Prepared by Sakhva Travel Georgia Guide, a tours and travel platform for Georgia. Sakhva Travel office: 14 Merab Kostava St, Tbilisi.
Tour on this topic: Gori and Uplistsikhe tour from Tbilisi — from ₾155
Gori Fortress
Goristsikhe stands on a rocky hill in the centre of the town. There were fortifications here in ancient times; the present walls are mostly 17th century. Entry is free, the climb takes 10 minutes, and from the top you can see the whole town and the Kura valley.
At the foot of the hill is a memorial to the victims of the 2008 war: bronze figures of soldiers.
The Stalin Museum
The museum opened in 1957. In the park in front of it stands the small house where Joseph Jughashvili was born in 1878, and next to it the armoured railway carriage he travelled in. Inside is an exhibition about his life.
The museum has itself become a monument of its era: the exhibition has hardly changed since Soviet times, and many people find that interesting to see.
Uplistsikhe nearby
10 km from Gori is the cave town of Uplistsikhe, more than 3,000 years old: streets cut into the rock, a theatre, wine cellars and a church. Allow 1–1.5 hours for it.
How to get there
By car — about an hour west along the highway. Marshrutkas leave Didube bus station every half hour, and there are local trains. From Gori to Uplistsikhe people go by taxi.
Where to eat
There are several restaurants with Kartlian food in the centre of Gori. The local dishes are Gori-style khachapuri and mtsvadi, served with Shida Kartli wines.
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