Mestia
Georgia · Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti · 1500 m
Description
Mestia (მესტია) is the main village of Upper Svaneti, a valley in the high Caucasus that stayed effectively independent for most of its history because the passes into it close for half the year. Svan families built stone defensive towers next to their houses from the ninth century onwards and more than two hundred still stand, which is what puts the region on the UNESCO list. The Svaneti Museum holds an extraordinary collection of medieval icons and manuscripts that the towers kept safe, and the walk to the Chalaadi glacier or up to the Koruldi lakes starts at the edge of the village.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 5 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: June – September
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Svan defensive tower houses (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography
- Chalaadi glacier walk
- Koruldi lakes and the Ushba viewpoint
- Mestia to Ushguli four day trek (June - September)
- Hatsvali and Tetnuldi ski slopes (December - March)
- Kubdari meat pie and the Svan salt
- Machubi traditional Svan house museums
- Mount Ushba and the Shkhara skyline
- Guli pass horseback rides