Georgia is home to a number of ‘cave cities’ and ‘cave monasteries’ – vast complexes of chambers and grottoes hewn from rocky slopes in the southern part of the country. Vardzia is the largest and best-known among them.
Located near the town of Aspindza, not far from Akhaltsikhe, the Vardzia complex consists of a 500-metre-long sheer rock wall puckered with more than 640 separate chambers spread over 13 levels. Incredibly, this is just one section of a much-larger cave city that was partially destroyed by an earthquake.
Built to house a community of monks and shelter townsfolk from invading forces, Vardzia was a self-contained city with its own kitchens, gardens, vineyards, pharmacies, and an elaborate irrigation system. A self-guided walking tour of Vardiza’s stone galleries reveals evidence of copper pipes and bread ovens.
There’s also a beautiful chapel containing a rare fresco of King (Queen) Tamar, who ruled this part of Georgia at the time of Vardzia’s construction.
Rather than attempting to visit Vardzia in a day from Tbilisi (a long journey and rushed experience), I highly recommend visiting from Akhaltsikhe or Borjomi – that way you’ll have more time to enjoy the site.