Vardzia is one of the most spectacular sights in Georgia — a vast cave monastery carved into the sheer rock face of Mount Erusheti, overlooking the Kura River in the southwest of the country. It is worth the long drive from Tbilisi or Kutaisi.
The cave city was begun in the 12th century under King George III and expanded by his daughter Queen Tamar. At its peak, some 3,000 people lived here in over 600 rooms connected by tunnels and corridors cut into the cliff. Each dwelling had three rooms. According to legend, Tamar had more than 366 chambers so that enemies could never know where she slept.
Today Vardzia is a grand ruin, but the Church of the Assumption survives with beautiful 12th-century frescoes still intact — including a contemporary portrait of Tamar herself. A few monks live here again, and they may accompany you during your visit. You buy a ticket at the booth near the river and walk up on your own. Bring food and water — there are no shops at the site.
Two kilometres upstream, the older and less-visited cave complex of Vanis Kvabebi is well worth the extra hour. A few kilometres downstream, the ruined Tmogvi Fortress sits on a volcanic plug above the Kura gorge. The most practical base is Akhaltsikhe, 30 km north.