15 Hidden Places in Georgia Most Tourists Never Visit

TL;DR: Skip the crowds and discover Georgia's quiet places many visitors miss. From ancient fortress villages to wild canyons and forgotten Soviet towns, these less-traveled destinations will change how you see the country.

Overview

Most visitors to Georgia stick to the greatest hits: Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Batumi, and maybe Svaneti. And honestly, those places are incredible. But Georgia has so much more hiding just beyond the main roads. After years of driving every corner of this country, we have put together a list of 15 places that deserve way more attention.

Each of these spots offers something similar to the famous destinations, but without the crowds. Think of them as the "next level" of exploring Georgia.

Wild Landscapes and Remote Corners

1. Shatili: The Fortress Village of the North

If you loved Ushguli's medieval towers, Shatili will blow you away. Tucked deep in the Khevsureti region of the Greater Caucasus, this ancient settlement is a dense cluster of flat-topped stone towers rising straight from the river valley. The towers are all connected, forming one massive defensive wall.

Unlike Ushguli, which spreads across a wide valley, Shatili feels like a single, compact fortress. It is only about four hours from Tbilisi by car, but it feels like another century. A handful of guesthouses and restaurants serve visitors, and the nearby abandoned village of Mutso is equally dramatic.

Best for: History lovers, photographers, and anyone who wants to see medieval Georgia at its most raw.

Our pick: Take a Toyota 4Runner or Jeep Wrangler. The road is paved most of the way but gets rough near the end. Check out our full 4x4 rental fleet in Tbilisi.

2. The Ossetian Military Highway Through Upper Racha

Everyone knows the Georgian Military Highway from Tbilisi to Kazbegi. But there is a lesser-known counterpart in the west: fragments of the old Ossetian Military Road that wind through Upper Racha, northeast of the town of Oni.

This route passes through alpine valleys and tiny mountain settlements. Traffic is almost nonexistent, and the viewpoints are unmarked and informal. Highlights include the villages of Ghebi, Gona (often called Georgia's "Little Switzerland"), and Chiora. The road does not cross any border. It simply fades into the mountains.

Best for: Road trip lovers who want dramatic scenery without the tourist buses. A car rental from Kutaisi is the most convenient starting point.

3. Vashlovani: Georgia's Wild East

Stretching along the border with Azerbaijan, the Vashlovani Protected Areas look nothing like the rest of Georgia. This is semi-desert steppe, dry canyons, and badlands that feel more like Central Asia than the Caucasus.

Getting here requires planning and a good 4x4 from Tbilisi. There are ranger huts for overnight stays, or you can wild camp. The best time to visit is spring or autumn, when Tusheti (which shares historical connections with Vashlovani through ancient herding routes) is still closed for the season.

Best for: Adventure seekers and off-road enthusiasts. A Toyota FJ Cruiser or Jeep Wrangler is essential here.

4. The Abasha River: Waterfalls Without the Ticket Booth

Martvili Canyon is one of Georgia's most popular nature attractions, but the managed walkways and boat rides are not for everyone. The good news? The same river flows through undeveloped gorges both upstream and downstream from the ticketed section.

Places like Gachedili Canyon, Kaghu Waterfall, and Oniore Waterfall can all be reached on foot. You get the same turquoise water and mossy cliffs, just without the infrastructure and crowds. These spots are mainly used by local families for swimming in summer.

Best for: Nature lovers who prefer wild, uncommercialised settings. Easy to reach with any rental car from Kutaisi.

5. Upper Adjara: Mountains Behind the Beach

Most people know Adjara for Batumi and its beaches. But drive just a couple of hours inland and the landscape completely changes. Subtropical coast gives way to dramatic mountains with a distinct culture shaped by centuries on the Ottoman frontier.

Up here you will find wooden mosques, covered bridges, and summer settlements called yaylas (including Beshumi). The area also has one of Europe's longest zip lines and some excellent glamping options. It is much more accessible than Tusheti but has a similar feel of being in a different world.

Best for: Families and travelers who want mountain culture without rough roads. Pick up a car at Batumi Airport and drive inland.

Small Towns with Big Stories

6. Abastumani: The Spa Town with a Space Observatory

Like Borjomi, Abastumani developed as a health resort in the 19th century, known for its mineral springs and clean mountain air. The Russian imperial family built summer homes here, and wooden dacha-style houses still line the main street.

What makes Abastumani special is the Astrophysical Observatory at the top of the hill. Built in 1932 as the first high-mountain observatory in the Soviet Union, it still offers guided telescope sessions at night. Imagine soaking in a spa town by day and stargazing through a real telescope by night.

Best for: Anyone who loves the Borjomi vibe but wants fewer tourists and more surprises.

7. Saro: Ancient Megaliths and Underground Houses

Set on a ridge between Akhaltsikhe and Vardzia, this village layers Bronze Age ruins on top of medieval history. A fortress built from massive, unmortared stone blocks crowns the hilltop, and a 7th-century church stands nearby.

Scattered throughout the village are traditional Meskhetian hall houses with distinctive pyramid-shaped wooden ceilings. Unlike Vardzia, which is a formal tourist site, Saro invites you to just walk around and discover things at your own pace.

Best for: History enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys exploring without guided tours.

8. Chobareti: Taste the Cheese You Have Never Heard Of

Meskhetian cuisine is one of Georgia's most unique regional food traditions. It is built around dried and salted ingredients like apokhti (jerky-style meat) and arishta noodles. In the village of Chobareti, a family-run home called Meskhetian House offers cooking demonstrations and generous feasts.

The star of the show is tenili, an ancient string cheese made by stretching softened curds into delicate strands. Only a handful of producers in the region still make it. If you have done wine tastings in Kakheti, this is the food equivalent.

Best for: Foodies and anyone curious about Georgian cuisine beyond khinkali and khachapuri.

9. Lailashi: The Secret Mountain Pool

High up in the Lechkhumi region, the village of Lailashi sits surrounded by dramatic mountains. It has layers of religious history, including a 19th-century stone synagogue and ruins of Armenian and Georgian churches side by side.

The highlight is the Lailashi Secret Pool (also called Okronishi Fountain): a natural, spring-fed infinity pool overlooking the mountains and the reservoir below. It is one of Georgia's most photogenic less-visited places.

Best for: Photographers and travelers who love discovering spots that are not in any guidebook.

Scenic Routes and Forgotten Relics

10. The Javakheti Plateau: The Scenic Route Across Georgia

Most people drive across Georgia on the E60 highway with its dozens of tunnels. But there is an alternative: take the road through the Javakheti Plateau. This high volcanic landscape of empty roads, big skies, and alpine lakes connects Tbilisi to Akhaltsikhe in about 5 to 6 hours.

Traffic is light, the driving is easy, and the scenery is completely different from anything else in Georgia. It is the perfect way to start a road trip if you want to avoid the main highway altogether.

Best for: Road trippers who value the journey as much as the destination. Any car from our fleet handles this route well.

11. The Imereti Wine Route: Georgia's Other Wine Region

Kakheti gets all the attention, but Imereti (around Kutaisi) is Georgia's second-largest wine region with a much more laid-back atmosphere. The wines are lighter and fresher, made from grape varieties like Tsitska, Tsolikouri, and Krakhuna using the same ancient clay vessel (qvevri) methods.

The harvest runs later in western Georgia, so if you missed the Rtveli grape harvest in Kakheti, you can catch it in Imereti from late October into early November.

Best for: Wine lovers looking for a more intimate, less crowded tasting experience. Pick up a car at Kutaisi Airport and start tasting.

12. Zestafoni: Soviet Mosaics in the Rust Belt

Built around a 1930s ferroalloy plant that still operates today, Zestafoni is a compact industrial town most travelers simply drive past on the highway. But it is filled with incredible Soviet-era mosaics, bas-reliefs, a beautiful railway station, and a modern covered bazaar.

If you are interested in industrial history or Soviet architecture, Zestafoni is a goldmine hiding in plain sight.

Best for: Photographers, architecture fans, and anyone curious about Georgia's industrial heritage.

13. Big Shiraki: An Abandoned Soviet Air Base

Built in the 1950s as a base for Soviet fighter jets, Big Shiraki is now one of Georgia's most surreal landscapes. Concrete runways, barracks, and dozens of numbered dome-shaped hangars stretch across the flat steppe in Kakheti.

A single abandoned bomber plane sits where it was left when the base was evacuated. Everything is slowly being reclaimed by nature. If you liked the abandoned sanatoriums of Tskaltubo, this is the military equivalent.

Best for: Urban exploration enthusiasts and photographers who love abandoned places.

14. Anaklia: The Unfinished Beach Resort

Imagine Batumi stripped of crowds, hotels, and nightlife, leaving behind only surreal, futuristic architecture by the sea. That is Anaklia. A half-finished mega-resort on the Black Sea coast, it has a UFO-like tower sculpture, a wooden bridge, and a long empty promenade.

There are no working high-rise hotels and no restaurant strips. This is purely a destination for photographers drawn to unfinished modernism, especially beautiful during golden hour or stormy afternoons.

Best for: Photographers and anyone who appreciates the beauty of abandoned ambition.

15. Kvetera Fortress Church: A Hidden Medieval Gem

Hidden beyond Kakheti's Alazani Valley, Kvetera is a 10th-century domed church sitting inside the crumbling walls of a former fortress city. A short walk brings you to the turquoise-roofed chapel, and depending on the day, you might be the only visitor.

It is perfectly positioned as a stop when driving between Kakheti and Kazbegi via the scenic Tianeti backroad, which is especially beautiful in autumn when the forests explode with color.

Best for: History lovers and anyone driving the Kakheti-to-Kazbegi scenic route.

How to Explore These Places

Most of these destinations are best reached by car, and several require a 4x4. At FSTA Rent Car, we have been helping travelers explore Georgia's hidden corners for over 13 years. Our fleet includes Jeep Wranglers, Toyota 4Runners, FJ Cruisers, and comfortable sedans for paved routes.

We offer free delivery anywhere in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, and Yerevan. Full off-road insurance options, roof tents, camping equipment, no deposit, unlimited mileage, and prices from EUR 53/day. Whether you want to tackle mountain passes or cruise through wine country, we have the right car for your adventure.

Planning a cross-border trip? We also offer Tbilisi to Yerevan rentals with all documentation included.

Pros and cons

Rental car or self-drive

• Pros: Best for flexible timing, scenic stops, luggage, and routes that continue beyond one town or viewpoint. Groups can share the daily cost instead of paying per seat on every transfer.
• Cons: One traveler needs to manage navigation, parking, fuel, and local road conditions. Wine routes also need a sober driver or a separate driver plan. It is less useful if the whole day stays inside a walkable city center.

Train

• Pros: A calm scheduled option when the route is served by rail. Good for travelers who prefer not to drive or negotiate with drivers.
• Cons: Rail does not reach every village, trailhead, winery, or hotel area. Station transfers and ticket availability still need to be planned.

Walking

• Pros: Best for slow neighborhood detail, cafes, markets, viewpoints, and short historic centers. No parking, tickets, or driver coordination are needed.
• Cons: Weather, hills, uneven pavements, and luggage can make the day harder. It only works well when the main sights are close together.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to use this guide?

Use the guide before fixing dates, then check the latest weather, opening hours, event dates, and transport timing close to departure.

Is this route safe to drive?

Driving can work well when the route, season, road surface, luggage, and driver confidence match the plan. Avoid rushed days and night driving on unfamiliar rural or mountain roads, and choose a higher-clearance vehicle only when the route genuinely needs it.

Should I use public transport, a driver, or self-drive?

Public transport is usually cheaper, private drivers are easier for door-to-door timing, and self-drive gives the most control over stops and luggage. The best choice depends on distance, group size, comfort, and whether the route needs flexibility.

Can costs change after planning?

Yes. Fares, fuel, tickets, exchange rates, and seasonal prices can change, so treat any guide price as a planning reference and recheck the final cost before travel.

Rental pricing and feature reference

For trips like this guide, these are the current FSTA rental and add-on prices used across the website.

Service	Current price	Booking note
Full off-road insurance	EUR 29/day	For paved and off-road driving with no road restrictions; includes tires, glass, underbody, and scratches with EUR 0 responsibility for covered damage.
Roof tent	EUR 27/day	Available on eligible vehicles, subject to availability and route suitability.
Camping equipment	EUR 149 flat fee	Cooking and outdoor kit rented as one package.
Daily car rental	From EUR 53/day	Current starting rate from FSTA fleet data; model-specific rates are shown in the vehicle comparison table.
Standard Insurance	EUR 9/day	For paved-road trips only; off-road damage is not covered.
Cross-border documents	EUR 89 flat fee	Available for eligible cross-border trips with paperwork prepared before travel.
Yacht trip	EUR 250 flat fee	Private yacht or lake trip for up to 5 people where the selected country and city support it.
Helicopter tour	EUR 3,000 flat fee	Private 3-hour helicopter tour for up to 7 people, with route and takeoff details confirmed after request.
No deposit	Included	No blocked deposit in FSTA rental terms.
Unlimited mileage	Included	Useful for long self-drive routes and cross-country planning.
Free second driver	Included	A second driver can share the road without an extra daily fee.

Expert sources and local authority checks

This guide cites official transport, tourism, road, rail, park, or local travel references where relevant. Fares, travel times, opening hours, and road conditions can change, so FSTA checks these sources and local route notes before publishing.

• Tbilisi Transport Company standard tariff - official Tbilisi metro, bus, minibus, and ropeway fare rules.
• Georgian Railway passenger ticket portal - official train ticket search and passenger schedule checks.
• Roads Department of Georgia restrictions - official road restriction and closure notices for mountain and highway routes.
• Georgia Travel official destination guide - official country destination context for regions, cities, culture, and parks.
• Wander-Lush Tbilisi to Sighnaghi and Telavi transport guide - local fare checks for Sighnaghi and Telavi shared taxis, marshrutkas, and private transfers.