The world’s oldest and historically most important trade route, which linked China, Central Asia, India, Arabia and Rome/Byzantium, passed through Georgia. One of the branches of the northern route crossed the South Caucasus and then went through Georgia to Byzantium. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman Turks “closed” the Black Sea, which left Georgia off the Silk Road.

Medea was the daughter of King Aeetes of Colhis, the granddaughter of Sun god Helios and the niece of Circle. The last one was a sorceress, a magician, and a herbalist who taught young Medea how to mix potions. Medea knew the magical properties of herbs and the appropriate plants for healing.

Georgia adopted Christianity as a state religion in 337 AD. St. Nino was a Cappadocia woman who converted Georgia. Before that, already in 1st century AD, apostles of Christ: Andrew the First-Called, Simon the Zealot (Simeon the Canaanite) and Matthias visited and preached Christianity in Georgia. Along with the Apostles’ mission to the region, the beginning of Christianity in Georgia is also linked to the burial of Christ’s robe in the royal garden in Mtskheta. 

Georgian language is a member of Kartvelian (Georgian) language family, which is the sub-group of Ibero-Caucasian language group. It does not have any similarities even with North Caucasian language families. Although Georgian is the literary language for all regional subgroups, in addition to Kartuli (Georgian) there are Svanuri and Megruli languages spoken in the west of the country. Many non-native speakers find Georgian pronunciation difficult. For example word ვბრდღვნი/vbrdgvni, has seven consonants in a row.

Leonti Mroveli, the 11th century Georgian historian believes that Georgian script was created in the 3rd century BC. However, the oldest surviving inscriptions and literary works date from the 5th century AD. Georgian has been written in three different scripts over its history. The current one is Mkhedruli (military), which has 33 letters in common use.

In 2016 Georgia is ranked as number sixteen in “ease of doing business”. It outranked countries such as Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, Switzirland, Spain as well as its neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia. Setting up a business in Georgia is a straightforward process. Procedures are simple and it only takes a day to register a business. In the last ten years, Georgia has been leading in the rank of fast improving business environments.

• Bagrati cathedral and Gelati monastery

Bagrati cathedral is located on the hill on the left bank of the River Rioni and is a distinct landmark of the city of Kutaisi. The Cathedral was built in 1003 in the period when different kingdoms of Georgia started uniting under the rule of Bagrationi dynasty.  It symbolized the political strength and unity of the country. In 1691, cathedral was partly destroyed by explosion caused by Ottoman troops that invaded the Kingdom of Imereti. The ruins of Bagrati cathedral, which had nothing else than the sky as a roof, was so impressive that in 1997, UNESCO decided to include it on their heritage list. Bagrati cathedral was rebuilt by Georgian Orthodox church in 2012. Modern renovation styles led to controversial opinion among Georgians and people of UNESCO. Despite many discussions Bagrati still remains on the UNESCO list.

Gelati Monastery was built during the golden age of Georgian history. King David IV “the Builder” (1089-1125) began building the monastery in 1106. The monastery was completed in 1130 in the reign of his son and successor Demetre. Next to the monastery David built an academy, which was one of the most important centres of culture, science and education in Georgia. The monastery contains several buildings from different periods. The Gelati Monastery has preserved a great number of murals and manuscripts. Outstanding example is the altar mosaic (12th century) of the main church, which depicts the Virgin with the child flanked by archangels. In 1994, Gelati monastery and Bagrati cathedral were included in UNESCO's World Heritage Site list as a single entity.

• Historical monuments of Mtskheta

Mtskheta is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is located in eastern Georgia at the confluence of Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers and is only 20 km. away from Tbilisi. During 3rd century BC – 5th century AD Mtskheta used to be a capital of the early Georgian Kingdom of Iberia. Also, the Great Silk Road used to pass through Mtskheta. This city was the site of early Christian activity, and the location where Christianity was proclaimed as the state religion (337), when the Cappadocian woman St. Nino arrived to enlighten the country. After centuries Mtskheta still remains a religious heart of the country.

In 1994, due to its historical significance and numerous outstanding examples of medieval architectural monuments, the “Historical Monuments of Mtskheta” became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Jvari monastery was built on the site of a pagan temple where St. Nino erected a large wooden cross as a symbol of victory over paganism. The complex contains several buildings from different periods. The main church of cruciform was built between year 586 and 604. It is characterized by the balanced harmony of proportions and perfect adjustments of moderate decorations with tectonic architectural forms. Afterwards, the decoration of Jvari facades with stone curved figural and decorative scenes became common feature in Georgian churches. Furthermore, the exceptional location of the Jvari monastery – built on a cliff overlooking Mtskheta, together with its harmonious interaction with the surrounding landscape, is what makes Jvari truly unique.

The Svetitskhoveli cathedral complex is located in the centre of Mtskheta and includes the 11th century cathedral, the palace and gates from the same period, and the 18th-century gates. Svetitskhoveli is the second largest cathedral in Georgia and represents the highest peak of development in medieval Georgian architecture. Furthermore, Svetitskhoveli is known as the burial site of Christ’s robe and remains one of the most beloved worship places of Georgians.

• Upper Svaneti

Located in the northwest of Georgia, the Upper Svaneti has kept a remarkable degree of its original medieval appearance throughout the centuries, which often makes it referred to as the most authentic part of the country. The region is notable for its glaciers and picturesque summits, some of which are higher than 5000 meters. Small mountain-slope villages, which can contain up to 200 medieval watchtowers, depict the typical landscape of the region. In 1996, due to its antiquity and fantastically remote atmosphere, UNESCO declared Upper Svaneti a World Heritage Site.

Georgian polyphonic singing (2008), ancient Georgian traditional qvevri wine-making method (2013) and living culture of three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet (2016) are included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Katie Melua is of Georgian origin. Born and raised in Georgia up till the age of 9, her family and she first moved to Northern Ireland and later on to England. She made her musical debut in 2003 and her first two albums became international number ones. Katie is a proud citizen of Britain but considers herself Georgian and every year returns to her childhood home.

Georgia always ranks high in the Olympics, World and European Championships in wrestling and judo. Since the first appearance of Georgia as an independent country in the 1994 Olympics, the country has won 40 Olympic medals (10 Gold, 12 Silver, 18 Bronze), 19 of which are in wrestling and 12 in judo. The other nine medals were won in weightlifting (7), shooting (1) and boxing (1).

Besides the above-mentioned individual sports, Georgia has also shown good results in three team sports: chess, rugby and basketball.

In 2015 Georgia’s female chess team became world champions after winning the final game in the World Women's Team Chess Championship against home team China. While Georgia’s female chess team have never been world champions before, Georgian female chess players such as Nona Gaprindashvili and Maya Chiburdanidze have been many times a winner while representing the Sovjet Union.

The national rugby team (Georgian national union) is the best team on European tier 2 countries. It has won the European Nationals Cup 13 times and has 6 conecutive wins, which is a record. 

The basketball national team plays in the European Championship A Division and will be a co-host of EuroBasket 2022. Georgia participated four times in FIBA EuroBasket: in 2011 (11th place), in 2013 (17th place), in 2015 (15th place), in 2017 (17th place).  Individual results also call for attention: several players made it into the NBA and many of them play for big European clubs, so there is definitely enough basketball talent in Georgia!

Football has always been the most popular sport in Georgia even though the results of the last few decades are not as impressive as the above-mentioned sports. However, it should not be forgotten that the Georgian team Dinamo Tbilisi in 1981 won the European Cup Winners Cup (now UEFA Europa League) and outran teams like Feyenoord, Valencia, Benfica, West Ham United and many more. This was a huge event for whole Georgia.

Gudauri ski resort  (2200 m) is located on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range, 120 kilometres from the capital city – Tbilisi. The southern facing of the slopes ensures plenty of sunshine throughout the season, which lasts from December to mid-April. Gudauri has 22 prepared runs (over 50 km.), from which 30% are easy, 55% intermediate and 15% advanced terrains. Professionals can enjoy slalom, the giant-slalom, the super-giant slalom, and the speed slope. All the treks are FIS certified. The longest run is around 7 km. The lower lift station is located at 1,990 m. and the top station is at 3,007 m. The slopes in Gudauri are avalanche safe and completely above the tree line, which is perfect for the off-piste skiers. It is also possible to heli ski in Gudauri, which gives access to up to 4200 metres of pristine snow. In remote valleys around Gudauri, one can enjoy cross-country skiing as well.

Bakuriani ski resort is located on the northern slopes of the Trialeti range in the sub-tropical zone at 1700 meters. The region around Bakuriani is covered by coniferous forests. Mount Kohta (2255 m.) is the highest mountain of the resort used for skiing. Bakuriani was originally developed as an Olympic training facility and therefore it meets Olympic standards. Here the skiing season lasts from mid-December to late March. All together, the runs consist of 70 km of terrain with 12 ski tracks of different difficulty. The longest piste is around 4 km long. In addition to downhill skiing, visitors can enjoy cross-country trails and ski mountaineering.

Hatsvali ski resort is located 8 kilometres away from Mestia in the authentic administrative centre of Upper Svaneti region (Northwest Georgia). It is a young mountain resort with a developing infrastructure. Here one can ski or snowboard even in the peak of summer, however the official season lasts from December till mid-April. The lower part of the resort is at 1865m, while the highest point is Mt. Zuruldi at 2347 m. There are 3 runs, the longest of which is 2600 m. There are a lot of opportunities for freeriders.

The earliest artifacts of cloisonné enamel in Georgia date back to 8th - 9th  century. The Georgian collection is unique for its diversity and high artistic value. The masterpieces are created in 11th-12th century; they are marked with surprising boldness of color, dynamism, and a strong emotional emphasis.

The masterpieces of Georgia cloisonné enamel are kept in the treasure-houses of the world's well-know museums: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The State Hermitage Museum, etc. However, the biggest collection is kept in the tresury of the Museum of Fine Arts, Tbilisi. The most unique item on a display is Khakhuli triptych of the Holy Virgin composed in 12th century. The central icon of the triptych depicting Virgin Mary is deemed the largest specimen of the cloisonné enamel in the world (its dimensions are 116 cm x 95 cm). Combining a large number (115 items) of medieval enamels from different times (8-12 centuries) and origins (both Georgia and Byzantine) into a harmonious whole, the Kakhuli Triptych can be regarded as a small “museum” of this branch of art.  It compares to the rich treasury of the Venetian enamels, particularly with famous Pala d' Oro.

Since the 15th century, the tradition of cloisonné enamel has been lost in Georgia. However, it was revitalized in the last decade of 20th century. The values of traditional classical forms are nowadays uniquely combined with the contemporary trends, making the offerings more attractive and demanded.

Hazelnuts and walnuts are one of the major export products of Georgia. Country supplies approximately seven percent of the world market and is 3rd biggest provider of nuts in the world. Georgian nuts are exported to more than 50 countries. EU member states - Germany, Italy, Czech republic, Belgium and France are the biggest purchasers.

Georgia’s other main export products are: motor vehicles (re-export), ferro alloys, cooper ores, wine and mineral water. Georgia's main export partners are Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Turkey and USA. 

The novel "Ali and Nino" was first published in Vienna in 1937. Today this literary masterpiece is available in 30 different languages. The novel is set in Baku and covers the turbulent times from 1909 to 1920 (World War I, Bolshevik Revolution). Although the love story of Azerbaijani Muslim boy and a Georgian Christian girl is at the centre of the novel's events, “Ali and Nino” is much more than a romance. Book provides deep insight into the conflicts between eastern and western cultures and outlines the disparities among different religious philosophies. Furthermore, it shows how two people who have totally different religious and cultural backgrounds overcome challenges in order to stay together.

Every region of Georgia has its own unique dance tradition. Often the story of the region is told through the dance. Considering the turbulent history of Georgia it is not surprising that most of the dances involve clashing swords, flying sparks and daggers quivering in the floor.  In this field of folklore the vigorous, leaping male dances are elegantly combined with the graceful, gliding female moves. Colorful costumes, wild drumming, pipe and accordion music create an unforgettable effect.

Georgian folklore dancers have performed at world’s best venues. The Royal Albert Hall (London), The Coliseum (Rome), The Metropolitan Opera (New York), The Madison Square Garden (New York), Palais des Sports (Paris), Palais des Congrès (Paris) and many more have hosted Georgian dancing groups. In 1967, Georgian folk group “Sukhishvili” performed in La Scala (Milan). It was the only time when a folklore group was allowed to perform at the world’s renowned opera house. The curtain was lifted 14 times, which is an absolute record.