Mtskheta: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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For some eight hundred years Mtskheta was the capital of Iberia, the eastern Georgian kingdom, and here in the 4th century its king accepted Christianity. The town is small, a few lanes between two rivers, but it holds the church where Georgian kings were crowned and buried. This walk crosses from the river to the cathedral and the convent, then out to a fortress on the road north. About two hours; churches ask for covered shoulders and knees, and women cover their hair.

A short history of Mtskheta

Mtskheta, where the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers meet, was the capital of the Kingdom of Iberia, the ancient Georgian kingdom, from the 3rd century BC until the 6th century CE, when the capital moved to Tbilisi. According to the Georgian chronicles, Jews lived here in ancient times, and one of them, Elioz, brought the robe of Jesus from Jerusalem; it was buried at the spot where Svetitskhoveli Cathedral stands today. In the 4th century the Kingdom of Iberia converted to Christianity here under the influence of Saint Nino. The present cathedral was built between 1010 and 1029, and on the hill across the river stands the Jvari Monastery from the late 6th century. In 1994 the town's monuments were declared a World Heritage Site.

The ten best sights in Mtskheta

1
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
The heart of Georgian Christianity; covered shoulders and knees, scarves for women
2
Jvari Monastery
On the hill across the river; the view down onto the meeting of two rivers is the reason
3
Samtavro Monastery
A working convent with the tomb of the first Christian king; quiet voices
4
Armaztsikhe
Ruins of the pre-Christian royal city on the hill south of the river
5
Bebris Tsikhe
A ruined fortress over the road north of town; a short stop, not a visit
6
Pompey's Bridge
Stone piers of an ancient bridge in the Mtkvari, by the road west
7
Mtskheta Archaeological Museum
Finds from the royal city and its graves; small and often overlooked
8
Shio-Mgvime Monastery
Cave cells of a 6th-century monk in a gorge, 15 minutes west
9
Zedazeni Monastery
On a ridge high above town; the dirt road up needs a careful driver
10
Ilia Chavchavadze House Museum
The summer house of Georgia's great writer, in the village of Saguramo

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The old capital

Pompey's Bridge · In 65 BC the Roman general Pompey marched into Iberia after the king of Mtskheta sided with Rome's enemies, and tradition ties these stone piers to his crossing of the river. Whether or not the date is right, an old bridge stood here at the gate of the capital.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral · Georgian tradition says that Elioz, a Jew of Mtskheta, was in Jerusalem at the crucifixion and brought back Christ's robe; his sister Sidonia took it, died holding it, and was buried with it on this spot. The Georgian chronicles also tell of a Jewish community in Mtskheta from the time of Nebuchadnezzar. The present church was built between 1010 and 1029.
Arsukidze Street · The street is named after Arsukidze, the architect whose name is carved on the cathedral wall. Legend says the king had his right hand cut off so he could never build anything as fine, and a carved hand with a set-square on the façade is pointed out as his.
Mtskheta bazaar · Look for churchkhela, the long "Georgian Snickers": walnuts threaded on a string and dipped again and again in grape juice thickened with flour, then hung to dry. Every family in the wine country makes it after the harvest.
Samtavro Monastery · King Mirian III and Queen Nana, the first Christian rulers of Georgia, are buried in the main church; St Nino, who converted them, is said to have lived in a hut by a blackberry bush on this ground. The monk Gabriel Urgebadze, made a saint in 2012, is buried here too, and Georgians queue at his grave.
Bebris Tsikhe · The name means "the old man's fortress". It stood guard over the road north up the Aragvi valley, the same road that later became the Georgian Military Road to the Caucasus.

Pagan kings and Syrian monks

Before Christianity the kings of Iberia lived on the hill of Armazi, named after their chief god. After the conversion, monks came from Syria in the 6th century and founded monasteries in the hills around the capital, from where the faith spread through the countryside. This drive circles the town from the old acropolis to the hilltop church and the monks' caves, ending in the wine village of the princes of Mukhrani. Most of a day; Zedazeni's road is rough.

Mtskheta Archaeological Museum · Thousands of graves have been excavated at Samtavro and Armazi, from the Bronze Age to the early Christian centuries. The gold jewellery, seals and coins from them show a capital that traded with Rome and Persia.
Armaztsikhe · In 1940 excavators here found the Armazi bilingual, a gravestone of the 2nd century for a young woman named Serapita, written in both Greek and Aramaic. Its Aramaic is in a local script, and it is one of the key texts for the history of writing in Georgia.
Jvari Monastery · The church was built around 590-605 over the spot where St Nino had set up a large wooden cross, and its four-apsed plan was copied across the Caucasus. Below it the Aragvi and the Mtkvari meet, and Lermontov set his poem "Mtsyri", about a novice who flees this monastery, in the view you are looking at.
Zedazeni Monastery · Ioane Zedazneli, leader of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers who came to Georgia in the 6th century, founded his monastery on this ridge. From here his disciples went out to found their own, among them Shio at Mgvime and David at Gareja.
Shio-Mgvime Monastery · Mgvime means cave. St Shio, one of the Syrian fathers, lived as a hermit in a cave in this gorge, and the monks who followed him cut more cells into the cliff above the churches. Monks still live here.
Mukhrani · This plain was the land of the Mukhranbatoni, a branch of the royal Bagrationi family, whose castle ruins stand here. In the 1870s Prince Ivane Mukhranbatoni built a European-style winery in the village, and wine is still made under the name Château Mukhrani.

The road into Tbilisi

Tbilisi begins only 20 km from Mtskheta, and its northern edge has some of the most rewarding stops near the old capital: a writer's house, a hill of giant pillars, a reservoir and parks over the city. This route follows that edge from Saguramo round to the hills above the centre. Half a day by car; Tbilisi traffic is heavy at rush hour, so start late morning.

Ilia Chavchavadze House Museum · Ilia Chavchavadze, writer and leader of the Georgian national revival, spent his summers here. In 1907 he was shot dead on the road nearby, at Tsitsamuri, and in 1987 the Georgian Church declared him a saint.
Chronicles of Georgia · Zurab Tsereteli began these sixteen pillars, each over 30 metres tall, in 1985. The upper parts show kings and queens of Georgia, the lower parts scenes from the life of Christ, and the work was never fully finished.
Tbilisi Sea · The "sea" is a reservoir, filled in the 1950s on a dry plateau to water the city and its fields. In summer Tbilisi families come to its beaches to swim.
Turtle Lake · A small lake in the woods above the city, reached by a short cable car from Vake Park. It has cafés, paddle boats and a path round the shore, and on summer evenings it is where Tbilisi goes to cool off.
Open Air Museum of Ethnography · The ethnographer Giorgi Chitaia founded the museum in 1966 by moving whole village houses here from every region of Georgia. The Svan towers and the flat-roofed stone houses of the east show how differently the country lived.
Mtatsminda Park · The amusement park sits on top of the holy mountain over Tbilisi, reached by a funicular first opened in 1905. The Ferris wheel at the edge gives the best view of the whole city.

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Getting to Mtskheta and getting around

Tbilisi International Airport · About 35 minutes by car around Tbilisi; most flights from Israel land here
Mtskheta railway station · A local stop west of the old town; few trains, buses are easier
Mtskheta bus station · Marshrutkas to Tbilisi's Didube station run all day, about 20-30 minutes

Cheap eats in Mtskheta

Mtskheta is a day trip from Tbilisi for most Georgians, so its food is aimed at visitors: khachapuri, khinkali and grilled meat on Arsukidze Street, and sweets at the bazaar. Georgia uses the lari, and a filling lunch costs less here than in central Tbilisi. On the road out of town, the bean houses serve lobio and lobiani to drivers all day.

Salobie · Lobio in a clay pot with mchadi cornbread, about 8-12 lari
Mtskheta bazaar · Churchkhela about 2-4 lari, fruit by the kilo for a few lari
Tortini · Cakes and pastries, about 3-6 lari
So Vida · Coffee near the cathedral, about 5-8 lari
Street Garden · Café on Arsukidze Street, khachapuri about 10-15 lari
Fresh Ori · Fast food on the highway exit, about 6-12 lari

Museums in Mtskheta

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral · Kings' tombs, frescoes and the shrine over the robe
Mtskheta Archaeological Museum · Gold and grave finds from the royal city
Samtavro Monastery · Tombs of King Mirian and Queen Nana; working convent
Ilia Chavchavadze House Museum · The national writer's summer house in Saguramo
Open Air Museum of Ethnography · Village houses from all of Georgia on a Tbilisi hill

Nature and day trips near Mtskheta

Jvari viewpoint · The two rivers meeting below, two colours of water
Zedazeni ridge · Forest and views over the valley from the monastery
Shio-Mgvime gorge · Cliffs and cave cells in a quiet limestone gorge
Zhinvali Reservoir · Turquoise water along the Military Road
Tbilisi Sea · Reservoir beaches for a summer swim

Things to do in Mtskheta with kids

Mtatsminda Park · Funicular ride, rides and a Ferris wheel over the city
Tbilisi Zoo · The city zoo in the Vere valley
Turtle Lake · Cable car up, paddle boats on the water
Armaztsikhe · Ruins to scramble over with a view of the rivers
Pompey's Bridge · Ancient bridge piers by the river, a short stop

Where to eat in Mtskheta

Aurumi · Georgian dinner on Arsukidze Street
Dzveli Taverna · "The old tavern", near the cathedral
Kartuli Ezo · "The Georgian yard", tables outdoors
Tsiskvili in Mtskheta · "The mill", Georgian dishes in a garden
Georgian Wine Chamber · Wine tasting and dinner in the old town

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Frequently asked questions about Mtskheta

What is there to see in Mtskheta?

The top sights in Mtskheta are Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Jvari Monastery and Samtavro Monastery. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Mtskheta?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Mtskheta without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Mtskheta?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Mtskheta, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The old capital.

How do you get to Mtskheta and get around?

The main ways are Tbilisi International Airport, Mtskheta railway station and Mtskheta bus station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Mtskheta, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Mtskheta that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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