Introducing Western Georgia
Site of the ancient kingdom of Colchis, and famous as the destination of Jason and the Argonauts in their search for the Golden Fleece, western Georgia has always acted as a conduit for influences from the west into the Caucasus, from the Greeks to St Nino to the Ottoman Turks.
For long periods ruled separately from eastern Georgia, this region was also where the great united Georgian kingdom of the 11th and 12th centuries got its start. Georgia’s two largest cities after Tbilisi – Kutaisi and Batumi – are here, and the country’s lovely semitropical Black Sea coast and the border with Turkey ensure a steady stream of visitors. The coast, especially vibrant, charming Batumi, has become a dynamic holiday and commercial area since Georgian independence. There’s still a standoff in Abkhazia, where civil war and secession have caused enormous tragedy and suffering.
Kutaisi
Georgia’s second city is one of the most ancient in the world.
Zugdidi
The main city of Samegrelo (Mingrelia), Zugdidi is 108km northwest of Kutaisi.
Western Georgia destination guides
Poti
Poti, Georgia’s main port, is one of the most ancient towns in the country, founded as the Greek trading colony of Pazisi or Phasis in the 6th or 5th century BC, although there is little evidence of this now.
Hotels in Western Georgia
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Western Georgia
Apartments in Western Georgia
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