Shida Kartli

Georgia

Uplistsikhe, Shida Kartli Region, Georgia. Panorama Of Uplistsuli
'The sunset over Mtkvari River, the smoke rising from the village homesteads, and one of the most extraordinary and powerful feels I’ve ever come across: this place has soul!'
View of a staircase inside of the Stalin Museum in Gori, Georgia. Gori is a relatively small town located about 80 kilometers from Tbilisi. Joseph Stalin (his last name is a play on the Russian word for "steel" - his real last name was the Georgian surname of Jugashvili) was born and raised in Gori, and this museum houses both the small boarding house he was born in, and his train car. It's certainly worth a visit if you're in Georgia. Price is 10 GEL for a ticket - and they have english speaking tour guides available. I'll let you make up your own mind about the politics of the place, but I will say that the tour had some laugh out loud understatements like: "Stalin and the Soviet mades some mistakes, such as the forced collectivization of agriculture in Ukraine." I would bet Germans would probably be the most interested - if you've ever been to Germany you'd understand what I mean.
Sunshine on the rocks - view from the Uplistsikhe cave complex near Gori, Georgia. Uplistsikhe is an ancient fortress settlement that sits up on a hill in a river valley. For a small fee you can climb up a set of stairs and explore what's left on this ancient settlement. It features an excellent view of the surrounding area.
Looking off the cliff at the Uplistsikhe rock and cave complex outside of Gori, Georgia. Uplistsikhe is an extremely old city that was carved out of rock located on the side of a hill. After climbing to the top of this complex, it becomes easily apparent as to why ancient people chose this spot to construct a city - it provides a sweeping view of the river valley below. This picture is looking down at sunlight shining off the river.

Popular cities in Shida Kartli

Uplistsikhe archaeological site from iron age in Georgia
Gori
Known for Churches, Cathedrals and Historical
Quaint Gori awaits: its churches, history, culture, and more!
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Crowd watching a wrestling match in rural Georgia. View from the village of Metekhi.
Kaspi
Check out the local area in Kaspi—home to attractions like Kaspi Cultural Center and Kvatakhevi Monastery.
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Khashuri
Khashuri
Check out the local area in Khashuri as you venture to sights like Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.
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