Road trip to Georgia. To Georgia by car

10.05.2020

If you love big mountains, the sea and the beauty of pristine nature, then Georgia is a must-see. It is impossible not to fall in love with this country on the very first day.
First, there is very picturesque mountains, the cleanest air and the tastiest water. Secondly, the most hospitable and benevolent people. Thirdly, inexpensive delicious food and excellent wine. Fourth, security in the country is at a very high level. Fifthly, you do not need a visa or insurance, and 80% of the population over 40 understands the Russian language. Young people are better oriented in English. Sixth, Georgia (Iveria) is the first inheritance of the Mother of God. She accepted the Orthodox faith and was baptized more than 600 years earlier than Russia, the country carefully preserves its history, thousand-year-old temples and monasteries.
Georgia has everything: mountains, sea, waterfalls, caves, canyons, steppe, desert, grape valleys, mineral waters, medicinal sands. Any Georgian will tell you a beautiful legend about how God distributed the land among the nations, when everything was already distributed, Georgians came. When asked why they were late, the Georgians replied that they admired the beauty created by God, arranged feasts and made toasts in his honor. God liked these cheerful, welcoming people, he gave them a little paradise that he kept for himself. This land was called Georgia.

I hope you have already started planning your trip to this wonderful country. Today I will show you photos of our trip and tell you about all the main organizational aspects of the trip to Georgia. In the next part of the report, I will show the main attractions (with addresses and coordinates) that we saw (I hope I will write about them in detail over time, believe me, they are worth it).
So, in the first part of the report, the following information about Georgia is waiting for you:

Travel planning

This trip was my birthday present. I think many will agree with me that the best gift for a traveler is to visit the city or country that you have been dreaming of for a long time. On such a special day, I always try to choose a place with an atmosphere of happiness, a place that will be remembered for many years.
This time, the proposal came from her husband, and even just before leaving for a big summer trip to Belarus, Lithuania and Poland. He simply said: "Do you want us to go to Tbilisi for your birthday?" "Of course I do !!!" I immediately open Booking, book an apartment for 3 days in the center of Tbilisi and leave to travel to Europe.
There was no lengthy preparation, because initially they were going to go only for exploration, see the capital for a bit and sit in a good restaurant, celebrating the holiday. But appetite comes with eating. The more I studied Georgia theoretically, the more I wanted to see it.
Literally 10 days before the trip, we finally decided on the dates, place of residence and route:

three days in Tbilisi;
three days in Batumi;
one day Stepantsminda (Kazbegi).

Preparation, documents, navigation

There was no preparation as such. All decisions were made spontaneously, almost on the fly. So we made life difficult for ourselves, and the rest turned into a solid road because of the desire to see all the beauty of the country at one time. Despite this, I still remember with delight every stop on our route.

Route map.
The car must be prepared carefully. Still, this is a country of mountain roads and serpentines, so oil, tires, candles, and the battery must be checked.

You will not need any documents, except for a passport. And, of course, the documents for the car.
Navigation is more difficult. We have downloaded and updated iGo maps, but not all roads are marked there. A good helper was the program on the Maps.me smartphone - offline maps.

Best time to travel to Georgia

Georgia is good at any time of the year. Actively developing in winter ski vacation, far beyond the borders of the country such resorts as Gudauri, Bakuriani, Svaneti are known. Spring has its own charm in the awakening of nature.
In spring and early summer, when the snow begins to melt on the peaks, mudflows can descend from the mountains. The road connecting Georgia with Russia is being closed for several days until it is cleared. We have to take a detour - through Azerbaijan and Makhachkala, and this is an extra 1,000 km. Entry and exit is prohibited through Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Summer is the time for mass tourism and a large flow of cars at the border.
Autumn is comfortable in every sense. For myself, I concluded that the most better time in Georgia from August to October. An abundance of fruits and vegetables, a warm sea, what can I say, I'd rather show you the September photos of our trip, you will see everything for yourself.

The border

You can enter Georgia by car only from the side of the Cross Pass. The path to the border crossing passes through the Republic of North Ossetia, the city of Vladikavkaz, to the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint.
I passed North Ossetia for the first time. I read a lot of reviews about traffic police ambushes on the roads, but we observed traffic rules, did not notice the ambushes, the roads are good. They entered Georgia at dawn, returned home in the afternoon. The traffic police stopped us once, asked how many people were driving in the car, looked at the driver's license and wished us a happy journey.
A mountain road begins from Vladikavkaz to the border, during the season there are traffic jams in front of the checkpoint.

I did not see conflicts and cunning people trying to bypass the line before the border, everything is calm, the patrols are watching the order.
During our trip, the checkpoint worked in the daytime from 04.00 to 19.00. This mode of operation is often practiced, it is associated with safety on mountain roads at night. We arrived at the end of the queue at 02.00. The husband talked to the drivers ahead, who said that we were not far away, that it was not worth sleeping, because the cars will always move and go around ahead.

The border is often opened earlier than the set time. At 03.50 we already crossed the Russian part of the border. Standard procedures: document check, passport stamp, interior and trunk check.
To the Georgian checkpoint "Daryali" you need to drive about three kilometers along the Dariali gorge between the mountains, through 2 tunnels and the noisy Terek.
The photographs of the border are not in chronological order (I will show them immediately there and back), somehow I did not think that I would write a post with the technical aspects of the trip.

Time in Georgia is one hour ahead in comparison with Moscow time. Oh, how we missed all the time of this hour. At 5.00 in the morning we have already gone to get acquainted with the country.

Currency

In Georgia, all payments are made in local currency - lari. Exchange offices so many. Big difference in the course no. In exchange offices, the exchange rate is more pleasant than in banks. It is a little more profitable to change the dollar and euro for lari. The most unfavorable exchange rate of the ruble was in the exchangers of Stepantsminda and Batumi, in Tbilisi it is cheaper.
Souvenirs are sold along the Georgian Military Highway in Tbilisi (the road from the border to Tbilisi). Many sellers offer to buy for rubles, dollars, euros, but I do not think that the conversion will be profitable for you, they round to their side.
We changed 200 GEL at the border, the rate was good, not overpriced.

Roads

Immediately after crossing the border for 1.5 kilometers, there was no road at all - a dirt road, mudflows descend in this place and fortifications are made.

For protection in especially dangerous places of the road, avalanche protection tunnels were built.

Most of the roads in Georgia are good. Coverage without holes, there are curbs. Almost everywhere there is a two-lane road, except for the main new highway (partly made) from Tbilisi to Batumi, there is a concrete road of excellent quality.

It is better to get to some places of interest by taxi, as a sedan, SUV may not pass without consequences. Yes, and I would have regretted the jeep, sharp stones and pits on the way to mountain waterfalls, peaks and canyons are often encountered, and driving away with an oncoming car on such roads is a "special pleasure." Local taxi drivers are specially on duty near such places in Delika and Niva minivans.

Conveniently ... they will bring you, wait for you while you walk, tell the history of the place, facts, legends, show you points with the most beautiful angles, if you wish, take a picture of you and take you to your car.
The cost for the car is fixed, it does not depend on the number of people, you can bargain. We have used their services twice. The rest of the distances along the route were covered by our own car. Everything went well, but one small bump on the wheel was nevertheless acquired through negligence.
Along the road, passing settlements, we observed spontaneous markets. The peculiarity is that in each place they sell a product of the same direction. Somewhere only hammocks, somewhere clay products or only cheeses, then delicious sweet Nazuki cakes.

Georgian sweet churchkhela is sold in all tourist places.

A separate topic is animals on the road. There are many of them, often and everywhere. Moreover, on any roads, there are no exceptions: the Autobahn, mountain roads, village, forest parks. They are not at all afraid of cars, no signals help, only patience while waiting for them to leave the carriageway.

Features of driving in Georgia. Police. Security

The police in Georgia are strict and not corrupt. There are a lot of patrols. If you have violated and you are caught, do not try to "negotiate" with money, otherwise there will inevitably be a serious punishment and accusation of giving a bribe. The police are supportive of foreign tourists, they will not stop you without a serious violation. If you have a problem or get lost, feel free to contact the police, they will definitely help and possibly even escort.

They made an extremely favorable impression on me - they were all smart, neat, beautiful, constantly at work, under observation. They do not sit in ambushes, but monitor safety and stop violations. On the road you can see them from afar, they always go with flashing beacons. There are cameras on the roads, but there is always a warning sign in front of them.

The crime rate is very low. People are not afraid to leave open cars when going out to the store. They are not afraid to walk around the city at night. The police respond to all calls very quickly. There is no corruption.
Driving in Georgia is not subject to any rules. If police beacons do not flicker in sight and there is an opportunity for safe overtaking, then be sure that the Georgian will make this maneuver and do not care if there is a solid there or not, and what sign is there. But the most interesting thing is that road accidents are rare. And the traffic jams are also not as big as in Russia. Although there are a lot of cars in the country, a used car is cheap there.
Do not look at the mountain beauty along the way, look in the mirrors and at the road. The most reckless drivers are minibuses, they will overtake you everywhere, even where it is impossible. If suddenly your car drives into the oncoming lane, just take it a little closer to the side of the road, it is customary for them. By the end of the first day, we were already accustomed to this kind of driving and considered it the norm.
At pedestrian crossings in Georgia, drivers have an unspoken priority. Therefore, if you decide to let the pedestrian on the zebra cross, make sure that there are no cars behind, since no one expects such a gentlemanly act from you.

Parking. Taxi

In Tbilisi and Batumi, parking is paid on a daily basis, in any machine for replenishing an account by phone or in a bank, when paying, they indicate the number of their car. Parking for a week will cost less than $ 2. Control walks around the city, punches the car number on the tablet, if there is no payment for parking, then they write out a fine and leave it under the wipers.
I would also like to draw your attention to one point. There are valet parking at the parking lots near catering places, near the sights. Their job is that they help to park the car in terms of entering and leaving, helping someone, someone doing an excellent job, but when leaving everyone they take money for 1-2 lari. Whether or not to pay them for a service rendered or not rendered is up to you. Tourists think they are paying for parking, but it turns out that in this way enterprising citizens in reflective vests just make money.

There are a lot of taxis in Tbilisi, they are cheap, you can and should bargain, name your price, if the driver does not agree, there is already a queue of other cars for him. We did not travel around the city more than 5 GEL.

Refueling

There are a lot of gas stations in the settlements, there is Lukoil. We refueled at the Gulf filling station, the fuel is good. Serves completely the tanker, you do not need to get out of the car. Having approached the dispenser, say how much and what kind of fuel to fill. After completing the operation, pay with him, he will print you a receipt. During refueling, they have time to wash your windshield and headlights for free. There are modern gas stations on the highways, which are among the ten best gas stations in the world.

Hotels, apartments, guesthouses

Tbilisi

Apartment At 12 Baratashvili street - a large comfortable apartment with a fireplace and a grand piano in a historic building in the center of Tbilisi with a closed parking, a beautiful view of the Kura River and Presidential palace... The owners of the apartments are intelligent and welcoming people. They met us as dear guests, gave us a phone with local sim card, cards for travel in public transport and funicular. This is the option when the photos do not convey the comfort and quality of the apartment. When the question arose about booking accommodation for the upcoming trip, there was no doubt - only these apartments in the very heart of Tbilisi!

Batumi

Here we lived in two places.
1. Hotel "Kakhaberi Street". This is a private small 4-storey hotel, two rooms per floor, with free private parking. The guest house is located not in the center, but it has undeniable advantages, which we have seen. At a very attractive price, the room has everything you need, silence, tranquility.

The owner is literate, well-mannered, interesting person, attentive without undue intrusiveness, loving his country and knowing a lot about the sights. It's even just interesting to talk to him. And what kind of breakfasts and dinners his mother cooks is just fantastic! Well, it's not for nothing that we are planning to go to this hospitable hotel this year too.

When we were leaving, the hostess brought a packet of fragrant tangerines collected in the garden, despite the unripe appearance, they were sweet.

2. Piazza Boutique Hotel is a 4-star hotel in one of the most beautiful squares of the old city in Batumi. Which is an attraction in itself. Clock tower and beautiful view to the city. The room is clean and aesthetic.

A room on the 12th floor with two balconies in opposite directions - a stunning view of the night city after a walk along the promenade with a cup of coffee ... what could you ask for more on your trip.

European breakfasts, delicious.

The downside is the parking problem. We parked on the street behind the hotel, having paid in advance for the daily parking in the city.

Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)

Lia & Ramaz Guest House, to be more precise, the guest house is located in Gergeti, although I don't see any difference, because Gergeti is located across the street from Stapantsminda. This is the first locality, which is located after crossing the border with Georgia. It was convenient for us to spend the night here in order to leave for the border early in the morning when returning home.
I have never lived in guesthouses, it was the first experience. Certainly not our format, but you can stay for one night. Moreover, we rented a room with its own bathroom and balcony. The owners are friendly, helpful people.

We met the owner Ramaz on the first day. We knew that returning from the trip, we would stop here for the night before passing the border, and we would arrive late to check in. I wanted to see, passing by, where the house is, so as not to look later at night. Moreover, the houses there are chaotically scattered throughout the village and the streets are not particularly traceable.
The most beautiful landmark is located in Gergeti high on the mountain Georgian Military Highway- Trinity Church overlooking Kazbek.

I do not advise you to climb the mountain to the church, I do not advise you in your car, there is no road, holes, stones. Having approached the house we were looking for, we saw the owner, got to know him, he earns money on excursions around the neighborhood. The weather is wonderful, early sunny morning, Ramaz offered to take us to the Trinity Church in his car, with a discount and no time limit. We agreed immediately, because it is not known what kind of weather would await us on the way back. From what we saw there began a delight that did not leave us all the days of our trip to Georgia. It is an indescribable feeling when the clouds are below the mountains.

We returned to spend the night at this guest house only before leaving home at 22 o'clock, and early in the morning we stood for a long time near the courtyard, admiring the snowy Kazbek.

All the way home I was sad ... the mountain beauty did not let go.

Nutrition

A small overview of several cafes in different regions Georgia.

"Salobie"

It is located in Mtskheta on the Tbilisi bypass road. Coordinates: N 41 ° 49 "41" E 44 ° 43 "31".
Mtskheta - ancient capital Georgia is located in the suburb of Tbilisi. Salobie is a cult institution that has been operating since the 60s of the last century. The Georgians advised it to us, strongly recommended to try lobio, khinkali and pies with meat.

The restaurant is large, a lot seats, looks more like a canteen or a Soviet cafe. Service is not "ah". Not everyone understands Russian, the menu is in Russian. Surprised by the presentation of lobio in a broken pot, well, too authentic.

Tourist groups often dine, but also locals regular visitors to this establishment. Even the President of Georgia awarded the restaurant with a special diploma and called "Salobie" the most popular restaurant. We liked everything we ordered, the prices are cheap.
When traveling in Georgia, we will not pass by.

"Sanadimo"

Sighnaghi, Tamar Mepe Str. 3.
Sighnaghi is a small romantic city in Kakheti, tourist place... When exploring the streets and sights, we drew attention to the cafe, where tables are on the terrace with a breathtaking view of the Alazani Valley. We could not pass by this magical view.

The food was not particularly memorable, everything is edible, but nothing more. But the view is the main feature of the institution. As a place to relax in the shade of a vineyard with a beautiful view and a light snack, I definitely recommend it.

Restaurant "Barbarestan"

Tbilisi D. Aghmashenebeli Ave. 132.
I chose this restaurant in Tbilisi purposefully, for a birthday dinner. The table was booked in advance.
This is a family-run restaurant serving old Georgian cuisine in a European style. I would give 10 points out of 10 for unique dishes, high level of service, atmosphere, but my husband lacked the Georgian spirit and national food (but he is already finding fault, we need to take him to dinner with a Lezginka next time).

Very interesting cozy place with its history and beautiful interior. The owner of the restaurant personally meets the guests, talks about the history of creating an exclusive menu, gives them a look at an old, single-copy book of recipes by the Georgian princess Barbara, according to which they bring their dishes to perfection, showed the original wine collection and recommended excellent wine made by the monks of the Alaverdi Monastery ...

A wonderful place where you feel welcome and long-awaited guest, hospitality at the highest level, professional staff. Everything is environmentally friendly, natural, exclusive.

Funicular Restaurant

Tbilisi. Mtatsminda
Admiring Tbilisi at night from a height observation deck on Mount Mtatsminda, we went to drink Lagidze Water lemonade, taste the vaunted donuts with cream and khachapuri.

Cafe "Vardzia"

Vardzia is a cave monastery complex - a fortress of the XII century in the south of Georgia. The cafe of the same name is located on the banks of the Kura River. There, in the shade of the trees, tired and hungry, we found a table and a delicious dinner for ourselves. Either the mountain air and a lot of impressions for the day, or the food was really tasty, but we liked everything.

Acquaintance with Georgian cuisine

I will share with you my reasoning about the dishes that we tried.

Khachapuri. There are many varieties. Adjarian in the form of a boat with suluguni cheese and pour an egg and butter on top. In Georgia, they are all large in size, one cannot master. The two of us ate too much, without ordering anything else. Imeretian round, pizza-sized. The cheese was not everywhere of normal salinity, sometimes unleavened, none, sometimes salted. The dough is delicious, made with yogurt. Megrelian - sprinkle with grated cheese on top. I like them hot. Rachinskiye or Lobiani - bacon and beans filling. I liked very much ordinary lobiani without bacon with Svan salt in Borjomi, they were sold in a hot baking stall.
Lobio. Lobio is also cooked differently everywhere. This is a traditional dish that is eaten here every day. Somewhere it is prepared as a bean soup with spices and cilantro, somewhere as a sauce with mashed beans, nuts, garlic and cilantro, and somewhere a snack of whole beans with fried onions, mashed tomato with spices. My husband liked the version of the sauce in addition to taking a cake.
Mchadi. Corn flour flatbread. Nothing fancy, can be used instead of bread.
Khinkali. In Georgia, khinkali is most often stuffed with beef. The dough is thin, elastic, broth inside. They are cheap, sold by the piece, very satisfying. They are offered fried and boiled. Georgians do not use sauces or sour cream with them.
Chakhokhbili. Chicken stew with tomatoes, adjika, garlic, add a little hot pepper and herbs. Fragrant, satisfying, juicy. If the meat melts in your mouth, then you've come to the right cafe.
Phali. Vegetarian dish - balls of stewed vegetables, spinach, beet leaves with nuts, garlic, spices. Edible, they did not make a splash.
Chikhirtma. Stewed chicken soup with onions and egg yolks. Itself did not eat, the husband said edible.
Kharcho. Needs no introduction. We ate this soup in Vardzia - we liked it.
Satsivi. Chicken pieces in a nut sauce with spices and herbs (saffron, cilantro). In Georgia, this is a festive dish, it takes a long time to prepare. If cooked with soul and diligence, and most importantly correctly, then it is very tasty.
Ajapsandali. Vegetarian stew made from vegetables. This dish is familiar to me. I like grilled vegetables more.
Chanakhi. Roast lamb with vegetables in pots. Tasty.
Kudabi. Meat pie. We liked the Svan lamb kudabi.
Pita. Liked the hot one in the shape of a boat.
Chakapuli. Stew, usually lamb, with tkemali sauce and tarragon. Sour meat due to tkemali sauce.
Churchkhela. Dessert of nuts on a string in grape juice with the addition of flour. Fresh classic churchkhela are delicious. The price per piece is approximately from 100 to 200 rubles.
Lemonade. All dinners ended with lemonade. It is delicious in Georgia.
Shashlik. We did not see lamb shashlik there, pork was on the menu everywhere, and we also concluded that shashlik is not the strongest side of Georgian cuisine, unfortunately. If you really want a barbecue, then it is tastiest in Kakheti.
Dolma (tolma). Grape leaves stuffed with minced meat. I took one for trial, no more desire arose. As, however, and stuffed peppers - at home I make it tastier.
Mushrooms in muffins. Champignons stuffed with suluguni and baked in ketsy (clay pans). I liked that, I even bought ketsy for home, I cook, but in Georgia they were tastier.
Tapaka chicken. We liked the Georgian chicken very much.
Fried eggplants in peanut sauce. Popular appetizer, tastes different everywhere.
Trout in pomegranate sauce. I liked the trout even without sauce, and my husband happily seasoned with sauce.
Fried suluguni cheese. Melted hot cheese in a crispy breading.
Spicy or beef stew in Georgian style. I really liked it, only I asked not to pepper too much.
Pelamushi. It looks like frozen jelly made from grape juice. Not particularly impressed.
Gozinaki. Our usual Kozinaki. Prepared from honey and nuts.
Shakarlama with almonds. Cookies with a nutty flavor. In Georgia, it is served with coffee.

We had such a gastronomic experience in Georgia. I also gained two extra pounds of weight.
I noticed that the most ordinary cafes have the status of a restaurant. The quality and taste of food does not depend at all on the appearance of the establishment, the divine taste of khinkali can be eaten by the road at a plastic table and not enjoy eating in an expensive establishment with an exquisite interior. Most Georgians in small towns do not bother investing in the outer shell of a restaurant, expensive dishes, or beautiful furniture. For them, the result is important - a lot, full, tasty. The hospitality there is directly related to quality, delicious food and excellent wine.

Wine

Wine was a discovery for me. Previously, I was not a lover of Georgian wine, and in general I am indifferent to this drink. Now, if there is wine, then only Georgian from Kveri. I will give preference to wine produced in the Kinzmarauli Corporation, Shumi and Khareba wineries.
Kinzmarauli Corporation is the largest winery in Kakheti. We went there to the factory store, we were given a free tour of the factory. They talked about the production of wines, cognac, conducted a tasting.
I liked "Kinzmarauli", "Mukuzani", "Kvareli", very tasty white semi-sweet "Kisi", rare Georgian sweet wine "16x16".
We bought separately the wines of the Racha-Lechkhumi region: "Tvishi", "Khvanchkara". It is a pity that they did not pay attention to the Sarajishvili brandy. He is greatly praised. Here's just a tip: if you want to feel the real taste of drinks, buy them exclusively in Georgia. Acquired Georgian wine in Russia disappointed, the taste of heaven and earth.

Top 15 beautiful and unusual places Georgia, which I advise everyone to see.

We started planning our vacation in the spring, but initially a car trip to Georgia was not planned. We had Schengen, which ended in mid-June, and we hoped to go to Europe, the choice fell on Spain, because in the countries closer we have already been. Having estimated that for searching more or less warm sea at the end of May-beginning of June, you need to drive right up to Portugal, I thought about it, because the road is very long, there are many toll roads, and the cost of solarium is incomparably higher than ours. In general, having counted the costs of only one road and consulted with his wife, it was decided to postpone such a long trip until better times and a warmer season.

After this decision, we were able to spit on the Schengens, which tightly tied us to the very beginning of the season in all warm countries and postponed the vacation to July. But the question arose, where now to go to rest by car without a visa? It turned out that there are not many options at all, namely:

Crimea - to be honest, they did not even consider this direction, because I was there six times in the old days, and it didn't smile at all to make an impressive detour across Kerch, besides, what did we not see there?
Resorts Krasnodar Territory it would certainly be interesting to look at the updated Sochi. I have not been to this region at all, and my wife, in her deep childhood, visited Goryachy Klyuch. But somehow it didn't feel like going there, tk. there is an opinion that price and quality do not correspond to each other.
Abkhazia is a more interesting option, because this is already some kind, but people abroad and mentality are different. But having studied the Internet for reviews about this country, I realized that the nature there is awesome, but the service got stuck in the 90s, and the crime situation was frankly scary.
Georgia is the last and the most far corner who could have sheltered us during our summer vacation. I immediately noted that Georgia is one of the most safe countries world and occupies the honorable sixth line in this list. I found numerous confirmation of this by tourists who had already been there and simply spoke with admiration of the local police. Nature and sights conquered me - there was a sea for my wife, and mountains for me, while the list interesting places just went off scale. The mentality of the local population was radically different from ours, and the hospitality of the Georgians did not mention unless he was lazy. After looking at the pictures and reading a bunch of reviews, I found a place that 100% met our needs for recreation.

True, the parents were not delighted with our decision, especially mine, whatever you say, but the propaganda is doing its job. But the decision has been made and the start is scheduled for mid-July.

Preparing for the trip

I prepared even worse for Georgia than for Italy: I followed the profile threads on the forums, read the latest reports from tourists and slowly made up a travel plan, in which I constantly made various edits and notes on sights, places of possible accommodation, restaurants and other nuances. As a result, when, before the trip, I printed out my memoirs and gave them to my wife to read, she was slightly stunned, 15 pages are not for you giggly-hakhanki.

I did not perform any special manipulations with the car: I refilled the fire extinguisher, rebuilt the first-aid kit, changed the front pads a little ahead of time (we are going to the mountains after all), checked the fluids and refilled the freon into the air conditioner. Plus I took a few spare bulbs so that I could change them right away and not attract the attention of those in need to take the bribe from me with the help of a striped stick.

For their own peace of mind, they issued and paid for medical insurance to Georgia via the Internet - it costs a penny and does not ask for food.

It was decided to abandon paper maps in favor of a navigator. I installed on my phone and wife latest versions Navitela, uploaded the most relevant ones from Russia and Azerbaijan (if a mudflow descends on the border, then you will have to return through it), and uploaded fresh SpeedCams. In addition, just in case, a notification program about stationary cameras and ambushes of traffic cops was installed on both phones. MapcamDroid. But the main indicator of stationary radars and traffic cops shooting from around the corner was the ESCORT Passport 9500ix INTL radar detector with the current base of cameras. By the way, radar detectors are approved for use on the territory of Russia and Georgia. Looking ahead, I will say that I was never taken for speeding, although it took place.

Finding inexpensive housing in Georgia

There was also a video recorder in the car. In principle, I consider this gadget a must for all motorists, and even for a trip through the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia where the thoroughly corrupt traffic policemen are drooling, seeing off the car on the license plate of another region - this thing is simply irreplaceable, tk. can reduce the number of your stops and fake charges.

Well, as for the rest, as usual: we collected more clothes, warm socks and sweaters (what if it's cold in the mountains and bears wandering around?), Took several souvenirs in the form of "Alenka" chocolates and national vodka. We took a tent, a spinning rod with lures, two sleeping bags and blankets in case of a wild stop in the mountains or camping.

To increase the time spent driving, several cans of Red Bull and Burn were purchased, but I did not notice any positive effect from energy drinks in the fight against sleep. But caffeine pills, as if by hand, took off sleep and gave somewhere else 2.5 hours of very vigorous taxiing, and then within half an hour there was a gradual attenuation of consciousness with permanent yawning, therefore, feeling that drowsiness was beginning to return, we immediately began to look for a place for overnight stay. I also had a special device, which I previously ordered in the Middle Kingdom for 3 kopecks and called it "AntiSleep" - it looks like a hearing aid and is hung on the ear, and when the head tilts to either side, it begins to squeak brutally.

We made boutiques for the trip, took a chicken in foil, a thermos with coffee, mineral water and juice, we decided not to take eggs. As a result, I had to make 3 passes together in order to take out all the clothes and load them into the car.

Start of the trip

We left for Georgia, from the capital of Belarus Minsk, at 8 am Saturday, July 18 - this is first day our journey. If there was an opportunity to start on a weekday, then we would have done so, but when the last working day is Friday, then you don't want to lose 2 days off and have to go as it turns out. And it turns out to go along with all summer residents, vacationers and tourists who occupy all suburban roads, create traffic jams and queues at the border - all this can be enjoyed on weekdays, but to a much lesser extent. The departure time is also not correct, it was necessary a few hours earlier, just according to an old Russian tradition, we began to pack up and look for passports on the last evening and went to bed only at 3 am, setting the alarm at 6. Waking up for another 2 hours, we gathered, said goodbye to the cats and finally set sail.

There are several ways to get from Minsk to the Georgian border - the most popular of them is via Moscow, but I dismissed it, because I didn't want to go there while all of Moscow is trying to leave the Moscow Ring Road, plus you catch all the paid sections to Voronezh. I chose the road to Voronezh, but if almost everyone travels through Yelets, I went through Kursk. I can justify this by the fact that the traffic in my case was several times less, there was no traffic jam in front of Voronezh, and the road surface was beyond praise. Thus, my route looked like this: Minsk-Gomel-Bryansk-Oryol-Kursk-Voronezh-Rostov-on-Don-Vladikavkaz-Upper Lars (border of Russia and Georgia).

And so we go, the Minsk-Gomel section is skipping quickly, the road has just been widened and a completely new asphalt has been laid, we are buying a green card on the border with Russia and we reach Bryansk. We pass it by the bypass and head to Oryol, along the road there is a lot of traffic of heavy trucks, which, apparently, run from and to the M4 "Don" highway. But in the end we leave for Kursk and there are very few cars, trucks meet once an hour, the road is like a needle, there are many pockets for overtaking, which are actively used by rare slow-moving vehicles and do not interfere with calmly going on a cruise 140. The sun is already setting, and I succumb to the numerous persuading his wife to finally stop for dinner. After a hearty snack, we continue our journey, all along the same excellent road to Voronezh. We pass through its broken roads in transit in the dark and get a shock when we leave the Don highway. We are accustomed to driving almost alone, but here mom don't worry about cars.

I started to chop, after all, I slept for 3 hours, so I stand by the side of the road and drink a can of energy, stretch my legs, it's already midnight on the clock, but we stubbornly move forward.

Near Voronezh, speed cameras hang on each bridge with an alternate limit of 40 and 60 km, my radar detector did not stop and my wife wanted to throw both of us out of the car. But very soon we were tightly stuck in a traffic jam for an hour, in which I would have fallen asleep safely if I had not taken a caffeine pill. It turned out that this was just a narrowing of the road, which was not designed for thousands of cars ... it's good that we passed this place at night ... Then there was a long section with repairs, so the stream was traveling 40-60 km / h and after that I started to cover ... But it’s not easy to find a place to stay for the night, all gas stations are jam-packed with sleeping cars, they stand in ditches, stupidly on the track under the lighting masts, but you’ll draw pockets for sleeping figs. With grief in half, after tens of kilometers, they found one the only place in the parking lot near a roadside hotel near the village of Radchenskoye. BC showed a mileage of 1350 km, and hours 3 nights, not having time to completely get into the sleeping bag, I peacefully sniffled.

The delights of the M4 Don highway

Waking up at 7 am second day, I was surprised to find that all that awful pile of cars that surrounded us at night "raptam" and, apparently, is already at full speed rushing to take my place in line at the Russian-Georgian border. Having brushed my teeth, I, on the rights of the sterner sex, was sent on reconnaissance to the local roadside closet. Everyone left, there is no queue, I stand alone at the entrance and think: "Why didn't I bring a respirator and diving goggles?" Judging by the marks of suspicious origin on all surfaces that my gaze reached, I concluded that the throughput of this WC significantly exceeds the throughput of the Minsk Moscow Ring Road and that not only upright Homo sapiens visit this institution, but also some other life forms ... I decided not to risk it and looked into the next booth, which only ladies could enter ... Ladies had not gone there for a long time ... In addition to the inappropriate interior decoration, there was no door in the toilet and opened up a magnificent view of the highway 5 meters from the threshold. Shaking my head around, I quickly went down into a small ditch nearby, where the situation turned out to be an order of magnitude more cultured. He sent his wife to the men's closet, which has a door, while he, at that time, patrolled the neighborhood, driving away those who wanted to visit her.

We stopped at the nearest gas station to drink coffee and refuel, and, at the beginning of the ninth, started on. By the way, I only used the services of well-known brands of gas stations, trying also to choose those that sold Euro-5 class fuel. On the road, there are a lot of fakes, such as "Lucile", which is decorated in the same colors as the original, and many other tricks - read the names carefully and do not hold out to the last drop of diesel, otherwise you will find yourself on such a boozer ...

Gradually, the M4 Don highway is disappointing, I hoped to safely go on a cruise, but here there are constant repairs, a lot of radars, a permitted speed of 90 km / h and humps from trucks left that kicks like straining and slowing down the movement. Although I understand that it is not their fault that the builders made such a road, which quickly went in waves.

Immediately after Rostov, near Bataysk, we got into a hard traffic jam for 3.5 hours - we drove 26 km. It's scorching outside the window, some cars are boiling, I constantly have to work with the pedals because of the forward movement by a maximum of 1 body, the gearbox starts to obey poorly when I stuck the first one for the 500th time. Due to constant tension, my right leg begins to cramp and I, from a great mind, decide to give it a rest, and press the brake with my left foot ... Never tried it? Indescribable ochucheniya, well at least pressed the brake, and not the gas.

After this hell, we decide to stop for lunch and rest, but, as I mentioned above, it is extremely difficult to find a place on this road where an ordinary traveler can safely stop, have a snack and stretch his legs. At first it was wild for us to see how people stupidly move into a ditch and stop there for rest and a snack. Well, how is this possible on new track federal significance, what kind of stupid people designed it? In the end, I can not stand it either, and steer off the road into a small ravine.

The car is right there in the shade, I am lying, because my feet are not used to stomping on the pedals in such lingering traffic jams, and a little further off my body are visible more tourists who have chosen this picturesque ditch for rest. But on the left was a field of sunflowers, through which my beloved ran with pleasure while I took a breath.

Soon the Don highway ends and the Caucasus begins - at the very beginning, the asphalt was cut off, and we slowly trudged for 50 km, maneuvering between pits and potholes, but I was still glad, because the M4 completely disappointed me. I'm sure they made it better than what was there before, but they made it really "on from @ is" - dick like a bow on the side.

Route "Caucasus" and meeting with the traffic police

When we drove along the Kavkaz highway in Krasnodar and Stavropol Territory, then we very often came across traffic police crews who, standing by the side of the road, shoot with a camera mounted on a tripod. At first we slowed down, thinking that these were radars, but no - these were ordinary video cameras, which, as it turned out later, were located in the most tidbit places where cars could go beyond the solid. There are very few radars along this leg of the route.

We entered Mineralnye Vody already in the dark, I really liked the local asphalt and the roads that twisted like a snake, and prepared us for the mountain serpentines)

In Kabardino-Balkaria, they immediately began to pay more attention to compliance with traffic rules, because heard a lot about the local traffic police. When the navigator said the phrase "Ahead there is a stationary traffic police post" - the heart began to pound, the pulse quickened, the palms were sweating and the eyes began to twitch.

When you pass these stationary posts, you directly feel with every cell of your body how many hungry eyes of the rulers of the striped rod are looking at you from the darkness. In fact, near these places it is worth behaving calmly, you do not need to look expectantly in their direction - we do not need an extra provocation, and if they want to stop you, then peripheral vision will easily catch a well-fed servant of the law, striving to interfere with you. When approaching such a post, carefully follow the speed limit signs, which will gradually force you to reduce it to 5 km / h, and at the post itself, on the ground, there will be a "STOP" sign - a stop is strictly mandatory. Stop every time - stood for 4-5 seconds and moved on. Sometimes such a sign can be found just on a straight section of the road, and a traffic cop will sit in ambush and wait for you to ignore him - pay special attention to the ground STOP signs. In general, it will not be superfluous to install the current traffic rules of the Russian Federation on the phone, so you can understand what they are trying to impute to you or what to dissolve, tk. For some reason, they have a habit of telling you the maximum fine or punishment, which is given only for repeated repeated violations.

Key things to know:

Exceeding the speed limit of up to 20 km / h is not punished in any way.
Check-in for a solid one is punishable by a large fine of several thousand rubles, and a repeated violation may deprive you of your rights.

Therefore, the traffic cops no longer sit in the bushes with radars, the maximum that can be found is a tripod in a ravine by the road, covered with a camouflage net with the addition of twigs for greater conspiracy. Now a new profitable chip is to catch for a solid one.

We enter North Ossetia with caution and hope that they will carry us, because there is nothing left to the border with Georgia. I refuel by the road in front of Vladikavkaz, because I have no desire to travel around this region at night looking for another good gas station.

There are a couple of tens of kilometers to Upper Lars, but I drive carefully and carefully, because in the dark, the flashes of the chandeliers of the traffic police cars are very often visible, which overtook their prey.

For a better understanding of what happened next, I will describe the local road. In these regions, it has, basically, 3 lanes, and the middle lane alternately goes to one direction, then another. So that the driver understands that the lane will end soon for him - arrows are drawn on it, which mean that it is time to return to the right lane, there are 3 of these arrows, and after the last one there is a narrowing.

So, I'm driving so joyful along a very winding road - we tore everyone up and slipped through these dangerous places no loss! A car is driving in front of me, and in front of it is a slow motorcyclist, the time is the beginning of the first night. The car leaves for our middle lane and starts outstripping the motor vehicle, but he does not have enough fillies - he does it very slowly and strainedly. It’s my turn and I’m starting to drown, but I see that the arrows have gone and I’ll hardly be in time, and in front of me, on not my lane, a heavy cargo is heading towards me. I want to return to my lane on the right, but there is a motorcycle, from behind, right bumper to bumper, another car suddenly propped me up and I have no choice but to jerk forward to overtake the motorcycle, if I don't have time to return to my lane in time, and where- then I drive into the body towards the door. Immediately, in this blissful moment, the car, which propped me up behind and did not allow me to slow down to return, turns on the light. Yes, it was the Ossetian traffic police.

Conversation with Ossetian traffic cops

I pull over to the side of the road and stay in the car, I don't even unbuckle, because I read about cases when people were accused of this as a violation, allegedly an inspector came up - the driver is not wearing a seat belt, so catch a fine. In the mirror I see that a traffic cop comes out from the passenger side, and a submachine gunman climbs out from behind and both walk towards me from different sides. I was a little anxious, but more from surprise, but my wife was completely horrified.

The inspector asked for the documents, I handed him over without question and immediately agreed that I had violated. He leafed through for a long time and as a result asks where the "Green Card" is. I pointed out, he twisted it, twisted it and then asks again, so where is the green card? I say you hold it in your hands, for stupid ones it even has a characteristic green color. He did not calm down and began to ask how long ago they were introduced, etc., from which I concluded that this guardian of the law does not even have a clue what the standard insurance for citizens of other states looks like, which has been in effect for many years. Without giving me my documents, I was invited to take a walk in the patrol car to talk to the elder, who was sitting in the driver's seat. My faithful one was completely frightened, and I thought it was good that there was a leather seat under her, otherwise you never know what. He sat down in the patrol to the chief, and the submachine gunner with the sergeant remained outside.

Immediately, he began to frighten me with deprivation, but to my remark that he was given only for a repeated violation, he smiled and praised for having familiarized himself with their traffic rules. Questions from the series "Well, what are we going to do with you?" I was silent and pondered the current situation, because the fine was 5,000. Without waiting for an intelligible answer or a hint from me, he asked the sergeant to bring a tablet with blank forms of protocols, which for some reason ended up in the trunk. Apparently they are so rarely used that they decided to get them out of sight. There was an awkward pause ... I am a law-abiding person, and our guards of the law are much less likely to sin with such things, so my experience of such negotiations is extremely meager and small. I did not think of anything else but to show him in the silence of the semi-darkness of the salon the splayed fingers, and to say hundreds to myself. But he is an experienced person - he has seen a lot, so he was not taken aback, nodded and smiled saying: "A thousand is good." Well, what am I? I say "no-no-no, I thought about something else" - his smile fled somewhere. The game "Who will show more fingers" began, did not play, did not? But here it is worth mentioning one important factor - we filled a full tank, so we had 800 rubles left and I had to keep my nosebleed within this limit. As a result, I could not resist and revealed my cards, voicing the size of the existing bank. But he did not give up and kept repeating plaintively as an institute, "Well, at least a thousand" - even though you take him and take pity on him. In the end, they give me my license, and I go to my car to scrape off all the little things on the bottom of the barrel, I gathered 700-800 rubles - they didn't even count, they just drove off into the night.

That's how meanly I was stopped 25 km before the Russian-Georgian border. By the way, I think that those crews that shoot everything on video cameras from the roadside are more civilized and, according to the law, will solder you 5 thousand with an accompanying protocol.

We moved on, discussing the way we stopped and leaning towards the version that this "box" was played on purpose. But having arrived at the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint and standing at the back of the line, the same unfortunate motorcyclist who sincerely sympathized with us, but did not give us money, stopped behind us. It turns out that they deliberately pressed themselves behind me so that I had no choice but to break the rules. Do not think that at night in the rear-view mirror you can understand that the car behind has a police paint - this is not so.

But let's leave the bad behind, our journey took us to the border with Georgia. You get out of the car and the deafening roar of a mountain river falls on you, which spreads throughout the narrow gorge, and the stars are so bright in the sky that you will not find such stars even in winter in the village in the most severe frost.

I tried to see where the beginning of the queue is hiding, but in the dark it is very difficult to do this, although I still examined the checkpoint lights. We laid out sleeping bags, set the alarm clock at 4.30 - for the opening of the border and quickly rushed off to the kingdom of Morpheus - at one o'clock in the morning. The distance traveled from the house is equal to 2.400 km, 85 $ was spent on diesel fuel and coffee, well, we also do not forget about the fine.

This is where the first part of my report about a trip to Georgia by car ends, but here are the links to the continuation:

I dreamed of getting to Georgia for a long time, but Lesha was skeptical. The Caucasian peoples, at least those of their representatives who come to Russia, did not arouse the slightest sympathy in him. Nevertheless, I did not retreat and gradually Lesha gave up.

They didn't have to look for fellow travelers for a long time. At first Vitya agreed and called his girlfriend from St. Petersburg with us. She, in turn, pulled up a friend from Moscow (which we had to pick up in Vladikavkaz). Shortly before the trip, Masha (who is from St. Petersburg) fell ill and had to urgently look for a replacement. As a result, Anya, also Vitina's friend, joined us.

Thus, 5 people gathered who knew each other little. Lyosha and I knew Vitya, Vitya knew Anya, and Marina did not know any of us, because her friend Masha fell ill and at the last moment had to refuse the trip.

Accommodation was booked in advance only in Stepantsminda (1 night) and Tbilisi (3 nights). All accommodation was booked on www.airbnb.ru

We decided to look for overnight stays in other cities on the spot.

We agreed to leave on April 28 at 19:00. Anya was just finishing her lessons with the kids, where she teaches dances. By that time, Lesha was on vacation and was responsible for preparing things. Before the trip, I worked hard, so there was no time for preparation and gathering. On the day of departure, I decided to work until lunchtime, in the end, at 18:00, I just got free. Flew home, put myself in order, left things in bags (of course, there was a vain hope for Lesha) and ran after Anya.

Hurray, closer to 21:00 we left the city.

The road was empty and calm. Fortunately for us, the fears about dirty tricks on the roads in Stavropol and North Ossetia were not confirmed. We did not violate anywhere, we drove as expected and road divorces, therefore, we managed to avoid.

But the lawlessness on the border (only from the Russian side), about which everyone who had a chance to pass it, was indignantly writing, felt in full measure. We arrived at 15-16 o'clock at the border and were past 15. If it were not for the terrible behavior of cars with 15 and 25 regions, then we would have passed the border in a maximum of an hour, but no. For 5 hours we observed the rudeness and insolence of the Ossetians, who cut off and wedged themselves in a brazen way into the queue, while the border guards turned a blind eye to this, pretending that nothing was happening. Moreover, a man walked openly and offered to cross the border quickly for 5,000 rubles.

When the degree of human indignation began to rise, law enforcement services arrived (which someone had called), but there was not much sense from them. After walking around, looking at what was happening, after a while they walked away from the sidewalk and began to chat freely among themselves, and then left altogether.

It should be noted that this was not the case on the Georgian side. We quickly checked the passport, wished a pleasant trip and were released. Everything took 5 minutes, no more.

So, the distance from Elbrus to the Georgian border is 250 km. we passed in 4 hours. Apparently, due to the approaching May holidays, queues began to form at the border. In total, we spent 5 hours waiting and passing. Fortunately, I pumped the films into the tablet in advance)) No special documents are required for arrival in Georgia: international passport, registration certificate, driving license. If the car is not registered in your name, then another gene is a power of attorney from a notary. I am writing this, because once we were driving in two cars in Transcarpathia and one car eventually had to be left at the border due to the lack of a power of attorney gene)))

Rida and I were in Georgia in 2013 and during the last trip we saw 85% of all the main attractions. So we set ourselves up in advance rather for a gastronomic journey, since we both adore Georgian cuisine: khachapuri, khinkali, sulguni, lobio, and so on (I will not tease too much)))).

One of the most beautiful places is located just beyond the border crossing - the village of Stepandsminda. Highly a nice place in the mountains with its famous church against the backdrop of Mount Kazbek. Having checked into the guest house near the famous Vasily, we immediately went to celebrate our journey with the first khachapuri.

Prices in Georgia: During our last visit in 2013, prices in local currency have not grown much. But the rate has grown: before 1 lari cost 20 rubles, and now 32. Accommodation in simple guest houses costs from 15 to 25 lari per person (you can bargain a little, especially if you spend more than one night overnight). In almost any guest house, you can ask the hostess to include breakfast in the price. On average, we spent 15-20 lari at a time on food for two. Gasoline in Georgia is 35 percent more expensive, so it is better to refuel in Vladikavkaz. Entry to places of interest: monuments, zoos, cave cities worth a penny. Everything seems to be at prices :)

Well, the main attraction in Stepansminda is, of course, the Gergeti Church on the mountain. You can go there by taxi, but it's not sporting) We left the car in the lower village and traditionally went on foot, passing by the epic places of our motorcycle parking 3 years ago.

The sights themselves are not so interesting to see the second time, and we enjoyed the views around us more. On the May holidays A lot of guests from Russia visit Georgia, we even met a large company from Ufa)) The Georgians themselves are very surprised at such an invasion of our compatriots, apparently the closure of Egypt with Turkey affects, and Georgia itself is becoming more popular every year, word of mouth is working. Only a lazy traveler has not been here yet)))

Another super cool place is Jvari waterfall. To get to it, you need to drive back towards Russia for 7 kilometers and a signpost to the left will appear soon. Further on foot about one and a half kilometers. The waterfall in the spring is simply gorgeous and powerful. I do not know how it is in the summer, but I think it should also be beautiful)).

We stopped at the usual hostel "Irina Hostel". Address: Ninoshvili street 19b. We were even given a small discount as guests :) Unfortunately, our favorite room was occupied and for the first two nights we spent the night in the dormitory - something like a barracks for travelers. There are 6-7 bunk beds in the room. Dorm - perfect place for solo travelers: in addition to the budget, here you can find different interesting characters and travelers and chat.
Once, I spent the night in a dorm in Malaysia and met some great guys from Belgium. In the end, we went together on one of the coolest journeys deep into the jungle.

Here are some pictures of the capital:

Having walked around the capital and tasted Adjarian khachapur and khinkali in every second cafe, we began to think about where to go in our free couple of days. We decided to go to places where we have not yet been in order to gain new emotions. The choice fell on Borjomi - a well-known all-Union Georgian resort-hospital. From Tbilisi to Borjomi no more than 170 kilometers. Most of the road goes along the ideal highway. Now it is being actively completed, I think it should stretch to the Black Sea coast - Batumi (400 km). On the way we stopped in Gori, where Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was born and spent his youth. The museum, contrary to my expectations, turned out to be very popular, many people show interest in this person, especially many groups from other countries.
The museum workers themselves admitted that the administration is actively putting a spoke in their wheels and the museum is living on the verge of existence. I am convinced that by renouncing its past, society is giving up hope for a just future, we don’t have to go far for an example, but we will not, as they say, point the finger. The museum itself turned out to be very interesting, with many details and facts from the life of this great man. I highly recommend it to everyone who happens to be in these parts !!

Borjomi is located in a very beautiful valley in the mountains. The town itself is not big, but very clean, well-groomed and cozy. Now there is a massive renovation of the old road and buildings, but overall the place is very pleasant.

The city park has cable car to the top, from where you can see the setting sun.
The sources of the well-known mineral water Borjomi. I’m ashamed to admit, but for a couple of days there I only tried a couple of sips. Well, here we are, not connoisseurs of soda))) We have half a liter worth 85 rubles, and there it is free of charge))

The discovery for us was that if you walk along the road after the end of the path in the park for another 5 kilometers, you will come out to the open hot sulfur springs. This place was discovered and defined as a healing one in tsarist times. There are three pools with warm sulfur water right in the open air. I, as a great connoisseur of thermal springs, of course floundered there like a frog))

In addition to the resort itself, lovers of trekking will be interested in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. The park is very large, but it seems difficult to get lost. There are routes from one-day 15 kilometers to three-day long routes. We chose the shortest one for the walk, 15 kilometers (black on the map). But due to the ups and downs, it did not seem very easy to us)) In addition, right in the middle of the route we were covered with a downpour, and then hail. But still I liked the walk very much. Take a supply of water and snacks. In the spring, a raincoat will also help)))

The ancient capital of Georgia - Mtskheta - of course should be included in the list of must-see places. This is the place where you especially feel great story of the Georgian people, the inviolability of the Orthodox faith of the Georgians, and simply this is a place where, on a very small area of the old city, you can feel, breathe, touch it, taste it ... finally fall in love!

From the history

So, Mtskheta. On the Internet, you can find a lot of materials on the history of this city. I will list just a few facts:

- Mtskheta - Holy place for every Georgian. An object cultural heritage UNESCO.

- Located 20 km from Tbilisi, one might say a suburb, with a history that will give the city a head start.

- The city is called the "Second Jerusalem". There is no second place in Georgia where you can find such a concentration of historical and religious monuments. It is here that one of the shrines of the entire Christian world is kept - the Chiton of the Lord.

- The city was founded in the second half of the 1st millennium BC. Therefore, Mtskheta is rightly called “the cradle of Georgian statehood”.

- Only at the end of the 5th century. AD King Vakhtang Gorgasali decided to move the capital to Tbilisi. But even after that, Mtskheta remained an important religious center of the country, the residence of the Georgian Catholicos - the heads of Georgian church.

— Cathedral Svetitskhoveli is a place of pilgrimage for Christians from all over the world and one of the most ancient and revered temples. Many legends are associated with this place.

- One of the largest religious holidays in Georgia, Mtskhetoba-Svetitskhovloba, is also associated with the cathedral. Celebrated twice a year (July 13 and October 14).

- In front of the altar there is a burial place of Georgian kings, including Vakhtang Gorgasali - the founder of Tbilisi, Irakli II - the king of Kakheti, the kings of the Bagrationi dynasty and others.

- It is Mtskheta that is called the heart of the Georgian church. All the main internal church rituals, including the enthronement of the Catholicos-Patriarch, are held in the Svetitskhoveli temple.

Our history in Mtskheta

We arrived in Mtskheta on the very first day of our stay in Georgia. Tired of our 2500 km road trip, climbing Gergeti. We decided to stop here, not to go straight to Tbilisi. Having parked in the very center, within walking distance from the main square and the cathedral, we go to look for an overnight stay. The search took about five minutes maximum - this is the record of our trip.

We saw the sign "Old Capital", a small three-story building of the guesthouse and the smiling face of George - the owner of our shelter for the night. About the hotel - everything is very simple and clean. We didn't want to go and look further - we were too tired. The price is reasonable - 50 GEL / night (75 GEL on booking.com). The location is simply gorgeous - the entrance to Old city literally 20 meters away.

They asked George - where to eat, advised the cafe "Gruzinsky Dvor", also within walking distance, walked along the small, pretty streets. Menu for those tired of us: 5 khinkali, flatbread, soup, eggplant, chacha (bottle, for some reason there was no bottle). All this cost 44 GEL - not cheap, but there is a whole bottle there, from which we tasted no more than 100 grams. With a sense of accomplishment - the first day was a success - went to bed.

But! It was not so. George was already waiting for us at the entrance to the hotel. And then it began ... chacha, bison, beer, caviar (Georgy took it out of the bins), crackers, dried fruits ...

A couple of Poles joined our impromptu feast - interesting guys, they travel around Georgia on their own, staying at the same hotel. In Russian, absolutely nothing. In English, George. We are not Polish. Very nice conversation turned out! The ladies eventually left and the Russian, Georgian and Pole were left to continue the conversation ... For some reason, it all ended with a political moment and a sore head in the morning.

From vivid memories of that evening: George's grandfather - a hero of the Second World War, was awarded the Order of the Red Star. Georgy is very proud of him. The rifle, from which the grandfather killed 47 Germans in 11 days, is kept in a museum on Malaya Zemlya. After the war, my grandfather worked as the director of a recreation center, loved women very much, died on a date, at 69, from a heart attack.

And in the morning we slowly gathered, George treated us to delicious coffee, we went for a walk in the old town. The rain spoiled our plans and the resulting photos a little, but not the impression of what we saw.

Every square meter of this holy place is steeped in history and faith ... In general, I really liked the Georgian temples - there is no pathos, bombast and craving for decoration. Everything there is very ascetic, monumental and very real ... It's hard to describe, but they reminded me of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Stone, faces of saints, coolness, candles and history ...

You will be in Mtskheta - just walk around the old city, along cathedral square, look into the shops of merchants, listen to stories, taste the wine ... The main thing is not to rush!

Look at the photo below - in the distance at the top of the mountain - the temple of the Holy Cross - Jvari. It offers a beautiful view of the confluence of Aragvi and Kura and Mtskheta.

On a note!

Not far from Mtskheta there is an excellent atmospheric restaurant "Armazi Tskaro". We dined there twice.

This place was advised by a very good person who loves Georgia, often goes there and in general ... knows a lot about all this.

"Armazi Tskaro" is translated as a spring. Indeed, the restaurant is located on two banks of a small river formed just by a spring. Tables on islets-terraces, on both banks, everything is buried in greenery, coolness.

Rabbits, chickens, ducks - a mini-zoo at the restaurant.

Lunch 1: ribs, kebab, salad, bread, khachapuri, beer = 44 GEL. They overeat and took half with them.

Lunch 2: salad, lobio, tongue, soup, kupaty, beer = 46 GEL. The second time was on the last day of our trip. Apparently, we really wanted to go home and ate too much Georgian food, which was not entirely a joy (we just wanted more of my mother's soup, which was waiting for us at home).

You know, there are different opinions about Mtskheta:

Live in Tbilisi - go to Mtskheta for a day.
If you live in Mtskheta, you get out in Tbilisi. Housing here is definitely cheaper, everything is somehow more lobby.
Our option can be said to be forced, but not bad at all: night + day in Mtskheta and further Tbilisi for a couple of days.

It is difficult to advise, it all depends on the capabilities and preferences. If you are driving a car, then this is not a particular problem at all, with the exception of one BUT! Where I parked the car, I dined there. And what is a dinner without wine in Georgia?