Republic of Georgia - located at the junction of Western Asia and the Middle East. The territory is washed by the waters of the Black Sea. The country has common borders with Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Armenia and the republics not recognized in the world community - South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
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What to visit in Georgia? The country is so diverse that you can travel here for weeks. At the same time, the natural landscape has not changed for many centuries, as well as the economic and social life of the local population. The country has poorly developed shipping and marine fishing, and this is due only to the lack of suitable bays and peninsulas.
The landscape of the republic is represented by a plateau-like relief, highlands, lowlands and plains, hills and midlands. The highest peak of Georgia is Shkhara, 5068 meters.
The country boasts a wide range of minerals, such as oil, coal, copper and manganese ore. There are also reserves for the manufacture of building materials: clay, limestone, dolomites, sand.
There are many sources of fresh water in the country, more than 2 thousand and as many as 22 with mineral water, and this is not only Borjomi, but also Zvare, Sairme and others. Today it supplies its mineral and fresh waters to 24 countries. The river network is uneven, there are few lakes, and those that exist are located mainly in the Javakheti Highlands.
Georgia is a seaside resort and beautiful forests, mountains and recreational areas.
Tbilisi
What to visit in Georgia? Judging by the reviews, most tourists begin their journey from the capital, the city of Tbilisi. This is a beautiful settlement, and all the interesting places are not far from each other - compactly.
Be sure to visit Meydan Square or the area of five churches. And not far from the square are sulfur baths, by the way, Pushkin himself wrote about them. Experienced tourists advise you to come here in the evening, after long walks around the city, to relax. If you have enough strength, you can go a little further behind the sulfur baths and see a beautiful waterfall.
And those who love holy places should go on a rock near the Kura River. It houses the Metekhi Temple and the nearby Sioni Cathedral.
Be sure to go to Rike Park, (public transport stop "Europe Square"), from where you can go to the Narikalu fortress. Here is the best observation deck in Tbilisi and the monument "Mother of Georgia", very majestic, 20 meters high.
There are two ways to get to Narikalu fortress, at the foot of the Old Town - by cable car or on foot. However, there are always a lot of visitors.
Right next to the monument there is a descent that will lead to the old part of the city, where ancient Italian houses are preserved, with traditional carved windows and balconies.
Freedom Square also deserves attention, on it you can see the famous monument to George the Victorious, 40 meters high. Another interesting area is Sololaki, which ends at the entrance to the funicular, raising everyone to the holy mountain of Mtatsminda. There is an amusement park and a beautiful view of the capital.
If time permits, get off at the intermediate funicular station. Here is the pantheon, where the ashes of many famous people, including the wife of Griboedov, rest.
After a walk around Mtatsmindi, go to the old district of the city, although it is considered Armenian. It houses the Cathedral of Tsminda Sameba. His address: Tbilisi, Mount St. Elijah.
Batumi
Which cities of Georgia are worth visiting? Of course - Batumi. In the reviews, tourists argue that it cannot be said that there are many attractions, but beautiful beaches, with modern infrastructure and a real resort atmosphere, conducive to real relaxation.
Arriving in the city, you can go to Adjara and see the most beautiful waterfall - the Makhuntseti and the arch bridge. Also, excursions go to the Racha region from the city, where you can see the most beautiful monasteries and caves. Locals call this region “Georgian Switzerland”.
Batumi is located from the capital in 373 kilometers. According to tourists, it is best to rent a car, then you can enjoy the beauty of the country in a relaxed atmosphere and get to the resort in about 6 hours. Travelers also claim that the roads in Georgia are good, but it’s better not to leave the autobahn, the situation with the road surface is bad there.
You can get to Batumi by train (5 hours on the way) and by bus from the Tbilisi bus station - Ortachala (address: 1 Gulia Street).
Mtskheta
Be sure to include Mtskheta, the ancient capital of the state, in the list of cities worth visiting in Georgia . It is only 25 kilometers from Tbilisi. The city has three historical monuments, which are listed by UNESCO.
In the city, you should definitely look at the beautiful Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. A small but very picturesque monastery on a rock - Javari. The rock itself is located at the place where the Aragvi and Kura rivers merge.
And lovers of Georgian cuisine are simply obliged to call in the city restaurant "Salobie" (Tbilisi bypass road). Its cuisine is famous for its khinkali since Soviet times.
To get to the city, you should go to the Didube metro station in Tbilisi, near it there is a spontaneous bus station, from which buses leave for Mtskheta every 20 minutes.
Kutaisi and Tskaltubo
What are the cities of Georgia that are worth visiting yet? Experienced tourists are advised to definitely look into Kutaisi in reviews. Not so long ago, it was a half-abandoned industrial city. Now everything has changed dramatically. First of all, you should look at the Parliament building (Irakli Abashidze St.), this is a real futuristic building and, of course, the ancient Bagrat temple.
The surroundings of Kutaisi also boast their attractions. First of all, it is Sataplia National Park, Okatsi and Martvili Canyons. The most beautiful ancient monasteries: Motsameta and Gelati. And, of course, Kinchakh Falls.
A place in Georgia that is worth visiting for people who wish to improve their health is the town of Tskaltubo. In the reviews, tourists write that he cannot boast of the presence of attractions, but here you can plunge into a radon spring and drink healing water. The town has many resorts and hotels.
Near the resort there is a unique cave of Prometheus. It is famous for its natural beauty and the work of German craftsmen who made a unique highlight inside. Also inside the cave you can ride a boat on the cave river.
You can get to Kutaisi from Tbilisi by train, about 5 trains leave from the station per day. Travel time is just over 5 hours.
As tourists say, despite the fact that Kutaisi is only 230 kilometers from the capital, there is no direct flight connection. You can get on the bus, even passing from Moscow. By the way, according to reviews, Moscow international buses reach Kutaisi in 2 hours, but the cost compared to local transport is higher.
Uplistsikhe
What to visit in Georgia? Go to Uplistsikhe - perhaps this is the oldest cave city in the country. This is a whole system of labyrinths consisting of caves, rivers and rocks. As tourists say, once in a cave city, it seems that he was in a theme park, at every turn a new landscape opens up, a look completely different from the previous one.
It is believed that the city appeared at the beginning of the first millennium and throughout all centuries experienced many recessions and surges. There are about 700 caves and internal structures, but only 150 have survived to this day.
This place is located on the way from Tbilisi to Kutaisi.
This attraction is located 100 kilometers from Tbilisi, it can be reached by train, which leaves early in the morning. According to vacationers, you should get to the station Kvahvreli and walk to Uplistsikhe about 1 kilometer. You can also take a bus from the metro station "Didube" to Gori, where you transfer to another minibus, next to Kvakhveli.
Georgian military road
The place to visit in Georgia is the road at the foot of Mount Kazbek. This is a magnificent mountain landscape, where there are man-made ancient buildings and unique natural monuments. Here you can see the fortress erected in the Middle Ages, the temple on the very shore of Ananuri (reservoir). Be sure to look into the gorge near Gudauri and walk along the Cross Pass. Travelers in their reviews advise climbing Mount Kazbegi, so you can see the Gergeti Church and admire Mount Kazbek.
The Georgian Military Highway runs between the capital of Georgia on its way to Vladikavkaz (route through the Caucasus Range, about 208 km.). It is best to go here by taxi, but if the funds do not allow it, then you can also by minibus. But, as tourists say, it is very difficult (travel time from 3 to 4 hours), then it is unlikely to want to go anywhere else. Buses depart from Didube metro station. You should go to the settlement of Kazbegi, then on foot (156 kilometers).
Svaneti
What to visit in Georgia yet? If you have time, you should definitely go to Svaneti. This is a beautiful mountain region, the center of which is the village of Mestia.
As some tourists say, who were not in Svaneti, he was not in Georgia. Perhaps this is a bold statement, but, nevertheless, it is a unique region.
The village of Mestia is located at an altitude of 1.4 thousand meters above sea level. Most of the tracks to the mountains, glaciers, lakes and waterfalls start from here. Even residents of other countries come here to relax, especially from the northern latitudes.
Hiking routes involve a number of attractions:
- Hatsvali mountain, where the ski resort is located;
- a trip to the Ushguli community;
- ascent along the country's most difficult mountain route to the mountains of Scheldt and Ushba;
- trips to the Chaaldi, Shkhara and Lardaad glaciers, to the Koruldi lake.
In the village itself, you can look into the ethnographic museum, the house-museum of the skier Kahiani. You should definitely see the Svan towers and the Transfiguration Temple of the 9th century. And on the main square of the settlement there is a square with a source of mineral water.
Small planes with a capacity of up to 17 passengers fly to Svaneti (Mestia) from Tbilisi. Perhaps this is the easiest way to get to the village, the journey time is 1 hour. Departure from Tbilisi from the Natakhtari airfield. If you go by bus, you will have to spend as much as 9 hours, because it is 450 kilometers.
Kakheti
Which cities to visit in Georgia yet? Be sure to go to Kakheti. This is the birthplace of almost all the country's wines. Even traffic signs say about it: "Gurjaani", "Tsinandali" and others. This is a true wine-growing region, with preserved ancient traditions and buildings.
Once in Kakheti, be sure to go to the Alaverdi monastery (address: Akhmeta district, village Alaverdi), he is the most revered in this region. There is also a wine museum. The oldest holy place in the region is Ikalto Monastery. By the way, a secular school once worked at the monastery, in which Shota Rustaveli studied.
The capital of Kakheti is considered Telavi. Here you can see the places where the film "Mimino" was shot. The city has the oldest tree in the whole country - Telavi plate. The cave monastery of David Gareja has been preserved in the city, almost on the very border with Azerbaijan and the Alaverdi Cathedral.
Want to see the Alazani Valley, go to Gremi Castle and Nekresi Monastery. In addition to the beauty of the ancient buildings, here you can admire views of the valley.
Tourists are also advised to go to the town of Kvareli. It is here that you can see the tunnel, which is underground, its total length of 8 kilometers. It stores more than 25 thousand bottles of wine. This building belongs to the Kindzmarauli corporation. Here you can go for a tasting and purchase real Georgian wines. In the same town there are mountain lakes that deserve attention - Kvareli and Elijah, with views of the Alazani Valley.
And what else to visit in Georgia, and it is in Kakheti? Be sure to go to the city of love - Sighnaghi. It is located above the Alazani Valley, where in the evening there are beautiful sunsets and a cozy atmosphere, you will see the ancient fortress wall, funny monuments.
You can get to Kakheti from Tbilisi in the most common ways: by taxi, car or minibus. The journey takes about 2 hours, the distance is 75 kilometers.
Borjomi
What you must visit in Georgia? Perhaps this is the resort city that does not need a special or detailed presentation, almost all people know about it - this is Borjomi. Indeed, in the 90s of the last century they forgot about it, but now the resort is developing rapidly, now local water is exported to 30 countries of the world.
Here you can drink healing water, breathe in the clear mountain air and enjoy the local beauties. The resort was known and popular even at a time when emperors ruled Russia. Ancient excavations confirm that ancient people knew about the local healing waters; baths were discovered during archaeological excavations.
You can relax in the city all year round, in winter it is not so cold here, and in summer it is not very hot.
The resort is 161 kilometers from Tbilisi. Take a minibus for about 2.5 hours, buses leave from the Didube metro station. You can take a train, there are two trains in the morning and in the evening. Travel time 4 hours.
Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
This is the largest park area in the European part of the mainland. Here is a unique flora and fauna. It is located near the resort of Borjomi. Therefore, having arrived at the resort, the question should not arise, what places to visit in Georgia? Previously, the park served as a place for hunting amusements of royal people. The total area of the park is 18 thousand hectares. There is a mountainous landscape, two climatic zones: humid and moderate subtropical. Beautiful forest, flowing river Kure.
The national park has more than 60 species of animals, and there are ecological trails. Nature lovers leave the most enthusiastic reviews about the park.
Vardiza
What to visit in Georgia while traveling? Go to Vardzia - this is a cave monastery, which was built during the reign of Queen Tamar (XII-XIII centuries). It is located in Samtskhe-Javakheti. Inside the monastery complex there are about 600 rooms, which were equipped manually, by hollowing out with a chisel in rock. These are churches, refectory, chapels, places for monks, libraries. In total, the length of the cave is 900 meters. Deep into the cliffs, the complex is recessed at 50 meters.
It is believed that earlier, the monastery consisted of 3 thousand caves and was built not only as a monastery, but also a fortification in which more than 50 thousand soldiers could fit.
Experienced tourists recommend first to go to the city of Akhaltsikhe, it is easiest to get to it from any city in Georgia. Then, in the town, transfer to the minibus, which follows directly to Vardzia (travel time - 2 hours).
The distance from Tbilisi to the monastery is 270 km. From big cities like Batumi and the capital, there are direct flights to attractions.
Georgia is a mysterious country where any traveler will find an interesting place just for himself. After a vacation in the country, you are guaranteed a great mood and a lot of pleasant and amazing experiences.