Telavi

Nestled between the majestic Caucasus and Gombori mountain ranges, Telavi is the largest city in the Karkethi region of Georgia. The inception of the town dates back as early as the Bronze Age, making it one of the oldest cities in the country.

Strewn across vineyard covered valleys, the hill station of Telavi prides in its unique natural beauty. Telavi also happens to be the only town in Georgia where all fortification monuments remain intact, leading historians to dub the place as the ‘most medieval city in Georgia’.

The biggest attraction in Telavi is undoubtedly the fortresses here- the Dzveli Galavani, the Fortress Batonis Tsikhe, the Kuchibashi Shvilebis Tsikhe  and the akhvakhishvilebis Tsikhe. Another extremely popular tourist spot here is the 900 year old plane tree, rising to a height of 40 meters above ground level.  The city is also home to the Alaverdi Cathedral, the second largest cathedral in the country.

If you’re keen on exploring the local wine in Telavi, you could head on over to the Schuchmann Wines Chateau, a resident winery offering wine making tours. While in Telavi, you could also head over to the Iketo Academy in the outskirts of Georgia. Founded by the 13 Assyrian fathers of Georgia, this ancient monastery complex is the biggest cultural spot in the country.

Telavi experiences the temperate climate typical of Georgia. The summers are warm and mostly clear; the winters are long, very cold, and partly cloudy. Precipitation remains sparse throughout the year.