Things to do in Georgia

Get lost in cobblestone alleys lined with wooden balconied houses, then take the cable car up to the ancient Narikala Fortress for panoramic views over the capital and the Mtkvari River.

Indulge in a traditional hot sulphur bath in Tbilisi's domed bath district, a ritual dating back centuries, with private or public pools in a steamy, mosaic-tiled underground setting.

Trek the iconic four-day trail between medieval stone towers, crossing emerald valleys and blooming alpine meadows under the shadow of Mount Ushba and Shkhara glaciers.

Hike or drive to the 14th-century stone church set dramatically at 2,170 metres against the icy peak of Kazbek, a symbol of Georgia's Orthodox faith and mountain majesty.

Bite into a boat-shaped Adjaruli khachapuri oozing with hot cheese, butter and a runny egg yolk, straight from the brick oven in a backstreet bakery in the capital.

Sample amber qvevri wines in their birthplace at a family-run marani, followed by a traditional Georgian supra with toasts, singing and plates of mtsvadi and churchkhela.

Descend into a 12th-century labyrinth of rock-carved churches, tunnels and monks' cells stretching thirteen levels, built into the sheer cliff of Erusheti Mountain.

Walk palm-lined seaside promenade of Georgia's Black Sea resort, past contemporary art, dancing fountains, and the moving steel sculpture of lovers that merge nightly.

Drive a 4x4 into lush rainforest gorges, crossing wooden bridges to discover ancient arched bridges and waterfalls, far from the tourist trail in the Lesser Caucasus.

Gaze up at a solitary limestone monolith topped by a tiny church where a devout monk once lived in extreme asceticism, reachable now only by ladder and faith.

Enter the bizarre birthplace of Joseph Stalin, with his original wooden hut preserved under a classical temple, and a surreal museum of personal artifacts and a private train carriage.

Walk a scenic trail through pine forests and rocky moraine to the foot of a blue-tongued glacier spilling off the highest peak in Svaneti, an easy half-day adventure.

Stand beneath the luminous 12th-century apse mosaic of the Virgin and Child in this UNESCO-listed monastery founded by King David the Builder, a masterpiece of Georgian medieval art.

Carve wide open off-piste runs above the treeline with Caucasus views, then après-ski in a slope-side hot tub, all at a fraction of Alpine prices.

Swim off a pebbly beach in subtropical Batumi, then climb hillside paths in the vast botanical garden where tea bushes, bamboo groves and colossal eucalyptus trees face the sea.

Rustic courtyards and repurposed Soviet sewing factories now house hip microbreweries, converting locals and travellers into craft beer aficionados with Georgian hops and creative brews.

Paddle emerald rapids between mossy limestone walls while waterfalls cascade into the river from the sub-tropical forest above an ancient Colchis kingdom landscape.

Hike high above Mestia to a chain of glacial lakes reflecting the Ushba massif; in summer, alpine flowers paint meadows pink and purple under a permanently snowy skyline.

Enter the lavish Moorish Revival auditorium with its delicate blue and gold stucco, for an evening of Verdi or a Georgian national ballet in an Eastern architectural gem.

Walk a glass-bottomed platform over a karst cave and see perfectly preserved dinosaur tracks in limestone, a journey back 165 million years above the treetops of the Imereti region.

Browse open-air stalls piled high with enamel medals, samovars, old maps and hand-painted icons at Tbilisi's most atmospheric flea market, where bargaining is a performance.

Scramble to a clifftop fortress ruin associated with Georgia's legendary queen, with the foam-white Aragvi River roaring far below and eagles circling the gorge walls.

Join a local home in the highland region of Racha to roll thin dough for huge juicy meat dumplings, then string walnuts on a thread to dip into thickened grape juice for the iconic sweet.

Drive the perilous dirt road to a fortified village of sixty interconnected defensive towers fused into the mountainside, a breathtaking specimen of medieval mountain architecture.

Stroll the romantic hilltop town's 18th-century fortified walls with Alazani Valley and Caucasus views, where a 24/7 wedding house makes it a hotspot for spontaneous elopements.