Georgia has turned the small but picturesque town of Sighnaghi into a major tourist brand. “Georgian San Marino”, located in the east (in the Kakheti region, 110 km from Tbilisi), has been completely restored, which did not deprive it of its historical value, but only added European charm to the old fortifications and winding cobblestone streets. Having become one of the most visited cities in Georgia, Sighnaghi, with its pretty low-rise houses under bright tiled roofs, remained quiet and peaceful – the permanent population is only about 1,500 people.
The town, whose name has Turkic roots and means “shelter” in translation, was founded in the second half of the XVIII century as a defensive structure. Its territory has the shape of a polygon, an area of 2,978 km2. and framed in the form of 28 perfectly preserved towers and fortress walls. The latter on the northern side “go” into a deep gorge, and on the rest – repeat the outlines of mountain ranges. Using the stairs equipped near the main fortress gate, you can climb the walls and see not only the whole city, but also the Alazani Valley, as in the palm of your hand.
City attractions
Looking at the photo of Sighnaghi, even experienced travelers can confuse the town of Georgia with a European resort with a developed infrastructure. This was the idea of the architects, who combined original traditions with Southern Italian classics. There are many hotels and hostels, souvenir shops and markets, about 15 cafes and restaurants where you can taste national dishes and good wines.
The latter are mandatory for tasting, because Kakheti is famous for its vineyards and wine cellars, where light Chinuri, spicy Rkatsiteli, berry Tavkveri, tart Saperavi and many other exclusively Georgian wine drinks are “hidden”. The vast majority of tourists take a bottle of local wine from Sighnaghi.
April 9 Park
Start exploring the sights of Sighnaghi from the Park on April 9, named after the Day of Restoration of Independence of Georgia. After inhaling the fresh mountain air, admiring the fragrant flowers and tasting the famous churchkhela, you can go to explore the nearby squares — Solomon Dodashvili and Tsar David the Builder. By the way, the statue of the first – a cult Georgian writer, philosopher and public figure – stands in the park.
Old Town District
Two main streets (Lalashvili and Kostava) lead down from the two mentioned Sighnaghi squares. Tourists walk along them, stopping in souvenir shops and stopping for a long time with cameras in front of residential buildings with colorful balconies covered with vines.
At the end of the journey, each of them will meet with another square – Iraklia II, where there is an elegant fountain, a casino and the reason why Sighnaghi is called the city of love. We are talking about a round-the-clock Wedding Palace. Here you can register your relationship without making an appointment, having received a marriage certificate recognized worldwide.
Interesting to know! Sighnaghi also received the status of a city of love because it was here that the artist Niko Pirosmani, well-known in Georgia and far beyond, performed a romantic act that became the subject of a song about a million red roses.
According to the legend that any local resident will tell you in his interpretation, Pirosmani fell in love with the French actress Marguerite, who came on tour, sold his house in Sighnaghi and bought armfuls of flowers with all the money to cover the street with them at the house of his beloved. Unfortunately, the story has a sad ending – after the end of the tour, the girl left Georgia forever, but the artist did not forget about his love, depicting Margarita on the canvas of the same name.
Temples
Talking about what to see in Sighnaghi, it is impossible not to mention the temples.
St. George’s Church is located on Gorgasali Street next to the fortress wall tower. The basilica is built of brick, and it looks very photogenic against the background of the Alazani Valley: a green-blue canvas covered with settlements with “beaded” houses and powerful mountain ranges in the background.
The Church of St. Stephen is the highest point of the city and allows you to enjoy views of the surrounding area from a specially equipped observation deck.
Museum of History and Ethnography
History lovers will be interested in the unique collections of the Sighnaghi Museum of Local Lore. Its new building in the city center is worth visiting for lovers of antiquities (archaeological finds, bronze tools, ceramic dishes, interior items and clothing), as well as fans of graphic artist and muralist Lado Gudiashvili.
On the second floor of the museum there are also 16 paintings by Niko Pirosmani-these are not the most significant of his creations. The best paintings, including” Actress Margarita”, are kept in Tbilisi, but also less famous paintings are worthy of attention.
If you are interested in seeing the house where Pirosmani was born and raised, go to Mirzaani, the village next to Sighnaghi. There you will find the Georgian artist’s house-museum. You can get to Mirzaani by car or taxi-20 km away.
Museum address: Rustaveli Cul-de-sac, 8, Sighnaghi, Georgia. The ticket price is GEL 3.
Ethnographic Park
Another must-visit attraction in Sighnaghi is the ethnographic park, the road to which departs from Ketevan Tsamebuli Street. You can enjoy local cuisine at several guest houses along the way, and enjoy views of St. George’s Cathedral and the Alazani Valley from high above.
Entrance to the ethnographic park is free – here you can get acquainted with local household items and varieties of grapes grown in Kakheti, prepare pita bread and churchkhela with your own hands, swing on an old swing and relax on benches, then climb the dirt road to the southern gate of the city.
Sculptures
Numerous sculptures deserve separate words. These sights in Sighnaghi are numerous. Funny, sophisticated and touching, they seem almost alive – a girl near the registry office is preparing to give her bouquet to happy newlyweds, a lady with a dog is hiding in the shade from the hot sun, and a doctor on a donkey decided to take a break after a long road. The last sculpture is installed in honor of Benjamin Glonti, a character in George Danelia’s film ” Don’t Grieve!”, some episodes of which were filmed in Sighnaghi.
How to get to Sighnaghi from Tbilisi
By minibus
The easiest and cheapest way is to take a minibus. This type of transport departs to Sighnaghi from Tbilisi every two hours (from 9 am to 6 pm). Departure point-bus station at the Samgori metro station.
Before driving to Sighnaghi from Tbilisi on your own, check the schedule on the spot – it may change depending on the time of year. The fare is 13 Georgian lari.
Buses from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi also run from the Isani metro station. The journey takes about 2-2. 5 hours.
By car
Another way to get from Tbilisi to Sighnaghi is to rent a car, turn on the navigator and drive, enjoying the spectacular views, for about an hour and a half. If you want to completely relax, take a taxi ($40-45), and halfway from Tbilisi, pay attention to the Niahura fortress, built in the XVI century.
When you arrive in Sighnaghi by car, leave it at the entrance to the city and take a walk-first climb to the top, and then go down, along the way looking at the sights and admiring the views.
On a note! From Sighnaghi it is convenient to get to Telavi — the very center of Georgian wine production. What is the town and why it is worth visiting read here.
Weather and climate — when is the best time to visit the city
Sighnaghi’s climate is determined by its immediate surroundings – valleys, Caucasus Mountains, and broad-leaved forests.
In the cold season, thick fog often descends on the city, in the spring it rains, and on some summer days there is an abnormal heat wave.
Summer in Sighnaghi is the sunniest and hottest time of the year. Already in June, the temperature reaches +29°C. The heat peak occurs in July and August – on some days the thermometer rises to +37°C.
The best time to visit the Georgian “city of lovers” is May and September – the first half of October.
Every year, at the end of the first month of autumn – beginning of October, the Rtveli grape harvest festival is held in the Kakheti region for 5-7 days. It is rational to combine a wine tour with exploring the beauty of Sighnaghi.
All September and the first half of October in “little Italy” enjoy comfortable weather. During the day, the air warms up to +20-25°C. In mid-October, rain and fog come to the city.
Winter in Sighnaghi is usually relatively warm (4-7°C). But January and February are quite capricious – snow may fall unexpectedly, a light frost may strike, or a thaw may occur.
In March and early April, warm days alternate with cool ones. For those who want to visit Sighnaghi in the spring, experienced tourists recommend going on a trip in the second half of April or in May – everything is blooming, the probability of fog is low, and the air is warmed up to 25-30°C.
Interesting facts
- Sighnaghi became popular only after restoration in 2005. Before that, it didn’t have quite the look that tourists like.
- The famous song by A. Pugacheva “A million scarlet roses” in 1982 about the same artist Pirosmani and his beloved.
- Nino Pirosmani painted paintings in the primitivist style and was one of the most talented masters of naive art.
- In addition to traditional Georgian treats, travelers recommend tasting pomegranate wine. Here it is especially delicious.
Making Sighnaghi its” calling card”, Georgia gave the world a pastoral, sometimes toy-like and very charming platform for leisurely walks, interesting research, romantic impulses and a pleasant break from noisy megacities.
