Georgia is a country with a lot to offer cycle tourists. It has good roads and trails, high mountains, beautiful valleys and fantastic food. The Svaneti mountains, situated in the Upper Caucasus in the north-west of the country, are probably the most popular destination in Georgia for cycle tourists. This region is home to some of the highest mountains and most beautiful scenery in the country. The Lesser Caucasus are situated south of the Svaneti mountains. They cover much of south-west Georgia and continue into Turkey and Armenia. In all my cycling through Georgia, this has been the region that I enjoyed the most. There is a great combination of beautiful scenery, challenging climbs, quiet routes and incredible historic sites. Situated in the Upper Caucasus, this region is the eastern counterpart to the Svaneti mountains. In general it is more remote, less touristy and wilder than the Svaneti; however, it does vary considerably. Tbilisi is a great city and is an obvious starting or ending point for many cycle tourists. There is some nice mountain biking in Mtatsminda, and some limited cycling infrastructure alongside the river. However, neither the city itself, nor the immediate surroundings are good for cycle touring. Finally, a region that potentially looks enticing to cyclists is Georgia's coastline on the Black Sea. I would strongly advise against riding along the coast itself between Poti and Batumi. The roads are busy, the traffic is aggressive and the town are not particularly charming or interesting. The road quality in Georgia is quite varied. There are plenty of new roads with perfectly paved surfaces, as well as old roads which are in a state of disrepair. Apart from the potential dangers from traffic, Georgia is a very safe country. Violent crime rates are very low, and theft is not particularly common outside of the cities. One of the best things about cycling through Georgia is that the rich history and distinct culture is visible everywhere.
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