A short guide about Cultural travel to Georgia
Georgia is an old state in the Caucasus, with a beautiful coast, great mountain scenery and towns. Due to civil problems following independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Georgia has suffered a lot. The infrastructure has taken a severe blow; parts of the "Georgian Riviera" are hard to access as a result. Still, Georgia makes a great destination for the resourceful traveller. Since Georgia claims to be the oldest Christian nation, there are many impressive churches and cathedrals dating back to a time when most of Western Europe was still pagan.
Set at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Georgia’s fabulous variety of landscape and culture has attracted adventurers and traders from the dawn of time. Here the present coexists with the past, and modernity is fused with tradition. According to Greek legend - Jason and his Argonauts came here in search of the Golden Fleece. Today, Georgia is a country strongly connected to tradition, at the same time as being a modern, democratic state embodying western values.
Throughout the 20th century, Georgia has been famous as a holiday destination - a combined Switzerland and Rivera - for citizens of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. They came for high mountains, sunny beaches and a unique cuisine. The capital Tbilisi and nearby Mtskheta are nice cities with many important monuments. The Gelati Monastery is unique in its kind. In Vardzia you will also find interesting examples of Christian art.
With the fall of the Soviet Union, Georgia’s beauty is now open to any traveller thirsting for new sights, sounds, smells and an ancient and rich culture. From the shores of the Black Sea to the soaring peaks of the Caucasus - from rich vineyards in eastern Georgia to semi-arid deserts, Georgia’s natural beauty and extraordinary diversity makes a visit truly unique. In this small country travellers of all kinds can find what they seek and return home full of the most unforgettable impressions.