Zestafoni: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Zestafoni can then continue searching for accommodation.

Culture

The Zestafoni Museum Association consists of the Ushangi Chkheidze House Museum and the Zestafoni Local Lore Museum. The Zestafoni Local Lore Museum houses 7,000 exhibits. Its collections include materials from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages, numismatics and ceramics; it also contains historical and archaeological artefacts. The museum opened on 3 October 1987.

The Ushangi Chkheidze House Museum organised an educational project for primary school children. It focused on promoting cultural heritage and preserving historical memory.

The Georgian folk song festival Suliko takes place every year in the village of Tskhratskaro.

History

Near Zestafoni, the Tabakini St. George Monastery dates from the 7th to 8th centuries; its architecture and 16th-century wall paintings are particularly noteworthy. The area around Zestaponi includes the ancient Shorapani Fortress, the fortress and church of Tabakini, Upper Sakara Church and the Tamar Bridge, as well as other historical sites.

Near Zestafoni, Shorapani served as a trade link between western and eastern countries. The Shorapani Fortress was built during the reign of King Parnavaz. Archaeological excavations at the fortress uncovered materials that are kept in the Local Lore Museum. In addition, a stone anchor and a bronze equestrian sculpture dating from the 6th to 4th centuries BC were found at Shorapani Fortress.

Near Zestafoni, paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries have been preserved in Tvevi St. George Church.

Nature and Hiking

The Samtsvera Waterfall lies east of the village of Zovreti and is visited by tourists and locals in summer. The area around Zestafoni has Colchian forests with oak, beech, walnut and ash trees.

The Fersa–Tabakini trekking route reaches Zestafoni from the village of Tabakini and then continues on to Tbilisi. From the centre of Tabakini village, minibuses and taxis provide onward transport towards Zestafoni.

Wine

The “Amiran Vepkhvadze's Wine Cellar” is located at 32 Paolo Iashvili Street in Zestafoni. It offers natural wines made from the Tsitska, Tsolikouri, Krakhuna and Otskhanuri Sapere grape varieties. The wines are naturally fermented and aged in traditional Georgian qvevri.

Near Zestafoni, the wine repository of the Sakara Experimental Station stores wines from characteristic varieties.

Other destinations: Sairme, Chkvishi, Tskaltubo, Alaverdi, Kutaisi, Vardzia, Meore Obcha, Kursebi.

To the higher-level travel overview: Imereti.