Places to discover

Best places to visit in Georgia

Georgia is a top-quality destination: it is at once personal and spared from mass tourism, at once incredibly beautiful and boasting extremely diverse scenery in a limited area. It is home to the Caucasus mountain peaks, valleys filled with vineyards, a subtropical coast by the Black Sea, high plateaus and half-deserts...

Georgia has the attraction of an ancient and original culture which has left behind a colossal heritage. Medieval churches perched in impossible locations, fortresses with a very Oriental aspect, thermal baths, authentic villages... Not to mention Tbilissi, the charming, lively capital, overflowing with art and history, boasting dozens of churches, mosques, museums, sulphur baths and beautiful houses, typically surrounded by large balconies which allow residents to appreciate the southern climate and to laze about, Georgia-style.

Any visitor to Georgia will without doubt feel themselves succumbing to the charming hospitality of the inhabitants, which is just as the myths would have it. Fans of wine, dancing and polyphonic chanting, and proud of their delicious cuisine, the Georgians know how to entertain. They know how to share their traditions in a friendly way, such as that of banqueting, where the host is considered holy.

On the country's roads, you can bathe yourself in the Black Sea at port Batoumi, stroll around the old town of Sighnaghi, with its Tuscan ambiance, or wonder at the treasures of the spiritual capital, Mtskhéta. You can enjoy horse riding on the shepherds' highlands at Tusheti, climb up to the defence towers of Ushguli, in the high mountains of Svaneti, wind your way through the remote villages of Khevsureti. You can hike in the verdant nature park of Bordjomi-Kharagaouli, take part in the wine harvests at Kakhéti or check out the steppe at Vachlovani. Or choose to marvel at the amazing cave sites of Vardzia , Uplistsikhe and David Garedja !

Tchecho

Chesho, with Dartlo, is the village with the most inhabitants in Pirikiti. Dynamic, with several renovated houses and some turned into guest houses, it's the ideal place to stay in Pirikiti. The ruined fortress is photogenic.

Gudauri

Gudauri is Georgia's biggest ski station. It's in the heart of the Greater Caucasus, easily accessible from the capital, with modern infrastructure and interesting slopes.

Akhalts'ikhe

In the south of Georgia is the small town of Akhaltsikhé which only has a limited interest for tourist, except for its old town centre and attractive fortress.

Zugdidi

The capital of Mingrelia is a town that's home to 50,000; a vibrant, green hub that benefits from a sub-tropical climate. People come here for its lush, botanical gardens and the Dadiani Palace, a Georgian castle constructed in a European style.

Kharagauli

Kharagauli is on the doorstep of the Bordjomi-Kharagauli National Park in the Lesser Caucasus. A small railway town in the narrow Imeretie Valley, it's a great departure point for hikes.

Bolnissi

Bolnissi is a small town of Kvemo Kartli, south of Tbilisi. It is visited for the curious testimonials of its German past and for its church, a few kilometres from the centre, which bears the oldest inscription in Georgian (fifth century).

Gometsari

Gometsari is one of the four high mountain valleys that make up Tusheti. Inhabited by shepherds in summer, scattered with ancient villages, wild and untamed: this is the ideal destination for hikers and horse trekkers.

Borjomi

A pleasant spa town nestling deep in a steep-sided valley, Borjomi is a charming place, and a great destination for a relaxing break away from it all.

Telavi

3.5

Telavi is a small Georgian city lying 160 kilometres northeast of Tbilisi, the country's capital.

Gori

3.5

Gori is a small city in Georgia lying 80 kilometres west of the capital, Tbilisi. It is the birthplace of Joseph Stalin.

Col Albano

Abano Pass (2926 metres) is the highest paved mountain pass of the Caucasus. It connects the Tusheti and Kakheti, separating the north Caucasus from the south.

Ikalto

Situated 10km to the west of Kakheti's capital, Telavi, the Ikalto Monastery (or Ikalto Academy) is an interesting site in a beautiful setting.

Kutaisi

Second largest town in Georgia, Kutaisi has a superb old town as well as several, stunning religious sites.

Nokalakevi

Nokalakevi is a major archaeological site in western Georgia, and the biggest in Mingrelia. The extremely well preserved ruins of this 6th century fortress dominate the River Tekhuri and the Colchis plain.

Vani

Vani is Georgia's most famous archaeological site The ancient capital of Colchis has given enormous treasures to archaeologists, of which a number are visible in the archaeology museum today.

Mukharani

Mukhrani, a small town in Kartli, the historic cradle of Georgia, contains a number of significant remnants of the country's glorious history. With its impressive castle, its two churches and its château and surrounding wine estate, the town makes for an interesting place to visit.