Tourist Agency "Visit Georgia"

MESKHETI & JAVAKHETI

In the south of Georgia you will find the provinces of Meskheti and Javakheti - a land of forested mountains and steep river valleys, gushing rivers and clear lakes. The region is dotted with castles and fortresses from different periods - a legacy of frequent invasions thanks to its geographic location - but the jewel in the crown of this fascinating region is surely the cave town of Vardzia.

The Borjomi-Kharagauli National
Park is supported by the WWF

HIGHLIGHTS Vardzia Cave Town Borjomi Spa Town Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park Atskuri Fortress Khertvisi Fortress Sapara Monastery Abastumani Observatory

If you haven’t seen the cave town of Vardzia you can’t say you have seen Georgia!
Vardzia is a huge cave complex that once consisted of some 3000 caves and could house around 50,000 people. It was built during the reign of Queen Tamar, a great  ruler of 12^th century Georgia. Vardzia is a place of wonders - artfully carved caves connected by long tunnels, all   hewn by hand over 800 years ago, a natural cold-water spring trickling from the rock-face, beautiful frescoes still as bright as the day they were first painted... Come and wonder at the glories of Vardzia for yourself.
Khertvisi Fortress (10^th century) had a vital role in the defense of the region since it stands above the confluence of the Javakheti Mtkvari and Artaani Mtkvari rivers. No matter which way the enemy invaded, they had to pass this point. Yet today the fortress still stands defiantly on its rocky promontory and is now rather more welcoming of visitors.
Sapara (“Hidden”) Monastery lives up to its name. Until you reach the very gates you barely notice this 13^th century working monastery, nestled as it is high above a gorge in forested mountains.
Borjomi mineral-spa town was renowned in the 19^th century as the playground of the Russian nobility and several attractive buildings still remain from that era, notably the summer place of Duke Mikhail Romanov, son of Tsar Nicholas I. Today it’s also the centre of a nature reserve of dense forests harbouring hundreds of varieties of plant and animal species.
Atskuri Fortress (9^th century) was of vital strategic significance for many centuries since it was the last fortification along the Mtkvari River. If Atskuri fell, Georgia was left open to enemy invasion.
The Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park covers about 8% of the total territory of Georgia and is one of the largest natural parks in Europe. A great variety of habitats here are still preserved in their virgin state.
The Abastumani Observatory - Do you look wonderingly up into the night sky and imagine what it would be like to go to the moon if only you could? Never mind, instead you can come to Georgia and visit the Abastumani Observatory - the first mountain observatory in the former Soviet Union, located high up amongst steep hills at 1650m. Here through the powerful telescope you can clearly see the surface of the Moon and even of Saturn and Jupiter. Such an experience should not be missed!