Gurjaani

Gurjaani (Georgian: გურჯაანი) is a city, with a population of 10,000, in the Alazani Valley of the Kakheti region.

Understand

Gurjaani Church of All Saints

The area around and in Gurjaani was already inhabited during the stone ages. The oldest church originates from the 8th century. As with the rest of the Kakheti region, also Gurjaani is an important wine region. The modern city was founded in 1934.

Get in

By bus

Marshrutkas heading for Telavi from Tbilisi, but not taking highway no. 38, also go through Gurjaani.

Furthermore, several marshrutkas travel between Gurjaani and Telavi, Sighnaghi as well as Tnori.

By car

The main Kakheti highway no. 5 can be taken from Tbilisi or the Azerbaijani border. At Bakurtsikhe take highway no. 42 for 10 km towards Telavi.

Get around

The city is small enough to be walkable.

See

Nato Vachnadze House and Museum

• 1 Church of All Saints / Church of the Dormition (Gurjaani Kveladtsminda / გურჯაანის ყველაწმინდა). A basilica built around the 8th century, with two domes above the middle part. The space is aligned according to three church basilica type and includes a gallery.  
• 2 Museum of Nato Vachnadze. Tu-Su 10-18:00. The former house of the famous Georgian film actress, which received numerous awards like the Stalin prize and the title of People's Artist of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. 
• Vejini Fortress (5 km south). 

Gurjaani

• Lakbe Reservoir (near the village of Arashenda). Created as a result of the damming of the river Lakbe. (updated Dec 2022)

Do

Therapeutic muds of Akhtala

• 1 Akhtala Mud Resort (ახტალა), Gurjaani (west of Gurjaani), ☏ +995 353220803, +995 599231774, kurorti.axtala@yahoo.com. A historic therapeutic mineral mud resort. Discovered in 1924, in 1932 a small sanatorium and the clinic were opened. The mud here contains three components: Water with 45-95% mineral, a crystalline mixture and colloidal particles. 
• Gurjaani Wine Festival, Gurjaani, Georgia (Queen Tamar street 9, Kurort Akhtala, Georgia), gurjaaniwinefest@gmail.com. Annual event. The festival features Qvevri-made wine by the locals, as well as more than 300 different types of wine produced by large and small wine cellars, other drinks of various types, and traditional dishes that can be paired with wine. (updated Dec 2022)

Buy

In the city center, there is a market area where you can find everything you need for daily life: ATM's of Bank of Georgia (orange terminal) and TBC Bank (blue terminal), pharmacies, a vet and lots of things for your car if you need to fix something. There are several super markets at the main road through the city (SH42).

Eat

Kakheti is well known for meat and barbecue. It is common using dry branches of grapevine to make a fire, wait for glowing ashes and then put meat skewers on a frame to grill the meat. When the meat is done it's put into bowls and mixed with fresh onions and herbs. It is also common to eat the grilled meat with tremali sauce (a kind of saur plum sauce).

Drink

There is a small and nice cafe in Ioseb Noneshvili Gamziri since 2022.

• 1 City Theatre. This might be a good place for evening entertainment and also to have a drink. 

Go next

• Telavi – the capital of Kakheti is a convenient base for exploring the region's wineries, castles, and monasteries
• Sighnaghi – A restored wine town with an extensive wall and close-by the popular Monastery of St. George at Bodbe (aka Bodbe Convent).
• Lagodekhi – A pretty border town (next to Azerbaijan) and a nearby nature reserve with subtropical forests.
• David Gareja Monastery Complex – A 6th century cave monastery clinging onto a rocky hillside lying meters away from Azerbaijan, with beautiful frescos. Can be reached by taxis or organized tours, no public transport available from Sighnaghi (only Tbilisi). 50 km from Sighnaghi, a detour along the way to/from Tbilisi.