Tree-lined promenades, stunning floral displays, delightful wines, and cascading waterfalls make Batumi and the Ajara region a great destination. Guests are a gift from God. That’s what they say in the Ajara region of .
It’s early April and the temperature is perfect. The sunlight plays off the water and the buildings sparkle all along the coast. Hebrew abounds.
Strict gambling rules in Israel mean that the abundance of casinos draws in thousands of Israelis each week. The Hilton’s casino beckons spielers in Georgian, Turkish, English, and Hebrew, while the breakfast eggs menu (including shakshuka) is in English and Hebrew. But the good folks at Visit Batumi want the world to know there is far more to Batumi and the Ajara region than slots, wheels, and cards on offer in your hotel.
There are 15 miles of swim-able coastline, top-tier concerts, ski slopes, and amazing Georgian food, often complemented with traditional music and folk dancing. But let’s start with grapes. Georgia is considered to be the birthplace of wine (although neighboring Armenia might challenge that boast).
The human presence in Georgia goes back a long way – 1.8 million years. While the might not be quite that dated, it’s reckoned turning grapes into something wonderful began in what is today’s Georgia, more than 8,000 years ago.
That’s a lot of fermenting time. And that means generations of expertise have cultivated 535 varieties of grape and a touch of elegance in many a glass. An excelle.