By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, December 25, 2025The Holy Bible. | artplus/iStockOne of the most-studied Bible verses of the year is from 2 Timothy in the New Testament, according

[View Article at Source]Katie Halper is not a Zionist, at least not that I can see. She claims to be Jewish, and is a journalist. I have appreciated much of her content as she stands out in the Jewish

In many ways, I would say yes. There are some who should most definitely be registered as they message is more about the modern, antichrist, Rothschild-created, faux state of Israel. However,

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The holiday season during World War II often coincided with some of the most costly, brutal, and decisive military engagements of the entire war. While the Soviet Union did not officially partake in Christmas celebrations, most Western Allied governments confronted logistical nightmares to transport Christmas traditions from home to all battle fronts. Boosting morale across freezing European forests and sweltering jungles in the Pacific, most Allied soldiers were able to wake up on Christmas morning to decorated bunkers, religious services, dances, a full turkey dinner, and gifts from home.Allied Military Campaigns Over ChristmasChristmas messages painted on warplanes stationed on the USS Enterprise CV-6 during attacks on the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, 1943. Source: US National ArchivesThe first Christmases of the war brought defeat and retreat for the Allied forces. Across all fronts, the Axis powers maintained military control. For instance, on December 25, 1941, the British lost the Battle for Hong Kong (known as Black Christmas), losing the city to Japanese forces at the cost of 2,278 British lives, with 10,947 taken as prisoners of war.Nearby, American and Philippine Commonwealth forces were experiencing severe losses during the Battle of the Philippines that began in December 1941, ultimately losing control of the islands by May 1942. At the same time in the European Theater, the Soviet Red Army lost over 2,000 soldiers during the Christmas Battle in 1941, defeated by the Italian Expeditionary Corps near Petropavlivka (present-day Ukraine).Christmas, 1941, Company B, 10th Regiment in Quartermaster Replacement Center, Camp Lee, Virginia. Source: US National ArchivesFrom 1942 onwards, the Allies secured victory but sustained heavy casualties during Christmas military engagements. Over the holidays in 1942, 65,000 Allied soldiers fought and later secured their first offensive victory in the Pacific Theater at the Battle of Guadalcanal (August 7, 1942February 9, 1943). Despite losing over 7,100 soldiers to horrific fighting, disease, and starvation, Allied soldiers still attempted to celebrate Christmas. Chaplains held masses on burned battlefields, the navy worked overtime delivering apple pies, and palm trees were decorated as Christmas trees.Photograph of Staff Sergeant John F. OBrien while he stands in his trench decorated with a small Christmas tree during the Battle of the Bulge in Monschau, Germany, 1944. Source: US National ArchivesAnother famous battle coinciding with Christmas was the Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944January 25, 1945), the largest counterattack ordered by Adolf Hitler on the Western Front. Over one million soldiers fought across 75 miles of forest and towns in France, Luxembourg, and Belgium during one of the coldest winters on record. Frozen in foxholes with limited rations and suffering from hypothermia, over 80,000 Allied troops perished before securing an Allied victory, with the most intense fighting occurring during the Siege of Bastogne from December 20-27, 1944.Despite the unimaginable conditions and cold, Allied soldiers did all that they could to celebrate Christmas, decorating their foxholes with small trees and celebrating mass with local communities in the ruins of bombed churches.Christmas Decorations on the FrontlinesChristmas Eve on Guadalcanal, soldiers decorated palm trees with cotton balls and made garlands from cards from home, 1944. Source: US National ArchivesAll members of the Allied military forces, from mail carriers to medical staff, attempted to create a sense of holiday cheer on the frontlines.Nurses repurposed tin from plasma cans, foil, and ration containers to make garlands and ornaments. Scrap metal, discarded shrapnel, and wire were strung together or repainted as stars, snowflakes, or tree stands. Stretched cotton balls created winter scenes inside mess halls, while extra cardboard and cigarette boxes were cut into snowflakes. In the Pacific Theater, palm trees and other tropical bushes were decorated as Christmas trees with garlands of scrap metal.Soldiers involved in active combat also tried to decorate their foxholes and defensive positions for the holidays. Many cut down small trees nearby, using them as cover and Christmas trees, decorated with letters and postcards from home. Looting was also common for soldiers on the hunt for holiday decorations.Lieutenant Colonel James H. Polk recorded in a letter to his wife how eager his men were to create some Christmas spirit in Germany, 1944. He recalled, There are many Christmastrees in the river-town billets and even in the gun positions, all decorated in great style. The Germanornaments are the same as ours, and we looted a lot of them.Christmas Celebrations on the FrontlinesMarines attending a Christmas Eve Mass on an island in the South Pacific before the invasion of Cape Gloucester, December 1943. Source: Source: US National ArchivesHow soldiers celebrated the holidays was limited to what military engagement was occurring at the time. Plans for Christmas dinners, masses, and concerts were scrapped last minute amid surprise counteroffensive attacks, ongoing sieges, and drawn-out battles. Either way, any attempt at Christmas revelry lightened wartime realities. Military leadership and soldiers organized concerts, Christmas pageants, plays, choral singing, sporting events, and games. Rowdy boxing, baseball, football, and soccer matches paired with card games provided good-natured fun for the day. Paired with bottomless cases of beer and schnaps, the war-hardened soldiers did all that they could to distract themselves from the frontlines.A central yet reverent part of holiday traditions on the front involved Christmas masses hosted by a military chaplain. Christmas services often began with midnight mass but were also hosted throughout the day, allowing soldiers on different rotations to have access to religious services and blessings. Chaplains did the best they could to celebrate mass on the windy decks of aircraft carriers, bombed Italian churches, or on scorched heaps of palm trees.Regardless of the brevity or location, Christmas religious services were largely attended and filled with reverence and nostalgia, giving soldiers the opportunity to pray for their futures, miss their families, and mourn their fellow soldiers who did not make it to see another Christmas.Christmas DinnerSgt. Edward F. Good feeds his friend and fellow soldier, Pfc. Llyod Deming, 1944. Source: US National ArchivesAllied militaries also tried to provide a hearty meal full of rare rations to simulate a traditional Christmas dinner. Thousands of pounds of turkey and beer were delivered to frontlines worldwide, ensuring that all soldiers could have a few hours of peace and a warm, full belly. Military cooks woke up in the early morning to prepare heaps of potatoes, turkey, and cake. Units agreed to rotate patrols so everyone had a chance to have their turkey and pie. Every summer, the Red Cross shipped thousands of packages to provide extra tinned meats, candies, and chocolate in time for the holidays.However, for those stationed in remote locations or under intense fighting, only fresh fruit, like oranges, and beer were delivered to celebrate Christmas. While military units had no control over surprise attacks or delayed mail services, they could ensure that their members had something special to eat on Christmas for the day to feel more special.Soldiers often hunted and foraged to further add to their holiday meals. Some hunted wild birds, others foraged for local fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Many recalled how sprawling tables of food on Christmas were one of the greatest respites from the realities of war, homesickness they faced while spending Christmas far from home.Christmas Celebrations With LocalsSanta Claus, British Royal Air Force Pilot Fred Fazan, handed out presents to children in Volkel, Netherlands, 1944. Source: Imperial War MuseumsLocal communities were often included in Allied military celebrations. Soldiers volunteered to dress as Santa, handing out presents provided by the Red Cross to local children, especially orphans. In the Pacific, Santas traditional thick robes and cap were replaced by shorts and a military helmet to battle the sweltering heat.Some units saved their rations and money to host extravagant Christmas parties for nearby children and orphans who experienced the violence of occupation. For example, members of the British Royal Air Force No. 122nd Wing Formation used their rations and money to throw a Christmas party full of games, sweets, baked goods, and a visit with Santa for the children of Volkel, Holland.Civilians from the Majuro Village, Atoll, in the Marshall Islands, exchanging Christmas presents with Captain Harold B. Grow, 1944. Source: US National ArchivesNearby bases and barracks became community halls, hosting civilians for dances, concerts, dinners, and gift exchanges. Christmas traditions common to Allied service personnel were integrated with customs local to their stationed area, often blending music, languages, and food. Chaplains partnered with local clergymen and spiritual leaders to host joint ecumenical masses for soldiers and nearby residents.Civilians who celebrated Christian traditions, most common in the European Theater, invited soldiers into their homes to prepare and decorate for the holidays. This exchange between families and soldiers filled the absence that often weighed down Christmas merriment. Civilians were able to fill the missing presence of their husbands and sons sent off to war with soldiers who were desperate for a sense of normalcy with family while fighting far away from theirs. Together, these families and Allied troops decorated trees, wrapped presents, cooked special dishes, and hung stockings.Christmas PresentsChristmas Overseas Gift and Christmas package instructions commissioned by the United States Army and Navy Postal Services, 1945. Source: University of North Texas LibrariesA key Christmas feature on frontlines involved the logistical headache of sorting thousands of holiday packages sent by the families to reach their loved ones serving overseas by December 25. For American soldiers, the US Army and Navy Postal Services flooded the media with posters with strict instructions and restrictions on what to mail and by when.Members of the US Air Force opening Christmas packages sent by loved ones from home, 1942. Source: US National ArchivesWell-known journalists, like Margaret Bourke-White, wrote columns in popular magazines advising readers what to send their soldiers for the holidays and how best to decorate their packages. Bourke-White recommended sending less spam and instead shipping candies and cakes that had a long shelf-life, like fruit cake and peanut brittle. Small items that could distract from wartime realities were also encouraged, like pictures from home, fiction books, and magazines.Members of the Womens Army Corps 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion sorting millions of backlogged mail packages with local French civilians, 1945. Source: US National ArchivesHowever, severe mail backlogs remained an issue for American military postal units throughout the war. Thousands of Christmas packages rotted for years in aircraft hangars, filled with cookies and fruitcakes sent from home.In 1945, the US military dispatched the Womens Army Corps (WAC) 6888th Postal Battalion to sort through this backlog and deliver Christmas packages to soldiers in the European Theater. The only all black female unit stationed overseas during the war, they exceeded all expectations and in three months sorted, repaired, and redacted 17.5 million packages and letters.Despite often facing discrimination under the US militarys strict segregation policies, their tireless work covering three eight-hour shifts a day led many soldiers to receive their Christmas packages that year.Christmas for Segregated UnitsChristmas Dance at a Service Club for black servicemen and women segregated from and by the US military, 1943. Source: US National ArchivesDespite the festivities and joy that accompanied Allied military Christmas celebrations, the US government maintained its strict segregation policies overseas and during the holiday season. In addition to segregated units, facilities, and even Red Cross blood banks, Christmas dinners, dances, and celebrations had to be conducted in separate spaces. While the military still provided turkey, cake, and decorations, non-white units were often given less funding and resources to supply their companies, let alone celebrate the holidays.In rare cases, the realities of war forced moments of integration during Christmas. For example, during the Battle of the Bulge, the first all-black tank unit, the 761st US Army Tank Battalion, fought alongside white soldiers on the ground.Christmas Cheer From HomeBing Crosby performing at a USO concert for over 4,000 soldiers in England, 1944. Source: US National ArchivesAn additional Christmas staple for Allied soldiers involved special holiday performances organized or pre-recorded by Allied governments with the biggest names in Hollywood, music, dance, and comedy.Organized by the United Service Organizations (USO), massive holiday specials were choreographed and played worldwide for Allied soldiers. Celebrities, most famously Bob Hope, braved the harsh conditions on the front and hosted Christmas concerts. Hope would continue organizing in-person Christmas events, radio shows, and television specials for soldiers until the 1990s. For those stationed in areas that were too dangerous or remote to host celebrity guests, performers pre-recorded Christmas concerts with the Armed Forces Radio Services and played them on Christmas Eve. The first Christmas tape sent to the frontlines in 1942 opened with Bob Hope, followed by Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, and Dinah Shore.One of the most beloved singers adored by Allied troops during the holidays was Bing Crosby. 17 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Crosby first broadcast the now-famous song, White Christmas (1941). Two additional records by Crosby, Ill Be Home for Christmas (1943) and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (1944), became cherished favorites for soldiers overseas, reflecting their quiet nostalgia missing the holidays at home.Crosby often toured overseas in December, performing these hits on bases, ships, and fields for thousands of Allied troops. He recounted that one of these performances was one of the hardest moments of his career. While performing White Christmas in France in 1944 to a crowd of 15,000 servicemen, he remembered struggling not to break down seeing the young soldiers silently cry while listening.Christmas for Allied Prisoners of WarBritish prisoners of war celebrating Christmas at the OLFAG IV-C Prisoner of War Camp in Colditz Castle, Germany, 1939-1945. Source: Imperial War MuseumsHundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers spent Christmas as prisoners of war (POWs) in German and Japanese camps. Each summer, the Red Cross mailed thousands of packages to Japanese and German camp officials, hoping to provide extra rations, small gifts, decorations, and games for the captured Allied soldiers. Depending on the temperament of their guards, Allied troops still attempted to celebrate Christmas in their own ways, combining their small rations and recycling any scraps they could to make decorations and Christmas trees.Despite the unimaginable conditions in POW camps in the Pacific, Allied POWs were given a small respite on Christmas of 1942 at the Cabanatuan POW camp in the Philippines. Averaging 44 deaths a day due to the intolerable conditions, the soldiers celebrated a Christmas miracle on December 15, 1942, when camp officials allowed Red Cross packages to be delivered and distributed to the soldiers.Some soldiers recalled their sheer excitement receiving basic food provisions, hygiene products, and tobacco, which motivated some to decorate their barracks with repurposed cigarette boxes and organize Christmas carol singing. A few camp commanders even participated, watching their performances, and afterwards giving the soldiers rice wine.Noting the immediate boost in morale and work production, Japanese leadership provided the Allied troops with fresh fruit, potato cakes, and duck to prepare a Christmas meal. Yet, days after Christmas, the brutal conditions returned and continued until the camps liberation on January 30, 1945.Secret maps hidden under playing cards snuck to OLFAG IV-C POWs at Colditz Camp through Red Cross Christmas packages. Source: Wikimedia CommonsChristmas was also celebrated by Allied soldiers held in German POW camps. One of the largest documented Christmas parties organized by Allied POWs occurred in 1944 at the Stalag Luft III Prison Camp in Colditz Castle, Germany.That year, camp guards allowed prisoners to use the castle facilities to stage Christmas concerts, pageants, and masses. Some guards even participated, providing their barracks with small Christmas trees and scrap tin to make snowflake garlands. Canned turkey and fruit cake sent by the Red Cross were combined with their rations to make a joint French, American, and British Christmas dinner. Spam, potage julienne, and sausage rolls savored with hot chocolate and treacle tart allowed the soldiers to celebrate a warm meal during one of the coldest Christmases of the war.One of the best gifts the Allied POWs received during these festivities at Colditz Castle was playing cards included in the Red Cross packages. Secretly engineered by the US Playing Card Company and commissioned by British and American intelligence services, these cards contained secret maps of Germany to aid in prisoner escapes. Once soaked in water, the face card peeled back, showing different sections of Germany to help Allied POWs find the nearest safe zones. By the time the camp was liberated in April 1945, 32 Allied POWs had successfully escaped the prison.Christmas TrucesBrigadier General Anthony McAuliffe and his staff gathered inside the Heintz Barracks for Christmas dinner during the siege of Bastogne, 1944. Source: Wikimedia CommonsTruces over the holidays were less common in World War II than during the First World War. One of the rare truces recorded occurred during the Battle of the Bulge. Fritz Vicken, a then 12-year-old German child who was hiding in a cottage with his mother, was shocked to find three American soldiers knocking on their door on Christmas Eve.One critically injured, Fritzs mother agreed to give the Americans shelter, quickly cooking the Christmas dinner she was saving for the return of Fritzs father. Instead, four exhausted German soldiers knocked on the door shortly after, also looking for shelter until the morning. Fritz recalled his mother saying: You can also have a fine, warm meal and eat til the pot is empty. But, we have three other guests, whom you may not consider friends. This is Christmas Eve, and there will be no shooting here. (Fritz Vicken, Truce in the Forest, Readers Digest, January 1973).All sides agreed to turn in their weapons and instead circled around the table, sharing the meal paired with wine and bread, one of the Germans had found. Fritz remembered how young, exhausted, and homesick each soldier looked, the oldest not being over 23. They all agreed to save some food and wine for the injured American, unable to sit and join them for Christmas dinner. The silent truce remained until the morning, when the Americans and Germans shook hands, grabbed their weapons, and headed back to their camps.

The country of Georgia is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. While Stalin is associated with his hometown of Gori, Georgia has much more to offer. The capital, Tbilisi, is a cosmopolitan city with Persian, Turkish, and Russian influences, while nearby Mtskheta is known for churches and monasteries. Stepantsminda is famous for mountain views, Telavi for wine and architecture, and Kutaisi combines ancient origins and medieval grandeur. Batumi on the Black Sea Coast is a unique destination reminiscent of Las Vegas and Dubai.1. TbilisiThe Kura (Mtkvari) River in Tbilisi, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenAccording to tradition, Tbilisi was founded on the Kura or Mtkvari River by King Vakhtang Gorgosali during the 5th century CE. The city owes its name, which means warm place in Old Georgian, to the natural sulfur springs in the area. Tbilisis hot springs encouraged the development of the baths in the Abanotubani district, attracting visitors seeking cures for their ailments over the centuries. Visitors to the historic Chreli Abano baths can book private rooms favored by the likes of Alexander Pushkin and Alexandre Dumas.While Tbilisi became the capital of Georgia in the 6th century, its strategic location made it an enticing target for neighboring empires. Over the centuries, the city came under Persian, Arab, and Turkish control. Tbilisis importance as a political and commercial center also made it a cosmopolitan city. Tbilisi became the capital of an independent Georgian state once again in 1122, following Georgias victory over the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Didgori in 1121. Tbilisi flourished during Georgias Golden Age in the 12th century and was the capital of King Tamar the Great at the turn of the 13th century.Georgias Golden Age came to an abrupt end in the 1220s with the arrival of the Mongols. Tbilisi largely remained under foreign domination until the second half of the 18th century, when the eastern half of Georgia regained independence during the reigns of Teimuraz II and Erekle II.The 1783 Treaty of Georgievsk, which made Georgia a Russian protectorate, did not prevent the Qajar sultanate of Iran from sacking the city in 1795. The event precipitated the Russian annexation of Georgia in 1801. Apart from a brief period of independence after World War I, Tbilisi and Georgia remained under Russian or Soviet control until 1991.The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenAside from the aforementioned sulfur baths, the imposing Narikala Fortress and the nearby Mother of Georgia Statue are major landmarks of Tbilisi. The citys past as an important trading center along the Silk Road is reflected in an old caravanserai near Sion Cathedral. The redeveloped caravanserai is home to several shops, the Tbilisi City Museum, and the Tbilisi Wine Museum, where visitors can enjoy a glass of wine while learning about the oldest winemaking culture in the world.The National Museum of Georgia, the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts, and the National Gallery of Georgia are all located on Rustaveli Avenue. Constructed in the 19th century by the Russian authorities, Rustaveli Avenue is the citys main thoroughfare. It also houses the Viceroys Palace and the Parliament Building, which were the site of anti-government protests in 2024-2025. The National Gallery and the Art Museum of Georgia, located near Liberty Square, exhibit artworks by Niko Pirosmani, Georgias most famous artist, Niko Pirosmani.Across the river from the Narikala Fortress, an imposing equestrian statue of Tbilisis founder, King Vakhtang Gorgasali, stands near the historic Metekhi Church. Further to the north, the 87-meter-tall Holy Trinity or Sameba Cathedral is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. The cathedral was built between 1995 and 2004 to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of Christs birth. The raised platform at the ground level offers an excellent view of Mtatsminda, Tbilisis holy mountain featuring an iconic TV Tower and Ferris Wheel.2. MtskhetaSvetitskhoveli Cathedral, Mtskheta, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenLocated about 10 miles northwest of Tbilisi on the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, Mtskheta was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Georgia (known as the Kingdom of Iberia) from around the 3rd century BCE until the 6th century CE. The citys ancient citadel was located on the southern bank of the Mtkvari River at a site known as Armazi.Mtskheta is known for several churches and monasteries, the earliest of which were founded in the years following the Christianization of Iberia in 337 CE. The magnificent Svetitskhoveli Cathedral stands on the site of the first Christian church in Georgia. A second larger church was built on the site by Vakhtang Gorgasali in the 5th century. The current structure dates from the 11th century and was the largest church in Georgia until the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi was constructed.Famous Georgian kings, including Vakhtang Gorgasali and Erekle II, were buried at Svetitskhoveli, as were many other members of the Bagrationi dynasty, which ruled Georgia (in part or in whole) from the 9th century to the 18th century. The area around the cathedral includes a row of souvenir stalls, several cafes and restaurants, and a wine shop of the Winery Khareba, one of the largest wineries in Georgia.Samtavros Convent, Mtskheta, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenOther well-known religious sanctuaries in and around Mtskheta include Samtavros Convent, founded in the 4th century CE by King Miriam III, the first Christian king of Georgia. Miriam III and his wife, Queen Nana, were buried in the monastery grounds. The convent is located on the road to the Shio-Mgvime Monastery, an important monastic site founded in the 6th century CE by the eponymous St. Shio, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers who are known for the development of monasticism in Georgia.Located on a rocky mountaintop on the eastern bank of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers, the Jvari Monastery or Monastery of the Cross dates from the 6th century CE and has remained largely unchanged over the centuries. The monastery owes its name to a cross erected by St. Nino, the female saint credited with bringing Christianity to Georgia, on the site of a former pagan temple. While the interior of the main church is rather plain, Jvari Monastery is known for its panoramic views of the city of Mtskheta and the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers below.3. StepantsmindaGergeti Trinity Church and Mount Kazbek, Stepantsminda, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenThe town of Stepantsminda, which continues to be known colloquially by its former name of Kazbegi, is located on the Terek River near the Russian border. Best known for the 14th-century Gergeti Trinity Church that overlooks the town, Stepantsminda is surrounded by tall peaks of the Caucasus range, including Mt. Kazbek (5,054m) and Mt. Shani (4,451m). During the summer months, the town is a popular base for hikers and mountaineers.Stepantsminda (literally Saint Stephen) is named after a Georgian Orthodox monk who founded a hermitage on the site. The name Kazbegi, adopted in 1925 during Soviet rule, was the surname of a Russian officer who controlled the town at the turn of the 19th century. One of his descendants was the Georgian writer Alexander Kazbegi, who is commemorated by a statue in the city. The protagonist of Kazbegis 1883 novel The Patricide, a Caucasian bandit named Koba, was a major inspiration to the young Ioseb Jughashvili (Joseph Stalin), who used the name Koba as a revolutionary pseudonym.Stepantsminda is located on the Georgian Military Highway, which was built at the turn of the 19th century to facilitate the movement of Russian troops during the protracted Russo-Circassian War. The Russo-Georgian border is located at the Dariali Gorge, around 10 kilometers north of Stepantsminda. Visitors to the nearby Dariali Monastery, founded in 2010, may also have an opportunity to visit the monasterys wine cellar.Treaty of Georgievsk Monument, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenThe Georgian Military Highway, which connects Tbilisi to the Russian town of Vladikavkaz, is one of the most scenic roads in the whole of Georgia and carries a substantial amount of freight traffic between the two countries. Key points of interest on the route include the Ananuri Fortress and the nearby Zhinvali Reservoir, the town of Pasanauri (famous for its khinkali dumplings), and the ski resort of Gudauri.A few miles north of Gudauri near the Jvari Pass is the so-called Russo-Georgian Friendship Monument, erected in 1983 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Treaty of Georgievsk between Georgia and the Russian Empire. The interior of the circular monument consists of a colorful tiled mural depicting scenes from Russian and Georgian history. The monument is also known for breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and is also a popular site for paragliding.4. TelaviPalace of King Erekle II, Telavi, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenThe city of Telavi is the administrative center of Kakheti, Georgias premier wine region. Although less of a tourist destination than Sighnaghi, Telavi is of greater historical and political significance. The town was an important political center from the 8th to the 13th centuries CE, and the nearby Ikalto Academy was one of the most prestigious centers of learning during Georgias Golden Age.Telavis fortunes declined in the 15th century after the Kingdom of Georgia was divided into the three kingdoms of Kakheti (in the east), Kartli (in the center), and Imereti (in the west). In the early 16th century, the kings of Kakheti moved their capital to a more defensible site at Gremi. Telavis fortunes were revived following the construction of the Batonistsikhe fortress complex by King Archil of Kakheti in the 1660s.One of the only surviving royal residences in the entire country of Georgia, the fortress at Telavi is closely associated with King Erekle II, who reigned as king of Kakheti in 1750-1762 and a unified Kartli-Kakheti in 1762-1798. A skillful politician, Erekle gained effective autonomy from Persian rule and reformed his kingdom along European (Russian) lines. While Erekle is celebrated as one of Georgias greatest kings, his decision to sign the Treaty of Georgievsk with Russia in 1783 contributed to the kingdoms annexation to Russia shortly after his death in 1801.Monument to King Erekle II, Telavi, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenErekles Palace and the recently refurbished Telavi History Museum within the walls of the Batonistiskhe Fortress are the main attractions of the city. Other sites include a 900-year-old plane tree a short walk from the fortress, the produce market at the Telavi Bazaar, and St. Mariams Orthodox Church. Telavi is known for architecture from different periods of Georgian history, and the picturesque Cholokashvili Street in the Old Town is distinguished by attractive balconies that overhang the road.Owing to its location in the heart of Kakheti, Telavi is an excellent base from which to explore Georgias wine region. Inside the city, visitors can sample wines at Dakishvilis Wine and Chocolate bar or book a gourmet cheese tasting at Odlisi, a romantic bar and restaurant on Cholokashvili Street run by an entrepreneurial mother-daughter team serving cheese made by their husband/father.Telavi is a short drive from the Tsinandali Estate, which once belonged to Alexander Chavchavadze. A 19th-century Russian-born Georgian aristocrat, Chavchavadze was a distinguished poet and an accomplished military officer who served in the 1812 campaign against Napoleon. The historic house is home to a museum and a winery founded by Chavchavadze, which continues to produce some of Georgias best-known wines. Another popular wine destination is the Kvareli Wine Cave, operated by Winery Khareba. The cave offers wine tastings and tours of its 7.7km tunnel complex.5. GoriJoseph Stalin Statue near the Stalin Museum, Gori, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenThe city of Gori, located 50 miles west of Tbilisi, is best known as the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. The house where the notorious Soviet dictator was born in 1878 is preserved in Stalin Park, and the nearby Stalin Museum was founded in 1957, a few years after his death in 1953.The museum, which retains many of its Soviet-era attributes, provides a detailed overview of Stalins life and career, from his education at a Georgian Orthodox seminary to his revolutionary activities as a young man and his rise to power to become the leader of the Soviet Union following the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924. Stalin continues to be regarded as a local hero in his hometown, and the museum does not dedicate much space to the atrocities and purges committed by his regime.A short distance from the border with the breakaway region of South Ossetia, Gori was briefly occupied by Russian forces during the Russo-Georgian War of August 2008, which resulted in the de facto independence of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.Gori Fortress, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenWhile the Stalin Museum is by far the most popular destination for foreign tourists, Gori is also known for its distinctive hilltop fortress, dating to the 7th century CE. This fortress offers a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. Other key landmarks include the Cathedral of Saint Mary and the State Historical Ethnographic Museum.Gori is a short distance from the ancient cave town of Uplistsikhe, a unique site rivaled only by Vardzia in the south of the country. The site served as the principal political center for the Georgian kingdom of Kartli between the 8th and 10th centuries CE and was the location of King Tamars first coronation in 1178. The site was abandoned following Mongol raids in the 14th century.Another historic site near Gori is the Ateni Sioni Church, built on a hillside in the Ateni gorge. This 7th-century church resembles Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta and is best known for its 11th-century frescoes, which are among the best-preserved examples of Georgian church art.6. KutaisiBagrati Cathedral in the Snow, Kutaisi, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenThe city of Kutaisi in western Georgia is one of the oldest cities in the country. Archaeological evidence indicates that the city served as the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis during the 6th century BCE. In Greek mythology, Colchis is best known as the destination of Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece. Gold artifacts unearthed from Kutaisi and the important religious site of Vani may offer some archaeological evidence for the legendary tale. Kutaisis ancient past is commemorated by the Colchis Fountain in the city center.After three centuries of Arab rule, much of Georgia was reunited by King Bagrat III at the beginning of the 11th century. Since the city of Tbilisi remained in Muslim hands, Kutaisi served as the capital of the Kingdom of Georgia between 1008 and 1122. The Bagrati Cathedral on the northern bank of the Rioni River was founded by Bagrat III in the early 11th century.Kutaisi flourished during the reign of King David IV the Builder, who founded the nearby Gelati Monastery in 1106. One of four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Georgia, Gelati served as the royal mausoleum of the Bagrationi dynasty between the 12th and 15th centuries. Both David the Builder and his great-granddaughter Tamar the Great were buried at Gelati.In 2012, President Mikheil Saakashvili moved the Georgian Parliament to a purpose-built modernist structure in Kutaisi on the site of a former Soviet war memorial. This experiment was unpopular and short-lived, and the Parliament returned to Tbilisi in January 2019.7. BatumiPalm Trees in a snowy Batumi, photograph by Jimmy Chen, 2025. Source: Jimmy ChenLocated on the Black Sea coast in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Batumi is Georgias second-most populous city. Known as Bathys (from Bathys limen or deep harbor) in antiquity, the city was the site of a Greek colony in Colchis. The Roman fortress of Gonio-Apsaros, located 10 miles south of the city, is believed to be the burial site of Saint Matthias, one of the Twelve Apostles.Batumi was part of various Georgian kingdoms until 1703 when it became part of the Ottoman Empire. It served as a provincial port on the Ottoman frontier until it was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1878. At the turn of the 20th century, Batumi became the main Russian port for the export of oil from the Baku oil fields.After 70 years of Soviet rule between 1921 and 1991, the politician Aslan Abashidze turned Adjara into his personal fiefdom. Abashidze fell from power in 2004, and Georgian government forces took control of Adjara. Batumi has experienced rapid development since 2010, with high-rise apartments and hotels towering over the 19th-century Old Town.Nicknamed the Las Vegas of Georgia, Batumis economy is highly dependent on gambling and tourism. Major attractions include the Adjara State Museum, Europe Square, and the Statue of Ali and Nino (named after the protagonists of a 1937 romance novel by the writer Kurban Said about a Muslim Azeri boy and a Christian Georgian girl). The Batumi Boulevard, which extends for seven kilometers along the coast, is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.Batumi is unique among Georgian cities in having a subtropical climate. The author just happened to visit the city during a once-in-a-decade snowstorm in late February 2025 that caused his rental car to be stuck in the snow for two days.

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