TABERNE
Mtskheta
4 km2
total area
7 584 people
population
humid subtropical
climate
Mtskheta-Mtianeti
region
Why Mtskheta?
Mtskheta is the most sacred city for pilgrimage in Georgia and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mtskheta is located just 20 km north of Tbilisi, in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region. The city with a population of about 8,000 people is one of the main tourist destinations in Georgia.
The ancient history of Mtskheta is fascinating and known in some detail. The city was founded in the 5th century BC by the indigenous Meshkhin tribes, who are believed to have originally emigrated from Anatolia (Turkey). The legend says that the city was named after the legendary ruler Mtsekhotos, the son of the first king of Kartli. Mtskheta is considered the center of a pagan cult in pre-Christian times. Georgian mythology tells about the huge monoliths of Armazi – the supreme pagan god, the head of the pantheon of gods and other deities. One legend claims that the statues of Armazi and Zaden were destroyed by the prayers of St. Nino.
Flight
There are no direct flights to Mtskheta, but they are in Tbilisi and are operated by 30 airlines. Most flights are operated by Georgian Airways. Travel restrictions apply for this region Before departure, you must provide a certificate of vaccination against COVID-19
prices
How much money to take with you to Georgia and how to spend it on food, accommodation, attractions and, most importantly, do not forget to buy souvenirs and of course Georgian wine. 15 € (Open Currency Converter Error: No number supplied for conversion lari) - the minimum budget for a day in Matskheta. This is enough for a good budget hostel, two trips by public transport and food (the amount is equal to two lunches in inexpensive cafes).
Accommodation
Despite its provincial status, Mtskheta has several dozen hotels built in recent decades. These are mainly family mini-hotels, villas, apartments and hostels. We analyzed hotels in Mtskheta and tried to choose the most optimal hotels in terms of price-quality ratio according to various criteria here
Attractions
Interesting
CUISINE AND RESTAURANTS
In the most expensive restaurant in Mtskheta, Gudzhari, you can not only have a good lunch, but also learn how to bake bread in a stone oven called tone. But it is best to get acquainted with the whole variety of Georgian wines in the "Wine House" - a kind of symbiosis of a restaurant and a wine cellar. Dinner with wine in an expensive restaurant costs 35-45 GEL per person, a hearty lunch with wine in a cafe - 15-25 GEL, street fast food - 3 GEL. A bottle of Mukuzani or Kindzmarauli wine in a restaurant - 32 GEL, Khvanchkara - 40 GEL.
Transport
Small Mtskheta does not have its own public transport. Three times a day - at 12:00, 15:00 and 17:00 a mini-bus runs from the Tourist Information Center to the Jvari Monastery hanging over the city (minimum number of passengers is 4 people). A taxi or private trip from Mtskheta to Jvari costs 25 GEL in both directions, taking into account the waiting time at the top. A taxi to the nearby Shio-Mgvime or Zedazen monasteries will be relatively expensive - 35-50 GEL round trip with waiting. And the point here is not even in the distance, but in the poor condition of the roads.
SHOPPING: SHOPS
In Mtskheta, a large number of ritual items related to Orthodoxy are sold. In particular, they make wooden crosses with the image of the cross of St. Nino (crossed vines), leather bracelets with the image of the Bolnisi cross or the cross of St. Nino, icons (especially icons with images of the patron saints of Georgia - St. George and St. Nino) and other products. Since some of the most ancient monasteries of Georgia are located in Mtskheta itself and its environs, most of this kind of goods is produced by local monastic communities.