Georgia has become an emerging destination for travellers today and is by far the most visited country in the South Caucasus, and it’s easy to see why: its rich culture, diverse landscapes and welcoming people make it a fascinating country to visit.
Top attractions of Georgia
Kazbegi
Kazbegi National Park is located on the northern slopes of the mighty Caucasus range, and its protected area covers a total of over 8,700 hectares. At 5,047 metres above sea level, Kazbegi Mountain is the third highest mountain in Georgia, and is surrounded by myths and religious tradition. The town of Stepantsminda (also called Kazbegi) itself is charming and a wonderful base camp for exploring the region further. There are many guesthouses where locals are happy to treat you like family, rustic and beautiful with views of the mountains, and often the picturesque Gergeti Trinity Church.
Stalin Museum in Gori
The Joseph Stalin Museum is a museum in Gori, Georgia dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, who was born in Gori. The Museum retains its Soviet-era characteristics.
Vardzia
The remarkable cave city of Vardzia is both a cultural symbol and a spectacular natural phenomenon with a special place in Georgian hearts. King Giorgi III built a fortification here in the 12th century, and his daughter, Queen Tamar, established a cave monastery that grew into a holy city housing perhaps 2000 monks, renowned as a spiritual bastion of Christendom’s eastern frontier. Altogether there are over 400 rooms, 13 churches and 25 wine cellars, with many more still being discovered today.
Borjomi Central Park
Borjomi’s mineral water park, dating back to 1850, occupies a narrow wooded valley and includes the town's original mineral water source, Ekaterina Spring, which is straight ahead of the entrance. Most of the park is full of rather naff rides and entertainments, you’ll find several small, spring-fed swimming pools with a constant temperature of about 27°C. Bring your own swimming costume and flip-flops; towels are provided.
Narikala Fortress
Dominating the Old Town skyline, Narikala dates right back to the 4th century, when it was a Persian citadel. Most of the walls were built in the 8th century by the Arab emirs, whose palace was inside the fortress. Subsequently Georgians, Turks and Persians captured and patched up Narikala, but in 1827 a huge explosion of Russian munitions stored here wrecked the whole thing, and today it's a rather picturesque ruin, with only its walls largely intact.
Bridge of Peace in Tbilisi
The Bridge of Peace, a rather incongruously modern glass-and-steel footbridge over the Mtkvari with a totally unnecessary roof, was designed by Italian Michele De Lucchi and opened in 2010. It's definitely one of the most eye-catching of the love-it-or-hate-it avant-garde structures that went up around Georgia during the Saakashvili years.