- Telavi, the main town of Kakheti, needs half a day for its royal fortress, giant plane tree and bazaar, and makes the best base for the sights around it.
- Old and New Shuamta, Ikalto and Tsinandali are about 10 km from the centre, Alaverdi and Gremi about 21 km, and Nekresi about 35 km.
- One night covers the town and one loop; two nights add the second loop and a family cellar.
- From Tbilisi the Gombori road takes about 2 hours over a forest pass at ~1,600 m; the valley highway via Gurjaani takes about 2.5 hours.
- Mid-September to October brings Rtveli, the grape harvest, and Telavi's busiest weeks. Late May and June are green and quieter.
This Telavi travel guide covers the best things to do in Telavi, the old royal capital of Kakheti, and in the valley around it. In town you can walk through Batonis Tsikhe, the walled palace of King Erekle II. You can rest under a plane tree said to be 900 years old, then shop the bazaar for cheese and churchkhela. Alaverdi, Ikalto, Shuamta and Tsinandali are all within about half an hour by car.
Telavi spreads over a hillside of the Gombori range at ~490 m, looking down on the Alazani Valley. Across the valley, the Greater Caucasus rises like a wall. Fewer than 20,000 people live here, yet it is the largest town in Kakheti and the seat of its regional government. It feels like a working market town more than a showpiece. Below you will find distances, 2026 prices, day plans, food and stays. For the wider region, see our Kakheti travel guide.
Is Telavi worth visiting, and how long should you stay?
Yes, if you like history, wine or quiet towns. Telavi was a seat of the kings of Kakheti, and Erekle II, one of Georgia's best-loved rulers, was born here in 1720. He died here too, in 1798. His fortress palace still stands in the centre. Three monasteries founded by the Assyrian Fathers in the 6th century, Alaverdi, Ikalto and Nekresi, lie within 35 km.
The town needs half a day. Add one loop of nearby sights and you have a full day. With two nights you can do both loops, visit a family cellar and still enjoy a long dinner. A day trip from Tbilisi works too, with roughly four hours on the road.
| Telavi at a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Altitude | ~490 m, facing the Alazani Valley |
| From Tbilisi | ~96 km over the Gombori Pass, about 2 hours |
| Time needed | Half a day in town; 1 to 2 nights with the loops |
| Best months | Mid-September to October; late May and June |
| Known for | Batonis Tsikhe, the giant plane tree, Erekle II, Rtveli and qvevri wine |
| Nearest sights | Tsinandali ~9 km, Ikalto and Shuamta ~10 km, Alaverdi and Gremi ~21 km |
Things to do in Telavi: the old town on foot
Old Telavi is compact: allow two or three hours from the fortress to the market. Some lanes are steep and cobbled, so wear shoes with grip.
Batonis Tsikhe, the royal fortress
Batonis Tsikhe means the master's fortress. A wall about 5 m high, with round towers, guards the palace of the Kakhetian kings. King Archil built the first palace and the bath in the 17th century, and Erekle II added the court church and the outer wall in the 18th. Inside you find a Persian-style hall, carved wood and painted ceilings. The royal palaces of Tbilisi were razed in 1795, so this is the only one left standing in Georgia.
The walls also hold the town museum, which locals call Erekle's museum. Its 67,000-plus objects run from coins and carpets to the king's own silver dagger, and a gallery shows paintings by Elene Akhvlediani and Lado Gudiashvili. A ticket for the paid palace and museum part was about 7 GEL (about $2.60) in 2026. Hours are usually about 10:00-18:00, with Mondays closed.
The Erekle II statue
Outside the gate, Erekle II sits on a bronze horse, sword in hand. Merab Merabishvili made the statue in 1971, and the figure alone is about 8.5 m tall. Every 7 November the town holds Erekleoba, the king's day, with concerts and church services.
The giant plane tree
Two minutes from the fortress stands the chinari, an oriental plane tree. Estimates put its age at 900 to 1,000 years. It is ~40 m tall, and its trunk measures roughly 11 to 12 m around. Legend says Erekle II liked to think in its shade. In January 2024 it became the first tree in Georgia protected as a tree of local importance, with a yearly budget for its care. Locals say a wish made under it comes true.
Nadikvari Park and Cholokashvili Street
From the fortress, walk six to eight minutes uphill to Nadikvari Park. Its terrace looks across the Alazani Valley to the snowy ridge of the Caucasus, sharpest on clear autumn and winter mornings. On the way back, stroll down Cholokashvili Street, restored in recent years, where old houses keep their carved wooden balconies.
The Telavi bazaar
The central market is about 15 minutes on foot from the fortress and serves the whole region. Go in the morning, when it is busiest. Look for nadughi, a soft whey cheese, honey, spices and strings of churchkhela, and bread hot from the round clay oven. Some stalls sell homemade wine and chacha in reused bottles, so taste before you buy.
More ideas in town
- The qvevri makers of Vardisubani, a village on the edge of town, who build the clay jars by hand.
- Zuzumbo Hill, ~2.5 km from the centre, with a 1970s war memorial shaped like a flag and a wide view.
| Sight | Time needed | Cost (2026) | Best time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batonis Tsikhe and museum | 1-2 hours | About 7 GEL | Morning, Tuesday to Sunday |
| Erekle II statue | 10 minutes | Free | Any time |
| Giant plane tree | 15 minutes | Free | Early or late in the day |
| Nadikvari Park | 30-45 minutes | Free | Clear mornings or sunset |
| Cholokashvili Street | About 30 minutes | Free | Late afternoon |
| Telavi bazaar | 45 minutes-1 hour | Free | Morning |
Alaverdi, Ikalto and Shuamta: the western loop from Telavi
Six sights near Telavi fall into two half-day loops. The western one links two forest monasteries, an old academy and Kakheti's tallest church, with about 55 km of driving.
| Sight | From Telavi | Drive | Time to allow | Entry (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old and New Shuamta | ~10 km (Old Shuamta 2 km further) | About 15 min | 1-1.5 hours | Free |
| Ikalto | ~10 km | 15-20 min | 45 minutes | Free |
| Alaverdi | ~21 km | About 30 min | About 1 hour | Free |
| Tsinandali Estate | ~9 km | 10-15 min | 1.5-2 hours | About 10 GEL |
| Gremi | ~21 km | 25-30 min | About 1 hour | About 10 GEL |
| Nekresi | ~35 km | 40-45 min | 1-1.5 hours | Free |
Old and New Shuamta
The two Shuamta monasteries hide in beech and oak forest off the Gombori road. New Shuamta comes first. Queen Tinatin, wife of King Levan of Kakheti, founded it in the 16th century, and nuns live there again today. Its brick church holds her tomb and the grave of the poet Alexander Chavchavadze. About 2 km further up the track, three stone churches of Old Shuamta, from the 5th to 7th centuries, stand in a quiet clearing with no monks and no shop.
Ikalto
St Zenon, one of the Assyrian Fathers, founded a monastery at Ikalto in the 6th century. Around 1100, under King David IV, the scholar Arsen Ikaltoeli opened an academy beside it. It taught theology and philosophy, and also astronomy and winemaking. Tradition says the poet Shota Rustaveli studied here. Walk through the roofless academy hall and the ruins of the old winepress. Persian raids in the early 17th century ended the teaching.
Alaverdi
Alaverdi rises alone out of the vineyards north of Telavi. St Joseph of Alaverdi set up a monastery here in the 6th century, and King Kvirike III raised the Cathedral of St George in the early 11th. At ~55 m, no church in Georgia stood taller until Tbilisi's Holy Trinity Cathedral was finished in 2004. Inside, the high bare walls keep patches of 11th- to 17th-century frescoes. The monks make wine in a cellar within the walls, open by arrangement only. Entry is free.
Tsinandali, Gremi and Nekresi: the eastern loop
The second loop runs east along the valley floor: a noble estate, a royal citadel and a hilltop monastery. It pairs well with lunch in a family cellar.
Tsinandali Estate
Tsinandali was the country home of Prince Alexander Chavchavadze (1786-1846), a poet, general and famous host. Writers and diplomats gathered here, and his daughter Nino married the Russian playwright Alexander Griboyedov. Raiders sent by Imam Shamil sacked the estate in 1854. Today the house is a museum in an 18-hectare park with more than 1,600 kinds of plants.
Chavchavadze led the way in bottling Georgian wine in the European manner. His wine library now holds over 16,500 bottles, the oldest filled in 1841. A museum ticket is about 10 GEL (about $4) in 2026; tastings are sold apart. Each September, orchestras and soloists play in the park for the Tsinandali Festival.
Gremi
From 1466 Gremi was the capital of the kingdom of Kakheti and a busy trading town. The armies of Shah Abbas I wrecked it in the 1610s, and the court later moved to Telavi. On the rocky hilltop stands the brick Church of the Archangels, built in 1565 by King Levan, with frescoes from 1577. Beside it, a three-storey palace and bell tower holds a small museum, and you can climb it for a view over the valley. Adults pay about 10 GEL (about $4) in 2026. The doors usually open at about 11:00 and shut at 18:00, and the site is closed on Mondays.
Nekresi
Nekresi Monastery sits on a wooded spur between Shilda and Kvareli. Abibos of Nekresi, another of the Assyrian Fathers, founded it in the 6th century. A tiny basilica here is thought to date from the 4th century, one of the oldest churches in Georgia, and the foundations of a Zoroastrian fire temple lie nearby. Cars stop at a lower car park, and from there it is a steep 15-minute walk, or a short shuttle van ride when it runs. The view across the Alazani is worth it.
Getting to Telavi: the Gombori Pass and the valley road
Kakheti has no passenger trains, so you come by road. Our Tbilisi to Telavi route page compares the options with stops and transfer prices.
- Over the Gombori Pass: ~96 km, about 2 hours, through beech forest past Ujarma Fortress to a pass at ~1,600 m.
- Along the Kakheti highway: roughly 150 km, about 2.5 hours, via Sagarejo and Gurjaani. It is flat and wide, so it suits snow or night driving.
- Via Tianeti and Akhmeta: ~135 km, close to 3 hours over the hills further north. Parts have been under repair, so ask first.
On a clear day, take the Gombori road for the view. As you come down the far side, the whole Alazani Valley opens up below, with the Caucasus behind it. Snow or rockfall can still close the road for a day or two, as a rockfall did in October 2026. Check its status the evening before.
By marshrutka
Minibuses leave Tbilisi for Telavi roughly every 30 to 60 minutes in the daytime. Most use the Navtlughi stop next to Samgori metro station, and a few start at Ortachala. In 2026 the fare was about 15-20 GEL (about $6-7), paid in cash, and the ride took 2 to 2.5 hours. They do not go to the monasteries, so hire a local taxi or a driver for the loops, and agree the fare first.
Rtveli and wine tourism around Telavi
Wine shapes daily life in Telavi. Many families on the edge of town keep a marani, a cellar with clay qvevri set into the floor, and in autumn the smell of crushed grapes fills the streets.
A wine day here mixes three kinds of stop. In a family marani the host draws wine from a jar and usually feeds you too. An estate cellar, like the one at Tsinandali, has set tours and a shop. Monastery wine is rarer, and Alaverdi's cellar opens by arrangement only. For named cellars, see our guide to Kakheti wineries. For how qvevri and amber wine work, and for grapes such as Saperavi, read our Georgian wine guide.
Rtveli in September and October
Rtveli, the grape harvest, starts when the grapes are ready, not on a set day. Picking usually runs from mid-September into October, and in 2026 it began in Kakheti around 10 September. Guests are often welcome to cut bunches, tread grapes in a long wooden trough and help fill the qvevri. You may also see churchkhela being dipped in hot grape must. The day nearly always ends at the table.
Alaverdoba, the monastery's feast, falls around 28 September. TelaVino, the town's wine fair, has filled the courtyard of Batonis Tsikhe each autumn since 2014, on a date set each year. Rooms fill up on harvest weekends, so book early.
Telavi itinerary: one day or two
One day
- Morning: the old town
Be at Batonis Tsikhe when it opens. See the statue and the plane tree, then walk up to Nadikvari Park for the view. - Late morning: the bazaar
Walk down Cholokashvili Street to the market. Buy bread, cheese and churchkhela for later. - Afternoon: the western loop
Drive to Old and New Shuamta, then Ikalto, and finish at Alaverdi in the late light. - Evening: supper
Book dinner at your guesthouse, with the family's own wine.
Two days
- Day 1: town and western loop
Follow the one-day plan. - Day 2: eastern loop and a cellar
Visit Tsinandali when it opens, then a family marani for lunch and a tasting. In the afternoon drive on to Gremi and Nekresi, and come back across the valley at sunset.
With a third day, carry on to Sighnaghi, or in summer head up the Abano Pass road to Tusheti. If you only have one day, book our private Kakheti wine day trip from Tbilisi. We set the day to suit you, take families and groups of every size, and send a guide in your language. Ask us to route it past Telavi's monasteries.
Where to eat in Telavi: Kakhetian dishes to order
Telavi has cafes and wine bars near the fortress, but some of the best meals are in guesthouses. Kakhetian cooking is generous with meat and herbs. Look for these dishes:
- Mtsvadi: pork or veal on skewers, grilled over dried vine cuttings.
- Khashlama: beef or lamb simmered for hours and served with its broth and herbs.
- Chakapuli: a spring stew of lamb with tarragon and sour green plums, best in April and May.
- Chikhirtma: a rich chicken soup thickened with egg, the local cure for the morning after.
- Khinkali: meat dumplings, plus a local kind filled with nadughi and melted butter.
- Tonis puri or shoti: canoe-shaped loaves baked in a deep, round clay oven called a tone.
- Badrijani: fried aubergine rolled around walnut paste.
- Churchkhela: walnuts coated in thickened grape must, good for the road.
Ask for qvevri wine by the glass or the jug. Vegetarians do well with lobio, a bean stew, plus pkhali and cheese. Many guesthouses cook dinner if you ask a day ahead.
Where to stay in Telavi
Telavi is small, so any part of town works. Choose by the kind of stay you want. The prices below are typical for a double room with breakfast in 2026.
| Area | Stay type | Good for | Typical double (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old centre, near Batonis Tsikhe | Small hotels and guesthouses | Walking to sights and cafes | About 120-250 GEL (about $45-95) |
| Quiet streets on the slopes | Family guesthouses with a marani | Home dinners and house wine | About 60-120 GEL (about $23-45) |
| Wine villages: Kisiskhevi, Vardisubani, Ikalto, Tsinandali | Farm stays and winery rooms | Rtveli and quiet nights | About 80-200 GEL (about $30-75) |
| Countryside estates and lakeside resorts | Resort and estate hotels | Pools, spa and special trips | From about 400 GEL (about $150) |
A guesthouse suits most travellers: big breakfasts, house wine and a host who can call a cellar for you.
Best time to visit Telavi
Summers are hot and winters cool and fairly dry. Rain peaks in May.
| Season | Highs and lows | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar-May) | From ~13°C (March) up to ~23°C (May) | Green vines and chakapuli season; May is the wettest month |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | ~28-31°C by day, ~19°C at night | Hot afternoons; see sights early and sit in cool cellars at noon |
| Autumn (Sep-Nov) | ~26°C in September to ~13°C in November | Rtveli, festivals and the busiest weeks |
| Winter (Dec-Feb) | ~7-8°C by day, near 0°C at night | Quiet and cheap, with snowy views; the Gombori road can close briefly |
Mid-September to mid-October is the classic time for wine lovers, and late May and June suit walkers. Winter works for cellars and monasteries. For monthly figures, see our Telavi weather page.
Telavi travel guide FAQ
Is Telavi worth visiting?
Yes. It has the only royal palace still standing in Georgia, a famous plane tree, a lively market and the easiest access to Alaverdi, Ikalto, Shuamta and Tsinandali.
How many days do you need in Telavi?
Half a day covers the town. One night adds one loop of monasteries, and two nights give you both loops and a cellar visit at an easy pace.
What is Telavi famous for?
It was a royal capital of Kakheti and the birthplace of King Erekle II, whose fortress palace stands in the centre. It is also known for its ancient plane tree and the wine villages around it.
Is Telavi or Sighnaghi a better base in Kakheti?
Telavi is closer to the monasteries, Tsinandali, Gremi and the Tusheti road. Sighnaghi is prettier and closer to Bodbe. With three nights, split them.
Is there a train to Telavi?
No. Kakheti has no passenger trains at the moment, so travel by car, minibus or private transfer.
When is the grape harvest in Telavi?
Picking normally begins in mid-September and goes on into October. Many families welcome guests to help, so ask your host.
Do you need a car in Telavi?
Not in town, which is easy to walk. For the monasteries and cellars you need a taxi or a driver, because minibuses only link the main towns.
