To our surprise, the weather luckily changed, and we got a lovely sunny afternoon in Kutaisi, a city in west-central Georgia. It lies along the Rioni River, where the latter emerges from the Caucasian foothills into a lowland. One of the oldest cities of Transcaucasia, it served at...
We parked in the center of the touristic hub of the Upper Svaneti, Mestia. We used it as a base for exploration of the oldest of the hamlets dotted with picturesque Svan towers. Most towers are above the river on the northern side of town: Lekhtagi in the northwest and Lanchvali and...
In Georgia’s second city (the capital of Adjara), we parked next to the promenade strolling along Batumis bulvari. With a backdrop of mist-wrapped hills and soaring snow-capped peaks, Batumi is a charismatic place with a charming Old Town fronted by the calm waters of the Black Sea...
The city of Ashtarak is spread out in and above the gorge of the Kasagh river. The town has old churches, fascinating museums, and ambitious restaurant complexes. The ancient church, Tsiranavor, is situated at the very edge of Kazakh’s ravine. Below the church is a three-bay bridge...
We visited famous underground carved rooms in Arinj on the outskirts of Yerevan (🚖 1300 AMD/way). It all started when All Tosya Arakelyan wanted her husband Levon to build her a potato cellar. What she got in return was an incredibly intricate seven-level underground cave network built...
Our last stop in the beautiful World Heritage-listed Azat Valley was Garni Temple and the Symphony of Stones rock formation. Garni Temple (🎫1500 AMD) was built by Armenia’s King Trdat I in the 1st century AD. This Hellenic-style temple on the edge of a gorge overlooking the Azat River was...
We made overnight at the famous resort town of Dilijan – the gateway to the Dilijan National Park. It lies on the banks of the Aghstev River in the valley surrounded by the Lesser Caucasus mountains at 1500 meters above sea level. The forested town is home to numerous Armenian artists...
We stopped in Armenia’s third-largest city in the Lori Province, Vanadzor, known before as Karaklis (until 1935) or Kirovakan (1935–93). It lies at the confluence of the Pambak, Tandzut, and Vanadzoriget rivers. In 1826 the villages of Bolshoy and Maly Karaklis were merged into the town...
Telavi, the largest town in Kakheti, is a popular base for exploring the region’s viticultural, historical and architectural riches. It is set in the vineyard-strewn Alazani valley, between the Gombori Mountains and the Great Caucasus. We have parked next to the Batonistsikhe...
In Tsinandali is located the palace and gardens of prince Alexander Chavchavadze (1786–1846) – one of the most colorful and influential characters in Georgian history. The palace (🎫 10 GEL) tour took us to half a dozen rooms restored in 19th-century style and related exciting episodes...