Exploring Georgia: From Tbilisi to the Vineyards of Kakheti

Tbilisi: Discovering Georgia's Capital

We started our time in Tbilisi with a walking tour, which is always a good way to get your bearings when visiting somewhere new.

Tbilisi is a really interesting city, with a mix of old and new architecture and plenty of history around every corner. We spent time wandering through the older streets, taking in the colourful wooden balconies and getting a feel for the different influences that have shaped the city over the years.

We also did a food tour, which was one of the highlights of our time in the capital. Georgian food was something we were looking forward to trying, and it certainly didn't disappoint. It was a great way to sample some traditional dishes and learn a little more about the importance of food in Georgian culture.

Once our organised tours were finished, we spent the rest of our time exploring on our own, taking things at our own pace.

Kakheti: Exploring Georgia's Wine Region

After two days in Tbilisi, we headed east to Kakheti, Georgia's famous wine region, where we spent two nights.

The scenery was lovely, with vineyards, little villages and rolling countryside along the way. Georgia has one of the oldest winemaking traditions in the world, and wine is a huge part of the country's history and culture. It was something we were keen to learn more about while we were there.

Our first stop was Bodbe Monastery, one of Georgia's most important religious sites. From there, we made our way to Sighnaghi, often called the City of Love. It's a pretty little town, with cobbled streets, colourful buildings and lovely views across the Alazani Valley (on a nice day!). We had a wander around before checking int our resort and enjoying the facilities for the rest of the day.

The following morning, we visited the Gremi Architectural Complex, a 16th-century historic site with a hilltop fortress and royal church, overlooking the Alazani Valley. It's a really interesting place to learn about the history of the Kakheti region.

From there, we were welcomed into a local family's home for lunch. This turned out to be one of our favourite experiences of the trip, as we got to put bread into a traditional Georgian oven (a circular clay oven built into the ground, where the dough is stuck to the hot inner walls to bake), and tried our hand at making churchkhela, one of Georgia's best-known traditional sweets. It's made by threading nuts onto a string, dipping them into a thick mixture of grape juice and flour, and then hanging them up to dry.

It was great fun getting involved, and lovely to experience a little of everyday Georgian life. The lunch itself was delicious, and the hospitality was incredible.

No visit to Kakheti would be complete without trying some Georgian wine. Georgia is often described as the birthplace of wine, with evidence of winemaking dating back around 8,000 years.

After lunch, we visited a winery, where we learnt more about the local winemaking traditions and enjoyed a wine and cheese tasting. One of the things that makes Georgian wine so interesting is the traditional qvevri method, where wine is fermented and stored in large clay vessels buried underground.

Kakheti to Tbilisi: Qvervi, Markets and More

The following day, it was time to head back towards Tbilisi, but we had a couple more stops to make first.

First we visited Qvevri Master to see how these traditional clay vessels are made. It's a fascinating craft, and there are only a small number of master makers left in the region, so it's important that the skills and knowledge are passed on to future generations.

Next up was Telavi Bazaar. I always love visiting local markets when travelling, as they're such a good way to get a feel for everyday life. There was plenty to see, from local produce to traditional foods and handicrafts.

On the way back to Tbilisi, we also made a detour to visit the Chronicles of Georgia monument. It's an impressive sight, made up of enormous stone pillars decorated with carvings depicting important moments in Georgian history and religious life. It overlooks the Tbilisi Sea and is well worth a visit if you're in the area.

A Day Trip to Uplistsikhe and Mtskheta

Another day was spent exploring two of Georgia's historic sites, Uplistsikhe and Mtskheta.

Our first stop was Uplistsikhe, an ancient cave settlement with a history stretching back thousands of years. The site is carved into the rock, with caves, tunnels and passageways to explore.

It was fascinating wandering around and imagining what life would have been like here all those years ago. We described it to the kids as something you'd find in the Flintstones, which probably gives you a good idea of what it looks like!

We then headed to Mtskheta, one of Georgia's oldest cities and its former capital. It's an important place in Georgian history and Christianity, with several significant religious buildings.

The main attraction is Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important churches in Georgia. We also visited Jvari Monastery, which sits on a hill overlooking Mtskheta and the meeting point of two rivers. Unfortunately, fog had rolled in by the time we arrived, so we missed out on the famous views!

Our Final Day: Sulphur Baths and the Journey Back to Dublin

After several busy days exploring, we finished our time in Georgia with a visit to the famous sulphur baths in Tbilisi. They're located in the Abanotubani district, one of the oldest parts of the city, with the distinctive domed roofs of the bathhouses.

The natural hot sulphur springs have been part of Tbilisi's history for centuries, and visiting the baths is one of those experiences that you really should try while in the city.

Is Georgia Worth Visiting?

Definitely! Georgia was a real surprise and somewhere we thoroughly enjoyed exploring.

What I loved most was the variety. One day we were wandering around the streets of Tbilisi, the next we were exploring vineyards, visiting monasteries, learning how traditional Georgian wine is made or being welcomed into a local family's home for lunch.

The food was fantastic, the scenery was beautiful and the people were incredibly welcoming. We also loved that Georgia felt quite different from some of the more familiar European destinations.

It's probably not somewhere everyone immediately thinks of when planning a trip from Ireland, but if you're looking for somewhere a little different, with plenty of history, culture, good food and interesting experiences, I'd definitely recommend going.

We came home with some lovely memories and a better appreciation of this fascinating country.