What to See in Georgia

last edited Dec 11, 2019

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Location Map of Georgia

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UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Georgia has 3 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list:

Upper Svaneti
In the northwest of the country, bordering Russia, Upper Svaneti is a stunningly isolated region of forests and high mountains, with deeply rooted traditions. It attracts visitors for its landscapes, hiking, and mountaineering, as well as its small villages (including Ushguli), churches, and fortified structures, which have earned it UNESCO recognition.

Kutaisi (1994)
It is the second-largest city in Georgia and its administrative capital. Its cathedral and the Gelati Monastery on its outskirts are UNESCO-listed.

Mtskheta (1994)
One of the oldest cities in Georgia, near the capital. Its many historical monuments and monasteries have earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Cities and Cultural Heritage

Abastumani
A small spa town with a few historic wooden buildings. You can hike in the surrounding forests or in the nearby Borjomi Park.

Akhaltsikhe
A medium-sized city with an old center dominated by a large and beautiful medieval castle. Several monasteries (Sapara...) and small fortresses (Khertvisi...) in the surrounding area.

Batumi
This Black Sea port city, with its serene climate, attracts many visitors for its beaches (or those nearby, like Sarpi), its lively atmosphere, and, secondarily, its buildings and contemporary architecture.

Borjomi
At the entrance to the national park of the same name, for which it can serve as a base, the town is known for housing the Likani Palace of the Romanovs. Nearby, and accessible by train, is the Bakuriani ski resort.

Dmanisi
This large village is home to an important archaeological site of cultural significance dating back to prehistoric times.

Ananuri Fortress
A picturesque riverside fortress about sixty kilometres from Tbilisi.

Khertvisi Fortress
A medieval fortress set in a picturesque landscape near Akhaltsikhe.

Gori
Dominated by its citadel, Stalin’s birthplace with its dedicated museum is a site of "pilgrimage" for those nostalgic for the dictator.

Kazbegi
Located on the Russian border, this mountain town serves as a base for numerous hikes in the eponymous park or the ascent of Mount Kazbeg (5,033 m).

Kutaisi
It is the second-largest city in Georgia and its administrative capital. Its cathedral and the Gelati Monastery on its outskirts are UNESCO-listed.

Lentekhi
This is a village in western Georgia, at the foot of the Caucasus, with several ancient churches and a castle. It is also the main locality of Lower Svaneti.

Mestia
This town in Svaneti (the "capital" of Upper Svaneti) often serves as a base for hiking or mountaineering in the region.

David Gareja Monastery
A beautiful 6th-century Orthodox monastery with caves adorned with religious paintings, set in a scenic natural landscape on the border with Azerbaijan, which also claims it.

Djvari Monastery
This is a 6th-century Georgian Orthodox monastery located opposite the town of Mtskheta, which it overlooks in a beautiful setting.

Kintsvisi Monastery
A 14th-century Orthodox monastery located in the center of the country.

Sapara Monastery
A beautiful Orthodox monastery near Akhaltsikhe.

Monastère troglodyte de Vardzia, Géorgie

Vardzia Cave Monastery
In the south of the country, this 12th-century monastic complex is unique for being carved into the mountainside. Originally, the site—surrounded by a network of fortresses—comprised 3,000 caves connected by tunnels.

Zedazeni Monastery
One of Georgia's many monasteries, located north of the capital Tbilisi.

Mtskheta
One of the oldest cities in Georgia, near the capital. Its many historical monuments and monasteries have earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Nokalakevi
An archaeological site with the remains of the ancient city of Archaeopolis.

Oni
This small town, the traditional center of Georgia’s Jewish community, is at the heart of a region rich in small churches and medieval fortresses. You can also hike in the beautiful surrounding mountains.

Uplistsikhe
An uninhabited troglodyte city made up of over 150 "caves" right next to Gori.

Poti
The main interest of this large military port is that it offers ferry connections to various Black Sea ports in Bulgaria and Ukraine.

Georgian Military Highway
This is the name of the traditional route connecting Georgia (Tbilisi) to Russia (Vladikavkaz) via the Caucasus. It is now a more or less tourist-friendly road winding through stunning mountain landscapes.

Rustavi
A large city that has seen better economic days, located about thirty kilometres from Tbilisi. It's typical of Soviet architecture and urban planning.

Sighnaghi
This is a charming town with a distinct character, thanks to its colorful houses adorned with balconies lining its sloping streets.

Tbilisi
Georgia’s beautiful and lively capital offers a charming old centre and several museums to visit.

Telavi
The capital of the Kakheti region in eastern Georgia, Telavi boasts a notable medieval heritage. There are plenty of churches, monasteries, and old castles in the surrounding area, as well as many vineyards to explore.

Tusheti
A small, remote mountainous region in the northeast with villages where vibrant cultures and traditions still thrive.

Pankisi Valley
This isolated valley in the east, bordering Chechnya, is home to several traditional Chechen villages. However, it is not generally considered safe and is most often advised against visiting.

Natural Heritage

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
This is a large park where you can hike through the forests and mountains of the southern Caucasus.

Kazbegi National Park
This vast mountainous area on the Russian border is a prime hiking destination (including the trek to the Trinity Church of Gergeti), as well as a hub for mountaineering with Mount Kazbek (5,033 m). It forms a single region with the neighboring Tusheti Park.

Lagodekhi National Park
In the east, on the borders with Russia and Azerbaijan, this stunning area of mountains, forests, and waterfalls offers numerous trekking opportunities.

Separatist Regions

Warning: The "republics" of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are strongly advised against for safety reasons by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Abkhazia
Like South Ossetia, the region is in conflict with Tbilisi and is not generally recommended. Otherwise, you can discover beautiful landscapes with lakes, the Krubera-Voronja chasm, beaches (Gagra, Pitsunda, Sukhumi), the New Athos Monastery and cave, and numerous villages (Lykhny, Kaman, Moqua...).

Sukhumi
It’s the capital of Abkhazia. Traditionally, the city is a seaside resort with various buildings still bearing a Soviet appearance. It also serves as a base for exploring the surrounding mountains and coastline.

South Ossetia
The region bordering Russia, north of the capital, is in open conflict with Tbilisi over its independence and is not recommended for travel, including its "capital" Tskhinvali.