My family and I have just returned from a trip to Georgia, which led us to discover large cities, well‑known international destinations, and small towns not yet touched by mass tourism. We met wonderful people who will stay in our hearts forever, but also some who were decidedly more irritable and unpleasant. We experienced fun moments and others that were much less so. This is the unfiltered story of what happened, and I hope you enjoy it.

Previous chapters

Chapter 1 - Alcoholic Transfer

Chapter 2 - Heading toward the ‘most precious water in the world

Chapter 3 - There’s more than just water

Chapter 4 – The Disney Castle

Any bus stop — or at least that’s what we had been told. All you need to do is stand at one of the designated stalls scattered along Borjomi’s main street and wait. So that’s exactly what we do, choosing the most central one, right in front of the market square. But it doesn’t take long before we realize things aren’t quite that simple.

According to the version offered by a polite city bus driver, the marshrutkas to Akhaltsikhe depart exclusively from the local bus station — the same one where we had arrived on our first day. Whether the story told by the guy at the tourist center was actually correct or not, we’ll never know, because shortly afterward we notice a kind gentleman in his seventies offering a sort of semi‑private transfer to Akhaltsikhe aboard his mini‑van.

Ten GEL (1 € ≈ 3 GEL) instead of the marshrutka’s five, but given the uncertainty, we decide to accept. Along the way he picks up two more ladies, and our cheerful little group reaches its destination in about an hour. The driver speaks decent English and shares a few details about where we’re headed. The most curious one concerns the name itself: Akhaltsikhe literally means “New Castle,” and once you arrive, the reason becomes immediately clear — the enormous fortress dominating the town, visible from every corner.

It’s around ten in the morning, and check‑in at the hotel we booked for the next four nights is scheduled for 1 PM. We try writing to the property on Booking to see whether it might be possible to enter a bit earlier, and against all expectations Diana, the owner, invites us to come right away. She’s still finishing up the room cleaning, but she has no problem welcoming us well ahead of time.

The New Star Hotel sits right at the foot of the castle, and once the registration formalities are done, we settle the bill: 240 GEL (about 80 euros) for two rooms — one double and one triple — for four nights. Ten euros a day, in a heavily touristic area, for two rooms with private bathrooms and air conditioning. Prices you can only find in this part of the world.

The town doesn’t offer much beyond the castle. The center consists of a single main street, around which a handful of local businesses have developed — mostly rather “rustic” — plus a few small supermarkets and a sort of park located at the end of the promenade.

Diana had offered us the possibility of using the common room on the ground floor to prepare or eat our meals, and after grabbing a few tins, some cheese, and local cold cuts, we decided to accept her hospitality. Her kindness is disarming: she hands us plates (which she even took the trouble to wash afterward) and offers homemade bread, cheese, dessert, tea, and coffee. On top of that, over the following days she even arranged a completely free laundry service for us.

An incredible woman, mother of four, who practically manages the hotel on her own and takes care of all the guests she welcomes throughout the year (including noisy groups of students, since in Georgia school trips are mostly held after the academic year has ended). If you ever find yourself in this area, choose her place without hesitation.

Okay, but what about the castle? It’s an impressive structure dating back to the 10th century, which served as a defensive fortification and a meeting point for merchants traveling along the Silk Road. As a testament to the variety of cultures that passed through, the fortress still contains a synagogue, a mosque, and a Christian Orthodox church, as well as the rooms where merchants would stop to rest.

A section of the castle can be visited for free and today serves as the town’s main gathering spot, especially in the evening, hosting bars, restaurants, and even a five‑star hotel. The structure was completely rebuilt in 2011, losing — according to the more critical voices — much of its original appearance in favor of a more fairy‑tale, tourist‑friendly look.

The paid area costs 20 GEL for adults and 10 GEL for students. There’s a risk of feeling a bit disappointed by the “over‑reconstruction effect” that is clearly noticeable in some parts, but going to Akhaltsikhe and not visiting the castle is a bit like being in Paris and not taking a photo of the Eiffel Tower.

During our days in Akhaltsikhe, we experienced the only tense moment of the entire trip, when a guy in his thirties — clearly dazed by alcohol or some strange substance — approached us, pointing rather agitatedly at one of the kids’ phones. He wasn’t a real threat, given his staggering pace, and simply turning our backs was enough to make him give up, but the kids got a little scared.

After all, it’s better to get used to it right away, since scenes like this — or even much worse — are becoming increasingly common in our own cities. By comparison, Georgia, as well as the entire Eurasian region around the Black Sea, can be considered very safe.

To complete the account of Akhaltsikhe, however, we still need to talk about what was perhaps the most beautiful and emotional day of all: the one spent in Vardzia. But we’ll save that — and the story of Max, the wonderful driver who accompanied us throughout the day — for next time.