My husband and I love to travel and we wanted to experience something new. So this spring, we were trying to find a place to visit that would be different from what we’ve seen before. Our friend had just visited and raved about the beautiful country of Georgia. After seeing his amazing photos and videos, we realized this was the perfect place for our adventure.

We landed in Tblisi, the capital. We hired a private driver to take us around the city for three days and then eventually to the Kazbegi mountains near the Russian border.

I’m sure for many people it is hard to imagine what Georgia may be like, and some people may not even know where the country is (definitely not in the Southern United States!) Due to Georgia’s unique location, many people consider it to be a part of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, or even the Middle East. The formal name of the area is the Caucasus. For us however, the vibe of Georgia felt more European than anything; from the look of the buildings to the food, the lifestyle, and people.

Tbillisi was beyond charming with its opulent wine, latticed balconies, kind-hearted and open people. The people were so welcoming that when they found out you were a tourist, they wanted to make sure you had a great time and enjoyed their beautiful country. On the way up to the aerial tramway, our taxi driver offered us some of his homemade wine. He seemed very proud of it and offered it to us in a traditional Georgian drinking horn he kept in his glovebox (naturally). Normally, I would never accept a drink from a stranger, especially in a foreign place, but I went for it and tried some. It was incredibly good and he was so happy to have shared his home-made Georgian wine with us. It made for a very memorable experience.

After spending three days in Tbillisi walking its cobblestone streets and ogling at all the amazing historical buildings in old town, it was time for the next part of our adventure. Our driver picked us up and we headed to Kazbegi (also known as Stepantsminda). It is approximately three hours away from Tbillisi and 10 km from the Russian border. It is known for its memorizing mountains, scenic hiking, and the beautiful Gergeti Trinity Church perched high up Mount Kazbek.

Kazbegi was definitely the highlight of our trip. We had a great view of the mountains and Trinity church from our place at the Rooms Hotel where we were able to relax and unwind from hiking. The hike to the church was breathtakingly beautiful and well worth the journey. I’m thankful we had the opportunity to experience such an amazing country. Looking forward to returning in the future!

Here is our video: