Sighnaghi: Kakheti city of love, walls and Bodbe

Sighnaghi is one of the smallest and most picturesque towns in Georgia, in the heart of winemaking Kakheti. It sits on a steep hill above the Alazani Valley, encircled by an 18th-century fortress wall, and its pastel houses with carved balconies and cobbled lanes give it an almost Italian look. For its romantic atmosphere and round-the-clock marriage hall, Sighnaghi has been nicknamed the “city of love”.

Sighnaghi with a church and bell tower above the Alazani Valley — Sighnaghi on its hill: red tiled roofs, a church with a bell tower and, beyond them, the boundless Alazani Valley. Photo: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

A little history

The town owes its look to King Erekle II: in 1762 he built a fortress here to protect the region from raids by Dagestani highlanders. Sighnaghi’s fortress wall is one of the longest in Georgia; it rings the town, with watchtowers standing along it that you can climb today for the view of the valley.

The fortress wall and bell tower of Sighnaghi at sunset — The 18th-century fortress wall with its towers and a brick bell tower in the warm evening light. Photo: Jon Gudorf Photography / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

A gate in the fortress wall of Sighnaghi — One of the gates in the fortress wall - beyond it begin the cobbled lanes of the old town. Photo: Alexey Komarov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

What to see

The main thing in Sighnaghi is the atmosphere and the views. It’s worth walking the fortress wall, looking into the town churches of St George and St Stephen, and above all stepping out to the viewpoints: from here the Alazani Valley stretches all the way to the Greater Caucasus, whose peaks stand snow-capped on the horizon in clear weather.

The snowy peaks of the Greater Caucasus above the houses of Sighnaghi — In clear weather the snowy wall of the Greater Caucasus rises above Sighnaghi beyond the Alazani Valley. Photo: Roberto Strauss / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

The fortress wall of Sighnaghi and the small Church of St Stephen — The fortress wall curves around the little Church of St Stephen right above the cliff edge. Photo: Jon Gudorf Photography / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

The valley itself is the heart of Georgian winemaking, so Sighnaghi often becomes a base for tastings: dozens of wineries and marani (cellars) where wine is made in Kakhetian qvevri surround the town.

The Alazani Valley and the Caucasus, seen from the slope by Sighnaghi — The Alazani Valley from the heights of Sighnaghi - Georgia's main winemaking region. Photo: Avisadehh / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

The Alazani Valley, seen from Sighnaghi — The Alazani Valley runs to the horizon - from here you can see how far the vineyards of Kakheti stretch. Photo: Alexey Komarov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Bodbe monastery

Two kilometres from the town stands the Bodbe monastery - the resting place of St Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia, and one of the country’s main pilgrimage sites. The monastery is surrounded by cypresses, and it too offers a view over the valley.

What to keep in mind

Sighnaghi on a hill above the Alazani Valley — Sighnaghi in full: a compact town on a hill, ringed by its fortress wall, above the green valley. Photo: Jacques Paysan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Sighnaghi is small - a few hours are enough for the town itself, but many people stay the night for the sunset over the valley and a quiet evening in wine country. It’s easy to come here for a day from Tbilisi, dropping in at the wineries on the way. If you’re planning tastings, allow time for them and don’t get behind the wheel afterwards.

Nearby and beyond

Sighnaghi is part of wine country Kakheti: nearby is its capital Telavi, with its fortress and wine estates. Most people come here from Tbilisi. For trips around the region the car hire section comes in handy, and the country’s other cities are in the cities section. The full list of places is in the things to see section.

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