Nestled in the Caucasus Mountains at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Georgia plays a geopolitical role far greater than its size would suggest. Its strategic location has been both a blessing and a curse, however. Once a battlefield of the Christian and Muslim worlds, today it is caught between its EU aspirations and its location in Russia's backyard.

The ancient Silk Road brought the best of the world to Georgia, which has a rich and dramatic historical heritage, an exquisite cuisine and world-renowned wines, authentic folk music and dances, and an educated and hospitable people for whom indulging a guest is more akin to a religious practice than a simple duty.