Skip to main content
Geotour

Gremi

Kakheti · History

Getting there
About 120 km (2–2.5 h) from Tbilisi via the Gombori Pass and Telavi, or longer via Sagarejo and Gurjaani
Best time
April–October
Recommended stay
1–1.5 hours

About Gremi

Gremi is the citadel of the former royal capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti, on a hill above the Alazani valley about 20 km north-east of Telavi. Inside the walls stand the Church of the Archangels, built by King Levan in 1565 and painted with frescoes in 1577, and a three-storey royal tower with a small museum and a rooftop view over the vineyards to the Caucasus. The town below, destroyed in 1615, survives only as scattered ruins. A visit takes about an hour and fits easily into a Kakheti wine day with Nekresi and Kvareli.

Tours Including Gremi

See the tour

Must-See Attractions

  • Church of the Archangels

    The 1565 brick church of King Levan, with 16th-century frescoes including a portrait of the king and his tomb inside.

  • Royal tower

    A three-storey tower with a small museum of archaeological finds and a rooftop terrace over the Alazani valley.

  • Citadel walls

    The defensive walls and bell tower around the hilltop complex.

  • Lower town ruins

    Remains of the old bazaar and baths along the road below the hill.

Nearby

  • Nekresi Monastery

    A 4th–9th-century monastery on a forested hillside, about 10 km east (15 min, then a short shuttle or 20-minute walk up).

  • Kvareli

    Wine town with Ilia Chavchavadze's house museum and the Kindzmarauli wineries, about 12 km east (15 min).

  • Telavi

    The Kakheti capital, about 20 km south-west (25 min).

Location42.0056° N, 45.6633° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 120 km (2–2.5 h) from Tbilisi via the Gombori Pass and Telavi, or longer via Sagarejo and Gurjaani; paved roads all the way, with a car park at the foot of the hill.

Best time

April–October

Best time

Spring and autumn are mild, and from mid-September to October the grape harvest (rtveli) is under way in the vineyards below; summer is hot in the Alazani valley.

Recommended stay

1–1.5 hours

Fees

A small ticket is charged for the tower and museum; the church itself is free.

What to wear

Shoulders and knees covered in the church; women cover their hair.

Walking

A short, steep path and steps lead up to the citadel, and the tower has narrow stairs.

Time needed

About 1 hour.

History & culture

History

Gremi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti from the 15th century and a trading town on the caravan route, with a bazaar, baths and a palace. King Levan of Kakheti built the Church of the Archangels in 1565 and was buried in it. In 1615 the army of Shah Abbas I of Persia sacked Gremi, and the capital later moved to Telavi. The church and tower were restored in the Soviet period and the tower now houses the site museum.

Local Cuisine

The Kvareli area just east of Gremi makes Kindzmarauli, a naturally semi-sweet red wine from Saperavi, and dry Saperavi; family wineries on the road serve it with mtsvadi (grilled pork) and shotis puri baked in a round clay oven.

Accommodation

No accommodation at the citadel. Kvareli and Telavi have family guesthouses, winery hotels and a few larger resort hotels; Gremi village has a handful of guesthouses.