Things to do in Georgia

Georgia rewards curious travellers with a density of experiences that few countries of its size can match. In Tbilisi, the Narikala fortress dates from the 4th century and offers panoramic views of the city's terracotta rooftops from a 40-metre ridge above the Mtkvari River. Below it, the Abanotubani district's domed sulfur bathhouses have operated continuously since the 5th century — the same springs that, legend says, convinced King Vakhtang I to found the city. Outside the capital, hiking the Gergeti Glacier trail near Kazbegi takes 4–5 hours round-trip and passes the 14th-century Trinity Church perched at 2,170 m. Wine lovers can join a harvest in Kakheti every October, where the qvevri clay-vessel tradition of amber wine-making has been UNESCO-listed since 2013. The Rioni Gorge near Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park — Georgia's largest protected area at 85,000 hectares — offers multi-day trekking through beech and fir forest. In Batumi, the 6-kilometre Boulevard promenade stretches along the Black Sea, lined with open-air cafés and a 130-metre revolving tower. History seekers find the 10th-century Alaverdi Cathedral in Kakheti (the tallest medieval church in the Caucasus at 55 m) and the 6th-century Jvari Monastery above Mtskheta, Georgia's original capital. Adventure sports are growing fast: paragliding from Gudauri operates year-round, while the Aragvi, Rioni, and Mtkvari rivers offer Class III–IV white-water rafting from April to October. Tbilisi's Rustaveli Avenue concentrates opera, ballet, contemporary galleries, and the national museum in a walkable 1-km stretch — an ideal rainy-day itinerary.