In our group we had a wine aficionado who did most of the research on where to go and what to taste. So I was happy to just tag along. Our first stop was Château Mukhrani. Look at the building! The wine must taste good at such a place!

Château Mukhrani

We were given a tour of the wine cellar and the production facilities.

Château Mukhrani

Château Mukhrani

Château Mukhrani

The tour ended with a tasting of their wine and local cheese. Let’s just say we already bought way more than intended at our first stop.

Château Mukhrani wine tasting

We continued our drive west towards Telavi, where we would spend the night at Villa Schuchmann. On the way we encountered some folks who looked like they just came out of an extensive wine tasting.

On the road towards Telavi

Villa Schuchmann turned out to be another excellent choice for accommodation.

Villa Schuchmann

Room with a view

Like many wine estates, Villa Schuchmann also produces wine in the traditional Georgian way where the wine is kept in large Kvevri made of clay underground.

Kvevris

The next day we had a tour ahead of us to multiple wine estates. We started with a visit to Winery Khareba in Kvareli.

Winery Khareba

For lunch we stopped at Pheasant’s Tears in Sighnaghi.

Sighnaghi

Nearby is the Bodbe Monastery.

Bodbe Monastery

We started to make our way to Tbilisi, where we would spend our last night. But not before one last wine tasting – this time at Kindzmarauli Corporation Wine House. Again we were not disappointed and made sure we all maxed our our duty free allowance.

Kindzmarauli Corporation Wine House

Even if you’re not really into wine; touring the wine region of Georgia is fun and prices very reasonable!

The super modern highway doesn’t go all the way around the island and unfortunately a stretch of the local road leading up north was closed. So we took the highway counter clockwise towards Puerto de las Nieves were we would be spending the night. The island isn’t that big and from the southwest to the northwest around the island the long way would only take us a bit over an hour.

Our first stop however was the lovely town of Agüimes about half way where we had lunch.

Agüimes

As we were there over lunch, the town was very sleepy.

Agüimes

Templo Parroquial de San Sebastian

Templo Parroquial de San Sebastian

After another 45mins or so we reached Agaete and the nearby port village, Puerto de las Nieves. The weather was gorgeous and not windy at all, a nice change after the sometimes chilly wind in the south.

Puerto de las Nieves

Puerto de las Nieves

The port is used mainly for the fast ferry service to Tenerife, which just takes over an hour. From the port you can also see El Dedo de Dios (god’s finger) – or at least what is left as a storm had blown away the top of the stone structure in November 2005.

We stayed right in the center of town at the Hotel El Cabo. Good value for money but extremely thin walls and our room was on the ground floor next to the reception and the street. 

Hotel El Cabo

There are several fish restaurants near the harbor with good views, reasonable prices and below-average-touristy menues. We enjoyed our evening there with some fresh fish.

Fred Olsen speed ferry about to leave for Tenerife

Dinner in Puerto de las Nieves

The next morning we checked out of our hotel and drove to a nearby finca where they produce wine as well as oranges (amongst other things). It caught our attention through good ol’ Tripadvisor and it was really worth the short drive from Agaete. The Bodega Finca La Laja welcomes visitors and conducts tours explaining how the microclimate in the town is favorable to growing all kinds of fruits as well as coffee! We could really feel the difference in climate, even though it was just a short distance from Agaete.

Bodega Finca La Laja

Different stages of coffee preparation at Bodega Finca La Laja

For six Euro you get a tour as well as a wine tasting along with snacks. Well worth it! 

That concluded our trip to the northern coast and we left towards the capital of Las Palmas. I really liked Agaete and Puerto de las Nieves. Much more laid back than the south and while there are tourists, it feels like as if the town had managed to preserve some of its identity. Sure, the beaches aren’t as white sandy as in the south, but the character more than makes up for it.