Georgia

Discover Georgia

Fun Foods

Khachapuri, Khinkali, Mtsvadi, Lobiani, Pkhali, Churchkhela, Pelamushi

In an ancient Greek legend, a hero named Jason sailed across the sea to steal a magical Golden Fleece, a sheepskin made of gold. The kingdom he sailed to, Colchis, was real, and it was in western Georgia.

The legend may have a true story inside it. In Georgia’s high mountains, people once laid sheepskins in icy rivers, and tiny flakes of gold washing down from the peaks got stuck in the wool.

The fleece really did turn golden. Some families in the region still pan for river gold today.

Georgia sits where Europe meets Asia, wrapped by the Caucasus Mountains. In the 300s, a woman named Saint Nino brought Christianity to its king and queen, making Georgia one of the first Christian countries in the world.

Its golden age came about 800 years ago, under Queen Tamar. She was so powerful and beloved that Georgians still call her “King Tamar.”

During her reign, people carved Vardzia, a whole city of rooms and tunnels dug into a cliff.

Then came hard centuries. Mongol armies invaded, and later the Russian Empire took over. In 1921, Georgia was forced into the Soviet Union.

One of the Soviet Union’s most feared leaders, Joseph Stalin, was born in the Georgian town of Gori. His rule caused suffering for millions, including Georgians.

Georgia won its independence in 1991. In 2008, Georgia and Russia fought a short war.

Today, Russian troops remain in two regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia and most countries see them as part of Georgia, while Russia treats them as independent.

In the mountain region of Svaneti, villages are dotted with tall stone towers, built hundreds of years ago so families could hide from attackers. The village of Ushguli, at about 2,200 meters (7,200 feet), is one of the highest places in Europe where people live all year.

In the capital, Tbilisi, you can soak in hot, natural sulfur baths under brick domes, a tradition that goes back centuries.

For food, try khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread filled with melted cheese, with a raw egg and butter swirled in while it’s hot. Slurp khinkali, giant dumplings full of soup.

For dessert, chew on churchkhela, strings of walnuts dipped in grape juice and dried until they look like candles.

Sources: Georgia National Tourism Administration: Georgia as Told by Legends, World History Encyclopedia: Ancient Georgia, and Georgia National Tourism Administration: Svaneti Guide.