{"id":1597,"date":"2016-06-03T11:06:18","date_gmt":"2016-06-03T07:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessgeorgia.ge\/?p=1597"},"modified":"2016-06-03T11:11:36","modified_gmt":"2016-06-03T07:11:36","slug":"9-reasons-to-visit-georgia-now-by-cnn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessgeorgia.ge\/ge\/9-reasons-to-visit-georgia-now-by-cnn\/","title":{"rendered":"9 reasons to visit Georgia now by CNN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Out on the fringes of Europe, the former Soviet Republic of Georgia is a country shrouded in mystery.
\nSandwiched between the Caucasus Mountains to the north, the Black Sea to the west and dry deserts to the south, this small country, which borders Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey, is not only a crossroad of cultures, but has a wealth of spectacular landscapes.
\nUntil recently, many would have struggled to place the country of Georgia on the map (or at least mistake it for the U.S. state of the same name), but it\u2019s quickly becoming one of Europe\u2019s hottest new destinations.
\nHere are nine reasons to visit Georgia now.
\n1. Tbilisi: An eclectic melting pot<\/strong>
\nFrom the hanging balconies in the crumbling Old Tbilisi district and the Persian-style sulfur baths clad in turquoise mosaics, to unique art nouveau buildings falling into disrepair sitting side by side with futuristic glass structures, Tbilisi is a city that inspires.
\nThe Georgian capital lies on the banks of the Mtkvari River and is surrounded by mountains on all three sides.
\nArcheologists trace the first settlement in today\u2019s Tbilisi to the 4th millennium B.C.
\nIts position on the old Silk Road turned it into a multicultural hub, reflected today in the city\u2019s ethnic diversity and eclectic architecture.<\/p>\n

The baths in Abanotubani follow the Persian tradition, only the thermal water bubbles up naturally from the ground below.
\nTbilisi gets its name from the Old Georgian word \u201ctbili,\u201d meaning warm, due to its hot, sulfurous water.
\nMoving away from Abanotubani, a walk into the Old Town reveals old Georgian and Armenian churches, mosques and synagogues and even the ruins of the most northern Zoroastrian fire temple.
\n2. Ushguli: Europe\u2019s highest village<\/strong>
\nWay up in the Caucasus Mountains around 2,200 meters above sea level, this small village is Europe\u2019s highest continuously inhabited settlement.
\nSitting at the foot of Mount Shkhara, Georgia\u2019s highest point, Ushguli is famous for the medieval defensive towers connected to each house.
\nIt\u2019s deep in the Svaneti region, known for its unique culture that was once cut off from the rest of the country.
\nThe main town of Mestia is on its way to becoming the Georgian equivalent of a Swiss resort but Ushguli has been saved by its poor transport routes, which have helped preserve the village\u2019s timeless feel.
\nYoung men gallop through the dirt tracks on horseback between the crumbling towers, dodging the livestock in the street.
\nUshguli and the region of Upper Svaneti are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
\n3. The birthplace of wine<\/strong>
\nWhen we think of the origin of wine we tend to think of France, Italy, Greece or Persia, but Georgia is in fact one of the world\u2019s oldest wine regions.
\nIn 2003 archaeologists found evidence that Stone Age people were producing wine here up to 8,000 years ago.
\nSince then, wine has played a core part in Georgia\u2019s national identity.
\nThe country\u2019s ancient tradition of fermenting grape juice in clay vessels, known as kvevris, has made it onto UNESCO\u2019s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
\nThere are hundreds of indigenous grape varieties and Georgian wine is slowly gaining recognition globally.
\nWhile some of the homemade varieties aren\u2019t particularly palatable, there are some excellent vineyards in Georgia producing premium wines.
\nA good place to start is with a red wine aged in oak barrels made from the Saperavi grape from Mukuzani in the wine region of Kakheti, such as those from Teliani Valley, or a white Tsindali, made from a blend of Rkatsteli and Mtvani grapes.
\nSoviet dictator and Georgian native Joseph Stalin was a fan of Khvanchkara, a sweet red wine from the Racha mountain region in the Caucasus.
\n4. Mysterious cave cities<\/strong>
\nGeorgia is home to some of the most unusual cave cities in Europe.
\nBy themselves, they\u2019re reason alone to visit the country.
\nThe oldest is Uplitstsikhe, an ancient settlement that resembles a lunar landscape.
\nOthers include Davit Gareja, a vast monastic complex carved into the rock of Mount Gareja, andVardzia, a spectacular underground city that once housed 2,000 monks.<\/p>\n

5. Supra: A traditional Georgian feast<\/strong>
\nOne of the best ways to get to know the country is through its food.
\nIn fact, if you haven\u2019t tried a Georgian \u201csupra,\u201d or feast, you haven\u2019t experienced Georgia.
\nThe local cheese bread is called \u201ckhachapuri,\u201d the most famous being the Adjaran variety.
\nIt\u2019s a baked bread boat filled with gooey, melted, tangy \u201csulguni\u201d cheese, a whole egg yolk and some slivers of butter. Yes, it\u2019s heart stopping, but so delicious.
\n\u201cKhinkhali\u201d dumplings come with a spiced meat filling that releases its juices when cooked, so you have to suck out the stock before eating.
\nThen there are delectable walnut dressing salads, bean stews cooked with fragrant cilantro and \u201cshashlik,\u201d tender marinated meat cooked on a kebab skewer.
\nThey\u2019re best enjoyed, of course, with some excellent Georgian wine.
\n6. Remote mountain villages<\/strong>
\nThe remote regions of Khevsureti and Tusheti in the Caucasus Mountains are home to spectacular medieval villages with small communities that still retain their ancient pagan traditions.
\nThe roads going up here are an adrenaline rush in themselves.
\nThe ruined fortress of Mutso and the settlement of Shatili in Khevsureti look like something described by J.R.R. Tolkien.
\nSet dramatically against the mountains, they\u2019re so close to Chechnya you can see the border guards walking up and down the ridge.
\nTusheti is a cluster of communities, kind of like a Georgian Shangri La, full of old towers, churches, villages and spectacular mountain scenery with wild flowers and trees with leaves that almost look golden.
\nTusheti has numerous hiking trails and the locals are known for their generous mountain hospitality.<\/p>\n

7. Europe\u2019s most surreal museum<\/strong>
\nTo learn about the life of Old Joe, visit Stalin\u2019s hometown, Gori, and the bizarre Joseph Stalin Museum.
\nYou might know Stalin as a dictator responsible for millions of deaths, but in this hometown attraction there is a sense of pride about the \u201clocal boy made good.\u201d
\nThere aren\u2019t any references to his purges beyond a small backroom that doesn\u2019t feature on the tour, but there are pictures aplenty of Stalin, including one of the leader voting for himself.
\nThere are also various statues, his death mask, carpets and frescoes featuring the dear leader\u2019s face, his personal green railway carriage and \u2014 the star attraction \u2014 his one-bedroom childhood home preserved in perfect condition.
\nThe museum has been criticized for being a \u201cfalsification of history\u201d and an example of \u201cSoviet propaganda.\u201d
\nThere were plans to transform the museum into a museum of Russian aggression, but so far this is limited to a little room hidden beside the entrance.
\nThe museum is worth visiting as it captures the essence of Stalin, including his own self-glorification and propaganda, even if that was not its intended purpose.
\n8. Beautiful and ancient churches<\/strong>
\nGeorgia adopted Christianity back in 324 AD and the country is full of spectacular churches and cathedrals in incredible locations.
\nWhether it\u2019s the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Mtskheta\u2019s Svetitskhoveli Cathedral or Kutaisi\u2019s Bagrati Cathedral, or the dramatic hill top position of the church in Kazbegi, Georgia\u2019s churches never fail to paint a pretty picture.
\nKazbegi is also home to one of the world\u2019s most spectacular marathon routes.<\/p>\n

9. The people and Georgian hospitality<\/strong>
\nSome Georgians might appear a serious bunch at first, but most of them are kind and welcoming.
\nFor Georgians, a guest is a sacred thing and they will often go out of their way to help you.
\nTheir generosity and hospitality will often take the form of lots of food and even more drink.
\nAs they say in Georgia, \u201cGaumarjos!\u201d (Cheers!).
\nJennifer Walker is an Anglo-Hungarian former nuclear physicist turned writer based in Budapest, Hungary. She\u2019s a compulsive traveler and has lived in the UK, Hungary, Spain, Germany and Georgia.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2015\/08\/13\/travel\/reasons-to-visit-georgia\/index.html<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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