Western Georgia & Black Sea — 6 Days

King Vakhtang Gorgasali founded Tbilisi in the 5th century on the hot springs that still feed the domed sulfur baths of the Old Town. Climb to Narikala Fortress for panoramic views, wander the cobblestone alleys and ornate wooden balconies of Old Tbilisi, then cross the illuminated Bridge of Peace toward grand Rustaveli Avenue. Evenings bring khinkali, khachapuri, and wine from one of the world's oldest traditions, often paired with Georgian polyphonic singing.

Capital of the western province of Samegrelo and the gateway to Svaneti. Its Dadiani Palace museum holds over 50,000 exhibits, including relics of European royal families and one of Napoleon Bonaparte's death masks.

Set high in the Caucasus, Mestia is the heart of Svaneti, where stone defensive towers built between the 9th and 12th centuries still rise above the rooftops. The isolation that once protected the fiercely independent Svans also preserved a living culture you can still hear in their polyphonic singing and taste at a hearty feast. Spend your days exploring the Ethnographic and Margiani House museums, trekking to the Chalaadi Glacier, or skiing at Hatsvali, with the ancient village of Ushguli within easy reach.

Among the highest permanently inhabited villages in Europe, UNESCO-listed Ushguli sits deep in the Caucasus, where centuries-old Svan defensive towers still rise above the stone houses. The Svan people keep their own language, customs and polyphonic singing alive here, and the village opens onto treks toward the Shkhara Glacier. Reached by 4x4 from Mestia and best in summer, it pairs medieval atmosphere with hearty Svan fare like kubdari.

Glide through the emerald waters of Martvili Canyon, a limestone gorge in lush Samegrelo once used by local nobility for bathing in medieval times. Drift beneath waterfalls and natural rock arches by boat, then follow the forest trails as Megrelian guides share the canyon's stories. Round out the day with regional cooking like gebzhalia, cheese in a fresh mint sauce, with Okatse Canyon an easy hour away for a second gorge.

Once the capital of ancient Colchis, the kingdom Jason crossed the sea to reach for the Golden Fleece, Kutaisi pairs deep history with the limestone country around it. See the 12th-century frescoes and mosaics of UNESCO-listed Gelati Monastery, the 11th-century Bagrati Cathedral above the city, the stalactite chambers of Prometheus Cave, and the preserved dinosaur footprints at Sataplia Nature Reserve. Cap it with Imeretian cooking: sulguni cheese, mchadi cornbread, and a true Georgian supra.

One of the richest show caves in Europe, near Kutaisi, with galleries of stalactites and stalagmites, underground rivers and dramatic lit landscapes. Part of the tour can be completed by boat.

Batumi puts Georgia's Black Sea coast within one walkable seafront: stroll the 7-kilometer palm-lined Batumi Boulevard, watch the moving Ali & Nino statue tell its love story, and climb the 130-meter Alphabetic Tower honoring the Georgian alphabet for 360-degree views. Wander Europe Square's Belle Epoque facades, then lose an afternoon in the vast Botanical Garden, where plants from six continents spill down the hillside. Every cafe serves Adjarian khachapuri, the boat-shaped cheese bread cracked open around a runny egg.

A Roman and later Byzantine citadel 12 km south of Batumi on the left bank of the River Chorokhi. It guarded the route from the south-western inlands to the Black Sea and is reputedly the burial place of the Apostle Matthias.