Georgia is renowned for the extraordinary warmth of its people, guaranteeing a welcome that draws visitors back time and again. This, together with the beauty of the Cuacasus mountains and the diversity of the country's culture, will ensure that this little-known destination will before long become a tourist mecca.

Tim Burford takes the traveller through a country rich in cultural attractions, from the beauty of its churches to monastic rock cells decorated with frescos. Outside the towns, the countryside beckons, to the Black Sea coast and the Svaneti region, while for the more adventurous, there is neighbouring Armenia.

This guide includes in-depth coverage of Tbilisi and other major towns, Georgian culture, including the delights of Georgian food and wine, practical information from visas and flights to hotels and buses, essential maps and town plans, Caucasus mountains and the Black Sea coast and Armenia on a three-day visa.