From the nomadic steppes of Kazakhstan to the frenetic streets of Hanoi, Asia is a continent so full of intrigue, adventure, solace, and spirituality that it has fixated and confounded travelers for centuries.
Due to weather conditions, we couldn’t enjoy Nekresi’s early Georgian architecture and the views across the Alazani valley. We parked in the main parking, 1,5km from the monastery. From there, we took a shuttle (🚐 3 GEL/return) to reach the top of the steep mountain. The first church is a...
We had gloomy weather at Gremi, the former capital of Kakheti (1466-1672). It was a lively trading town on the Silk Road and a royal residence until being totally devastated by Shah Abbas in 1615. The town never regained its past prosperity, and the kings of Kakheti transferred their...
A mostly paved road brought us to the majestic cathedral in Alaverdi. At the beginning of the 11th century, when Georgia entered its cultural and political golden age, King Kvirike of Kakheti had built a 50m tall cathedral. It remained the tallest church in Georgia for nearly a millennium...
In the late afternoon, we reached a popular valley town Stepantsminda (known as Kazbegi), with the famous hilltop silhouette of Tsminda Sameba Church and the towering snowy cone of Mt Kazbek (5054 m). The main attraction is the the14th-century church sitting above Stepantsminda in 2200 m...