Ateni Sioni

It’s the grape arbours you notice first in the roads around Ateni, with high pergolas in front of the houses that are used for wines made for family consumption. South of Gori the road leads towards the rugged Trialeti Range of the Lesser Caucasus, a landscape of limestone that closes around Ateni Gorge. Trialeti means ‘a place of wandering’, and its hills are thick with oak, beech and hornbeam; in summer the post-volcanic soils look arid. Nestled within the gorge is Ateni Sioni, a 7th-century church with beautiful pure lines. Its domed interior has eight columns and fine frescoes from the 11th century. The exterior is also in good condition, displaying rich carvings of animals and people. This is one of Georgia’s loveliest churches, and well worth a detour.