It’s Tuesday afternoon in Georgia and on a rocky ledge some 800 metres above a spectacular canyon, a pair of young couples are taking selfies and dancing to happy local music.
Meanwhile in the ancient Gergeti Church, a black-robed priest is softly chanting a liturgy in a manner that he and his colleagues have been invoking for more than ten centuries.
And at Berjomi Park laid out along a picturesque stream, a hopeful young lad casts his fishing line into the water one more time while a pretty teenage girl and her mum stroll along past the myriad market stalls, checking out the homemade jewelry and delicate ceramics.
Welcome to Georgia, no, not the southern US state but a nation just south of Russia at the very crossroads of Europe and Asia. It’s a nation that has been sacked and defaced by just about every regional empire, from the Persians and Greeks to the Mongols and Chechens. If you feel like a visit, here are seven spots in this proud nation well worth your time:
1: Incredibly, in the 11th century more than 3000 people once called the Vardzia cave city home. It was an era when raids by invaders were commonplace, so where better to hide and defend than a network of caves dug into the step hillside above a lush valley? After its use as a refuge, the site evolved into a monastery housing nearly 2000 monks, who ate, slept and socialized in the deep, interconnected tunnels and openings.
Today you scramble and climb a bit to view the caves, joined now and then by today’s monks expressing solidarity with their colleagues many centuries ago.
2: The very attractive village of Sighnagi is one of those “you’ve never heard of it” spots much beloved by savvy travelers and discerning photographers. Begin your visit with a stroll along a street lined with stalls selling all sorts of appealing goods. We succumbed and bought a stylish carpet with a very old design in it before ascending to a long wall leading to the imposing fortress that was the reason for this town’s creation.
Below the fort lies a vast and fertile valley. Apparently this was once an invasion route, hence the need for a fort.
3: There is an awe-inspiring sensation of peace and well-being when you are inside the dark environs of an ancient chapel. No bright colours here, nothing garish, just crossed and muted pictures of saints illuminated by candlelight.
Gergeti is just such a church. Built fairly late (the 14th century) , the church is sited in the best of settings, surrounded by stark mountains. Thanks to its patriotic connections, this church stayed open even during the atheist Soviet era of 1921-1991. Today young people in their droves come her for the serenity and the views.
4: The name of Georgia’s bustling capital Tbilisi actually means a place of hot springs and that is one of the many attractions of the city’s old town. We spent 100 lari (about $A50) for a one hour private soak in Chreliabano Spa and loved every minute of it.
Just metres away is a superb local restaurant featuring Georgian meals and plenty of their flavourful local wine (a litre of excellent white cost all of about $A6). In front of the restaurant, a young man was raising money by expertly playing an ancient percussive instrument that sounded like a high register vibraphone.
Away from Old Town, discover the fun of a cable car ride to a mountaintop park lorded over by a giant silver statue of a woman in local dress, a structure to honour the city’s 1500th birthday.
5: If you fancy imposing stone fortresses as much as I do, explore Khertvisi, a church and castle dating from the 10th century.
Someone must have truly coveted this place – the Macedonias, Persians, Mongols and Ottomans grabbed the town and fort at various times over the centuries. To get there, climb a long hill past farms and friendly dogs to get to the imposing entrance.
6: The image that remains most in your mind after a visit to Borjomi Park is the quirky statue of a man operating a very old movie camera.
The national park is actually one of the largest protected wildernesses in the nation, but chances are you’ll just see the first two kilometers or so. Here you can watch a peaceful stream flow alongside the park entryway and shop for souvenirs and local crafts.
7: Georgia is an exceedingly mountainous nation and the best place to experience all that altitude is in the ski region of Gudauri.
Filled with ski resorts that do a booming trade in the snowy winters, this community in summer is equally alluring thanks to an impressive panorama viewing point created to “celebrate Georgian-Russian friendship” back in 1983. A platform surrounded by murals offers 180 degree views of the steep valleys and peaks below.
