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Even though you think have seen enough churches, a day trip to Mtskheta just outside T’bilisi will lead you to the spiritual capital of Georgia since the turn to Christian faith. Some of the oldest and most important churches in all Georgia are to be found in this UNESCO listed town.
One of the most romantic fortified churches in Georgia, Ananuri is located on the shores of an artificial mountain lake on the way to Kazbegi. The fort is on the main road between two mountain villages, but there’s no bus stop, so a little hitchhiking on the way back may be needed.Apart from the landscape and the church itself, you may want to:-look for the mongoloid appearance of the reliefs of the saints on the church outside walls (apparently, to prevent the church from being destroyed by the Mongol invasions, based on the speculation “hey, they look like us”) -swim in the mountain lake and sunbath on its shores, just outside the fort
Borjomi is about 2 1/2 hours from Tbilisi by car which means you could do this a day trip, or use it as a base for exploring attractions farther afield (such as the cave monastery complex of Vardzia which is what we did). The main attraction in Borjomi is the Borjomi Mineral Water Park - where the ubiquitous bottled Borjomi water comes from. It's a nice place to walk around and in the summer there are places you can swim. The walk from the train station to the water park is also very scenic as some impressive old houses line the streets.
The town of Gori, Stalin's birthplace, is about 1 1/2 hrs from Tbilisi by car. The Stalin Museum was built around the tiny house that Stalin lived in until he was 15 - which is lovingly preserved and protected from the elements. The museum itself is full of Stalin memoribilia and the tour guides (Russian language only) talk of him as if he were a hero which gives the proceedings a bizzare air. The highlight for me was Stalin's train carriage (outside of the museum) which he actually used. It even has a tiny kitchen (which he probably did not use).Admission is $1 for the complex and extra if you want to take pictures. They also sell picture postcards which make great gifts for all of your Stalin-admiring buddies. ;)
From a sleepy mountain town at the border with Russia, Kazbegi has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Georgia, probably second only to T’bilisi. And for every good reason this is true: a 14th century church built on a mountain peak at 2200m above sea level (Tsminda Sameba) and a 2nd class mountain of 5200m (Mount Kazbeg). While Georgians go to Tsminda Sameba in pilgrimage on religious celebrations, foreigners look for the scenery, the local atmosphere, the trekking routes in the mountains and the legend of Prometheus chained on Kazbeg mountain.For further info, can visit my Kazbegi page.
A walk in the Narikala Fortress area on the hill above the old town will take you past this 20m statue of Mother Georgia which is interesting in a kitchy sort of way. She holds a cup of wine in one hand (to symbolize Georgian friendliness) and a sword in the other (a warning to Georgia's enemies).
Apparently, going to the baths is a pretty popular social activity in Tbilisi. We rented a private bath for an hour at the "beehive" baths for $10. We also got massages (more like an elaborate bath ritual with kind of painful skin exfoliation) for $3 a person. There is a sitting room where you leave your clothes and are served hot tea and then the bath room with showers, the hot sulphur bath, a cold bath, a toilet and the massage area.You can also go into the communal pool for a lot less, but we didn't do that.The baths are definitaly a unique experience a relaxing activity for a dreary, cold day.
This is an easy day trip from Tbilisi. The outside of this 6th century church is lovely and you get a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside. Jvari church is well visited by Georgians, as it is revered as Georgia's spirtual heart, and there are plenty of priests hanging around. So it is also a good place to people watch and get a feel for the christian tradition in Georgia.
The monastery itself has nothing special in terms of architecture, size or richness of decorations. But one does not need any of these to approach a serene state of mind of religious type, as it is the area around it which worth everything. The monastery is built on a promontorium with wonderful views over the gorge and the river below.Finding a lookout spot between the trees can be challenging. For better view, try climb the bell tower as well.You can visit my Kutaisi page for further info.
The monastery complex of Gelati dates back from 1106, when the first church and religious academy was constructed by King David the Builder, whose aim was to create a place of worship, study and knowledge second only to Jerusalem. Many Georgian rulers are buried here, including David the Builder himself, Queen Tamara and Bagrat III. At his express wish, King David the Builder is buried under the stone of the southern gatehouse, which was then the main entrance to the complex, meaning that all who came here would step on his tomb.You can visit my Kutaisi page for further info.
Courtyard by Marriott Tbilisi T'bilisi
9 Reviews and 59 Opinions The Courtyard Tbilisi (Marriott) is a somewhat blandly good hotel, situated in the perfect Tbilisi...
Sheraton Batumi Hotel Batumi
1 Review and 19 Opinions The newly built Sheraton Batumi offers comfortable surroundings with direct beach access and...
Hotel British House T'bilisi
1 Review and 84 Opinions It is very nice hotel. maximum of 10 rooms. and nice breakfast. located in down town. very near to...
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Q: Is the beach nice in Batumi? Would you recommend going there? How is the water in September?
A: The beach is not sand, but golf ball sized stones. The promenade is quite long with a few activities scattered along it. It's relatively clean. But Batumi is better...
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