Dadiani Summer Residence

Salkhino was the summer residence of the Dadiani, the ruling princes of Mingrelia. In the first half of the 19th century Levan Dadiani replaced a modest wooden house here with a two-storey stone palace.

The village's name says a lot about life here: "Salkhino" means "a place for feasting". The palace was famous for its celebrations. The last great one was the wedding of Lucien Murat, son of Princess Salome Dadiani and Achille Murat, a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte.

What to see

• the park, with centuries-old trees and cobblestone paths;
• the 18th-century Church of the Virgin;
• the historic Dadiani wine cellar with 12 qvevri, said to stand for the 12 great feasts and the 12 Apostles;
• the Tsachkhura river next to the palace, said to be the coldest river in Samegrelo.

Today the palace is a residence of the Patriarch of Georgia and is usually closed inside. The park and the church are open to visitors.