1,000 Places to See Before You Die

by Patricia Schultz

  Cave City and Cradle of Culture

  VARDZIA

  Samtskhe-Javakheti, Georgia

  Tucked away in a remote valley close to the Turkish border lies one of Georgia’s greatest cultural treasures, the 800-year-old cave town of Vardzia. A vast monastery complex hewn into the rock of a mountainside, Vardzia was created during the reigns of King George III (1156–84) and his daughter Queen Tamar (1184–1213), Georgia’s first female ruler. Tamar’s reign was a cultural golden age when distinctively Georgian church architecture flourished and the country’s greatest poet, Shota Rustaveli, composed his epic tale of chivalry and courtly love, The Knight in the Panther’s Skin.

  An entire city, hidden from the view of possible invaders, was carved into the mountainside, a maze of houses, monks’ cells, workshops, water cisterns, and wine cellars, all linked by tunnels, staircases, and irrigation channels hewn from the rock. Within 100 years an earthquake shook away the outer walls of some of the cave rooms, opening them to view. Another quake, in the 15th century, caused the outer face of the mountain to collapse, exposing no fewer than 600 chambers spread over 13 levels, creating the honeycomb view that visitors see today.

  At the center of the cave city, now supported by an arch of modern concrete, is the Church of the Assumption. This remarkable structure, entirely hollowed out of the rock, is decorated with colorful frescoes from the 12th century that include lifelike portraits of Queen Tamar and other members of the royal family.

  Twelve smaller churches are scattered through the complex, but no less fascinating are the remnants of everyday life in medieval times. Living quarters are equipped with rock-cut sleeping platforms, stone tables and seats, and niches that once held oil lamps. There are 25 wine cellars, complete with the remains of grape presses and stone basins for collecting and fermenting the juices. Vardzia was abandoned in the 1550s, but now the complex, which operates mostly as a museum, is once again occupied by a handful of monks.

  Vardzia lies at the head of a remote valley with not even a village nearby, so you’ll need to bring food and water, and the guides on hand to lead you through the cave city are not likely to speak English. It’s 2 hours by taxi from the closest town, Akhaltsikhe, where the new Hotel Rio is a good place to spend the night.

  WHERE: 160 miles/257 km southwest of Tbilisi. VISITOR INFO: www.georgia.travel. HOTEL RIO: Tel 995/32-319-101; www.riohotelakhaltsikhe.com. Cost: $45. HOW: U.S.-based MIR includes Vardzia as part of a 10-day “Essential Georgia” tour. Tel 800424-7289 or 206-624-7289; www.mircorp.com. Cost: from $3,295. Originates in Tbilisi. BEST TIME: May–Sep for good weather.

  The Heart and Soul of Georgia

  OLD TBILISI

  Tbilisi, Georgia

  Named for its sulfurous hot springs (tbili is Georgian for “warm”), Tbilisi is an ancient river town set against a mountain backdrop. It has been the capital of Georgia since the 5th century, and today, with a population of 1.2 million, it is the liveliest and most cosmopolitan of the Caucasus cities and home to more than a quarter of Georgia’s people.

  Nestled beneath the ancient walls of Narikala Fortress, which commands the narrows of the Mtkvari (or Kura) River valley, Old Town is a delightful maze of cobbled alleys and old houses with carved wooden balconies and stained-glass windows. Stroll among early Armenian and Georgian churches, mosques, synagogues, and inns, or wander into a café to sample the spicy meat dumplings called khinkali. Wash them down with one of the well-regarded local wines; Georgians, thought by some to be the world’s original vintners, were making wine by 5000 B.C.

  At the north end of Old Town is the Anchiskhati Basilica, erected in the 6th century. To the south is Sioni Cathedral, dating from the 7th century but rebuilt many times. Inside is Georgia’s holiest relic, a cross made of braided grape vines entwined with the hair of Saint Nino, the woman who brought Christianity here in the 4th century.

  In Abanotubani, the bath district, warm sulfur baths steam under domed brick roofs dating back to the 17th century. The colorful tile of the Orbeliani baths, the most ornate, is reminiscent of a central Asian mosque. A soak and massage here are a relaxing way to end a day of sightseeing. The small and welcoming Hotel Villa Mtiebi, in the heart of Old Town, is a comfortable place to stay.

  To the northwest are the broad, stately streets and squares of New Town, lined with government buildings, theaters, concert halls, gleaming glass-and-steel shopping malls, and modern hotels, including the luxurious Radisson Blu Iveria. It puts you close to the Janashia Museum and its priceless collection of pre-Christian gold objects and jewelry.

  In Mtskheta, 15 miles west of Tbilisi, the religious capital of Georgia until the 5th century, stands the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, dating from 1020 and the country’s most important church. From here, a 1-hour hike or short taxi ride leads to the Jvari Monastery, which was built in the 6th century. From its commanding hilltop site, take in spectacular views of the town and the Mtkvari River valley.

  The 6th-century Jvari Monastery, near Mtskheta, played an important role in early Christianity in Georgia.

  VISITOR INFO: www.info-tbilisi.com. HOW: Explore Georgia offers 1-day tours of Old Tbilisi and Mtskheta. Tel 995/32-921-911; www.exploregeorgia.com. Cost: from $50. HOTEL VILLA MTIEBI: Tel 995/32-920-340; www.hotelmtiebi.ge. Cost: from $100. RADISSON BLU IVERIA: Tel 995/32-402-200; www.radissonblu.com/hotel-tbilisi. Cost: from $190. JANASHIA MUSEUM: Tel 995/32-998022; www.museum.ge. BEST TIMES: May–Jun and Sep for nicest weather; late Oct for the Tbilisoba cultural festival.

  Spa City

  BUDAPEST’S TRADITIONAL THERMAL BATHS

  Budapest, Hungary

  Deep below Budapest, more than 120 thermal springs gush from 14 sources, with temperatures ranging from warm-as-toast 70°F to a hard-boiled 169°. The world’s only capital city with such natural attractions within town, Budapest has taken advantage of this mineral-water wealth since the times of the Romans, and the tradition of “taking the waters” continues. The city counts about a dozen traditional thermal baths, some of them a legacy of the Turks, who popularized public bathing during their century-and-a-half occupation that began in 1541. Other baths are splendors of Art Nouveau, and still others spic-and-span modern establishments. Some baths have sections devoted exclusively to men and to women; others reserve certain hours for each. Most of the city’s fine hotels have sanctuary-like, state-of-the-art spas, from the painstakingly restored Royal Spa at the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal to the small but sublime spa at the landmark Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel.

  The most Turkish of all the historic baths is the Rudas, along the Danube in Buda below the sleek Elizabeth Bridge. Built just 25 years after the arrival of the Turks, it was recently given a major facelift that shows off its octagonal main pool, domed cupola set with colored glass, and massive columns that are straight out of a 1,001 Nights film set. The Széchenyi Baths, built in 1913 in Pest’s enormous City Park, will have you thinking less of the Ottomans than of some 19th-century neo-Baroque sanatorium. Unusual for its immense size (a dozen thermal baths and three outdoor swimming pools) it has a bright, clean (some might say antiseptic) look. Don’t leave without catching one of the chess matches being played on floating boards in the pools.

  The extravagant Gellért Baths are built over 18 hot springs, with pools said to be modeled after the baths of Caracalla in ancient Rome. Beneath the Gellért’s spectacular arched glass dome and alongside gushing Zsolnay ceramic fountains, locals socialize in hushed tones or paddle about in the elaborately tiled pools. Taking a soak in this Art Nouveau palace has been compared to taking a bath in a cathedral. The adjacent Danubius Gellért Hotel, which opened its doors in 1918, has been undergoing a protracted renovation but has loads of character and remains the city’s much-loved grande dame.

  CORINTHIA GRAND HOTEL ROYAL: Tel 36/1-479-4000; www.corinthia.hu. Cost: from $180 (off-peak), from $335 (peak). FOUR SEASONS GRESHAM PALACE: Tel 36/1-2686000; www.fourseasons.com/budapest. Cost: from $350 (off-peak), from $450 (peak). BATH INFO: www.sp
asbudapest.com. RUDAS BATHS: Tel 36/1-356-1322. SZÉCHENYI BATHS: Tel 36/1-363-3210. GELLÉRT BATHS: Tel 36/1466-6166. DANUBIUS GELLÉRT HOTEL: Tel 36/1-889-5500; www.danubiusgroup.com/gellert. Cost: from $180 (off-peak), from $280 (peak), includes admission to baths.

  Where History and Scenery Vie for Attention

  CASTLE HILL

  Budapest, Hungary

  Budapest was formed by combining the two distinct cities of Buda and Pest (pronounced pesht) in 1873. Much of Pest, on the left bank of the Danube River, is flat and most of it dates back to the 19th century. It is the city’s sprawling commercial, entertainment, and shopping district. Buda, on the right bank, is hilly, leafy, and a whole lot older, dominated by Castle Hill, which looms 558 feet above the Danube River. It is the site of Old Town, full of colorful, medieval houses where commoners once lived, and of Buda Castle (Budai Vár), constructed in the 13th century and home to Hungarian kings for almost 7 centuries. Immense and lovingly reconstructed, the castle commands stunning views of the Danube and Pest’s monumental buildings.

  Reaching the castle is half the fun. From Pest, stroll across the Danube on the Chain Bridge—the most graceful of Budapest’s nine crossings—and board the steep-climbing funicular that will whisk you up to Castle Hill in minutes. At the top you’ll find a complex that today contains a national library and museums, including the Hungarian National Gallery, and part of a 17-mile-long network of caves and medieval tunnels used during World War II. Within them is the Buda Castle Labyrinth and, with its tacky waxworks, the Hospital in the Rock, which opened in 1944 as a military hospital. On the edge of the Old Town and flanking the monumental Matthias Church, the seven-turreted Fishermen’s Bastion, a viewing platform offering wonderful views was built in 1905 and named after the guild responsible for defending this stretch of the castle wall in the Middle Ages. For a slice of something sweet, hope for a table at Ruszwurm, a diminutive cukrászda (patisserie) that has lured patrons since 1827 with wood-inlay counters, glass-and-mahogany display cases, and delicious baked goods.

  Castle Hill is not short of elegant lodgings. The Hilton Budapest incorporates the ruins of a 14th-century church and maintains the Baroque façade of a 17th-century Jesuit college as the main entrance of its contemporary 322-room hotel. The newer, boutique Buda Castle Fashion Hotel has a stylish interior in a 15th-century building on a quiet street.

  Buda’s Castle Hill towers over the Danube.

  VISITOR INFO: www.tourinform.hu. HUNGARIAN NATIONAL GALLERY: Tel 36/1-201-9082; www.mng.hu. BUDA CASTLE LABYRINTH: Tel 36/1-212-0207; www.labirintus.com. HOSPITAL IN THE ROCK: Tel 36/70-701-0101; www.hospitalintherock.com. RUSZWURM: Tel 36/1-375-5284; www.ruszwurm.hu. BUDAPEST HILTON: Tel 36/1-889-6600; in the U.S., tel 800-445-8667; www.budapest.hilton.com. Cost: from $170 (off-peak), from $335 (peak). BUDA CASTLE FASHION HOTEL: Tel 36/1-224-7900; www.budacastlehotelbudapest.com. Cost: from $130 (off-peak), from $300 (peak). BEST TIMES: May–Oct for pleasant weather; late Mar–early Apr for Budapest Spring Festival; Sep for International Wine Festival on Castle Hill.

  Two High Notes of Hungarian Gastronomy

  GUNDEL AND GERBEAUD

  Budapest, Hungary

  Budapest’s reputation as a gastronomic capital suffered greatly during the chilly days of Communism in the 1950s, when restaurants were put under state control and the best chefs, including the renowned Károly Gundel, fled the country. But 1989 brought new aromas with the winds of change, and in 1992, Gundel’s restaurant in City Park reopened.

  Budapest’s (and Hungary’s) fanciest and most famous place to eat, Gundel retains the aristocratic air that it had on opening day in 1894, when Budapest was considered the “Paris of Central Europe.” The menu is filled with delightfully old-fashioned classics—goose liver and game predominate. Some of Hungary’s best wines can be found on the extensive wine list, including bottles produced under Gundel’s own label and “the wine of kings and the king of wines,” as France’s Louis XIV called the noble Tokaj (or Tokay) dessert wine. Just next door is Bagolyvár (Owl’s Castle), Gundel’s popular sister restaurant, staffed entirely by women. The menu here is less extensive and less expensive and offers a more home-style dining experience (goulash is a favorite).

  As much as Hungarians like their paprika, they love their sweets, especially rich pastries like ddobos torta, a layered chocolate-and-cream cake with a caramelized brown sugar top, or strudel filled with poppy seeds, cherry preserves or túró (curd or cottage cheese). These are usually enjoyed not after a meal but mid-afternoon in a cukrászda, or patisserie. Budapest’s most famous is Gerbeaud, a neo-Baroque throwback to imperial times and an oasis of relaxation just off the main shopping street. The “café as castle” concept goes back to the late 19th century, when Budapest was one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and the city’s coffeehouses became second homes for writers, artists, and journalists. Opened in 1858 and at its current site since 1870, Gerbeaud survived the bleak period of Communism and is as popular with locals as it is with visitors, making it nearly impossible to find a late-afternoon table in the vast, mansionlike interior. If you do, be sure to sit back and linger amid the silk wallpaper, crystal chandeliers, and marble-topped tables.

  GUNDEL: Tel 36/1-468-4040; www.gundel.hu. Cost: dinner $85. BAGOLYVÁR: Tel 36/1-468-3110; www.bagolyvar.com. Cost: dinner $30. GERBEAUD: Tel 36/1-429-9000; www.gerbeaud.hu.

  The Most Beautiful Section of Hungary’s Revered River

  THE DANUBE BEND

  Hungary

  The Danube (“blond” and not “blue” to Hungarians) begins in the Black Forest in southwest Germany and flows east until it reaches a point about 25 miles north of Budapest. Here low-rising hills on both banks force it to bend sharply southward through Budapest and the rest of Hungary. The “Danube Bend” (Dunakanyar) is the name given to the region of scenic peaks, resorts, and historic towns to the north and northwest of Budapest. It is the most beautiful stretch of the Danube along its entire course of almost 1,865 miles and a classic (and easy) day trip from the capital by boat, bus, car, or train. The most popular of the riverside towns is Szentendre, settled in medieval times by Serbs escaping the Turkish invasion to the south and a charming artist colony since the 1920s. It still harbors a number of Orthodox churches as well as galleries and museums, one dedicated to the work of celebrated Hungarian ceramicist Margit Kovács (1902–77). If you’re ready for a change from heavy, traditional Hungarian fare, book at Promenade. With vaulted ceilings and a wonderful terrace overlooking the Danube it is one of the town’s best restaurants, offering meat and fish dishes simply grilled on lava stones.

  A bit farther west along the river is tiny Visegrád, home to Renaissance palace ruins and a forbidding hilltop castle. Carry on to Esztergom, seat of the Magyar kingdom until the 13th century, when the capital was moved to Buda. As the center of the Hungarian Catholic Church for a millennium, Esztergom remains the nation’s most sacred city and is dominated by Hungary’s largest basilica, built in the mid-19th century. If time allows, visit the Christian Museum, below the cathedral, which houses a fine collection of Hungarian medieval religious art. Enjoy lunch at nearby Padlizsán, with its view of a sheer rock face topped by a castle bastion and modern Hungarian dishes. For a more traditional experience, head for the tried-and-true Csülök Csárda (Pork Knuckle Inn), which specializes in—guess what?—smoked trotters as well as bableves (hearty bean soup). Pack an appetite.

  The riverside town of Visegrád gets its name from the Slovak word for “high castle.”

  WHERE: Szentendre is 16 miles/25 km north of Budapest; Esztergom is 33 miles/53 km north of Budapest. MARGIT KOVÁCS CERAMIC COLLECTION: Tel 36/26-310-244. PROMENADE: Tel 36/26-312-626; www.promenade-szentendre.hu. Cost: dinner $25. CHRISTIAN MUSEUM: Tel 36/33-413-880; www.christianmuseum.hu. PADLIZSÁN: Tel 36/33-311-212; www.padlizsanetterem.hu. Cost: dinner $25. CSÜLÖK CSÁRDA: Tel 36/33-412-420; www.csulokcsarda.hu. Cost: dinner $20. BEST TIMES: May–Jun and Sep–Oct for nicest weather.

  Hungary’s Inland
Sea

  LAKE BALATON

  Central Transdanubia, Hungary

  Hungary may not have a coastline, but it does have Balaton, the largest freshwater lake in Europe outside Scandinavia. This inland sea, 48 miles long and 5.6 miles across at its widest point, is bounded by hills to the north and gentle slopes to the south. Its mirror-smooth surface seems to change color according to the seasons and time of day.

  Balaton has something of a split personality. On the southern shore are grassy beaches and the razzle-dazzle of a “seaside” resort. It’s ideal for families with children and those who like to paddle rather than swim (the lake is relatively shallow; you’ll need to wade for half a mile before the water reaches your waist). On the north shore are lush hills, vineyards, and historical towns and spas.

  Balatonfüred is the oldest and most atmospheric resort on the north shore. It has none of the frenzy or brashness of Siófok, “Hungary’s Ibiza,” on the southern shore, partly because of its aristocratic origins and partly because its thermal waters attract an older crowd. While you can’t visit the baths themselves (they are reserved for heart patients), you can take a “drinking cure” at the Kossuth Pump House, which dispenses slightly sulfuric (but potable) thermal water, which reputedly does wonders for the circulation. The well-located and recently renovated Anna Grand Hotel, once the town’s sanatorium, is now the nicest of the lake’s basic overnight options.