Akhaltsikhe is a town in Southern Georgia, founded in Middle Ages. Its name means “a new fortress”, because the town’s fortress used to be the most important landmark of the region. In 1579 it was a center of a region of Ottoman Empire, then, during Russian – Turkish war in 1828 – 1829,  Georgia got it  and used to be a part of Russian Empire.

Now, the huge freshly renovated fortress of Rabati remains the main landmark of Akhaltsikhe. Its upper part includes the castle of Jakeli family, where the Museum of Samtskhe-Javakheti region is situated; there are also an Akhmediye Mosque, an orthodox church, an amphitheatre and a citadel. The other part of Rabati includes touristic objects as hotels, cafes, restaurants, an information center, and even a marriage hall. It is a very beautiful place for a wedding ceremony and a romantic photo shooting, indeed!

Beside this, there are also several interesting places near Akhaltsikhe: an ancient fortress of Atskuri, which has been constructed in the X century, and also Saphara monastery, which kept its beauty even after the most difficult years in Georgian history.

Vardzia is  an impressive cave town founded by King George III in the XII century. During its golden time it accommodated around 50.000 people. It includes living quarters, wine cellars churches and monasteries, and even a library. There was even a sewerage system in the town! Hard to believe, that already in XII century far in the mountains people could live in such a developed town hewn in rocks… That’s why you have to go to Vardzia to see it with your own eyes!

Borjomi is famous for its mineral water industry. Because of the supposed restorative and healing powers of the area’s mineral springs, it is  frequent destination of people with health problems. The most popular sites are:
Blue Palace “Firuza”
“Firuza” is one of the most important historical buildings in Borjomi. Situated at the entrance of the “Mineral Water Park,” it was built in 1892 by the consul of Iran and is considered a unique cultural monument. The building combines characteristics of Persian, Georgian and European styles.

 Peter’s Castle
The medieval castle is located on a high rocky mountain, a few kilometers from Borjomi. In the XVI century, after the Ottoman conquest of Tori (a historic region of Georgia), Peter’s Castle was the administrative center of the Ottomans. Currently, the preserved remains of various buildings lie within the fortress walls, including ruins of a residence hall and a wine cellar.

The Romanovs’ Palace dates back to the nineteenth century. In 1892-1895, the palace was built by the architect Leontin Benua, under the order of Russian Tsar Nikolas II. The palace houses unique exhibits, including a table given to the Romanovs by Napoleon, armchairs given by the Shah of Iran, and a historical hand-made table carved by the Russian Emperor Peter.

 Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
Borjomi-Kharagauli protected area is one of the largest national parks in Europe. Its total territory is about 85,083 ha, more than 1% of the territory of Georgia. The national park offers hiking, horseback riding, biking, cultural and educational tours – the routes function throughout the year. Picnic spots and camping sites are also situated along the routes.

 Kvabiskhevi Church of the Assumption is  three-aisled basilica, constructed in the 8th–9th centuries, is one of the most historic buildings in Borjomi valley, located just 21 kilometers from the town of Borjomi. The frescos within the church date back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Location: village of Kvabiskhevi.