The next was a 30-minute drive to the city of Mtskheta to visit the Jvari Monastery. He said: "Built around the 6th century, this architectural wonder somehow survived the ravages of time and the elements. The walls were showing signs of wear, but they still retain their impeccable beauty, an absolute spectacle further enhanced by a gorgeous panoramic view of the city below and the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. About 20 minutes from Jvari was the Svetitskhoveli cathedral in Mtskheta, the second largest church in the country. It is included in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, a distinction it shares with Jvari Monastery. We concluded the first tour day in the afternoon by returning to Tbilisi where I took a motorised boat ride through Kura River, took photos on the Bridge of Peace, and finally walked up Narikala Fortress and Sololaki Hill, home of Kartlis Deda, the 20-meter aluminum figure also known as The Mother of Georgia."
Jess Losaria/Gulf News reader