Things to do in Samtredia

In 1994, Bagrati Cathedral, together with the Gelati Monastery, was included in UNESCO's World Heritage Site list as a single entity. In 2001, ownership of the cathedral was transferred from the Georgian state to the Georgian Orthodox Church. It is presently of limited use for religious services, but attracts many pilgrims and tourists. It is also frequently used as a symbol of the city of Kutaisi, being one of its main tourist attractions. I recommend to visit in the morning.

The most striking feature of the church is undoubtedly its pure gold-clad dome, dazzling in the sunlight and exuding a gentle solemnity when illuminated at night. It's worth noting that the church's construction was primarily funded by donations from ordinary citizens—it's not just a building, but a symbol of Georgians rediscovering their faith and solidifying their national identity after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

We stopped at Ananuri on the way along the Georgian Military Highway in July. The fortress sits right by the water with mountains behind it — a very picturesque spot. Inside there's an old church, and you can climb the towers for views over the reservoir. Entry is free. It gets crowded, especially during the day, but the grounds are large enough. Easy to combine with a trip to Kazbek — it's right on the way. I'd recommend making a stop.

On a freezing morning, I drew back the curtains and was dazzled by the golden sunrise over the Kazbek mountains [facepalm]. Being able to lie warmly in bed watching the Holy Trinity Church in Kazbekistan slowly light up from its silhouette was such a blissful experience! After breakfast, we set off from Stepanciminda town. The off-road vehicle drove for about 20 minutes on a gravel road to the parking spot at the foot of the church. Further up was a hiking trail; the wind howled down from the snow-capped mountains, making us bundle up in our coats. The Holy Trinity Church stood there all alone on a grassy slope at an altitude of over 2,000 meters. Small, made of stone, without elaborate carvings or a glittering golden dome. In a city, it would probably just be an unremarkable old church, easily explored in a few minutes. But it was situated on this mountain. Behind it rose the perpetually snow-capped peaks of Kazbekistan, and below, wild grass, gravel, and layered ridges. In the distance, the town in the valley looked like tiny building blocks. Clouds rolled in from the mountainside, sometimes hiding the snow-capped peaks, sometimes revealing them. There were no railings, no interpretive signs; the wind was the only sound. After visiting the church, we returned to town and chose what was probably the best hotel in town, Rooms, for lunch—a panoramic view with the church and snow-capped mountains standing neatly in front of the window, which was why we had booked well in advance. However, the service was surprisingly poor. During the reservation verification, there wasn't a single smile; in fact, it was cold and indifferent. For a hotel of this standard, there was absolutely no sense of service. After a simple "find a seat," no one paid any attention to us. When we asked the waitress for the menu, the girl taking our order had a sour face, seemingly unhappy about something. The food was mediocre at best, poorly presented, just like what you'd get at a street stall. But we came here mainly for the view—sitting at the table, our eyes were immediately drawn to the small church nestled at the foot of the snow-capped peak. On my way down the mountain, I left my lunch behind, taking only the tranquility of the church standing side by side with the mountain. The scenery didn't disappoint, and that was enough.

【Ali and Nino】 Ali, a descendant of a famous Muslim family in Azerbaijan who was influenced by Shia since childhood, and Nino, a Georgian princess who believed in Christianity, fell in love. Due to different beliefs, family obstruction, and secular public opinion, their love was eventually destroyed under the attack of the tide of the times. This may be the most romantic sculpture in the world. Every evening, they slowly move towards each other, stare, hug, kiss, penetrate each other, and then say goodbye and leave. Over and over again, even if you know the ending, you still look forward to it silently! Batumi landmark building 【Ali and Nino】 does not rotate during the day, but starts to rotate in the evening, rotating once every 15 minutes. It is almost invisible to the naked eye, so if you want to capture all the movements, it is best to use the "time-lapse photography" function of the mobile phone, but it is really uncomfortable to hold the mobile phone in your hand for 15 minutes, so it is best to use a tripod. Address: MJ4V+66Q, Batumi, Georgia

It is a beautifully designed bridge which is lovely to walk over! And is covered in lights during the night :)

The Mother Fortress is located high in Georgia, from where you can see the whole of Georgia. In the evening, you can take a cable car up the mountain to wait for the sun to set and watch the sunset. The temperature in Tbilisi at night is only over 20 degrees in this season, which is really comfortable.