Why go
Georgian hospitality is a tradition with rules, and a long shared dinner with toasts is the centre of it. The food is distinct from anything nearby: cheese-filled breads, soup dumplings, walnut sauces and fresh herbs.
The Old Town climbs from the river to Narikala fortress, and the domed bathhouses of the sulphur spring district are still in daily use.
When to go
May, June, September and October. Autumn is harvest time in the wine country and the best season for food. Summers are hot in the city. Winters are cold and quiet.
Where to base yourself
The Old Town and neighbouring Sololaki for atmosphere and walking. Vera and the area around Rustaveli Avenue for a calmer, more residential feel with good cafes and bars.
What we would build into your trip
A private room at a sulphur bath, a day in Kakheti visiting family wineries that ferment in buried clay vessels, and a morning at Mtskheta, the old capital, for its cathedral and hilltop monastery.
Good to know
Pavements are uneven and the Old Town is hilly. Georgian portions are large and hosts will keep serving, so pace yourself.