7 Reasons to Visit Georgia Right Now

I have been to Georgia two times so far in 2012 and 2016 and I can safely say it is my favorite country to visit. Here are some of the reasons why:

Other reasons can be found on my Instagram @gmr83 🙂

1. Food: This is an important aspect for me when visiting any country. Georgian cuisine carries some influences from other European and nearby Middle Eastern culinary traditions. Each historical province of Georgia has its own distinct culinary tradition, with variations such as Megrelian, Kakhetian, and Imeretian cuisines. Heavy on meat dishes, the Georgian cuisine also offers a variety of vegetarian dishes.

2. Mountains: What’s the highest mountain range in Europe? The Alps? Wrong. It is the Caucasus Mountains marking the border between Georgia and Russia. While the highest peak is in Russia, Georgia lays claim to the second highest, Shkara, which at 5,193m (17,040 ft) beats Mont Blanc by nearly 400m (1,312 ft). Georgia is a mountainous country with rugged terrain which is why it is not that difficult to find beautiful mountain tops especially in the north. Did you know that the highest continuously inhabited village in Europe is in Georgia?

3. History: Georgia is steeped in history and was inhabited by Homo erectus since the Paleolithic Era. The proto-Georgian tribes first appear in written history in the 12th century BC. Did you know that Joseph Stalin was born in Georgia and you can visit his birthplace in Gori.

4. Beaches: Admittedly, that was not the first thought that came to mind when I was planning my first Georgia trip, but I was intrigued by seeing the Black Sea. Enter, Batumi, a lovely city on the Georgian coast with contemporary architecture and high-profile hotels and beaches. Batumi is very different from the rest of Georgia and is likely to give you a cultural shock after touring the rest of the country.

5. Glaciers: Yes, this country has it all! The glaciers of Georgia are mainly located along the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range.According to the data of 2015 there are 637 glaciers in Georgia with a total area of 355.80 km2.

6. Wine: You have not really experienced Georgia if you do not try the wine. Georgia is one of the oldest wine regions in the world. The fertile valleys of the South Caucasus house the source of the world’s first cultivated grapevines and neolithic wine production, from over 8,000 years ago. Among the best-known regions of Georgia where wine is produced are Kakheti, Kartli, Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and Abkhazia.

7. People: The Georgian people are some of the friendliest in the world. Old or young and whether they spoke English enough to communicate or not, they are a very welcoming people. You would be in luck if you are ever invited to a traditional Georgian wedding or to a supra, a traditional Georgian feast and an important part of social culture.