Two Days in Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia

Knowing how much I could see and do in two days has motivated me to leave the country more often. And lately, I have been doing just that. The more I leave the country for such short periods of time, the ballsier I get with how far I am willing to travel and how much I jam-pack into two days. Tbilisi is the furthest that I have traveled to in just a holiday weekend: two full days in the country and back home the morning of the third. If you are questioning my decisions – stop. Sacrificing one day to sleep on an international flight in order to explore a new city beats staying put and hopelessly trying to find something to do in Chicago. Luckily, I did not have to do much convincing for someone to join me on this weekend getaway.

When I mentioned to friends and coworkers that I was heading to Georgia for Labor Day Weekend, I took on the role of geography teacher. I wonder why Georgia rarely sees tourists from the United States. [Sarcasm]. Unfortunately, most Americans do not even know that Georgia is a country, let alone where it is located. The beautiful country of Georgia is located at the intersection of Europe and Asia, bordering Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Black Sea. From the United States, Turkish Airlines will conveniently get you to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, via Istanbul. Best of all, you can arrange your travel to include a stopover in Istanbul.

Unlike some of my other more recent destinations, Georgia was actually on my list of places to see sooner rather than later. When sharing travel stories, I remember my father frequently talking about Georgia. It was one of his and my grandmother’s favorite places on that side of the world. I was not convinced, but left for Tbilisi Thursday night, September 1, 2016 with an open mind, curious to see what my father and grandmother loved so much about this city and the country. This would also be the last trip that I took with my most recent ex-boyfriend, so I was grateful that we were visiting a place that meant so much to my family.

Tbilisi
History. Charm. Romance. With periods under Persian and Russian rule, the city was left with diverse architecture. Art Nouveau buildings, Eastern Orthodox churches, and Soviet Modernist structures fill the city. Cobblestone streets wind up and down the old town. Above it all, Narikala (an ancient fortress) and Nand Kartlis Deda (a statue of the “Mother of Georgia”) overlook Tbilisi and the Kura River. At this point in my travels, I have not been to a city like it.

Day one technically started on Saturday, September 3, and consisted of exploring the city – both old and new. The fortress, so dominant in its presence, was first on the agenda. An aerial tramway connects Narikala with the city. We were staying at the Old Meidan Tbilisi hotel, located in the heart of Tbilisi’s Old Town, just steps away from Freedom Square and around the corner from the road to Narikala.

Given our location, we opted to walk up to the fortress instead of taking the aerial tramway.

The views of the city from the fortress are indescribable.

We decided to take one of those double decker, hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tours.

The bus stopped at the following 11 attractions: Kote Apkhazi Str. (where we hopped on), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, The Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari Square, Metekhi (where we hopped off), Sulfur Baths, Akhundov Museum, and European Square.

From where we hopped off, we walked over to the Bridge of Peace. In my opinion, this modern bridge looks out of place in such a historic city.

Uplistsikhe. Mtskheta. Jvari.
Leaving Tbilisi in the early afternoon, we stopped by the Joseph Stalin Museum in Gori on the way to Uplistsikhe. The museum is dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, the former leader of the Soviet Union. The Joseph Stalin Museum features Stalin’s house, in which he was born and spent the first four years of his life, and Stalin’s railway carriage, which he used from 1941 onwards.

Given our lack of interest in museums, we did not enter the museum building itself. We walked around the grounds, and within minutes were back at the car.

Since we still had some time to kill, the driver dropped us off at the Gori Fortress (a medieval castle situated on a hill above Gori). Our sense of adventure quickly got us in trouble yet again.

We clearly have not learned our lesson about wandering off marked paths. We decided to explore the fortress and found ourselves stuck near the bottom. It took us a good half-hour to find our way back up to the entrance.

Uplistsikhe
Arriving in Uplistsikhe, we were not really sure what we were looking at, so we decided to just wander around the ancient rock-hewn town. And, that is exactly what it is – a rock town. Just rocks. Ancient structures made out of rock. I am sure most people who are interested in ancient history would disagree, but to me, there was not much to see. No carvings or such decorations present inside of the caves. Just a bunch of rocks.

The rain came in as we were making our way out. Perfect timing.

After leaving, we learned Uplistsikhe is identified by archaeologists as one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia. It contains structures dating back to the Early Iron Age up to the Late Middle Ages. The area holds a lot of history, unfortunately, none that caught my interest. So, you will have to refer to Google for more information.

Mtskheta
Georgia is one of the oldest wine regions in the world. And their wine sure is delicious. If I had another day in Georgia, I would have taken a day trip to the wine region. It seems like the entire country is obsessed with wine. Wine is sold practically everywhere, and locals produce their own. Walking around the streets of Georgia’s former capital, Mtskheta, you can see grape vines growing over the gated residential homes and wine making in progress, containers and all.

We were given some time to wander the cobblestone streets of one of the oldest cities in Georgia. Located approximately just 20 kilometers (or 12 miles) north of Tbilisi, Mtskheta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that should be visited. The city was founded in the fifth century Before Christ, and it remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Church. This historical, quiet but charming, city is an ideal place to spend an afternoon. However, do not arrive too late, as most of the local shops close by the early afternoon. Did you know that pomegranates grow just about everywhere in Georgia? I sure did not. Local stands sell everything from Georgian sweets to pressed pomegranate juices.

In the center of the town, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Considered a Georgian architectural wonder, the cathedral has served as the religious center of the country for hundreds of years. The cathedral is also included on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

Jvari
On the way back to Tbilisi, we stopped at Jvari. Located at face of a cliff, overlooking Mtskheta, the Jvari Monastery is a sacred landmark that dates back to the sixth century (also listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO).

Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)
Kazbegi, now officially named Stepantsminda, was the main reason for why I booked this trip to Georgia. Prior to departure, I booked the “Private Tour to Kazbegi from Tbilisi” through Viator, operated by Georgian Holidays.

This small town is located in northeastern Georgia, near the Russian border – about a three-hour drive from Tbilisi. On the morning of day two, the guide and driver picked us up from our hotel. Our journey to the Caucasus Mountains began with a quick stop at the Ananuri complex (an ancient fortress and church dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries). We explored the fortress and enjoyed the beautiful views of the Jinvali reservoir from the castle complex.

The drive up north via the Jvari (Cross) Pass at the elevation of 2,395 meters (or approximately 7,858 feet) above sea level was indescribable. We made several stops along the way to capture the breathtaking views.

Once we arrived at the town of Stepantsminda, we traded in our car for a local 4×4 vehicle. A bumpy off-road drive separated us from the summit of the Gergeti Mountain. I have not yet visited the Himalayas, but presently, the Great Caucasus mountain range is the most stunning mountain range that I have ever seen. Stepping out of the vehicle, I was speechless. The view. It was everything that I had expected and more. The mountains made an excellent backdrop for the 14th century Gergeti Trinity Church that stands by itself at the summit. Weather was on our side, and we were lucky enough to see Mount Kazbegi’s peak beaming in the background.

After we were done taking in the scenery, we drove back down to Stepantsminda for lunch at a local restaurant. I must admit that I am not a fan of Eastern European food, but I still tried the dishes the guide and driver ordered for us.