Georgia
An underated country
Georgia (Georgian: საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is
a country in the Caucasus. Sandwiched between Russia in the north and
Turkey in the south, it sits along the coast of the Black Sea around
where Europe and Asia meet. It is a rather mountainous country and is
home to some of Europe’s highest mountain peaks.
Despite its modest size, Georgia presents a large mix
of other landscapes and micro-climates, ranging from dry wine-growing
valleys in the east, to lush Black Sea resorts in the west.
Georgia's capital:
Tbilisi lies in the centre of
eastern Georgia, in the foothills of the Trialeti mountain range.
According to Georgian legends, it was founded in the 5th century by King
Vakhtang Gorgasali who, while hunting, shot a pheasant which fell into a
warm spring and was either boiled or healed. Either way, the king was
inspired to found a city on the site, and the name of the city derives
from the Georgian word tbili meaning "warm". Although the city has been
destroyed and rebuilt 29 times, the layout of the Old Town is largely
intact with narrow alleys and big crooked houses built around
courtyards.
Perhaps one of the most distinctive pleasures of walking through the Old City, with its old-style balconies, ancient churches, winding streets, and charming shops. Be prepared to see a number of eclectic sights, from the abandoned streetcar near Erekle Street to the art galleries of Chardini Street to the stunning modern art lining Sioni Street. Sub-neighborhoods include Sololaki, with its elegant restaurants and art nouveau architecture, Old Tbilisi proper — with sites ranging from churches to mosques to sulfur baths, Betlemi — housing two of the city's oldest churches and the stunning vistas of the Narikala Fortress — and Mtsasminda, just up the mountain from Rustaveli Avenues, a more sedate, "livable" district filled with charming old houses and a number of families.
Georgian cuisine:
Georgian cuisine is very varied. In addition to its many famous meat
dishes, there are also a range of vegetarian and vegan dishes. During
Soviet times, Georgian cuisine was seen as the haute cuisine of the
Soviet Union. During the 20th century, countless Georgian dishes found
their way into the local cuisines of Soviet republics and Eastern
European countries.Eating in Georgia can take the form of a big
ceremony, and the traditional festive dinner supra is a remarkable
experience for travelers. The country is also known for its mineral
waters and for its wine: it has a long tradition of grape growing and
considers itself the "cradle of viticulture".
Georgia has one of the oldest wine-making traditions in the world and has been called the birthplace of wine (also as "Cradle of Wine"), due to archaeological findings which indicate wine production back to 5000 BC. Georgia produces some of the best wines in the world, and thanks to the ancient tradition of wine production and amazing climate, it holds its own with French and Italian wines. Georgian wines are quite famous. It may be true that they are little known in the West, but they certainly are famous among the roughly 280 million people in the former Soviet Union, where Georgian wines remain a welcome drink at any dining table.
👉 Learn more on Wikivoyage