Mtskheta and environs. How to get from Tbilisi, what to see and where to go. Temples of Mtskheta - Svetitskhoveli, Samtavro and Jvari Mtskheta how to get from Tbilisi minibus number

Why Mtskheta and Jvari are the first capitals of ancient Eastern Georgia, Georgian Orthodoxy was born here, there are two sites from the UNESCO World Heritage List (there are five of them in Georgia) and here is a well-restored center and delicious churchkhela (we love at first bite).

Mtskheta, how to get from Tbilisi.

When visiting Mtskheta, it is very important to take into account one nuance. Visually very close, but in reality, about 10 kilometers from Mtskheta, on a high mountain, there is the Jvari temple, a must-see (why, I will explain later). Therefore, a trip to Mtskheta simply needs to be combined with Jvari.

Consider options for an independent tour:
1. The cheapest way to get to Mtskheta from Tbilisi is by minibus from Didube metro station (1 GEL per person). Jvari can only be reached by taxi. From Mtskheta for 20 GEL a taxi will take you to Jvari, wait and bring you back. Total for 4 people 28 GEL.
2. You can order a taxi from the same Didube for the entire excursion to Mtskheta and Jvari - about 30 GEL (two or three hours).
3. Our option: From Didube we take a taxi to Jvari, where a taxi is waiting for us, and after the tour we are taken to Mtskheta (12 GEL). We walk as much as we want in Mtskheta, have lunch at the budget restaurant “Mtskhetis Salobie”, called by Saakashvili the most “popular restaurant” in Georgia and go to Tbilisi by minibus. Total for 4 people 12 + 4 (to the restaurant) + 4 (to Tbilisi) = 20 GEL.

Temple of Jvari.

Translated from the Georgian language, Jvari means a cross. It is not surprising that the temple was named Jvari, because the first cross in Georgia was placed on this place. It was erected on the high mountain of Armazi in the 4th century. Over time, a temple was built on this mountain, which is now visible from afar.

Now around the temple there is a functioning monastery of the Holy Cross. It is very difficult to guess about the presence of a monastery around the Jvari temple, because all the buildings of the monastery, dilapidated walls and towers are lost against the backdrop of a magnificent temple.

Entrance to the territory of the monastery and the temple of Jvari is free.

There are always a lot of people in Jvari, the temple is included in the mandatory program for an excursion to Mtskheta.

And not only because Jvari is an interesting architectural object (although it is),

and also for stunning views of Mtskheta, the confluence of the two rivers Kura and Aragvi and their surroundings.

It’s just a paradise for a photographer here, and it’s not for nothing that Georgia’s visiting cards are full of these landscapes.

For photographers, I note that it is better to visit Jvari in the morning, as we did. Otherwise, the afternoon sun will shine directly into your lens.

Having admired the magnificent panorama and taking memorable photos, we will go into the temple itself.

The temple was built at the end of the 6th century on the site of a small church from the time of St. Nina. In the center of the temple, on a small hill, there is a large modern cross with supposedly particles of the cross of St. Nina. This is understandable, given the event in honor of which this temple was built.

It is known about the cross of St. Nina that in the 10th century, the Arabs, when they conquered Georgia, took the cross with them and then broke it. But whether the remnants of it were returned or not, opinions differ. What opinions agree on is that the hill on which the new cross now stands was still under Nina.

Lermontov, Jvari.

Near the temple stood a Russian-speaking group, the guide of which quoted the first eight lines from the poem "Mtsyri" by Lermontov. The whole poem or the first eight lines about Jvari can be read.

It is believed that it was Jvari who captured Lermontov in Mtsyri. Lermontov visited Georgia in the 40s of the XIX century.

But another great Russian writer Pushkin in 1829, driving along the Georgian military road past the temple, did not even notice him.

Our little excursion came to an end, the taxi driver was already waiting.
When traveling to Mtskheta, be sure to lay your route through Jvari, because you will visit not only the site that is number 1 on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Georgia, but also touch a piece of the history of Orthodoxy in Georgia.

And in Jvari you feel like a bird flying high above the boundless expanses of Georgia. Continuation of our independent excursion in the article

Mtskheta (Georgia): ancient monasteries and other sights of the region. How to get from Tbilisi to Mtskheta? What to see in the ancient capital of Georgia. A story about the temples of Samtavro and Svetitskhoveli, the ancient fortress of Bebristsikhe and the confluence of the Aragva and the Kura. A great story about the first capital of Georgia and the main sights of Mtskheta.

I don't know why, but I remember Mtskheta very much. There is something about this small Georgian town that is hard to put into words. On the one hand, a serious disadvantage of Mtskheta is the abundance of tourist fuss. However, in all other respects, the ancient capital of Georgia is almost an ideal destination for a short trip from Tbilisi. There is everything here - ancient monasteries, and cute houses with tiled roofs, and amazing landscapes, rivers merging together, and some ruins of ancient fortresses. Among all the places in Georgia that I happened to visit, it was Mtskheta that made the most pleasant impression on me. I think you will like this place too... So...

How to get to Mtskheta from Tbilisi

With a tour company. This is one of the easiest options. In September 2016, trips to Mtskheta (plus Jvari) were offered at a price of 25 GEL per person. But I emphasize that you should not keep this amount in your head. Because the cost of such excursions can vary greatly. The final price depends on the size of the bus, the level of the company and (most importantly) the total number of tourists in the city. In addition, the cost of excursion services can vary greatly depending on where the office of the travel company is located. Everything is more expensive in the center. On the outskirts, travel agency requests are noticeably more modest.

Important! Often on tourist brochures trips in this direction are indicated as follows: “Tour Mtskheta + Jvari + Samtavro + Svetitskhoveli”. This is a little trick. Just keep that in mind. The Jvari monastery is located away from the city - I don’t say anything about it. But Samtavro and Svetitskhoveli are the two main attractions of Mtskheta itself. In fact, this is the same as writing "Tour to Minsk + Nemiga + Victory Square." Just because of the abundance of different Georgian names, such a trip looks more solid and such tours are easier to sell. Do not think that you will be taken to four different places. It's all the same Mtskheta. Plus the Jvari Monastery, which stands a little away from it (you really need to drive a little to get there).

With private taxi drivers. Everything is the same here. Just no tours. You will be taken to Mtskheta and Jvari, they will wait until you take a walk, and then simply return you back to Tbilisi. These trips cost differently. One taxi driver in the center of Tbilisi asked us for 100 GEL for such a trip. We said “Thank you” and left, after which another taxi driver immediately ran up to us and offered to take us for 70 GEL. At the Didube station, the requests of taxi drivers are much more modest. There, with some drivers, you can bargain for 30. This is already a more adequate price. You can agree to this.

Important! You can save a little on trips with taxi drivers by sharing the costs with some other company. Simply, if you meet some other tourists (and they will meet you), invite them to go to Mtskheta together. Then the cost of a taxi can be divided in half.

By minibus. It's even easier here. You go to the metro station Didube, pass through a large market and get to the Tbilisi bus station. From here, special minibuses depart every 20 minutes in the direction of Mtskheta. The fare is 1 GEL. Travel time is 20 minutes. Tickets can be bought at the box office, so no one will deceive you on the fare. In my opinion, this is the best way to travel from Tbilisi to Mtskheta. Personally, we got to the ancient capital of Georgia just like that.

Sights of Mtskheta: things to do in the ancient capital of Georgia

Visit Samtavro Monastery(4th century). This is one of the main temples of the city. The minibus on which we were traveling dropped us off somewhere a couple of hundred meters from its walls. Therefore, we started our walk around the city from this place. The monastery looks impressive - a massive stone church, a powerful wall around it, next to the doors are all the same taxi drivers and guides offering their services to tourists. You go inside and it's like you're in another world. Among all the temple complexes of Georgia, this one is one of my favorites.

Evidence of alien landings in ancient Georgia

Divination by hand. Inexpensive

I don't know how to sign this...

Just walking around its walls, looking at various design details, is already very pleasant. However, for Georgia, this monastery also has a great religious significance. The Samtavro Church was built in the 4th century (although later it was rebuilt many times). Currently, the remains of Georgian saints, miraculous icons and many other religious artifacts are buried here.

Here, I probably will not go into details (if you wish, you can read about all this on the Internet), I will simply repeat again - the Samtavro monastery really inspires awe.

Walk the streets of Mtskheta. It is beautiful here. And in general, you remember: this is one of the most ancient cities of Georgia, founded already in the 5th century BC. For the entire Caucasus, this small town of 7,000 people has always had great cultural significance. During the reign of Mikheil Saakashvili, it was restored and put in order. Therefore, today it is very pleasant to wander through the streets of the city. Everywhere panoramas of mountains rising above the tiled roofs; grapes, the branches of which stretch right above your head, and around the labyrinths of toy streets filled to the brim with thin streams of tourists ...

Usually I don't like to write such vanilla. But that September trip to Mtskheta somehow touched me.

View Svetitskhoveli Cathedral(1010 - 1029 gp). It is located in the central part of the city. The high stone church is surrounded by a stone wall. Small chapels, round towers and gentle slopes of mountains rise nearby. It all looks very cool. If someone loves photography, then this is just a great place to take a couple of dozen great shots.

Inside the temple looks no less impressive than the outside. Therefore, I was not surprised when I later read on the Internet that many prominent figures of the country were crowned, buried or buried here at one time (including the royal family of Bagration and the first president of the country, Zviad Gamsakhurdia).

In general, Mtskheta has a special place in the coordinate system of Georgia. For this Caucasian state, this small town was and remains a symbolic place - a kind of Mecca, Caucasian Jerusalem. So it's definitely worth a visit. It is not for nothing that the three main temples of Mtskheta (Svetitskhoveli, Samtavro and Jvari) were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Jvari Monastery and the confluence of the Aragva and Kura

How to get from Mtskheta to Jvari. This is one of the most difficult (but at the same time one of the most interesting) moments of the whole trip, so I will tell about it separately. The thing is that the Jvari Monastery, known to everyone from Lermontov's poem "Mtsyri", is located at some distance from the main part of the city - on top of a mountain. The most convenient way to get here is by car. But here, as always, there are some nuances.

Option number 1. You can get from Mtskheta to Jvari by taxi for 15 GEL (for that kind of money we personally got to the monastery in September 2016). However, in other months the price may change (I repeat - a lot depends on the total number of tourists in the city). At least, in all the reviews that I read before this trip, there was a slightly different amount - 20 GEL. At the same time, I am almost sure that you can bargain a little with local taxi drivers and calmly knock down the same five lari. The main thing is to choose those drivers who stand outside the tourist center. They have fewer clients. Therefore, they are much more accommodating.

Tourist information center in Mtskheta

Option number 2. Relatively recently, in the tourist information center, located opposite the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, a centralized transport appeared, which can be used to get from Mtskheta and Jvari.

This service costs 5 GEL per person. Transport departs three times a day (at 12-00, 15-00 and 17-00). However, there is one “But” here: you can get to the Jvari monastery in this way only if there are more than 4 people in the car. If you travel together, you will have to pay the same 15 GEL (7.5 + 7.5). Therefore, if there is a lot of time, it makes sense to offer such a trip to someone else or just wait until the group is recruited.

Why is it worth going to Jvari?

There can be at least two reasons for this - the Jvari monastery itself and the triangular river located right next to it. They look very beautiful and very Georgian. All this is generally very difficult to convey with words.

Near the observation deck (at the confluence of the Aragva and the Kura) we hung, probably for 20 minutes. The panoramas here are simply fantastic. Just imagine - mountains, meadows, the tiled roofs of Mtskheta that are “burning” somewhere ahead, and an unusual triangular river that has frozen far next to them ... For the entire month that Tanya and I spent in Georgia, I never met anything more picturesque.

As for the monastery itself, it also made a very pleasant impression on me. Here it is really easy to feel the spirit of the poem "Mtsyri". Stone walls, mighty vaults, thin strokes of light breaking through narrow openings somewhere above and heavy massive crosses frozen in the dim church light... This is a completely unusual church. In such places, you really feel something centuries-old, majestic, but at the same time oppressive and heavy. Do you remember Lermontov's poem? This place was a prison for the hero, not a salvation.

Way back to Tbilisi

On the way back, we also walked from Mtskheta to the dilapidated fortress of Bebristsikhe. It is located very close. All you need is to go from the Samtavro monastery in the opposite direction from the city. She will appear somewhere in half a kilometer to the right of the road. It's actually very hard to miss.

Against the backdrop of the transparent September sky that day, the ruins of the old bastion looked very picturesque. I even wondered why there were no people at all (after all, there were a lot of tourists in the same Jvari monastery). Tanya and I, in absolute solitude, climbed up the mountain. And only some lone taxi driver, standing by the road, followed us with a silent look.

Looking at him, I thought that, probably, in Mtskheta, weak and ugly taxi drivers are not thrown off the cliff, but sent away from the city - to the Bebristsikhe fortress. Compared to the taxi drivers who were on duty in the central square of Mtskheta, he looked very sad. I even felt sorry for him.

However, okay, now about the fortress itself… From the bottom of the road, it looks much more picturesque than from the inside. When you go up, beautiful shots come across with amazing constancy. But when you get to the very fortress… Hmm… Well, how should I put it… Only rubbish and black stains from old fires come across here. Although I would still recommend that you take a walk to this old stronghold.

At this point I will end my story. Having descended from the fortress back to the road, we caught the first available minibus and went to Tbilisi. The strangest thing is that only then I remembered that I forgot to photograph another attraction of Mtskheta - the new police building, built during the Saakashvili era, according to the project of some cool designer. I saw this building only from afar. It looks beautiful. Find his photo online. And that's all for me. Bye everyone and good luck!

P.S. Are you going to Georgia? Then these articles may be of interest to you.

Mtskheta is the first capital of Georgia, one of the oldest cities in the region, founded more than 2000 years ago. I won’t talk about history - Google and Wikipedia will tell you more, and I’d better devote this entry to my impressions of the city and share my opinion on whether it’s worth going to Mtskheta.

If you are renting a car and you are going somewhere from Tbilisi (to Batumi, to Mestia, along the Georgian military road), and your vacation is very limited in time - the right choice would be to combine a trip with a stop in Mtskheta, since the distance from here to Tbilisi is only 20 km.

If you are not renting a car and your vacation is not very limited in time - you can get to Mtskheta by minibus. The bus station is located near the Didube metro station. When you exit the lobby, you must go to the left and into the underpass. Having passed the transition, you will find yourself among the malls, but you will be on the right track - somewhere in the middle of the market there are minibuses. Tickets can be bought at the box office. The price of the minibus Tbilisi - Mtskheta is 1 lari (30 rubles).

What to see in Mtskheta?

Mtskheta itself is a small town. When I asked the taxi driver about the population, he could not answer me, he said: “I can tell the number of families, but I have no idea how many residents” (but he didn’t say about families either, though). Fortunately, the Internet knows everything: the population now is about 7,000 people. The city itself can be explored on a leisurely walk in an hour and a half, but if you want (and you definitely need to, otherwise it makes no sense to go here) to see the sights around Mtskheta, you will need to use a taxi. But first things first.

Svetitskhoveli Temple

The temple is the main attraction of Mtskheta and the center of the city. If you are traveling from Tbilisi by minibus, you can ask Svetitskhoveli to drop you off. I arrived in the morning, the air was still transparent and clean, and there were no people (although a crowd of beggars appeared in half an hour). The temple has many benches where you can sit and admire both the cathedral itself and the view of the mountain with the Jvari monastery. Svetitskhoveli is the first church in all of Georgia, but inside it is similar to the rest of the country's cathedrals: cool with a mystical twilight inside, cut by direct rays of light.

The current Samtavro Monastery

The second attraction of Mtskheta is literally two minutes from Svetitskhoveli and, to the unenlightened eye, is almost a complete copy of it (that's why I didn't even take pictures). The only difference is that the complex is operational, and the servants live in the fenced area of ​​the monastery. After visiting Samtavro, you can take a taxi or a car and go to see the rest of the sights of Mtskheta. Or you can wander around Mtskheta itself, see how the oldest city of Georgia lives, walk up to the cemetery, and then go down to another historical place. Which is what I did.

Ruins of Bebristsikhe Fortress

They are located 20 minutes walk from Samtavro, the path on foot passes by stray dogs that have chosen the area (however, not aggressive), so maybe the idea to come here by car would be a good idea 🙂

The fortress does not represent anything outstanding, so it’s probably not worth going here on purpose. What's more, you can't climb it.

Okay, let's move on. In the literal sense: the most desperate people reach the next point of the journey on foot (and generally hardcore players go back). Therefore, you can safely look for a taxi. Cars, as I already wrote, are in large numbers at Samtavro. Choose the uncle you like (or the one who will be the most persistent) and bargain: the standard cost of a trip to Jvari and back to Mtskheta is 10-15 GEL. I bargained until 7.

Jvari - temple on the mountain

My taxi driver's name is Zurab. His old nine refuses to start for a long time, but in the end he manages. And here we are flying at a speed of 120 along the winding road to the top of the cliff with the monastery. We ourselves wind even more: going around the pits, we periodically crawl out onto the oncoming roadside. 5 minutes and we are there. I go to see the temple, and Zurab joins the conversations of the other taxi drivers.

The temple is impressive. It has already warmed up to 20 degrees outside, and it’s completely hot in the sun, but steam comes out of the mouth in the temple. In the rays of light, it is even more noticeable.

The view from the cliff is amazing. The famous picture: the confluence of the two rivers of the dirty green Mtkvari (it also flows in Tbilisi) and the azure Aragvi.

Cows graze peacefully nearby. I've been admiring all this beauty for a long time, but it's time to move on. After all, on the way here, Zurab and I agreed that he would take me to one more place.

I go to the car, he takes a bottle of homemade wine from the trunk and offers it to me. I'm sure now will start to incline to buy it, but try it anyway try. Zurab pours me a glass of water in a clay bowl, I drink it. The wine is fine, like Isabella, but not so cloying. The bowl is big, the sun is shining outside. I feel good. I praise the wine, Zurab offers more. I refuse and we get into the car. On the way, he says that the wine is from the Didula grape variety (I asked 10 times and spelled it out for myself, but I didn’t find anything about it on the Internet anyway) and adds that this bottle is the last one. “Guests come to my wife all the time and they have already drunk everything,” Zurab laments. I ask where you can buy wine (after all, I really liked it), Zurab says that only in the village of the same name, but in March, for sure, everything has been drunk. And then I understand that I would be glad now if he treated me with a view to further selling. Because I would love to buy it.

To begin with, we return to Mtsekhta and climb past Samtavro to the cemetery, which I have already walked through. I am sure that the monastery is very close. But we go and go along the serpentine. I got used to the driving style, but because of the wine I don’t pay attention to driving in the opposite direction at all. It is hard for Zurab to speak Russian, but he copes. Tells about the history of places, about favorite dishes here, what I should try, about fishing and much more. We reach the monastery in 15-20 minutes.

The monastery impresses primarily with the complete absence of people. I'm here alone. I go to temples. All the candles are completely burnt out, but there are new ones and matches and small change for change. I'm not religious, but I buy one and light it up. Here it looks appropriate.

As a result, I confess, the monastery impressed me the most: its location among the mountains, the atmosphere, the destroyed ceilings in the temple and the absence of people. When visiting Mtskheta, many people ignore Shio-Mgvime, which in my opinion is an absolute mistake. So be sure to visit here.

And again Mtskheta

We return back to Samtavro, say goodbye to Zurab, photograph him as a keepsake and pay. By the way, here is Zurab. He, it seems, is even a little glad when I offer to take this shot.

What does an independent traveler need to know when going to such a picturesque country as Georgia? Mtskheta, the sights of which will be described in this article, is a mandatory item on the route. After all, this city is the first capital of the country. And despite the fact that the title passed to Tbilisi, Mtskheta remains the heart of Georgia, its cultural and historical center. It is enough to walk along the ancient streets of the city to notice the traces of its former greatness. Mtskheta is more than two thousand years old. And the Georgian government is investing a lot of money in the city to attract tourists to this ancient landmark. Everything here has been restored. But besides tourists, there are many pilgrims on the streets of Mtskheta. After all, it was from this city that the evangelization of Georgia began. And it happened back in the three hundred and twenty-seventh year of our era. What you should see in Mtskheta - you will learn from this article.

How to get there

First of all, you need to get to the modern capital. There are direct regular flights from Russia. They are offered by carriers such as S7 and Georgian Airways. Travel time is two and a half hours. The cost of the flight can be reduced if you fly with connecting flights: with a transfer in Warsaw (LOT), Riga (Air Baltic), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) or Kiev. If you come to Georgia by car, then the trip from Tbilisi to Mtskheta will take about a quarter of an hour. After all, the ancient and modern capitals are separated by only twenty kilometers. One can even say that Mtskheta has already become a remote outskirts of Tbilisi. Naturally, there is a bus service between the two cities. To get to Mtskheta, you need to come to the Didube metro station in Tbilisi. After leaving the subway, you should again dive into the underground passage leading to the spontaneous market. After passing the vegetable rows, you get to the same impromptu bus station. On its territory there is a box office. You should pay one lari for a ticket there - the driver does not take money. Comfortable minibuses depart every fifteen minutes.

Climate and nature of Mtskheta

In addition to numerous historical and religious sights, the ancient capital of Georgia is characterized by picturesque nature. The city stands at the place where the Aragvi flows into the Kura. This river was described by Lermontov in the poem "Mtsyri". But more on that later. The climate in Mtskheta is very mild. Winters here are dry and not very cold (unlike in more mountainous areas). The temperature in January averages two degrees plus. And it's not too hot in summer. In July and August, the air warms up to quite comfortable twenty-five degrees. The best time to travel to Mtskheta, experienced tourists and the locals themselves call the period from March to mid-November. The city is surrounded on all sides by low mountains, on the tops of which there are ancient monasteries and fortresses.

History of Mtskheta

The first mention of the city in chronicles dates back to the second half of the first millennium BC, when it became the capital of the ancient state of Iberia. But legends significantly increase the age of Mtskheta. According to legend, it was founded by the son of the king of Kartli. His name was Mtsekhotos - he gave the name to the settlement. And all the people descended from Kartli, who later founded the state called "Kartveli" (Georgia). Mtskheta, whose sights testify to the glorious past of the country, was a tasty morsel in the eyes of warlike neighbors from antiquity to the twenty-first century. The Greeks, Persians, Romans, Turks and many others tried to capture the city. For almost a thousand years, Mtskheta was the capital of a proud country, until King Vakhtang Gorgasali, who ruled in the fifth century, built Tbilisi and moved his residence there. But even then the city did not fall into disrepair. Mtskheta remained the religious capital. After all, the throne of the Catholicos, the head of the Christian church of Georgia, was located there.

Georgia, Mtskheta: attractions (at a glance)

This city is called the Second Jerusalem. And for Georgians, this is a real religious shrine. After all, it was in Mtskheta that the Christian saint Nino came with the good news of the Gospel. In addition, one of the most revered relics is still kept in the main temple of the city - the chiton of Jesus Christ, which was divided among themselves by Roman legionnaires under Calvary. The glory of the Second Jerusalem and the residence of the Catholicos led to the emergence of numerous monasteries, which are located on the surrounding hills. You will not find such a cluster of historical and religious sights anywhere else in Georgia. Therefore, the entire city of Mtskheta was taken under the protection of UNESCO and included in its list as a world heritage of mankind. Mandatory to visit are the monasteries of Samtavro and Jvari, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and the fortress of Bebristsikhe. About thirty lari costs an organized bus tour with a guide from Tbilisi.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The history of the temple

This is the oldest Christian church in Georgia. True, the building that you can admire today was built in the eleventh century. But according to legend, already in the fourth century there was a small church here. A beautiful legend is connected with her appearance. A certain girl Sidonia, having converted to Christianity, begged her brothers to bring something from Jerusalem that belonged to Jesus Christ himself. They heeded her prayers and returned home with a chiton, which they removed from the Savior before His crucifixion. As soon as Sidonia touched the clothes, she breathed her last. So she was buried, since the tunic could not be removed from the fingers of a dead girl. The first church was built over her grave. This is a unique place that Georgia is rightfully proud of. Mtskheta, whose sights are numerous, is still famous as the place where this Christian relic is kept. Therefore, crowds of pilgrims flock to the city.

The legend of the creation of the cathedral

When the small church was destroyed during another war, a huge cedar tree grew on the grave of Sidonia. Mirian, the first Christian king of Georgia, ordered the construction of a temple dedicated to the twelve apostles. From the felled cedar, seven columns were cut out, which were supposed to support the vault. Six of them were installed at the edges. But the seventh pillar hung in the air. Then St. Nino began to pray, and as a result of this, the column stood in place and began to stream myrrh. Therefore, the temple is called Svetitskhoveli - "Life-Giving Pillar". After all, the precious ointment healed the sick who came to the church for healing. This is, of course, a beautiful legend. The temple was built by the architect Arsukisdze. All excursions in Georgia that visit the cathedral tell that the architect's teacher envied his skill, slandered the master, as a result of which his hand was cut off. The guides show the relief on the northern facade. It depicts a hand holding a square. But you need to find a unique fresco with a flying saucer and a face looking out of the porthole yourself. It is in the painting of the central miraculous pillar. Georgian kings - Irakli II, Gorgasali, George XII and others are buried in the script of the temple. The cathedral hosts the enthronement ceremonies of the new Catholicos.

Monastery Samtavro

The monastery is located within the city of Mtskheta. The monastery was built by King Mirian on the site of an unpreserved wooden church. The monastery was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt again. Under George I (the first half of the 11th century), the monastery took its current form, although some parts and the dome were created later, after the earthquakes of the 13th-14th centuries. The altar gates belong to the same period. Frescoes of the 16th-17th centuries have been preserved. The active female monastery of Samtavro keeps a piece of the myrrh-streaming pillar, the miraculous icons of the Iberian Mother of God and St. Nina, and other relics. The temple became the resting place of the first Christian king Mirian and his wife Nana. The revered Georgian saint, Elder Gabriel, is also buried there.

Jvari Monastery

This is another shrine that Mtskheta is famous for. Jvari is located outside the city, on a high hill. Getting out there, especially with children, it is worth taking a taxi - climbing the mountain is quite difficult. For twenty lari, the driver will take you to the observation deck, wait as long as you like and return to the city. It was about Jvari that Lermontov wrote in Mtsyri. At the foot of the cliff, the Aragvi River “intertwines in a sisterly embrace” with the Kura. The name Jvari is translated from Georgian as "Cross". And the name of the monastery was not given by chance. Saint Nino erected a cross on this rock in honor of the adoption of Christianity by Georgia. And the church itself was built in the sixth century.

Fortress Bebristsikhe

If you came to Georgia by car, be sure to visit this ancient monument. And if not, don't be stingy with a taxi. This attraction of Mtskheta is located on its northern outskirts - also on top of a hill. Looking at these picturesque romantic ruins, it is hard to believe that Bebristsikhe Castle once successfully defended the city from the invasion of enemies. The citadel looks very small. Most likely, she had a small garrison. Perhaps the fortress was impregnable due to its location and additional fortifications that have not survived to this day. Bebristsikhe citadel has been mentioned in chronicles since 1156. Within its walls, the king of Georgia, Demeter the First, perished. Unfortunately, in 2010 this attraction was seriously damaged by a landslide.

Monastery Shio-Mgvime

This monastery, along with Svetitskhoveli and Jvari, is considered a shrine of Georgia. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the monastery is invisible, although it does not hide. It's just that his buildings merge so much with the yellowish color of the rocky ledges that they appear only when the traveler approaches the monastery at a close distance. Many excursions in Georgia come to this oldest sacral complex in Mtskheta. The monastery got its name from Simeon of Mgvime, who built a church here in the sixth century. It has been preserved almost in its original form. The low building with a two-tiered dome topped with a turret with a gabled roof has no analogues not only in Georgia, but also in the world. The monastery is interesting not only for the church. The cells of the ancient monks were cut right in the rocks. The male cave monastery, which is still operating today, keeps a miraculous icon, which attracts many pilgrims.

Natural attractions of Mtskheta

Kazbegi National Park is located in the vicinity of the city. This is not only a great opportunity to get acquainted with the most picturesque nature of Georgia. After all, the gorge in the Terek valley has long been the most important strategic passage from the Transcaucasus to the north. Sheer cliffs crown medieval castles. Kazbegi is the third highest mountain. According to legend, Prometheus was chained here.

A trip to the ancient capital of the Georgian kingdom - Mtskheta - is a great opportunity to spend a wonderful day away from the hustle and bustle. And only a lazy tourist who has arrived in Georgia will deny himself the pleasure of visiting a small and cozy city, located just 20 minutes from the capital. I don’t consider myself as such, so every time I want to change the bustle of a big city for silence and peace, touch the true antiquity and visit the source of Georgian statehood, I go to Mtskheta.

To be precise, Mtskheta is, of course, not a city at all, but an overgrown village. In 2010, under the decree of Mikheil Saakashvili, restoration work began in all historical cities and the most visited places in the country in order to turn Georgia into the main center of attraction for tourists in the Caucasus. The reconstruction did not go past Mtskheta either - the central streets were expanded and "shod" in paving stones, the roofs of the houses were covered with textured red tiles, the balconies were patched up, and new "old" lanterns were installed.

Now it is a homely cozy town, with a somewhat fabulous appearance, small streets and numerous shops traditionally selling cute souvenirs. I really like to walk along these streets in the late evening, when one gets the impression of a complete separation from civilization - the locals have dispersed to their homes, and all the tourists have sat down in cozy cellars to drink tart wine. And if there are no clouds in the sky, then the huge moon, hanging over the nearby mountains, illuminates my path. It's hard to believe that you are only a few kilometers from.
So do not delay your trip and do not miss the opportunity to visit a cozy town located on the banks of the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers.

Yes, yes, it was about these places that Mikhail Lermontov wrote his immortal lines from the poem "Mtsyri":

"A few years ago,
Where, merging, they make noise,
Hugging like two sisters
Jets of Aragva and Kura,
There was a monastery...

By the way, the monument to the great Russian poet meets me every time on the road when I decide to go to Mtskheta.

How to get there

Mtskheta is located very close to Tbilisi - only 20 km along an excellent highway towards the Georgian Military Highway connecting the capital of North Ossetia, Vladikavkaz and Tbilisi. When we went here for the first time, it was not even entirely clear where the capital ended and Mtskheta began. But it is impossible to drive past the city - the huge building of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, located in the very center of the historical part of Mtskheta, can be seen from anywhere on the road.

By plane

If you decide to get to Mtskheta from anywhere in Georgia, except for Tbilisi, then keep in mind that the local Natakhtari airport is located very close to the city.

The airport is not international, so it only accepts flights from other Georgian cities. Keep in mind that Tbilisi, not Mtskheta, should be indicated in the “Arrival” column. Still, this airport is considered the capital. For example, a small-seat plane flies here from Mestia several times a week, from which stunning views of the greenery and severity of the Caucasus Mountains open up.
If you decide to go to Mtskheta straight from Russia, then first read where Mtskheta is within easy reach. There are no direct flights to Natakhtari from Russia. You can navigate the prices for a flight to Mtskheta on aggregator sites, for example,.

You can only get from the airport to Mtskheta by taxi - the price fluctuates around $ 5, which is quite a lot by local standards for a 6 km journey.

By train

Although the railway communication in Georgia is not very well developed due to the difficult terrain and mountainous terrain, you can get to Mtskheta, which is still on the plain, by train from the central railway station of Tbilisi. The ticket costs less than $0.5. True, from the Mtskheta station to the city center you will have to walk a little - about 1.5 km of a picturesque road along the river. Unfortunately, transport is not possible. And it’s unlikely to catch a taxi here - using the train from Tbilisi is not very popular.

After all, only a few trains and electric trains run through Mtskheta a day, and the schedule is unlikely to suit you. Therefore, it is better to take a bus or minibus from the Didube bus station.

By bus

If you do not have your own car, then the most correct and logical way to get to Mtskheta from Tbilisi is to use a bus or minibus. On the way, you will need to spend about 20-30 minutes, and from the window you can already enjoy not only the views of the mountains, but also breathe in the spicy aromas of barbecue, which Georgians cook in every tavern located along the road.
In order to take a minibus in the direction of Mtskheta, you need to get to the Didube metro station, where there is an impromptu bus station interspersed with shopping malls. If you get lost, don't be afraid to ask the locals for directions - they are all extremely hospitable and understand Russian. The fare is about 70 cents (1.5 lari). Minibuses run without a clear schedule: on average, every 20-30 minutes a small Mercedes or a good old Gazelka departs from the station in the direction of Mtskheta.

A minibus arrives at the central square of the city, from which it is only a few steps to walk to the main attraction of Mtskheta - the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.
By the way, you can also get to Mtskheta by taxi. Local "bombs" ask from 20 dollars (50 lari) for a round-trip trip from the center of Tbilisi, taking into account the waiting time. Do not be fooled - it is better to spend this money in one of the many restaurants in Mtskheta.
When you have already reached Mtskheta, do not rush to find yourself in one of the most important holy places in the country - look along the way at the numerous shops that the hospitable hosts have opened for their guests. I do this all the time. The owner of any house always offers me to try the best saperavi from his basement, and the hostess cuts off a piece of sugary-sweet churchkhela, which should be on the cover of a fashionable gastronomic magazine.

By car

The first time I went to Mtskheta was by car. To be honest, I was pretty confused then. But now I know for sure that getting to Mtskheta by car is easy. You leave the historical center of Tbilisi and on the same side of the Kura continue to move north all the time straight. Small traffic jams are possible on weekdays, because there are many wholesale markets and warehouses along this road closer to the exit from the city. And the locals are not particularly constrained by the rules of parking and leave their cars just in the middle of the road at random.
Having overcome all this chaos, you enter the highway, along which you need to follow the signs of Mtskheta. Keep in mind, Kura does not need to move to the other side - this road goes to Jvari and the northern entrance to the city. For us, this is an extra hook. So just go straight ahead and keep to the left at the fork near the river, you will go straight to the city center.

Be careful and do not drive hard after leaving Tbilisi:

• Firstly, there is a chance of being stopped by a patrol that catches especially dashing drivers,
• Secondly, you can just drive the right turn: at one moment the road to Mtskheta intersects with the only Tbilisi-Gori autobahn in Georgia, and it can be difficult to figure out the right direction at this interchange.

But even if you, like us for the first time, went to the highway and left Mtskheta on your left hand, don’t get upset and don’t try to turn around as quickly as possible, but rather drive straight to the Jvari temple, neatly rising on a hill above Mtskheta. All the same, it is simply impossible to drive this place while in Mtskheta. After all, it was from here, from this very place, that the spread of Christianity in Georgia began.

By ferry

By ferry to Georgia from Russia, you can only get to, from where you still have to go to Tbilisi. Therefore, study this article first:. If you nevertheless arrived in Georgia by ferry, then there is still one road to Mtskheta: through by train. Of course, you can take a minibus, but the journey will be much harder and longer than on a high-speed train, which will take you to the capital in 4.5 hours. And then on the minibus and 20 minutes on the road.

Clue:

Mtskheta - time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow - 1

Kazan - 1

Samara 0

Yekaterinburg 1

Novosibirsk 3

Vladivostok 6

When is the season. When is the best time to go

Main Attractions

Like any place with a rich history, Mtskheta also has its own legend. It is said that the legendary king Mtskhetos, the son of the first king of Kartli, lived in ancient times. So it was he who built a city for himself at the confluence of the two great rivers of Georgia. And called him by his name.

Historians put forward their own version of what happened: the city of Mtskheta was founded in the second half of the 1st millennium BC. That is, indeed, almost simultaneously with the creation on the territory of Georgia of the Eastern Georgian Kingdom - Kartli, the capital of which was Mtskheta.

That is why Mtskheta is quite rightly called the "cradle of Georgian statehood."

The capital status belonged to Mtskheta for almost a thousand years - until the end of the 5th century. AD - until the time when King Vakhtang Gorgasali decided to move the capital to Tbilisi. But even after that, Mtskheta did not lose its important position and remained the spiritual center of the country. It was here that until recently there was the residence of the Georgian Catholicos - the heads of the Georgian church.
Therefore, the main attractions of this small town are connected with the church and the history of the Christian religion on the territory of Georgia.

Entrance to all churches on the territory of Mtskheta is free: they have not yet learned how to make money on religion. But I highly recommend taking a local guide: Georgians are extremely religious people and talk about their faith with genuine involvement, which will always be of interest to the traveler. Look for certified guides near the entrance to the Svetitskhoveli temple. A short walk around the cathedral will cost about $10 (25 lari). But if you want, you can also arrange an excursion throughout Mtskheta with a visit to Svetitskhoveli, Samtavro and the Jvari temple. The price for such a service can reach $40 (100 lari), but no one has canceled the bargaining - you have one foot in the East.

Top 5

The ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, certainly deserves the title of the main spiritual center of the country. There is no such number of saints and places of worship in all of Georgia. No wonder this city is called the second Jerusalem. It was from here that Saint Nino of Cappadocia began her missionary work, it was here that the first monks settled on the territory of Georgia, it is here that one of the greatest shrines of the Christian world - the Chiton of the Lord is kept (though, in fairness, it should be noted that the same Chitons are stored in several other cities around At least one of the alleged Holy Chitons is located in the city of Trier in Germany.This is explained by the fact that in the Middle Ages people were not averse to cashing in by trading in Christian relics and passing off pieces of wood as parts of the Holy Cross, and rusty nails as nails from the Crucifixion ).
This also explains the status of Mtskheta as a holy city, where Christian pilgrims and tourists from all over the world flock, who are attracted by the numerous temples on the territory of Mtskheta.

In general, it makes sense to go to Mtskheta only if you are interested in the history and religion of Georgia. Indeed, apart from numerous churches and temples, there is nothing special to see in Mtskheta. Well, except perhaps the canonical view of the confluence of two rivers, which the unforgettable Russian classic wrote about.

In my opinion, the TOP-5 religious sights of the city and its environs are as follows. And it is in this order, not by their importance and significance, but by the emotions and impressions that visiting these places will give you.

• Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is one of the most ancient and revered churches, the former cathedral of all Georgia. He amazes me with his size. Before the construction of the Holy Trinity Church in Tbilisi, it was the Cathedral Church of Georgia. Standing under its walls, you feel like a grain of sand and marvel at how such a building could have been built more than a thousand years ago.

• The ancient picturesque monastery of Jvari is a unique and striking example of the religious architecture of the medieval Caucasus. It is from here that it is best to watch the sunset and look at the turbulent streams of the Aragvi and Kura, which practically connect to the foot of the rock on which the temple stands. True, photographs should be taken at dawn: then Mtskheta will be covered with the soft light of the morning sun, and your pictures will acquire a stylish and beautiful volume.

• Zedazen Monastery is the first monastery on the territory of Georgia, founded by one of the Assyrian fathers (the first preachers of Christianity in Georgia) in the 6th century AD. This is probably my favorite place not only in the vicinity of Mtskheta, but also in all of Georgia. Here you can really touch the antiquity and be transported back several tens of centuries: the walls of the monastery are also made of raw stone, and the complete absence of people will allow you to focus on your own thoughts and feelings. Yes, carefully study the walls of buildings and the temple itself: funny inscriptions from the distant past are scratched on them. For example, a declaration of love from the 18th century. Here is the real story!

• Samtavro Monastery is another important Christian landmark of Mtskheta. It is here that King Mirian and his wife Nana are buried, who were the first of the ruling elite to be baptized by St. Nino. Perhaps the most optional temple on the territory of Mtskheta - it is always full of people, as it is located in the center of the city, and from an architectural point of view it is not much different from other Georgian temples. In any case, a non-specialist will definitely not notice this difference. Much more interesting is the small chapel of St. Nino, which is located to the right of the entrance. Be sure to go inside - it was in such an atmosphere that this Georgian saint prayed, because the interior has not changed since the beginning of the 6th century.

• The Shio-Mgvime Monastery is another of the monasteries of the Assyrian fathers that have survived to this day in an unchanged state. But here, on the contrary, it is worth a trip if you have time. I was most struck not even by the monastery itself, but by the huge number of caves that the monks dug around it. It feels like you are in the middle of a giant anthill. Still, it was not for nothing that during its heyday this monastery was one of the largest in Georgia.

Mtskheta really amazes with the number of the most important places of worship for the Christian world on a small piece of land. No wonder it is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list as a historical landmark not only of little Georgia, but of all mankind.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

Jvari temple

The most important and important temple on the territory of Mtskheta is the temple of Jvari. The very word "jvari" is translated from Georgian as a cross. And the temple is so named because it was on the very spot where the first cross-domed church on the territory of Georgia now flaunts that St. Nino put the first cross on the territory of Georgia and proclaimed this land the patrimony of the one Christian God.
Later, a temple was built over the cross, which was called the Temple of the Holy Cross.
I recommend coming to Jvari at sunset - it offers a stunning view of Mtskheta, which takes on absolutely fabulous shades under the rays of the setting sun.
You can get to the mountain to Jvari only by taxi, hitchhiking or on foot. Public transport does not run. For a taxi ride to Jvari and back from the center of Mtskheta, you can negotiate for 7-9 dollars (15-20 lari).

The church is open daily, opens at 8 am and closes around 8 pm. Entrance to the temple is free. Services are held in Jvari, but quite rarely. True, the newlyweds are very fond of getting married here, so there is an opportunity to hear Georgian singing on Saturdays and Sundays.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

Unconditionally, this is the main temple in Georgia, where tourists go from Tbilisi in the first place. The name of the cathedral is traditionally translated as "life-giving pillar". In its modern form, the temple has existed since 1010, and its history is covered with many interesting legends. The first thing that struck me when I first came here was, of course, its size and some all-encompassing power. You should definitely go around the temple from the outside and carefully examine all its numerous patterns, then go inside and literally drown in the azure of medieval frescoes of the 15th century.

You can read more about the history and legends of Svetitskhoveli in the article “.

Entrance to the cathedral is free. You can get inside from 8 am to 8 pm. The cathedral is active, services are held daily, but the largest ones are on Sunday. And of course, during the Mtskhetloba holiday. At this time, it is difficult to enter the temple due to the large number of visitors.

Monastery Samtavro

The last significant building on the territory of Mtskheta itself is the active Samtavro convent of the 11th century, the history of which is also inextricably linked with St. Nino. The monastery is famous for the fact that it is here that King Mirian and his wife Nana are buried, the first to be baptized with the Christian faith from Nino in 337. And right at the entrance on the right side there is a small chapel of St. Nino. It was here that she prayed for these lands during her pilgrimage to Georgia.

The cathedral is active, so admission is free. You can get inside from 8 am to 8 pm. If you're lucky, you can hear real Georgian church singing - it gives you goosebumps, honestly. Come on a day off, so there are more chances that you will get to a wedding or baptism.

Museums. Which are worth a visit

Mtskheta itself is a cultural, ethnographic and historical open-air museum. Walk along its narrow streets, visit smiling hosts, touch the old times in the churches and temples of the city.

If this is not enough for you, then you can look into a small archaeological museum located in the very center of the city at Mamulashvili 1.

Opening hours: from 10 to 17 daily, ticket price 1.5 dollars (3 lari).

In fact, the museum is often closed. Up-to-date information can be found at the tourist office of Mtskheta, located opposite the entrance to Svetitskhoveli.
The museum contains funds from the archaeological sites of Mtskheta and its environs, including the burial ground of Samtavro, Armazistsikhe and Bebristsikhe.
But to be honest, you will not lose anything if you do not go there, but spend your free time visiting one of the sights in the vicinity of Mtskheta.

parks

There are no remarkable parks in Mtskheta itself. However, there are several natural reserves and national parks not far from the city: Kazbegi National Park, Lagodekhi National Park and others. These are independent trips not for one day, but if you decide, then a passing minibus goes to Kazbegi. The easiest way to sit on it is at the Bebristsikhe fortress, located in the very north of Mtskheta. Getting to Lagodekhi is not so easy: the easiest way to do it is through Tbilisi. Several minibuses go to the park from the Ortachala station (Gulia st. 2) a day.

If we talk about the natural attractions of Mtskheta itself, then go down to the Aragvi River, perhaps the most popular river in Georgia. Not only drinks, restaurants and cafes are named after her. The locals name their children after her. From here you have a wonderful view of the Jvari temple. And in the summer you can even swim.

What to see in the surroundings

Zedazen Monastery

The first monastery on the territory of Georgia, founded by the leader of the Assyrian fathers - Ivan Zedazensky in the VI century.

A small one-nave temple made of rough masonry without windows and external decoration is perhaps one of the most charming temples in all of Georgia. Here, like nowhere else, you can feel the special spirit of antiquity, the real holiness of this place. And from the edge of the mountain, a simply breathtaking view of the plain opens up, where the whole of Tbilisi is visible at a glance, and Jvari, where we recently visited, seems to be just a tiny speck that can not even be seen right away.

If you do not have your own car, then you can get to the temple only by taxi. But not every taxi driver will agree to go here because of the heavily broken road. So look for the most courageous. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get from the city center, although the distance is only about 15 km. The price for this trip will start from $15 (40 lari).

Shio-Mgvime Monastery

An ancient monastery located 15 kilometers from the city of Mtskheta along a dead end road. The height from sea level is about 750 meters, so even in summer it is fresh and good here. It was founded in the VI century by Saint Shio, one of the Assyrian fathers, Shio of Mgvim. Now it is the most famous monastery in the vicinity of Mtskheta and Tbilisi.

The place is very calm, beautiful and peaceful. I recommend buying food in Mtskheta and coming here to wait out the heat for a lunch picnic, which can be arranged on any of the hills in the vicinity of the monastery.

The monastery cannot be reached by public transport. The only way to get to the monastery is to negotiate with local taxi drivers who are on duty on the central square of Mtskheta. For a round-trip trip with a wait, you will be asked about 15-17 dollars (30-40 lari). Show your ability to drop the price and you can leave for 10 dollars (25 lari).
If you come to Mtskheta for more than one day, treat yourself to an amazing walk and go to the monastery on foot: and as a reward, arrange a picnic near the walls of the monastery alone with nature and yourself.

Winery "Chateau Mukhrani"

The time has come to taste food not only spiritual, but also worldly. And for this, the amazing Chateau Mukhrani winery is just right. In my opinion, one of the best wineries in all of Georgia. To understand why, let's take a look at history.
In the 18th century, this whole area was called Samukhrano and belonged to the princes of Mukhrani, who were one of the main enlighteners of Georgia. Their family meant for central Georgia about the same as the name Chavchavadze for Kakhetia. The Mukhransky Estate has become a center of European innovation. Here appeared the first parquet in Georgia and the first billiards. A winery was also built here, which began to produce wines in a non-traditional European style for Georgia. But by the end of the 19th century, all this economy fell into decay: the last of the great family, Prince Konstantin, sold the winery along with the estate, and it gradually fell into decay. During the Soviet era, the estate was empty and fell into a deplorable state. However, around 2006, the Chateau-Mukhrani company was founded, which became the owner of the entire estate and in 2007 received the first grape harvest, after which a new winery was built near the estate. In 2011, the estate was renovated and brought to an elegant state.
The renovation has not been completed yet, but even now you can enjoy the aristocratic atmosphere of Georgia in the middle of the 19th century. And to become an aristocrat for a while and not try the unique local wine is completely unforgivable.

Personally, I really liked Gorulis-Mtsvane. Mukhranian saperavi is somewhat different from the classic Kakhetian one: it is lighter, because it is prepared according to European technology. But the most valuable thing here, of course, is Muscat: this is one of the few wineries where you can taste this sweet wine made from fragrant white grapes. By the way, wine produced by Chateau Mukhrani can also be bought in the center of Tbilisi: the company owns its own brand store right on Meidan.

To get to the estate, you need to go to the village of Mukhrani. This is 30 kilometers from Tbilisi (all from the same station near the Didube metro station) along the Gori autobahn to the junction with a sign for Mukhrani. From here you will have to walk to the village or catch a ride: hospitable locals will gladly give you a ride. Yes, and feed, most likely, too. From the central square of Mukhrani to the estate is about 1.5 km on foot. Of course, there are direct Mukhran minibuses for 1.5 dollars (3 lari) from Didube, but they do not run often. So jump into any minibus going towards Gori and get off at the turn to the village of Mukhrani.

You can get to the winery both independently and as part of an organized group. There are a lot of options for excursions: from a simple walk around the estate ($4) to a premium tasting with a master class ($20). In any case, it is better to call in advance and agree on the time of your visit. Phone +995 595 99 13 14.

Food. What to try

Mtskheta is a popular place for out-of-town picnics and family dinners throughout Tbilisi. Therefore, the number of establishments of different levels in the city and its environs is quite a lot. Already at the entrance, the aromas of Georgian spices and the smell of fried meat will try to lead you astray towards new discoveries and knowledge. Resist this temptation, but rather leave the meal for the afternoon to recuperate after a busy day and recharge before the upcoming exploits.
In general, the food in the restaurants of Mtskheta will seem to real connoisseurs of Georgia designed for tourists - unreasonably expensive and not authentic enough (you can read about real Georgian food). Although, in my opinion, by the standards of Tbilisi, the prices here are moderate, and the quality, as elsewhere in Georgia, is quite up to par. You should not ignore the restaurants for the locals, which are located along the roads: the food in them is real, cheaper, although they are not as elegant as in the center.
There are practically no special and specific dishes in the Mtskheta region. It is only worth mentioning the shish kebab of beef tenderloin under the strange name “saki” for the Russian ear, as well as the best lobio in all of Georgia that I have ever managed to try. It is served in a clay pot, covered with warm mchadi corn tortilla, and traditional Georgian pickles: jon-joli, hot pepper and pickled cucumber.

Budget places

"Salobie"

The best budget restaurant is Salobie. This institution does not bypass any Georgian who comes to Mtskheta from other regions of the country: the kebab here is simply delicious (3-5 dollars), the same lobio in a pot is magnificent (2 dollars), and khinkali will give odds to many establishments of a much higher level. The restaurant is located right on the way to Mtskheta at the Karsani railway station, not far from the entrance to the city. Take for 2 dollars (5 lari) any taxi driver from the center, and you can walk back.

Address: Tbilisi bypass road, Mtskheta

"Armazis Kheoba"

If you continue along the right bank of the Kura and do not turn into Mtskheta, then immediately after turning into the city, on your left hand, there will be a large restaurant complex "Armazis Kheoba". Despite its size, the restaurant is very sincere: an authentic atmosphere and delicious hot dishes, which you should definitely drink with 100 grams of local chacha. We ordered a wonderful chashushuli here ($5), which gave us strength for the rest of the day. Views of the Kura River and towering mountains on the horizon complete the picture of your afternoon break.

Address: Armazi, 1, Mtskheta

Intermediate level

"Gujari"

This restaurant is a gem of Mtskheta! Not devoid of pathos, the complex is surrounded by a beautiful park with mowed lawns. A choice of Georgian and European food, up to coffee-based desserts that are unprecedented in Georgia. The average bill without wine is about $15.
The service here is pretty fast and the food is amazing. In the meantime, you are waiting for dinner, try to bake bread yourself in a real Georgian tone. From the number of wines you just run your eyes. But I still recommend choosing a classic red saperavi made from real qvevri.

Address: Aghmashenebeli 156, Mtskheta

"Wine House"

An interesting establishment that combines a wine cellar and a restaurant. Rather, it is suitable for tasting the whole variety of Georgian wines: there is a huge amount of it, and the interiors of the wine cellar will be set up in the right way. Prices for wines vary: it strongly depends on the technology and the region. But count on at least $20 for real Georgian wine. The views from the top floors are some of the best in town, but the food leaves a lot to be desired. More precisely, it is quite good here, but there are better places in the vicinity of Mtskheta.

Address: Agmashenebeli 69, Mtskheta

Holidays

Georgians are extremely religious and idle people at the same time. That is why every Christian holiday is necessarily accompanied by folk festivals, mass pilgrimages and sincere gatherings with the invariable mention of all the revered saints. Of course, as in any secular country, there are enough public holidays in Georgia. However, they are not celebrated on such a scale with which religious dates are celebrated. Still, a good half of all the holidays celebrated on a grand scale throughout the country are connected with the history of Christianity.
Mtskheta is no exception in this sense.

One of the centers of Christian life throughout the country, Mtskheta, is also the center of attraction for pilgrims who flock here on important church holidays.

And the main one is the Day of Remembrance of all the Holy Assyrian Fathers - May 7th. On this day, the streets of the city are filled with hundreds of people who came to pay tribute to the thirteen Cappadocian monks who arrived in Georgia to spread Christianity in the 6th century. The ascetic atmosphere of solitude of the Zedazen and Shio-Mgvime monasteries, reigning 364 days a year, is replaced by pilgrims for a day, seeking to bow to the saints in their resting places. And according to legend, it is on this day that the spring on Mount Zedazeni, created by John of Zedazeni, is filled with holy water.

It is rather problematic for ordinary tourists to find accommodation or sit in a restaurant: locals gather in huge families from all over the country and arrange real festivities. And not just in restaurants. Along the road and by the river you can see a large number of picnics, and the persistent aroma of spices and barbecue hangs in the air.

Another important holiday for Mtskheta is Mtskhetoba-Svetitskhovloba, which is celebrated on October 14, is dedicated to the Chiton of the Lord and the Life-Giving Pillar, exuding miraculous myrrh.

On this day, people from all over the city and nearby towns and villages come to the city of Mtskheta, to one of the main cathedrals of the Georgian church - Svetitskhoveli, in which, according to legend, part of Christ's clothes is kept to pray and light candles in a special solemn atmosphere. It is significant that this day is non-working for the whole of Georgia.

Safety. What to watch out for

A very good friend of mine who lives in Tbilisi once told me that he invited his Russian friends to visit, and they were afraid to come, because "we will be killed there." Many tourists who turn to me with a request to organize a trip around Georgia for them are first of all interested in how safe it will be in the country, whether it is possible to walk without an escort through the streets of the city and travel outside Tbilisi without guides. In such cases, I always get lost and do not know what to answer.

To laugh it off - they may not understand, to answer simply and honestly - they may not believe. But I always tell my tourists and acquaintances that Russia is two different worlds and two completely different ideas about problems and dangers.

When I am in Georgia for a long time, sometimes I myself forget how much a person in Russia is afraid of, or, to be more precise, how much trouble he is already prepared for in advance. Indeed, in our country we constantly live with the feeling that something can happen. And we are doing everything to protect ourselves from potential problems. In Georgia, everything is different.

Here, for a long time, people do not close their cars when they go out to the store, leave things on a table in a cafe when they go to wash their hands, do not watch their suitcases at the station when they go to buy tickets. Therefore, when I remember what is happening in Russia, I honestly say yes, it is completely safe in Georgia.

Although, of course, it is worth remembering that the very concept of security is rather conditional. Even in the safest country, there are dangerous places where it is better not to come. And the cities, which for a long time were the standard of security, suddenly become almost the arena of hostilities. Suffice it to recall the modern.

Georgia is more fortunate in this regard: in general, the tourist feels completely safe throughout the country. I traveled up and down Georgia several times and lived in the country for a total of about six months. So, nothing bad has ever happened to me. I have never felt any inadequate attitude towards me from the locals.

However, of course, by the level of security, it is necessary to distinguish between large cities and the province. Any large city attracts completely different people, among whom there are many who seek to easily cash in on someone else's expense. Therefore, of course, in Tbilisi you can’t completely relax, you should keep an eye on things and pockets in crowded places. As, however, in Mtskheta, which is a very touristic place. This means that it also attracts lovers of easy money. But don't worry too much about yourself. It is enough just to be vigilant, and you can avoid any problems.

How to move around the city

Mtskheta is mostly a pedestrian city. The entire center is closed to cars, and only local residents can drive to their homes by car. Therefore, it is most correct to move around the city on foot, especially since the distances here are quite small: the historical part is very compact and a leisurely walk from Svetitskhoveli to Samtavro will take no more than 5 minutes.
In order to get to remote places in the city, for example, the railway station, you will need to use the services of a taxi. Despite the fact that the distances here are ridiculous, you are unlikely to be able to negotiate for less than 2 dollars (5 lari) per trip.
Well, in order to get to the nearest attractions, you will only have to take a taxi. There is no public transport to Zedazensky or Shio-Mgvime monastery. A round-trip trip will cost approximately $15-20 (30-50 lari) due to poor road conditions and complete off-road conditions in the case of the Zedazen Monastery.

If you prefer to rent a car for trips around the area, prices can be found.

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