Baghdati, town in Georgia
Baghdati is a small town in the Imereti region of western Georgia, set along the Khanistskali River. Houses with gardens line the streets, and the land around the town is covered with orchards and vineyards.
Baghdati appears in written records from the early 1600s, when the Ottomans built a fortress here to control the surrounding territory. The town's name is traditionally read as meaning 'God's Gift', though some locals understand it as 'the place of the garden'.
In Baghdati, many families still make wine using traditional clay vessels buried in the ground, a method passed down through generations in this part of western Georgia. The local grape varieties Tsitska and Krakhuna give the wines here a character unlike anything produced elsewhere in the country.
Baghdati is close to Kutaisi, the main city of the region, and can be reached easily by car or shared taxi. A visit works well combined with a stop at the surrounding villages and countryside, which are easy to explore on foot or by car.
Near the town lie the ruins of the ancient city of Rodopoli and the remains of the Dimna fortress, pointing to thousands of years of continuous human settlement in this valley. These sites are rarely visited by travelers and can often be explored in solitude.
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