The hectares of vineyards from which Georgia makes the best wine, ancient monasteries, temples, cozy cities - all this is Kakheti. The sights of this region are not only well-preserved ancient buildings, but also delicious cuisine and a warm Kakheti welcome. What interesting can you see here? What attractions should an excursion to Kakheti include?
Kakheti
Now Kakheti is a region of Georgia, the main administrative center of which is the city of Telavi. The name of the region comes from a sub-ethnic group that lived on these lands - kakhi. The region is located east of Tbilisi and covers, in addition to Kakheti, two more historical areas.
More recently, this region was not too popular. The absence of the sea and the main roads passing by, as well as recent natural disasters, have played a role in the tourist development of the region. But recently, the infrastructure has been actively developing here. And the long closed and detached region made it even more attractive. After all, it was precisely the old Georgian traditions that were preserved , and many local residents do not even know Russian.
Kakheti Attractions
The remains of ancient structures tell about the rather long history of Kakheti. Not far from the Nekresi Monastery, the ruins of a Zoroastrian temple, built most likely by the Persians who lived on these lands, are still preserved.
Until the 11th century, Kakheti was independent, and the city of Tianeti was its capital. The ruins of the capital's palace are located near the city. Later, the region either joined the Georgian kingdom, then split off from it, became part of the Russian Empire in the 18th century. And now this is the wine region of Georgia.
People come here for the sake of good wine, the beautiful mountains of Tusheti, and watching animals in the Shirak steppe. They visit the Pankisi Gorge, the David Gareji Monastery, as well as national parks with picturesque nature.
Alazani Valley
Georgians call it the Kakheti plain. This is a famous wine region located at the foot of the Greater Caucasus, on the south side. Partially this region belongs to Azerbaijan.
Kakheti (Georgia) is full of various wineries, where tours and tastings of the best Georgian wines are often held. The factories of Hareb, Kindzmarauli, Graneli, Tsinandali and many others share the secrets of cooking wine.
It is interesting that wine is made not in barrels, but in special jugs with human height. They are called qvevri. Pitchers of grape juice are poured into the jugs and buried in the ground so that the juice can roam under natural conditions.
Alaverdi Cathedral
Alazani Valley is known not only for wines, but also for architectural monuments. A popular place is a man’s monastery. It is located just 20 kilometers from the main city of Kakheti. On the territory of the monastery is the cathedral of the XI century.
Due to the restrained design, the temple looks monumental. Its height is 50 meters, and frescoes of the 15th century are preserved inside. Alaverdi Cathedral is a well-preserved monument of Georgian architecture, which is under the protection of UNESCO.
Gremy Castle
This castle is more like a temple complex. Previously, in its place was a developed and prosperous city. Currently, only the fortress and the church of the Archangels remained, which were built in the 16th century.
For a long time, the city of Gremi was the capital of the Kakheti kingdom. Mostly the Armenian population lived here. The city conducted successful trade, as it was on the Great Silk Road, but was destroyed in the 16th century. After that, the capital was moved to Telavi.
The Church of the Archangels was built during the reign of King Levan. It is made of traditional Georgian masonry with a combination of Iranian style. Inside are three entrances: western, northern and southern. The church has well preserved frescoes and icons of the 16th century. Here is the grave of Levan Kakhetinsky.
Near the church there is a bell tower, it houses a 16th-century gun found by archaeologists and portraits of the kings of Kakheti. The fortress walls with embrasures, as well as a secret passage that leads directly to the river, have been preserved on the territory of the complex.
Signagi
Little Sighnaghi is another place that Kakheti may surprise. The sights of the town are the fortress walls with 28 towers surrounding the old part of the city. These are ancient medieval streets.
Sighnaghi is located on the mountain slopes, so the relief inside the city is hilly. The tangled medieval streets either go up or down quickly.
In the center of the Old Town is a statue of the Georgian philosopher Solomon Dodashvili. Nearby is St. Stephen's Cathedral. To the other side, on Gorgosali street, stands the brick church of St. George with a bell tower, which was built on the fortress tower. On the same street, near the gate, you can climb the fortress wall.
In the village of Mirzanni, near Sighnaghi, there is a house-museum of Niko Pirosmani. Here you can see the artist’s paintings and look at the house where he once lived.
Gurjaani
The city of Gurjaani is located on the right bank of the Alazani River. This is the third largest Kakheti city, with about 10,000 inhabitants. Previously, the city was a resort of All-Union significance. The mud resort of Akhtala is still active here.
In Gurjaani is the church of All Saints, which was built in the eighth century and consecrated in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin. The temple is considered an important architectural monument of the transition period in the development of Georgian culture. An interesting detail are two symmetrical domes.
Near the city there are several museums. For example, the house-museum of Nato Vachnadze, the Museum of Military Glory named after Shalikashvili. There are also house-museums of Joseph Noneshvili and Ivan Beritashvili.
Very close to the city are the wineries Gurjaani and Gruzvinprom. On the territory of the latter there is an old repository where you can see huge qvevri designed for making wine.
Sagareggio
Sagarejo (Georgia) - This municipality is mainly known for historical monuments. Here is the David-Gareji Monastery Complex, located in caves along the Gareji Ridge.
The monasteries were founded by the Assyrians and they date back to the VI century. Azerbaijan and Georgia share them among themselves. In total, there are 9 monastery complexes in these places, so one day will not be enough to view.
At the Gomborsky ridge is the fortress of Ujarma. This place used to be an ancient city, which, during the reign of King Vakhtang, was the capital, and after that it was finally abandoned. The fortress was not well preserved, but it is located at an altitude of almost 1000 meters and from its ruins there are magnificent views.
At 10 kilometers from the city of Sagareggio is the fortress of Manavi. This is the first fortress that is found on the way from Tbilisi, if you go east. The fortress is located on a hill at an altitude of 780 meters above sea level. Here you can see two towers that are not fully preserved, three temples.
National parks
In the eastern part of Georgia is the Lagodekhi National Park. The park territory is adjacent to the borders of Russia and Azerbaijan. This is one of several parks that Kakheti can boast of. The sights of the park are represented by alpine zones, subtropical vegetation, waterfalls and lakes. There is even a small fortress.
There are three routes in the park. Two of them lead to the waterfalls and take only a few hours. The third route takes up to three days. It leads through the ridge to the lake and the Mitsimi fortress. The park has an interesting wildlife. On the way to the fortress you can meet wild boars and bears.
In the Dedoplistskaro area is another national park Vashlovani. This is one of the most beautiful and interesting Georgian parks. It consists mainly of valleys and rock masses, and its climate is quite arid. About 40 endemic plant species grow here and many animals live.
You can stay in the park for the night. Here is a special tourist campsite, which consists of 8 double houses. There are also separate picnic areas on site.