Vardzia

Once you spot Vardzia on the mountainside, you won’t be able to look away. I definitely couldn’t. A huge swathe of mountain is carved out and honeycombed with caves and passageways. The bare stone stands out against the green landscape all around it. They have an audio guide available, but you can get a tour guide for pretty cheap (and I would recommend doing so). It’s neat to learn about the history and discover what the different rooms were used for, from living quarters to a winery to the ancient church. Vardzia was carved out of the mountainside in the 12th century, making it the youngest cave city on this list by over 2000 years. Most of the construction happened during the rule of Queen Tamar, one of Georgia’s most famous and successful rulers (look her up, she was a badass). Legend says that Vardzia got its name because Tamar was visiting the site as a child and got lost. When her family came looking for her, she called out, “Ak var, dzia. Here I am, Uncle,” and the name stuck. Built largely as a monastic site, Vardzia cave city still has a handful of devotees who live at the site and care for the Church of the Dormition, which is covered in religious murals dating back to the 12th century. It’s an amazing place to visit and spend an afternoon climbing around through tunnels and up and down the steep staircases and ladders. Not to mention the beautiful views of the mountains around it and the vibrant landscape around the Mtkvari River which runs through the valley. Any visit to Vardzia starts in Akhaltsikhe, where you’ll likely stay if you’re making a day trip of it. Akhaltsikhe, whose name translates to “New Castle,” is overlooked by the massive Rabati Castle, which is well worth a visit and free unless you want to visit the museum – which I highly recommend!