Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Popular places worth visiting in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Q26P+2MG, Unnamed Rd, Potskho EtseriInguri Hydroelectric Power Station
Located in the picturesque region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, the Inguri Hydroelectric Power Station stands as a testame…
Zviada Gamsakhurdia str. 2, Zugdidi, GeorgiaDadiani State Historical and Architectural Museum
The Palace of the Princes Dadiani, which served as the main residence of the rulers of Megrelia, is of particular value…
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Givi Eliava str. 4, Martvili, GeorgiaMuseum of Local Lore in Martvili
The Martville Museum of Local Lore invites guests of Georgia to learn as much as possible about the archeology, geology…
40 Stalin Street, Mestia, GeorgiaMuseum of History and Ethnography in Svaneti
The Historical Museum in Svaneti is of particular value in Georgia, as it demonstrates the culture and lifestyle of the…
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The Most Frequent Questions
Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti, also known as Samegrelo and Upper Svaneti, or Samegrelo and Zemo-Svaneti, is one of the regions of western Georgia. It includes the eastern Black Sea coast and the adjacent lands of Megrelia, as well as the southern Elbrus part of the main Caucasian ridge — Upper Svaneti. The main rivers of the region are Inguri, Rioni, Tskhenistskali and Khobi. The administrative center is the city of Zugdidi.
The region occupies the central northwestern part of Georgia and covers 10.6% of the country's territory, which is 7.4 thousand square kilometers, of which 3.01 thousand square kilometers (40.7%) are covered with forests. Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti borders Abkhazia and the Black Sea in the west, the main dividing range in the north, Racha—Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti in the northeast and east, Imereti in the southeast, and Guria in the south.
Upper Svaneti is considered the highest mountainous region of Georgia: 96% of its territory is located at an altitude of more than 1000 meters above sea level, and 65.8% is at an altitude of over 2000 meters. The temperate climate, picturesque nature and fauna make the region attractive for the development of both winter and summer tourism.
There are many unique dishes in this region that every tourist should try.
Kubdari is the most famous Svan dish. This pie with a filling of beef or mixed meat, seasoned with onions, garlic, herbs and spices, has a special taste, which is best revealed in Svaneti. In the village of Mulakhi, kubdari is prepared using Svan salt and dried herbs, which gives the dish a unique flavor.
Chvishtari — corn tortillas with stretching cheese. Cheese is rolled in corn flour, shaped and fried. In Svaneti, walnut leaves are often used to give a special taste.
Tashmijabi is a dish made of stretched cheese, which is melted with flour and salt until the oil is released. They eat it hot, usually with bread.
Shusha is a puree of boiled potatoes and cheese. Potatoes are mixed with cheese until a stretching mass is obtained, seasoned with Svan salt.
Svan salt is a unique spicy mixture including suneli hops, utsho suneli, coriander, dill and garlic. Each family has its own recipe, adding its own ingredients.
The most famous tourist site in the region is the Nokalakevi fortress, founded in the III century BC, presumably associated with the myth of the Golden Fleece.
Be sure to visit the majestic Assumption Cathedral in Tsaishi and the Church of Our Lady of Blachernae in Zugdidi.
For nature lovers, there is the Colchis National Park with amazing tropical vegetation and Lake Paliastomi, ideal for fishing and picnics.
The seaside resort of Anaklia attracts with its warm sea and sandy beaches, as well as a futuristic water park and Europe's longest pedestrian bridge over the Inguri River.
Don't miss the Martville canyons with their picturesque landscapes and dinosaur tracks, as well as Silver Lake Tobarchhili — an inaccessible but incredibly beautiful lake in the crater of an extinct volcano.
In the village of Chkvaleri, you can see the Intsra waterfall and take a hiking trail to Kuakantsalia or "Swinging Stone", which overlooks the valley of the Inguri River.
Poti is a city in the west of Georgia, in the province of Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti. It is located at the mouth of the Rioni River, on the Black Sea coast.
Svaneti is rich in a variety of wildlife. Wild boars, roe deer and Caucasian deer live here. Among the predators there are brown bears, lynxes, wolves, foxes, forest cats, martens and jackals. You can also find Caucasian belodushka and badger in the forests. Numerous rodents such as hares, bush voles and squirrels also inhabit this area.