Visited in October 2016
Set in the small town of Akhaltsikhe in the southwestern region of Georgia called Samtskhe-Javakheti, Rabati Fortress is a recently restored historical castle and museum. The road from Tbilisi to Vardzia goes through Akhaltsikhe, so the castle is very easy to visit and a really worthwhile stop, as it’s a great showcase of centuries of Georgian history and culture conveniently located in one site.
Last visited in October 2016.
When we landed at Tbilisi International Airport on my first visit in 2013, it was full of promotional posters reading “Tbilisi. The City that Loves You”. By the time we were getting on our return flight, I could honestly say that the feeling was mutual.
Notes from group visits in 2013 and 2016
No matter how popular Georgia is with travelers from the former USSR, the country is still one of the world’s best kept travel secrets and deserving of a much bigger reputation then it currently enjoys. I think there will come a time when all the world’s travelers will come to appreciate all the good things about coming here – the warm hospitality of the Georgian people themselves, the beautiful scenery, the ancient winemaking traditions and spectacular cuisine, the unique culture,art and architecture. In the meantime those of us in the know can enjoy all this with less competition.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites inscription details
Visited in August 2013
Haghpat is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list together with another nearby monastery – Sanahin. We only had time to do one on our last day in Armenia, as we were on a strict timeline. It was our 6th monastery complex of a 3 day tour and we were still enchanted and amazed. Haghpat and Sanahin are located in northern Armenia, not far from the border with Georgia and is a great day trip option from Georgia into Armenia, if you don’t have time to spend in both countries and want to sample Armenian architecture.
