No matter how many times you visit Georgia, the country will continuously charm you. Incomparable, centuries-old monuments will spread all of history out before your eyes and tell you stories that you can hear nowhere else. One of those creations is Vardzia, a grand ensemble of medieval cliff architecture and one of the most popular monuments in Georgia.

Owing to the nation’s turbulent history on the edge of the empires, many of the defensive buildings within Georgia are centuries old, meaning you’ll be able to find outstanding monuments in every city, town, and village. One particularly well-preserved example of this is the 10th-century Khertvisi Fortress, near the village that shares its name.

If you would like to see what a Georgian fortress in its prime might have looked like, you should pay a visit to Akhaltsikhe Fortress in the historic Rabati district of Akhaltsikhe Town. Built on a mountain overlooking the city, the reconstructed fortress gives a fantastic impression of what one of these fortifications might have looked like in their heyday.

The Javakheti volcanic plateau, where the Lesser Caucasus Mountains begin, is the only place in Georgia with multiple lakes in such close proximity to each other. The Kartsakhi, Bugdasheni, Madatapi, and Khanchali Lakes, as well as Suldi Swamp, are all located on the territory of Javakheti Protected Areas and are strictly guarded.

If you’ve spent any time dining in Georgia, the name “Borjomi” might sound familiar to you. Nobody leaves the country without sampling the popular mineral water that seems to be served in every local restaurant, cafe, and hotel. Indeed, Borjomi mineral water is an ambassador of Georgia in 32 countries around the world. But did you know that the town of Borjomi is a gorgeous resort destination with more to offer than just Georgia’s signature sparkling water? It is a town whose healing spring waters, peaceful pine forests, and bracing mountain air has been working miracles on the sick for centuries.