Stay : Cultural stay in Georgia
For a 20-day stay focused on discovering Georgia's cultural heritage, the best way to organize your trip is to concentrate on a specific region at each stage. In each of them, you'll find an urban center with infrastructure from which you can organize your excursions. Here are the best options, as the choice of regions is flexible.
Summary of the stay
Best time to go
20 days
€€ - Charm and comfort
Where to stay - Tbilissi ?
The map of your stay - Géorgie
Detail of the stay : Cultural stay in Georgia - 20 days
Day 1: Visit Tbilisi
Steps: Tbilissi
The city of Tbilisi itself boasts a wealth of historic monuments. The old town contains many ancient places of worship: Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian churches, mosques, synagogues and the ruins of a fire temple. Civil architecture is equally rich: baths, fortresses, caravanserais, bourgeois houses, sculpted balconies, courtyards. Those interested in Soviet architecture will also find many prestigious monuments from this period.
Day 2: Museum day in Tbilisi
Two museums in Tbilisi are well worth a visit: the Museum of Fine Arts, which contains all Georgian avant-garde painting, the naïve Pirosmani, and the "treasure trove" of icons, frescoes and goldsmiths' objects from throughout Georgian history. There's also the National Janachia Museum, which contains the finest treasures of Georgian archaeological craftsmanship, including goldwork. Both museums are, at the time of writing, either closed or limited in their exhibits: don't be too disappointed if you can't see everything they're supposed to contain.
Day 3: Discovering Kakhetia
Steps: Telavi, Sighnaghi, Manavi
The first region to visit is Kakhetia. Close to the capital, it boasts a high density of historic monuments (churches, fortresses). You can base yourself in the town of Telavi. If you take the main road to Telavi, don't miss the Manavi fortress. Before heading to Telavi, make a detour to the fortified town of Sighnaghi, a pearl of 18th-century civil architecture and home to some magnificent old Armenian churches. Visit the Sighnaghi Museum, with its fine collection of Pirosmani. Then visit the Bodbé convent overlooking the plain, where Saint Nino, who converted the kings of Kartlie to Christianity, is buried.
Day 4: Telavi and surroundings
Steps: Telavi, Alaverdi, Ikalto, Gourdjaani
On the way back to Telavi, in Gourdjaani, stop off to see Georgia's only double-domed church.
Once in Telavi, visit the Persian-style palace of King Irakli II. Nearby, you can choose between the Couamta monastery,Ikalto Academy,Alaverdi Cathedral, Grémi and Nékressi monasteries.
PALAIS D'IRAKLI II (BATONIS TSIKHE)
Day 5: David Garedja Monastery
Steps: David Garedja
On your way back to Tbilisi from Sagaredjo, visit the unique troglodytic monastic complex of David Garedja.
Day 6: Mtskheta, one of Georgia's oldest towns
Steps: Mtskheta
If you stay based in Tbilisi, you can take a day trip to the spiritual heart of Georgia: Mtskheta, the ancient capital, contains the country's architectural gems, the Svetitskhovéli cathedral and the Djvari monastery, with its unique architecture.
CATHÉDRALE DE SVETITSKHOVELI
Day 7: Around Tbilisi
Steps: Betania
From Tbilisi, you can visit the remote monastery of Chiomvrime, set in a natural cirque, as well as the high-perched monastery of Mount Zedani. You can also take a day trip south to the Betania monastery, superbly situated in the mountains.
Day 8: Kvémo Kartlie Region
The day after, take an excursion to the south, in Kvémo Kartlie, on the archaeological site of Dmanissi. Stop at the church of Bolnissi, not to mention in this city the curious architecture of the German settlers who lived there until the Second World War.
Day 9: On the Military Route
Steps: Mtskheta, Ananouri, Stépantsminda Khazbégui
North of the capital and Mtskheta, in the Greater Caucasus, take the Military Road to Stepantsminda (Khazbegui). Here you'll find the legendary Chapel of the Holy Trinity (Tsminda Sameba) at the foot of Mount Kazbek. Along the way, don't miss the fortified church complex ofAnanouri.
Day 10: In the middle of the mountains
Steps: Stépantsminda Khazbégui
Between Ananouri and Khazbégui, the road is littered with defensive towers and perched chapels. You'll find everything you need in Stepantsminda.
Day 11: Fortresses, churches and picturesque villages
Steps: Bolnissi, Batoumi, Ksani, Samtavissi, Gori, Ouplistsikhe
Heading west into Chida Kartlie, stop off at the Ksani and Kaspi fortresses in the Koura valley, as well as the village of Igoeti, home to the magnificent Samtavissi church. Around Gori, visit the troglodytic town ofOuplistsikhé and thechurch of Sioni in the deep Aténi valley. In Gori, where you can stay, the Stalin Museum is a unique witness to a whole century of history.
Day 12: From Kareli to Koutaïssi
In Kareli, don't miss the fortress, as in Sourami, just before heading west. In Sourami, you can also see the ancient Armenian church. From here, it's a 3-hour drive to Koutaïssi in western Georgia.
Day 13: Exploration of Koutaïssi
Take your time in Koutaïssi. Don't miss the church of Bagrati. Around the city, the famous sanctuaries: the academy of Guélati, vestige of the cultural power of the XIIth century, and the monastery of Motsaméta, perched on the peak of a meander.
Day 14: In the footsteps of an ancient queen
A few kilometers south of Koutaïssi, in Gégouti, don't miss the impressive ruins of Queen Tamar's palace.
Day 15: Ancient sites of Vani
Steps: Vani
Archaeology enthusiasts can then go to Vani. It is here that many archaeological specimens today exposed in the State Museum have been found.
Day 16: First days in the far west
Steps: Zougdidi
Direction the subtropical region of Mingrélie. Visit Sénaki Fortress before visiting Zugdidi where you can see one of Napoleon I's mortuary masks in the museum of the Palais Palace.
PALAIS DES DADIANI
Day 17: Zougdidi and surroundings
Steps: Zougdidi
Around Zougdidi, enjoy the frescoes of the Tsaïchi and Tsalendjika churches.
Day 18: South Georgia
Steps: Tbilissi, Bordjomi, Bordjomi-Kharagaouli
Leaving western Georgia, travel through southern Georgia before reaching Tbilisi. A stay in Bordjomi will give you the opportunity to discover this charming spa town and the immense Bordjomi-Kharagaouli National Park. Accommodation is available in Bordjomi or Akhaltshikhe.
Day 19: Akhaltsikhé
Steps: Akhaltsikhe
In Akhaltsikhé , don't miss the old town, which contains the ruins of temples from all the religions that have left their mark on the country.
Day 20: Last visits
Steps: Khertvissi, Vardzia
And then it's the Cave, the cave town of Queen Thamar. On the road, stop at the fortresses of Atskhouri, De and the church of Tsounda.
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