Things to Do at Ananuri Fortress

Ananuri sits right on the Georgian Military Highway above the turquoise Zhinvali reservoir, around an hour out of Tbilisi, which makes it a natural first stop rather than a destination in its own right. The fortress complex has two working churches inside its walls, both with carved stone facades, and the whole site can be walked in 30-45 minutes. Almost every Kazbegi-bound tour stops here on the way, so plan to see it as part of that route rather than as a dedicated trip.