Gamarjoba, dear friend! Autumn has come very close to us, but this is not a reason for moping. On the contrary, the end of September and the first half of October is a great time to pack a suitcase (don’t forget to grab a bigger pair of pants) and rush to good old Georgia, where juicy khinkali, first-class wine, high-topping mountains and golden landscapes await.
Contents
- Stepantsminda
- Georgian Military Road
- Tbilisi
- Sighnaghi
- Mestia
Stepantsminda
If life has not prepared you for this, then you can go trekking at the foot of the mountain: there are plenty of options for any level of training. You can also just admire the handsome Kazbek from the panoramic windows of one of the many hotels (the list is attached). In autumn, the slopes are covered with gold, and it looks impressive.
One of the most important places for fans of serious mountains, because here is the famous sleeping stratovolcano Kazbek with a height of 5033 meters. Photo: Rbk365/Shutterstock.com
It is impossible to leave Stepantsminda and not visit the Gergeti Church at an altitude of 2170 meters — a simple but very atmospheric temple of the XIV century with a breathtaking mountain view. A must-visit!
By the way, warm clothes will definitely be useful for traveling to Stepantsminda, I somehow froze here at the height of the summer season, when it was 30 degrees in neighboring Tbilisi.
Where to stay
- Paradise Kazbegi — from 2,734 rubles per night.
- Graf Kazbegi — from 3651 RUB.
- Kazbegi View — from 6912 rub.
- Alpenhaus Hotel Kazbegi — from 4076 RUB.
- Boutique Hotel Step Inn Kazbegi — from 11,827 rub.
- Hotel Memoir Kazbegi — from 8981 rub.
- Intourist Kazbegi — from 11,056 rubles
- Rooms Hotel Kazbegi — from 19,428 rubles
Intourist Kazbegi.
How to prepare for a trip to Georgia
Before the trip, we advise you to arm yourself with knowledge about the national cuisine, study tourist guides and read about the traditions of the country.
Georgian Military Road
I strongly advise you to travel from Stepantsminda to Tbilisi by car (or in reverse order), because this part of the Georgian Military Road is one of the most picturesque trails I have ever traveled. The road passes through the gorge of the Aragvi River, along the way you will meet incredible mountain panoramas, the Caucasian Ridge and the azure Zhinvali reservoir. Sometimes it even gets scary from the scale and the road near the cliff, so you need to go with an experienced driver. The landscapes are especially good in autumn. And in winter, by the way, you can not drive here at all due to avalanches, landslides and other factors.
Where to stop on the way: turquoise Zhinvali reservoir; “Arch of Friendship” at an altitude of 3000 meters, overlooking the confluence of the rivers Belaya and Chernaya Aragvi; Pasanauri, where you must definitely taste khinkali, because here is their homeland; Zedazensky monastery and Ananuri fortress of the XVI century.
The road passes through the gorge of the Aragvi River, along the way you will meet incredible mountain panoramas, the Caucasian Ridge and the azure Zhinvali reservoir. Photo: Anna Pakutina/Shutterstock.com
Tbilisi
An autumn trip to Georgia will not be complete without Tbilisi, because this is the real soul of the country. In the capital, you need to do several things without excuses: visit sulfur baths with hot pools (take a separate steam room and you will be happy), take a funicular to Mtatsminda Park (there are gorgeous views of the city, a romantic amusement park and a cool restaurant), buy antiques at the market near the Dry Bridge and walk along evening Rustaveli Avenue.
But why is it worth visiting Tbilisi in the autumn? It’s simple: on the first weekend of October, a Tbilisi meeting is traditionally held in the capital (in 2024 it will be held on October 5-6). Harvest festival, during which concerts, dances, competitions, and awarding of honorary citizens of Tbilisi take place. Everyone walks: wine flows like a river, fragrant shish kebab is eaten by kilograms, everyone goes to visit each other, especially persistent people drink chacha and enjoy life.
You can take the funicular to Mtatsminda Park: there are gorgeous views of the city, a romantic amusement park and a cool restaurant. Photo: saiko3p/Shutterstock.com
I also recommend going to local wineries and be sure to drive through the mystical Sabaduri forest: the trees hang over the road very cinematically, and when they are still in autumn robes and there is fog, it’s like you’re in a fairy tale.
Three days in Tbilisi
We have planned a trip to the Georgian capital for you for three days: immersion in the Tbilisi flavor is guaranteed.
Wherestop
We told you more about where to stay in Old Tbilisi in the selection, and here are a few more options on the Island:
- Tato Hotel — from 3178 rubles per night.
- Piano Hotel — from 2707 rub.
- A5 Hotel — from 5925 rub.
- Iota Hotel Tbilisi — from 8482 rub.
- Bricks Hotel — from 6939 rub.
- Brim Hotel — from 7101 rub.
- Tiflis Palace Hotel — from 9476 rub.
The Tiflis Palace Hotel.
Sighnaghi
At the most romantic time of the year, it is definitely worth going to the city of love — Sighnaghi. This small town can compete with Verona in terms of atmosphere: cobblestone streets, towers, warm lighting and stunning views of the Alazani Valley. With the arrival of autumn, the vines acquire purple-golden shades, which makes the level of beauty and comfort here simply off the scale.
There is also a love story here: the same million scarlet roses, about which the famous song was written, is mentioned in the legend about the love of the Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani with the French actress Margarita de Sevre. Niko sold everything, bought flowers with the money and brought them to his beloved’s house. In response, he received only a kiss, after which the beauty left.
What to do in the city, besides contemplating the autumn landscapes? You can climb the walls of the fortress to admire the best view of the valley, look into the Church of St. George and the monastery of St. Nino Bodbe (and fall in love with the local landscapes again) and taste the wines of the region in Cradle of Wine Marani, Kerovani Winery and Pheasant’s Tears Winery.
This small town can compete with Verona in terms of atmosphere: cobblestone streets, towers, warm lighting and stunning views of the Alazani Valley. Photo: Irina Sen/Shutterstock.com
And there is also an option to take a car and go to Lopota Lake, which is less than 90 km from the city. The place is very secluded, and nature, clothed in autumn colors, is especially good here. We advise you to stay overnight — most of the lake belongs to the territory of the resort of the same name.
Note to couples: one of the tourist attractions of Sighnaghi is the Wedding Palace, which works around the clock.
Where to stay
- Guest house “Villa Mate” — from 2676 rubles per night.
- Kanudosi Guest House — from 4600 RUB.
- Kabadoni Boutique Hotel — from 8865 RUB.
- Mini-hotel Horizons Bakurtsikhe — from 17092 rub.
Mini-hotel Horizons Bakurtsikhe.
Mestia
The cherry on the cake of an autumn trip to Georgia will, of course, be the most mountainous region of the country. Svaneti will whirl you around in bright autumn landscapes against the background of snow-capped mountain peaks, so get ready to lose your head from beauty and prepare a lot of space in your phone’s memory for beautiful photo cards in advance.
It is worth staying in the cultural and historical center of the region — the beautiful village of Mestia at an altitude of 1,500 meters. First of all, go to explore the UNESCO-protected medieval Svan towers, built for defensive purposes, take a look at the ethnographic museum of Svaneti and the Church of Christ the Savior (Matshvarishi) with frescoes of the XI-XIII centuries.
First of all, go to explore the UNESCO-protected medieval Svan towers, built for defensive purposes, take a look at the ethnographic museum of Svaneti and the Church of Christ the Savior (Matshvarishi) with frescoes of the XI-XIII centuries. Photo: Vaidotas Grybauskas/Shutterstock.com
Svaneti is full of waterfalls, mountain lakes and meadows. Surrounded by such beauty, it’s just perfect to go trekking or a multi-day hike. Explore the routes from the Nakry Gorge upstream of Inguri to Ushguli. If the long-term option is not for you, then it is worth considering light and medium-level tracks along routes such as the Bezengi Wall, where you can see the most majestic panoramas of Svaneti in one day, the Chaladi glacier, Zuruldi or the alpine meadow Maziri. Almost all of these routes start from Mestia.
Where to stay
- Ninama Guest House — from 4683 rubles per night.
- Elite House Hotel — from 6925 rub.
- Chalet Mestia Hotel — from 7527 rub.
- Gistola Mestia — from 14,162 rub.
- Chalet Svaneti Countryside 4 — from 10 459 rub.
Gistola Mestia.
This is what autumn Georgia is like: charming, romantic, colorful, sometimes noisy, somewhere cozy, everywhere guaranteed delicious and unforgettable. We wish you a bright autumn holidays!
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Cover photo: Aliaksandr Kalodziy/Shutterstock.com
