Georgia—the country, not the state—is bordered by Russia to the north; the Black Sea to the west; Turkey and Armenia to the south; and Azerbaijan to the east. This country is rich in history, culture, religion, cuisine and language—Georgian is one of the oldest languages in the world. Recommend’s associate editor, Deserae del Campo, visited this independent country and was fascinated by its people and hospitality. Here a few images from her time venturing through the country.
The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi is commonly known as Sameba and is the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church located in the country’s capital city. Constructed between 1995 and 2004, it is the third largest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world.
Facade of the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.
View of Tbilisi countryside from the steps of the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi.
Tbilisi is a mix of old and new architectural wonders like this structure—the Rike Park Theatre and Exhibition Hall—in the city’s center.
The Bridge of Peace is a pedestrian bridge over the Mtkvari River that connects Old Tbilisi with the expanding city. The Italian architect Michele De Lucchi designed the bridge, which glows at night.
A cable car service takes travelers up above the city of Tbilisi, where visitors can explore the remains of Narikala, an ancient fortress.
The Tbilisi Baths—sulfur baths built in the 17th century—have uniquely designed red brick domes with steam from the baths rising to the top.
The inside of one of many subterranean bath houses in Tbilisi.
The Jvari Monastery is a Georgian Orthodox monastery from the 6th century. It stands on a mountaintop overlooking the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers and overlooks the village of Mtskheta.
The village of Mtskheta seen from above at the Jvari Monastery.
The Monastery of Gelati, which contains the Church of the Virgin founded by King of Georgia, David the Builder, in 1106. UNESCO recognized the monastery as a World Heritage site in 1994.
A traditional Georgian bread oven.
A streetside vendor selling popcorn and churchkhela, walnuts on a thread dipped into a hot grape mixture, then hung to dry.
Signagi is an historic hilltop town in Georgia’s easternmost region of Kakheti.
Georgia is known for its wine. Here, a local Georgian man serves us white wine from his father’s vineyard.
The snow-capped mountains of Georgia.
A local Georgian woman reads a newspaper while waiting for patrons to buy her spices and sweets at indoor market in Kakheti.
Spices are very important when it comes to Georgian cuisine. Here some are sold at a local market in Kakheti.
The Alaverdi Monastery Cellar dates back to the 8-10th centuries. The monastery is located in eastern Georgia where wines are produced.
Gremi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti in the 16th and 17th centuries and was a lively trading town along the Silk Road until it was destroyed by the Persians in 1615.
Sparkling grapes used to make white wine in Georgia. Wine fermentation in Georgia is a very old tradition. Families use Qvevri, which are large clay jugs for fermentation and storage of wine.