Hotels near Mtskheta

Mtskheta sits 20 km north of Tbilisi at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers and was Georgia's capital from the 3rd century BC to the 6th century AD. The town is the spiritual heart of Georgian Orthodoxy - Christianity was adopted as Georgia's state religion here in 337 AD by King Mirian III. Three of Mtskheta's monuments form a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1994.

The 11th-century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in town is reputed to hold Christ's robe and is the burial site of Georgian kings. The hilltop Jvari Monastery (6th century) on the bluff opposite was the model for all later Georgian cross-dome churches and offers the best view of the rivers below. Marshrutka buses leave from Didube station in Tbilisi every 20 minutes (2 GEL, 25 minutes). Allow 5 hours for a complete visit.

Pro Tip: Take a Bolt taxi (around 25 GEL) directly to Jvari Monastery first, then walk down to Mtskheta town and Svetitskhoveli. The marshrutka back to Tbilisi from Mtskheta is easier than the reverse. Lunch at Salobie Bia on the main street for the best lobio (bean stew) outside Tbilisi.