Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Try to imagine a place on the earth where you can enjoy mountains and sea, waterfalls, and canyons, historical architecture and modern skyscrapers, a delicious bakery, and vines. Sounds like a paradise, doesn’t it?
That all-in-one Eden can be found in Georgia (country). Perhaps the only drawback of this country is the coincidence of names with the US state.
Georgia can offer absolutely unique experiences of tastes (like khinkali and khachapuri, local dumplings and pies), smells (like sea breeze and mountain freshness), and breathtaking views.
The country is home to the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea coast, and stunning national parks and modern art installations. It is a bizarre blend of ancient and modern, with narrow cobbled streets, charming courtyards, Soviet buildings, and chic hotels. It doesn’t matter if you are a backpacker or a great fan of luxury hotels; everyone can find something attractive.
You can land in the modern Kutaisi airport, if you travel by plane (affordable Wizzair flights are available from the EU) or fly straight to the capital Tbilisi by using Georgian Airways/air Arabia/Turkish Airlines/Lufthansa and many others. If you are exploring the Caucasian region, you can travel by train.
Georgian Railways are offering different types of wagons for international/local routes. For the trips inside the country, you can go for a very authentic local experience with minibusses (they are usually full of locals, and the drivers are listening to Georgian songs on full volume and swearing and not speaking English), if you are not a risk-taker, big cities can offer widely spread taxi services.
The season doesn’t matter either, winter brings snowy mountains, and summer can offer warm sea and sunny beaches. But my personal favorite is the blossoming spring, which makes ancient Georgian cities colorful and alive. I enjoyed blossoming magnolias in Kutaisi, which made a great contrast with local pastel buildings and caught the first sun rays on Batumi seaside in March/April. Spring is also the perfect time to explore cities in comfort and not stay in line with other tourists.
Some people call Batumi “Georgian Dubai” for its modern architecture, fountains, entertainment options, and seaside. However, Georgian pricing cannot be called very cheap, but significantly lower than Dubai for sure.
Makhuntseti waterfall near Batumi was another place to be visited on my list. According to the local legend the bridge near the waterfall, was built by order of Georgian queen Tamara, who liked to bathe in the waterfall many centuries ago. Near it, locals are selling homemade delights, vine, local honey, and souvenirs.
But not only modern Georgia is attractive, but the country also has a rich cultural and historical heritage, reflected in its ancient churches, fortresses, and castles. As one of the oldest and most distinct Christian traditions, Georgia is home to many stunning Orthodox churches, monasteries, and cathedrals, many of which have been beautifully preserved for centuries, which makes it incredibly interesting to explore.
Georgians are known for their warm hospitality and love of feasting. They say that time spent with a guest does not count as time lived. That’s why Georgia may be considered a perfect gastronomy tour destination.
As a bakery-addicted person, I enjoyed every kind of gluten available: bread, pies, and dumplings. And in Georgia, it is available in every corner. You can spend hours exploring regional-specific of Georgian cuisine and vine, like the khachapuri pie with different kinds of cheese/meat/egg/ filling, and the vine palette with centuries of family history.
My personal recommendation is Tiflisi restaurant in Kutaisi with a huge vine collection and traditional Georgian food. In Batumi, I had dinners in Cafe-Bar Chveni Sakhli in the city center, which offered different kinds of cheeses and a variety of veg dishes. Maybe that’s the National secret of longevity?
