Travel Diaries

A tiny, unassuming European country, easily missed by most on the world map – Georgia is a hidden wonder for most of the world. But for those who live in the region, this beautiful country provides an escape from the concrete metropolitan jungles we live in. The city will send you back in time with its old town vibes, narrow alleys, and brick town houses. The countryside has high mountains and endless grasslands,while the town is a charming mix of new and old architecture. The people are welcoming, and the wine is just delightful. Honestly, there is no reason to not to consider Georgia for your next holiday. And if this still doesn’t convince, keep reading for some wonderful ways to explore this country.

Spend the day in Old Town Tblisi

Tbilisi is a charming city with a lot of history and culture. The city has a definite old-world charm about it even though you can find new establishments popping up. The pace of life is slow and easy. If you come from a fast-paced city, this will be a very relaxing change for you. You can unknowingly spend hours at a restaurant here between delicious wine and healing conversations.  The whole vibe of the city will set you at 0.5x pace. There isn’t all that much to “visit” but if you are really into sightseeing, then you can go to some of the old churches, walk around the old part of town, and pay your respects to the Mother Georgia statue. But the right way to spend a holiday in Georgia is to live the experience. Find yourself in a traditional food and wine place and unwind to the tunes of this picturesque town.

Escape into the mountains of Kazbegi

Kazebgi is right at the northern top of Georgia, barely 50 km from the Russian border. The area isn’t very developed, the roads to reach there had us praying for our lives. I do hope they are repaired soon though because the destination warrants a visit. My only goof up was booking a mountain lodge instead of a bed and breakfast. We were trying to go match the vibe of the region but it backfired on us a bit. I did not take into consideration how far grocery stores and restaurants would be from our choice of accommodation. Though the map said 10 minute walk, sometimes the walk was completely uphill and gave me the ab workout I did not sign up for. Despite the reality check on my stamina, in retrospect living in a lodge was definitely an authentic experience. If we had just planned well for the food, and stocked up on pantry items from Tbilisi, we would have been fine.

The highlight of Kazbegi was definitely the trip to the Gergeti Trinity Church. The gorgeous monastery stands tall at over 2000 meters above sea level, set against the backdrop of the snow covered Mount Kazbek. I doubt anyone would skip visiting the monastery when in Kazbegi, considering it’s prominent location and clear visibility from every inch of the town. It’s one of the first things you notice when you arrive here. Almost like a North star in the sky, it is visible from every part of town, inviting you to visit. To reach there is super easy, you just need to hail a jeep from the town centre. Of course, if you know the local language or are really good at negotiating, you can definitely strike a good bargain. Unfortunately I cannot say that for myself. But the taxi fare aside, the journey to reach there was quite a memorable adventure. At a certain point, which has absolutely no marking, our driver took a sharp turn off the paved road, on a route only the locals know. About half the journey had no paved road, just a mud route with rocks and at a few points a small stream of water cutting across. But our sturdy jeep and experienced chauffeur, got through it without a hiccough. The bumpy ride was completely unexpected but an enjoyable adventure. A heads up would have been nice though…

Once you reach the top, you can spend some time discovering the church itself. It is very similar to other Georgian architecture found here and in Armenia. The building dates many centuries and has stood the test of time. The church has a very interesting history. Though not described anywhere near the monastery but you should try reading it up online to truly appreciate the marvel in front of you.

Danke!