Everything you need to know before you visit Akhaltsikhe – including the best things to do in Akhaltsikhe beyond Rabati Fortress, where to stay, eat, and how to get around.

Akhaltsikhe, the main hub in southern Georgia’s Samtskhe-Javakheti region, is best known for being home to Rabati Castle, the massive 12th-century fortification that gives the surrounding settlement (‘New Castle’ in Georgian) its name.

Beyond Rabati, Akhaltsikhe is a small city by any measure. But it’s still worthy of an overnight stay.


And it does indeed make a very comfortable and convenient base, with Vardzia, Abastumani and a gamut of important fortresses and monasteries all within easy reach.

A short walk through Akhaltsikhe will introduce you to a clutch of religious buildings representing every denomination, a compact and leafy downtown, cute backstreets, and a few nice restaurants. A large number of Armenian and Meskhetian families live in this area, making for an interesting cultural mix.

Beyond the city limits, Vardzia’s cave city, Saro’s cyclopean fortress and countless castles beg to be explored. You’ll also find Meskhetian wineries, a craft brewery where beer is aged in clay amphora, and a host of agritourism projects where you can sample Meskhetian delicacies.

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