Walls and towers
Views over the valley.
Alexey Komarov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Alexxx1979 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Alexxx1979 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jelger Groeneveld — CC BY 2.0 · Alexxx Malev — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Claire à Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Lidia Ilona — CC BY 2.0 · Gill M L — CC BY-SA 2.0
A small town on a steep hill in Kakheti, the heart of Georgia's wine country, at about 790 metres, looking out over the broad Alazani valley with the snowy Greater Caucasus beyond. It is one of Georgia's prettiest towns, with cobbled lanes, houses with carved wooden balconies and red-tiled roofs. Its name comes from an old Turkic word meaning «shelter». In 1762 King Heraclius II built a fortress and a wall here to protect people from raids, and the town grew into a centre of craftsmen and merchants. Remnants of that long wall still ring the town with stone towers and gates, and parts can be walked for majestic views over the valley. The town has two churches, small squares and fountains, museums, carpet and craft shops, and restaurants serving Kakhetian dishes and the region's wine aged in clay jars. The town and its surroundings have been protected by the state as a historic site since 1975. Wandering and walking the walls are free. Early mornings are best, when the air is clear and the mountains stand out, and sunsets over the Alazani valley are memorable. The grape harvest in September and October is one of the loveliest and busiest times to visit.
Views over the valley.
Carved wooden balconies.
With the Caucasus beyond.
Sighnaghi, Kakheti region, about 113 kilometres south-east of Tbilisi
By car or minibus from Tbilisi in about two hours; many combine it with Bodbe Monastery and Kakheti's wineries.
