TABERNE
Mestia
1,973 km²
total area
1 973 people
population
temperate cold
climate
Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti
region
Why Mestia?
Mestia – a village in Upper Svaneti, the center of the Mestia municipality of the province of Samegrelo – Zemo Svaneti of the Republic of Georgia, is located on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, 128 km northeast of Zugdidi. Height above sea level is about 1500 m.
Despite its small size, the village of Mestia (the ancient name is Seti) has been the cultural and religious center of mountainous Svanetia for centuries. In the village there is a historical and ethnographic museum, where unique icons and manuscripts are kept, a house-museum and a bust of a native of Mestia, the famous climber M. V. Khergiani (buried here). In Mestia, several dozens of medieval Svan stone houses with watch and residential towers have been preserved; churches (X-XIV centuries), including Matskhvari (Savior), Tarngzel (Holy Archangels), etc.
Numerous medieval churches and fortifications of the Mestia region are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Mestia is also a center for alpine tourism and mountaineering; from here the ascents to the peaks of Ushba, Dzhangi-tau, Shkhara and others begin.
Flight
Mestia is located in the northwest of the country. You can get here by plane from Tbilisi. Tickets should be booked in advance, but departures are not guaranteed and may be canceled due to weather. Also, before sending, you must provide a certificate of vaccination against COVID-19
prices
Prices here are higher than in the country, for almost everything, and the choice is limited. If you are going to Svaneti from Zugdidi or Kutaisi, stock up on wine, food and other essentials.
Проживание
В городе есть несколько гостиниц и десятки гостевых домов. Выбор отелей не так велик, но всё же город предоставит вам варианты. Мы провели их анализ и постарались выбрать наиболее оптимальные с точки зрения соотношения цены и качества отели по различным критериям здесь
Attractions
Interesting
CUISINE AND RESTAURANTS
Traditional cuisine at home will also cost 10-15 GEL, but with soul. We highly recommend that while you are in Mestia, try kubdari - a local flatbread with meat. As one Georgian told us - "the same as khachapuri, only meat instead of cheese."
Transport
Between the cities of Georgia and to Mestia, including the usual minibuses. But if you want to get from Mestia to the mountains and neighboring towns, then you will need to negotiate with local taxi drivers, who most often use well-passed Mitsubishi Delica minivans.
Weather
Mestia has a temperate climate. Summer is short and it often rains. The hottest month is July with an average temperature of only +17 °C. Winters are harsh and snowy, with strong winds. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of -6°C. The ski season in Mestia starts in December and starts in March. The best time for skiing is February, during this period there is a lot of snow.