s so special
about this cave monastery and all the places to visit in Vardzia.
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Kutaisi, Georgia
The most extraordinary thing about the Katskhi Pillar is that there’s a church
on top of this pillar in which a monk has been living there for 20 years!
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Chiatura, Georgia
Chiatura is a strange and charming city where you can still feel the ghost of
the Soviet Empire. It’s nestled between steep valleys and deep gorges and it
used to be a booming mining town. Chiatura is known as the “cable car city” as
every corner of the town was connected with the mines through a system of cable
cars. Most of these cable cars have rusted away but there are still a few of
these “air tramways” functioning today as a form of free public transportation.
It’s quite a (frightening) experience to step into these rusty flying cabins
that are known as the “death-defying metal coffins”.
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Tskaltubo, Georgia
What I also highly recommend doing on this day, is to take a small trip to
Tskultabo. Tskultabo used to be a luxurious spa resort in Georgia during the
Soviet Union. It was famous for its therapeutic mineral springs and radon water
therapy.
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Mestia, Georgia
If you like snow-covered mountains, breathtaking scenery of alpine meadows, and
picturesque villages that are dominated by tower houses then you’ll definitely
enjoy Svaneti, a historical region in Northwest Georgia! Mestia is the central
town and the starting point for many hikes and trips around the region.
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Tbilisi, Georgia