Kakheti is known as wine country, but it is also a land of ancient monasteries. Many stand among vineyards, and some made wine for centuries. If you are spending two or three days in Kakheti, include at least two or three monasteries — they are close together and pair easily with tastings. The natural base is Telavi.

Alaverdi

Alaverdi Cathedral is one of the tallest churches in Georgia, its dome rising about 50 m. The present building dates from the early 11th century, on the site of a monastery founded in the 6th century by Joseph of Alaverdi, one of the thirteen Assyrian Fathers. It stands in the middle of the Alazani Valley, its silhouette visible from afar against the Caucasus.

Good to know:

  • The monastery has a working marani where monks make wine in qvevri the traditional way; Alaverdi monastery wine is known across Georgia.
  • In September the Alaverdoba festival draws pilgrims and people from surrounding villages.
  • The grounds are walled, with a garden and the remains of palace buildings inside.

Ikalto

Ikalto Monastery, a few kilometres from Telavi, was founded in the 6th century by Zenon, another of the Assyrian Fathers. In the 12th century it housed an academy, one of medieval Georgia's most important schools, teaching theology, philosophy, astronomy and winemaking. Tradition says the poet Shota Rustaveli, author of "The Knight in the Panther's Skin", studied here.

The ruins of the academy survive, along with an old qvevri cellar — proof that winemaking was studied as seriously as philosophy.

Gremi

Gremi is a 16th-century royal citadel, once capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti. On the hilltop stands the brick Church of the Archangels, ringed by a wall with towers. Inside are frescoes, and one tower holds a small museum on the kingdom's history with a viewing platform.

Gremi looks spectacular from the road against the mountains — a good stop between Telavi and Kvareli.

Nekresi

Nekresi Monastery, founded in the 4th–6th centuries, is one of Georgia's oldest Christian sites. It sits high on a wooded slope above the Alazani Valley. A steep road leads up from the car park; a small shuttle runs in season, but many walk (20–30 minutes).

The reward is silence, ancient churches and a stunning view: on a clear day you can see all of Kakheti to the Caucasus.

Shuamta

Near Telavi, in the forest on the road to the Gombori Pass, are Old Shuamta (Dzveli Shuamta), with three churches from the 5th–7th centuries, and New Shuamta (Akhali Shuamta), a working 16th-century convent. It is cool even in summer and very peaceful.

Planning a route

Day 1 (from Telavi):

  1. Ikalto — 30–40 minutes.
  2. Old and New Shuamta — 1 hour.
  3. Lunch in Telavi.
  4. Alaverdi — 1 hour.
  5. Evening — a winery tasting.

Day 2:

  1. Gremi — 1 hour.
  2. Nekresi — 1.5 hours including the climb.
  3. Kvareli — the wine tunnel or a winery.
  4. On to Sighnaghi or back to Tbilisi.

Getting there

Minibuses run from Tbilisi to Telavi from Samgori and Ortachala bus stations, taking 2–2.5 hours via the Gombori Pass or about 3 hours via Sagarejo. For the monasteries themselves a taxi or driver is easiest, as public transport doesn't reach many of them.

Dress code

All of these are working monasteries:

  • women — headscarf and skirt below the knee (often provided at the entrance);
  • men — long trousers;
  • shoulders covered;
  • speak quietly and don't photograph services without permission.

Monasteries and wine

The bond between church and wine in Georgia is deep. Saint Nino is said to have made her cross from grapevines, and monasteries preserved winemaking knowledge for centuries. You can try monastery wine at Alaverdi and some other monasteries — ask at the shop.

When to go

  • Spring — fresh greenery and blossoming orchards.
  • Autumn — rtveli season, the best time to combine monasteries and wineries.
  • Summer — hot in the valley, cool at Shuamta and Nekresi.
  • Winter — quiet, with views of the snowy Caucasus.

In short

Kakheti's monasteries are ancient history among the vineyards. Climb to Nekresi for the view, stand beneath Alaverdi's dome, find the old qvevri at the Ikalto academy and admire Gremi against the mountains. Two days in Telavi are enough to see the highlights — and still make time for wine.