Visit to Kakheti: wine region in Georgia

Updated: November 2, 2023

On a visit to Kakheti you can admire medieval cities, learn about unique Georgian wines and other gastronomic traditions.

Kakheti is one of the Most popular 1-day tours from Tbilisi for its proximity and variety of places to see.

In this article I will tell you about the most interesting places that are the stops that excursions usually make, that is its capital Telavi, Signaghi the city of love and the Bodbe Monastery.

Of course, with a stop to learn about the unique and ancient tradition of wine making Georgian with a very generous tasting. 🍷

In this region there is also the David Gareja Monastery and the Rainbow Mountains (Rainbow hills), about which I wrote another independent article that you can read at that link.

Kakheti region

Kakheti or Kakheti is the main wine region of Georgia and crops in general that From the end of the 8th century it was an independent principality.

Although there were attempts to incorporate it into the kingdom of Georgia, it was only King David the Builder who achieved it in the early 12th century.

This small mountainous region is characterized by its fertile lands and areas with very varied climates which would be typical of the continental Mediterranean and humid subtropical areas.

The They have 5 types of climates in the same region.

Because of these characteristics, Georgians believe that you can grow anything that will sprout. They have a curious saying, As a local in the area explained to me:

Plant a pencil and it will grow.

Georgian folk saying

What to see in Kakheti?

1.- Bodbe Monastery

Bodbe Monastery located just 2 km from Sighnaghi town.

The first church was built in the 4th century and the monastery itself in the 5th century although it has undergone several reconstructions.

This monastery is dedicated to Saint Nino who spent his last days there and was the one who introduced Christianity to Georgia in the time of King Mirian.

Specifically, Christianity was first adopted in the city of Mtskheta, former capital of Georgia.

Although Bodbe is still called a monastery because of its history as such, but today functions as the Bodbe Convent, because there are no monks but nuns.

In the enclosure the most interesting thing to see is:

1. The old church that is beautifully decorated with frescoes which unfortunately cannot be photographed. The interior of the church is a place that I recommend spending a good time admiring all the details. In addition, there is a chapel with the tomb of Santa Nino, hence the convent is one of the main places of pilgrimage for the faithful;
2. he Bell tower which is outside the church, although you cannot visit the inside;
3. the great basilica, which is a modern construction to house more faithful, it has some interesting reliefs on the outside, but inside it is quite austere;
4. another eye-catching thing is the gardens If you go in late summer or spring you will find them very colorful with beds of wild flowers and a wide selection of rose bushes from different parts of the world.

📢 Data: In many churches in Georgia you cannot take photos, the old Bodbe church is very strict about this.

Furthermore, as it is a place of pilgrimage, I recommend that you have respect for the faithful and give them way.

2.- Sighnaghi, the city of love

Sighnaghi or Signagi is a fairly important town in the Kakheti region, although it is small and does not even have 1,500 inhabitants.

Its importance is due to the fact that it is a commercial town, a place of starting point for wine-related tours because it is located in the central area of the region and because of its proximity to the Bodbe Convent.

According to archaeological excavations there was a settlement there since the Paleolithic.

However, its historical relevance came in the 18th century, when It was fortified with its 4.5 km long wall with 23 towers to defend the area. It is the longest wall in Georgia.

Each of the towers It was defended by the people of each of the 23 towns region of.

At that time it was given its current name, which comes from Turkish and means "refuge."

During the Russian invasion of the Caucasus War, the wall It was a key military strategic point.

What to see in Sighnaghi?

The most interesting thing to visit in the town is the wall, there is an area that is right next to the old town where you can climb to have good views over the region with the Caucasus Mountains in the background and you can see other parts of the wall further away with their towers.

It is a very charming part of the town with Cobbled streets, gates of the wall, traditional homes, wooden balconies pastel colors and small shops with mainly textile souvenirs.

City of love

This town It is known as "City of Love" for its charm and because it is one of the main places to get married in Georgia, where everything is easy.

To the point that The courthouse (Wedding Hall) is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year., so that anyone can get married whenever they decide.

A bit like Las Vegas, but in a charming town.

3.- Telavi, the capital

Telavi is the capital of the Kakheti region although it is already It was populated in times of the Bronze Age, Its importance came when It became the main city of the principality in the 8th century.

Even when it was annexed to the kingdom of Georgia, it remained the capital of the region, except for a period when Gremi was the capital (I'll tell you more below).

The city is mainly medieval and in it the fortifications of 4 periods are preserved intact different.

Another point of interest in Telavi is a sycamore or false plane tree, it is an impressive tree more than 900 years old, 46 m high and 12 m in perimeter.

4.- Wine production

According to archaeological findings, it is believed that Georgians are the people who have been making wine the longest, specific more than 8,000 years.

In Kakheti, The vines are grown in the Lori and Alazani river basins between 250 and 800 meters high, conditions that give a special character to Georgian wines, in addition to the unique grape species of this country.

Wine making in Georgia is quite different from what we use in Spain and the rest of the West.

Wine fermentation is done in egg-shaped clay vessels called kvevri that remain entries in the ground.

In the kvevri the wine is fermented and aged. It usually takes about 5 to 6 months to be ready. for consume.

Wineries in Kakheti

Most of the wineries in Georgia, specialized in tourist visits where they will explain the ancient Georgian process and you can taste them, are located near Telavi.

The prices for a wine tour starts at 35 lari (12.49 euros) and can be shot up to 350 lari (124.92 euros).

I visited this area with an excursion and it already included a visit to the wineries, where the guide gave a very interesting and detailed explanation, which included how to clean the kvevri getting inside and a lot of other details.

👍 Fun fact: Living in Georgia for 1 year, I asked every Georgian I met if they made wine. The answer was always affirmative. 😄 In Georgia, everyone makes wine at the family level.

Then at the end there is a tasting of different wines and the good thing in Georgia is that They are very generous with the amount of wine that serve to leave "very happy."

This is a visit to Kakheti that you cannot miss if you like wine.

📢 Important: One thing that caught my attention at the wine tasting I went to is that they first served chacha, a high-quality Georgian liqueur. alcohol content similar to absinthe and then they continued with the wine.

If you've been to any wine tasting before, you'll know this is a huge aberration.

I recomend you skip the chacha if you want to enjoy the nuances of the wine Georgian or if not ask to drink your shot of chacha at the end of the tasting.

But if the idea is to get drunk, go ahead with the chacha to the fullest. 😜

5.- Gremi and the Church of the Archangels

Gremi was a prosperous city during the period between the 16th and 17th century it was the capital of Kakheti.

This city enjoyed a great commercial bustle because The Silk Road passed through there.

Now what remains are the remains of that city that were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007.

But what remains standing and is worth seeing is the Church of the Archangels, dedicated to the archangels Michael and Gabriel.

The church has some very beautiful frescoes although with very damaged parts.

Then he highlights his bell tower that functions as a small museum of the remains found in excavations in the area and with panoramic views of the valley.

• Bell tower schedule: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Entry Fee:: 10 lari (3.57 euros)

6.- Preparation of traditional bread

Some excursions also stop at some traditional Georgian bakery where they explain the artisanal production in their curious ovens.

The ovens are known as toneThey are circular in shape and made of clay and the bread is stuck inside to bake it.

The bread is called puri and some varieties are shoti puri.

These breads made with flour, water, salt and natural yeast of the flowers of a plant are very tasty, tender and with a good crumb.

In addition, it is normal for bakeries to produce small batches to sell it hot, which is even more delicious.

⭐ In this other article you can read more about 9 Best Traditional Georgian Food Dishes the bread and the famous churchkhela from the next point.

7.- Preparation of the churchkhela

On the main road of Kakheti you will find many shops with churchkhela where they explain how it is made, you can taste them and sometimes they have other products such as wine and chacha.

The chhurchkhela is a traditional georgian dessert and from other countries in the area.

For the elaboration one of the main ingredients is grape juice, hence the Kakheti region is the main area for this sweet.

Grape juice is thickened by heating it with flour, which can be wheat or corn.

Then, nuts and/or dehydrated fruits are strung on a rope, that rope is immersed and moves through the grape juice until it transforms into that type of sausage in the photo.

Is Kakheti worth visiting?

Yes, Kakheti is worth a visit, but if I'm honest It is not one of the places that has surprised me the most in Georgia.

With this I do not mean that it is bad, there are many interesting places such as the Bodbe convent and learning about wines, bread and churchkhelas.

But if you come for a short time, I could recommend at least 10 places that I find much more impressive. Since I live here, I take advantage of seeing everything I can.

Of course, this depends on each person's tastes, I hope that this article helps you to know if it could be a good tour for you.

Also Something that makes the difference is the wine tasting, I was in the explanation, which was interesting, but I don't drink alcohol and perhaps I missed that point to return more "happy" from the excursion to Kakheti. 😜

How to get from Tbilisi to Kakheti?

1.- Car

The visit to Kakheti is very good to do by car, which will allow you to visit the places you want at your own pace.

Additionally, you can take the opportunity to go to David Gareja and continue the trip to Armenia.

The roads in the area are good and generally well signposted, you won't have many problems.

If you want to rent a car in Georgia I can recommend this search engine that works exclusively with serious Georgian companies, therefore, They have a good price, usually include insurance and there is no need to leave a deposit.

👉 Reserve here rental car in Georgia.

2.- Marshrutka

– Tbilisi to Telavi

From Tbilisi you can go by marshrutka (mini bus) to Telavi from there you will have the wineries and Gremi nearby that you can reach with a taxi.

The distance between Tbilisi and Telavi is about 60 km, minibuses It takes about 2 hours to arrive, it costs 12 lari (4.28 euros) and there are departures every 2 hours from Ortachala.

– Telavi to Sighnaghi

Then to connect Telavi and Sighnaghi you will have to go by taxi because There is no public transportation between these towns.

– Tbilisi to Sighnaghi

There are also marshrutkas connecting Sighnaghi to Tbilisi from Samgori. These minibuses They take about 2:30 hours, cost 12 lari and they have departures every 4 hours.

📢 Important: If you are going to go by public transport and want to visit all the places that I mention in the article, you will need to spend a night there because with the frequency of the buses it is impossible to visit everything.

3.- Excursion

Therefore, I believe that the best way to visit Kakheti is with an excursion like this one from the link which includes the wine tasting or this other more complete one with the Visit to a winery with wine tasting.

At the end of the day, if you add the wine tasting, the minibuses, taxis and the night's accommodation, it will be much more worthwhile to go with the excursion.

Final Thoughts

The visit to Kakheti is one of the most enjoyable that includes a visit to historical places, charming towns and also the possibility of learning about the ancient tradition when it comes to the country's wines while you taste them.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and if you found the article useful, share it with other fellow travelers. 😘

More about Georgia and the Caucasus

• 25 Curiosities of Georgia, country of the Caucasus
• What to do in Tbilisi: 24 must-visit places.
• What to do in Kutaisi: a complete guide
• How to Get from Tbilisi to Yerevan: Fast, Cheap, and Comfortable
• Visit to Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe