Svan defensive towers
175 medieval stone towers across the region — climb the Margiani tower in Mestia for the view down the valley.
سفانيتي
ميستيا
أبراج سفان الحجرية، قرية يونسكو حية فوق 1500 متر، والتزلج على تيتنولدي.
أفضل وقت للزيارة: يوليو إلى سبتمبر للمشي؛ يناير إلى مارس للتزلج. تجنّب أواخر الخريف.
Mestia is the administrative centre of Svaneti, an isolated mountain region in northwest Georgia that has kept its own language, polyphonic singing, and architectural tradition more or less intact for 1,000 years. The stone "Svan towers" — defensive houses built between the 9th and 12th centuries — still dot every village in the valley.
The 7-hour drive from Tbilisi is part of the experience (a small airport with a daily Vanilla Sky flight cuts it to 1 hour). Once there, set aside at least 2 nights: one for the Mestia museum and a walk to the Margiani family tower-house, and one for the 4×4 trip up to Ushguli — the highest continuously inhabited village in Europe at 2,200 m.
لماذا تزورها
Ushguli
A 4×4 ride from Mestia leads to Ushguli — 4 villages at 2,200 m, the highest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe.
Tetnuldi Ski Resort
13 km of pistes, modern gondolas, and views of Mt. Ushba — never crowded.
أماكن مميّزة
Svaneti Museum of History & Ethnography
The collection covers 1,000+ years of Svan icons, manuscripts, and silver. Don't miss the gold cross of Tsageri.
Chalaadi Glacier
A 3-hour return hike from Mestia to the toe of a glacier flowing off Mt. Ushba.
خطّط رحلتك في ميستيا
اختر سائق سفرة الذي يعرف المنطقة وحوّل هذا الدليل إلى رحلة حقيقية.
