Georgia things to see and do

Discover the Turkish character of Batumi, the capital of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic. The mosque, 19th-century bath house, Ajarian Museum (with its superb national costume collection), circus, park, botanical garden and the theatre are well worth visiting.

A seaside resort and port in the southwest of the republic on the Black Sea Coast, Batumi is the capital of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic. Close to the Turkish border (20km/12.5 miles), the town has a decidedly Turkish character. Its charm lies less in any particular sights than in its lush, subtropical setting, among citrus groves and tea plantations, with mountains rising up from the edge of the sea.

The spa town of Borjomi, 150km (93 miles) west of Tbilisi in the Tori region, developed by Tsar Nicholas in the 19th century as a spa town, produces much acclaimed mineral water. It is possible to hike in the surrounding hills.

10km (6 miles) from Bakuriani, heading towards Bordzhomi, is the 12th-century Daba Monastery, and nearby a 60m (197ft) waterfall. During the summer it is also possible to visit Lake Tabatskuri, sunk into a hollow high in the mountains.

Spend some time at the Georgian State Museum on Prospekt Rustaveli in Tbilisi, which houses a collection of icons, frescoes and porcelain, as well as an outstanding display of jewellery discovered in pre-Christian Georgian tombs. The Georgian Museum of Arts, in the centre of town, includes many works by the much-loved 19th-century 'primitive' artist, Niko Pirosmani. The open-air Museum of Ethnography has interesting examples of rural buildings and artefacts.

These regions are also suitable for horse riding and mountain biking, and there are numerous mountain roads and tracks. Special Caucasian horses bred for their endurance and beauty, such as the Kabardo and the Tusheti, are the traditional means of transport in this area. Trips can be started at the mountain resort of Bakuriani.

Head for Mtskheta, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which remained the centre of Georgian Christianity until the 12th century. The 15th-century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Pillar of Life), standing at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, was the holiest place in old Georgia. According to legend, the church is built on the spot where Christ's crucifixion robe was dropped to the ground in AD328, having been brought from Jerusalem by a local Jew, and fragments of the robe are said to be kept inside the cathedral.

Prospekt Rustaveli, Tbilisi's main thoroughfare, features an assortment of stylish public buildings testifying to the city's prosperity at the turn of the century.

Also of interest in Mtskheta are the Samtavro Monastery (still functioning although founded in the 11th century, it is famous as the burial place for the first Christian king, Mirian and his wife Nana) and the sixth-century Jvari Cathedral, the design of which became a prototype for Georgian ecclesiastical architecture.

The old city in Tbilisi, spreading out from the south bank of the river, has numerous frescoed churches (the most noteworthy being the fifth-century Sioni Cathedral), 19th-century houses with arcaded open galleries on the upper floors, a castle and a surprising number of cafes and enticing tourist shops selling locally produced arts and crafts.

Enjoy the Mediterranean atmosphere of Tbilisi, the capital, which stands on the banks of the River Mtkvari, in a valley surrounded by hills. The name for the city derives from the word tbili (warm). It is best seen from the top of Mount Mtatsminda.

Some 10km (6 miles) east of Gori is Uplistsikhe (Fortress of God), a large complex of natural caves. Inhabited from the sixth century BC to the 14th century AD, the caves were gradually transformed into increasingly sophisticated dwellings, shops and public buildings, including the most ancient theatre in Georgia, dungeons and enormous wine cellars.