Georgia travel guide

Abkhazia is a non-recognized breakaway state which declared independence from Georgia in 1993 after 13 month of war. They have their own language, flag and government, but have strong ties to Russia and use Russian ruble. You can enter from both the Georgian (apply for visa online) and the Russian side, though you can't continue into Georgia if entering from Russia (and therefor need a Russian double entries visa). The number of sights in Abkhazia are very limited to a beautiful countryside, a mountain lake, a cave, a church and a monastery, but the hordes of Russian tourists adore the Black Sea coast the most. However, if you are into abandoned buildings and general neglected urban scenery, Abkhazia will fascinate you.

Our guide to Abkhazia.

Though most people come to Batumi for the long pebble beach, the town is an attraction of its own. The old part is a small grid of residential streets with low-rise, brightly painted houses. The central market right outside the old town is also worth exploring, with its great mix of oriental mess and ex-Soviet stalls with vendors who still believe anything can be sold. The newer part of town has been "contemporarily" done up so it fits the equally new beachfront promenade. So Batumi is not the worst place to be, even on sunless days.

The coast at the Black Sea, and especially at Batumi city, is a very popular summer destination for Georgians. During Soviet times, it was a favourite holiday spot for people from all over the Soviet Union. Today, Batumi beach is for Georgians, Armenians and Azeris what Cancun is for American spring breakers and Sunny Beach is for Europeans. The water is warm and not too salty, but there is no sand, just rounded pebbles. The rest of the setup is worthy of any beach resort with deck chairs, beach-front cafes, clubs during the night, a wide promenade and even a fairground. It is fun place to relax for a couple of days - or just people-watch Georgians when they let loose.

The border crossing from Georgia to the non-recognized breakaway state of Abkhazia is probably one of the weirdest. You are not getting stamped out on the Georgian side, as they still consider Abkhazia part of Georgia, but you still need to register at the police post and show your Abkhazian entry permit. You then walk 1.5 km - or pay for a ride in a horse cart - through no-man's land on a crappy road which is only used by cows and Abkhazian border shoppers, who have been to Georgia to pick up a new television or aircon. Right before the Abkhazian border post you cross a beat up bridge from 1948, built by German prisoners of war. At the first Abkhazian post the officer will call the Foreign ministry to check your visa. When confirmed, you lead into a fenced off passage which leads to the final check point, where you whereabouts will be questioned. Finally you're through to the Abkhazian side. There are nothing else on both sides beside waiting taxi drivers and the occasional marshrutka. No money changers, no shops, no nothing. Be prepared!

Out in the middle of nowhere, close to the border to Azerbaijan, lies a collection of cave monasteries known as Davit Gareja. You drive up to the main monastery, Lavra, which has been rebuilt to charming perfection. The hillside next to the monastery is holed like a Swiss cheese with small monk cells - which are in use and therefore cannot be visited. Above the walled complex of Lavra lie several other caves which used to be chapels and monk rooms. The view over the Georgian prairie is spectacular and you can see up to Azerbaijan from the top of the hill.

Food in Georgia is surprisingly yummy. A lot of salads and beans, bread, hard cheese, yogurt, honey and stew with meat so tender it falls from the bones. All vegetables are homegrown, fresh and natural with a lot of flavour. For real food lovers, each province has their own specialties. Homestays normally offer meals and it is impressive how many different dishes they can manage to serve, even for breakfast. Expect the table to be covered in plates, sometimes even in multiple levels - and there are always more where it comes from.

The trek up to glacier Chalati is the other fine day trek you can do from Mestia (the other is up to the cross at the view point). First, you need to cross the bridge behind the town square and follow the river, such that it will be on your left hand side, to the airport. This leg is the least interesting part of the trek, as it follows the road and can be quite dusty. Keep following the river and you will soon enter the green Mestiachala valley. Here, you will need to cross the raging river on a hanging bridge and follow the trail through the forest. There will be coloured marks on rocks to follow. The last section is over the rocky base right at the foot of the glacier (1815 m) where all the melting water is gushing out. The trek takes about eight hours round trip.

There are few images more iconic of the region than the Tsminda Sameba Church silhouetted against the snow covered Caucasus Mountains. The site alone is worth the trip to Kazbegi (aka Stepantsminda). But this tiny mountain village has much more to offer. Firstly, accommodation choices are largely limited to home-stays. For a few dollars, locals take travellers into their homes, feeding them, sheltering them and making them part of the family for a couple of days. Beyond that, the area around Kazbegi has numerous excellent hiking experiences from simple day hikes to hard-core mountain climbing. While it can be visited as a day trip from Tbilisi, Kazbegi is without question much better for those who give it the time it deserves.

Half the fun of a visit to Mtskheta is trying to pronounce it correctly. With 5 consonants in a row, it's no easy task. But once you manage to get there, you certainly won't be disappointed. One of the oldest cites in Georgia, the historical monuments of the Mtskheta area are recognized a UNESCO world heritage site. The varying forts, churches, cathedrals and monasteries which surround the tiny town date anywhere from the 3rd century BC to as young as 1,000 years old. Easily doable as a day trip out of the capital, Tbilisi, Mtskheta is the place to get your fix of religious buildings.

With a 13th century fortress and a beautiful Gregorian Orthodox church, the town of Gori might see a few tourists. But those sites are not what the city is famous for. Instead, it was December 18th, 1878 that forever sealed Gori's status into infamy. That was the day Joseph Stalin was born in Gori. The Stalin Museum is not a celebration of his life, it is instead a historical time capsule for the life of Stalin. Easily doable as a day-trip from the capital Tbilisi, Gori is an opportunity for russophiles to take a walk back into Soviet times. Places like this are few and far between in a region trying to move on from it's troubled past.