GEORGIA

🚶 Begin your знакомства with Tbilisi in the city’s historic heart — the Abanotubani district. Here, brick-domed sulfur baths breathe out warm steam scented with minerals: an ancient tradition of healing bathing, thanks to which Tbilisi got its name meaning “warm.” Five minutes away is the Leghvtakhevi Waterfall in the shade of cliffs and fig trees. Climb the trail to the ancient Narikala Fortress: from the bastions, cinematic panoramas open up over the old town, the Kura River, the Bridge of Peace, and the botanical gardens. Descend to the Metekhi church on a sheer cliff — sunsets are especially beautiful here, when the domes and wooden beams of old houses turn golden.

🚶 Take a stroll along Rustaveli Avenue — Tbilisi’s “main stage” with theaters and old façades. Stop by the Georgian National Museum (3 Rustaveli Ave.) with the legendary “Gold Treasury,” where Colchian gold and ancient artifacts gleam; nearby is the National Gallery (11 Rustaveli Ave.) with works by Pirosmani and Georgian modernists. Continue to Sololaki: narrow streets with lace-like balconies, secret courtyards, and coffee shops with warm light and the smell of fresh churchkhela. In the evening — take the funicular up to Mtatsminda: the city lights spread like a carpet, and at the top there’s a park with rides and viewpoints.

🚶 In the morning, visit the modern Rike Park and take the cable car up to Narikala — the ride above the rooftops of the old town gives a new angle on the domes of Sioni Cathedral and the bend of the Kura River. In the afternoon — the “Dry Bridge” flea market: vinyl, enamel, Soviet optics, old posters, and ceramics. This place is a portrait of the city’s memory and the perfect hunt for characterful souvenirs. By evening — Tbilisi wines in enotecas: try qvevri amber and tannic Saperavi with pkhali and Adjarian khachapuri.

🚶 The ancient capital Mtskheta is the spiritual heart of the country. In the majestic Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century), the echo of Georgian chants softly rings, and on the opposite hill the Jvari Monastery greets you with winds and views of the confluence of the Aragvi and the Kura — one of the Caucasus’s most powerful natural “cinema” scenes.

🚌 Transfer: Tbilisi → Mtskheta ~25–40 minutes by marshrutka from Didube bus station or ~24 minutes by train from Central Station. Return to Tbilisi in the evening.

🚶 Sighnaghi is a fortress town on a hill ridge with views of the Alazani Valley and the snowy Caucasus peaks. Walk along the fortress wall with its towers, and drop into enamel workshops and galleries. 2 km away is Bodbe Monastery, sheltered by cypresses: Saint Nino, who baptized Georgia, is buried here; from the garden opens a distant, milky expanse of the valley.

🚌 Transfer: Tbilisi → Sighnaghi ~2–2.5 hours: marshrutkas from Samgori/Navtlughi run on a daytime schedule every 1–2 hours; by car ~1 h 45 m (110 km). Overnight in Kakheti.

🚶 The valley fills with the scent of grapes and warm light. In Telavi, stop by the market — spices, sulguni, tkemali. Then — the Chavchavadze princes’ estate in Tsinandali: a shady Anglo-French park, wine cellars, and exhibitions. Enjoy a tasting of Kakhetian wines: qvevri amber Riesling, crisp Rkatsiteli, and velvety Saperavi.

🚐 Transfer: Sighnaghi → Telavi/Tsinandali ~1–1.5 hours; then by evening return to Tbilisi ~1 h 45 m–2 h. Overnight in Tbilisi.

🚶 The most scenic mountain crossing in the Caucasus. Ananuri Fortress is reflected in the emerald water of the Zhinvali Reservoir; higher up — the Gudauri plateau with paragliders over the cliffs and the Friendship Monument (Arch of Friendship) at the pass. At the end of the route — Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) at the foot of double-peaked Mount Kazbek.

🚐 Transfer: Tbilisi → Stepantsminda ~3–3.5 hours (150–160 km). Marshrutkas from Didube run all day; by car — along serpentines through the Jvari Pass. Overnight in Kazbegi.

🚶 In the morning — the climb to the Gergeti Trinity Church (14th century), standing on a separate terrace against the backdrop of snow-covered Kazbek: one of Georgia’s most powerful sacred places. The ascent is possible on foot (1.5–2 hours one way) or by local 4×4. Afterwards — short hikes into the Truso or Gveleti valleys to the waterfalls. In the evening — tea made from mountain herbs, hot khachapuri, and a languid calm by panoramic windows.

🚐 The road from the mountains to Borjomi’s conifer slopes is a day of unhurried travel and rest. Along the way, it’s convenient to stop for lunch around Mtskheta/Gori. By evening — a stroll through Borjomi Park, the scent of pine and mineral springs.

🚶 Along the winding road by the Kura River, Vardzia soon appears—a grand 12th-century cave monastery complex carved into a warm tuff slope. Galleries, cells, stairways, and churches form a single stone city; in the Church of the Dormition, Tamar’s frescoes have survived. Return to Borjomi closer to evening—tea and mineral baths will wash away the fatigue.

🚐 Transfer: Borjomi → Vardzia ~2–2.5 hours one way (about 120–130 km) on mountain serpentines; plan 5–6 hours for the road and 2–3 hours for the visit.

🚶 On the way to Imereti the forests thin out and the hills become gentler. By evening—Kutaisi: the white bell tower of Bagrati, the old center with the Colchis Fountain, cafés on the Rioni embankment. An unhurried city for pauses and long conversations.

🚐 Transfer: Borjomi → Kutaisi ~2.5–3 hours (≈155–170 km) via the highway through Zestafoni. Night in Kutaisi.

🚶 In the morning—Prometheus Cave: you will walk through shimmering halls with stalactites, reflections in underground lakes, and the music of illuminated lighting. Then—the suspended trails of Okatse Canyon with views of emerald basins and cascades, and if you like—boats in Martvili Canyon with turquoise water between sheer cliffs. Return to Kutaisi and dinner with Imeretian dishes—tender khachapuri and pkhali.

🚶 Batumi greets you with sea wind and the palms of the Boulevard. Walk to the “Ali and Nino” statues, to the fountains on Lake Nurie, to Europe Square with the astronomical clock, and the old-town lanes with Art Deco and Art Nouveau. In the evening—neon, seafood, and the sound of the surf.

🚆 Transfer: Kutaisi → Batumi by train (convenient from the station near Kopitnari Airport) or by marshrutka ~2.5–3.5 hours; from central Kutaisi to Kopitnari ~30–40 minutes by taxi. Night in Batumi.

🚶 Batumi Botanical Garden spreads over cascading hills above the sea: eucalypts and camellias, sequoias and magnolias, alleys with views of the bay and green ravines. Move unhurriedly from section to section—East Asia, the Mediterranean, America—and finish the walk on the panoramic terrace. A final evening on the Boulevard or under the roof of one of the sky bars overlooking the port lights.