GEORGIA - Land of Wine, Music, Churches, Mountains, Beaches & Delicious Food! What do you prefer?

Georgia is located on the easternmost edge of Europe and the westernmost edge of Asia. Due to it's Eurasian location, the Georgian lifestyle is influenced by East and Western cultures. 

    Tbilisi and surrounding countryside

My trip to this land of endless wine, countless churches & juicy pomegranates, nestled in the Caucasian mountains of Eurasia, with sandy beaches on the Black Sea, was an unexpectedly different experience from my other European travels.

I took a week off to vacation in Georgia but after arriving in Tbilisi, I decided to go on a day trip to neighboring Armenia.  Please read my Armenia blog (click here) for insights on my exciting trip to gorgeous Armenia.  

 

Itinerary:

Here’s how I spent my ONE week in Georgia (Armenia is covered in separate blog):

Day 1 – Arrive in Tbilisi (Georgia’s political and entertainment capital)

Day 2 - Tbilisi (sightseeing, exploring the city)

Day 3 – Kakheti (wine region, Eastern Georgia)

Day 4 – Armenia (day trip from Georgia)

Day 5 – Kazbegi (Caucasian mountain region, Northern Georgia)

Day 6 – Tbilisi (shopping, leisurely exploring)

Day 7 – Fly back home

 

Tbilisi

Tbilisi is the political, financial, cultural and fun capital of Georgia and its most populated city.  It is a dynamic city of captivating contrasts as evident in its rich tapestry of art and culture.

     Wine Festival near Shardeni Street; the 'Tamada' sculpture in the foreground 

Tbilisi Highlights:

·       Architecture: Tbilisi has a mix of architectural styles, with buildings from 4^th CE to 21^st CE standing next to each other, displaying Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman, Arabian, Medieval, Renaissance, Art Nouveau, Russian/Soviet, modernism and native Georgian influences.  Castles, churches, bars, private homes with stain-glass windows, apartments with latticed balconies, restaurants on cobbled streets, Soviet era block tenements and European styled buildings are huddled together forming a stunning landscape on a hilly terrain with the Kura river cutting through the city center. 

 

·       Nightlife: Tbilisi has an absolutely pulsating Nightlife, thanks to its electronic music scene that attracts music lovers and techno DJs from all over the world, making Tbilisi the new hotspot for underground dance music.  If techno isn’t your choice in music, you could hear a live performance of jazz, rock or traditional music.  Since the restaurants are next to each other, you could dine in one and enjoy the live performance in the restaurant next door.

 

·       Food: Georgian cuisine was delightful, influenced by its silk road heritage.  I enjoyed khachapuri and khinkali (with various fillings), kababs, fish and some local meat dishes.  The traditional lunch served during the Kakheti and Kazbegi trips was definitely better than any meal I had in Tbilisi.  I was very keen on trying the Fish with Pomegranate Sauce and had ordered it at the Pasanauri restaurant, near Meidani Square on Day 1. However, the waiter at Pasanauri didn’t bring me my order and after a long wait, I left the restaurant. Finally, I ordered the fish for lunch at a rooftop restaurant on my last day in Tbilisi but local kitty pounced on my pomegranate fish, vociferously gobbled it up, licked off the sauce and meowed away, leaving me with the bill!

 

·       Wine: Wine is deeply ingrained in the Georgian identity and for good reason – Georgians have been making wine for the past 8000 years.  You can learn about the history of wine making at the Tbilisi Wine Museum.  Georgia has several wine regions, the most famous being Kakheti (eastern Georgia). Tbilisi is full of wine bars offering various Georgian wines, often with wine tasting options and food pairings.  There's also the homemade variety available along with bottled wine.  You can also buy wine at a juice shop.  I went to a local juice shop outside my hotel early one morning to get some fresh juice. Interestingly, they had listed various juices plus wine on their menu.  Also, don't miss the wine ice cream in the Abanotubani Sulphur bath district.

·       Chacha: A fiery grape brandy, aka ‘grape vodka’ or ‘Georgian vodka’ is a favorite spirit of Georgians.  Chacha shots are very popular. Chacha is often infused with other fruits or herbs.  There was a weekend wine-tasting event off Shardeni, with wineries from around Georgia offering unlimited wine samples.  Needless to say, it was a very popular and crowded event.

 

·       Ethnic diversity: Although predominantly Christian, Tbilisi has various communities such as Jewish, Armenian, Muslim and Hindu peacefully co-existing.  Do stroll in the ethnic neighborhoods to shop or enjoy their special cuisines or simply admire the buildings and architecture.

 

·       Shopping: There are tons of shopping between Freedom Square and Abanotubani district on the Right Embankment.  Meidan Bazar is an underground shopping hub located in Meidan Square, for some authentic Georgian products. On the Left Embankment, there are several shops in the Metekhi, Avlabari and other surrounding neighborhoods.  I bought some colorful paintings of traditional Georgian buildings from a street artist in the open-air market off Shardeni, a ceramic pomegranate and a ceramic painted sheep horn. 

E    Evening on the Kura river (Tbilisi), Bridge of Peace and Cable Car to Narikala Fortress

LoLocks Bridge in the Sulphur baths district, Tbilisi

 

KAKHETI 

Kakheti in Eastern Georgia, bordering Azerbaijan and Russia, is considered the best and largest wine producing region in Georgia.  The day long trip to Kakheti was a fun outing.  Everyone on the tour bus was in a great mood, probably in anticipation of the upcoming wine and Chacha tasting. 

 

Wine Tasting at Corporation Kindzmarauli

Kakheti Highlights:

·       Badiauri village – our first stop was at a village bakery to taste some freshly baked traditional bread and cheese.  

 

·       Bodbe Monastery - this is a Georgian Orthodox monastery in Bodbe village. According to legend, St. Nino, who introduced Christianity to Georgia, is buried in this monastery. The original church of the monastery dates back to the 4th century, but the current structure was built in the 9th century. The views from this monastery are spectacular, especially the terraced gardens and the distant Alazani Valley

 

·       Sighnaghi walk tour and lunch – Sighnaghi is a walled city, also known as “The City of Love”. We walked over a long ancient wall, overlooking the countryside and the mountains in the distance. The town is known for its well-preserved city walls, that stretch for more than 4 kms and have 23 towers and several gates.  After the walking tour, we went to a rooftop restaurant for a traditional lunch (optional, extra payment).  The restaurant had spectacular views of the Alazani Valley and the food was exceptional.  I’m glad I chose the lunch option.  It was a leisure meal and all of us had a great time.  After lunch, the restaurant host and our tour guide invited us to try Chacha. A word of caution here - try at your own risk :)

 

·       Winery & Wine Tasting at Corporation Kindzmarauli (est. 1533) and Koncho Kindzmarauli (est. 1737) – both visits provided insights into Georgia’s wine making techniques. Corporation served wine samples with refreshments. Koncho was run by a local family and they used the Qveri process (giant clay jars buried underground). They served us 4 to 6 samples.  Both wineries had gift shops where you could buy various wine products

 

Sighnaghi wall (walking tour)

KAZBEGI 

Kazbegi is located in the greater Caucasus region in northeastern Georgia, bordering Russia.  The town is dominated by alpine meadows and large mountains on all sides, Mount Kazbek is the most notable mountain in this region. 

 

Kazbegi, Caucasian mountains  

We drove north from Tbilisi towards Kazbegi on the Georgian Military Highway, driving through high mountain passes into the Caucasian region.  Along the way, we were treated to some of the most scenic views of the Georgian highlands.  Due to frequent changes in altitude and long duration, this trip can be exhausting but nonetheless adventurous.  Some of my new friends from previous tours joined this tour so we had a good time. 

 

Kazbegi Highlights:

·       Zhinvali Water Reservoir – the Zhinvali reservoir was created when the Zhinvali Dam was constructed on the Aragvi river in 1980 during the Soviet era. The emerald waters of the reservoir and the spectacular surroundings make this a worthwhile photo stop on the way to Kazbegi

 

·       Ananuri Fortress – 13^th century fortress and church located on the Aragvi river, near the Zhinvali reservoir. We climbed up all the way to the top of the fortress to the lookout tower to see the amazing views of the Zhinvali reservoir and the distant hills. It can get very crowded so watch your step if you’re planning to climb all the way to the top

 

·       Lunch at Pasanauri, Georgian highlands – halfway to Kazbegi, we stopped at Pasanauri restaurant for lunch.  Food was good, but a far cry from the delicious and sumptuous meals served on the Kakheti and Armenia trips; but the restaurant had an absolutely awesome location.  It is located in a valley on a river bend, surrounded by mountains within the Georgian highlands.  It seemed like this area was a popular hiking and river rafting site. Some of us hung around the riverbed, chatting and clicking pictures after lunch

 

·       Friendship Monument in Gadauri - This is a large, round stone arch and concrete structure overlooking the Devil's Valley in the Caucasus mountains. The surrounding vistas are absolutely gorgeous

 

·       Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) – we arrived at Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) in the afternoon and boarded a smaller motorized vehicle to visit the Gergeti Trinity Church and view Mount Kazbegi (Kazbek)

 

·       Gergeti Trinity Church & Mount Kazbek (Kazbegi) - The Gergeti Trinity church is 2170 meters above sea level and is located below Mount Kazbek (Kazbegi) region.  Given its location, it offers spectacular panoramic views of the entire valley and Mount Kazbegi.  The 14^th century church is a popular landmark for trekkers and serves as a symbol for Georgia

 

·       Mount Kazbek (Kazbegi) – Kazbek is a sight to behold! It's pure magic. Shrouded in a veil of soft clouds, it stands towering over the surrounding mountains, commanding the respect it truly deserves.

 

·       R&R at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi lodge – our final stop was the exquisite Hotel Kazbegi in Stepantsminda, surrounded by high mountains shrouded in soft clouds. You could simply sit in the plush outdoor lounge all day and immerse yourself in the natural beauty.  My travel friends and I had some refreshments and generally hung around in the outdoor lounge.  The tour guys sent a search party to find us, so that everyone could make it back to Tbilisi on time :)

 

Zhinvali Reservoir

Overall, it was an enjoyable trip.  I met many travelers from across the globe at this crossroad of Europe and Asia. I would've loved to visit Kutaisi and the Black Sea region too, but my schedule was already packed solid and the unplanned one-day trip to Armenia left me with limited time in Georgia.  The Armenia trip was phenomenal (don't forget to read my Armenia trip blog here). 

I’d been meaning to visit this part of the world for a long time and I'm glad I finally did.

Until next time, folks.  Stay sharp, stay curious 🎯🌍✨

 Goodbye, beautiful Georgia!