Ushguli

This is a community of five villages in Upper Svaneti in northern Georgia, in the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. It lies at an altitude of about 2,200 meters - one of the highest permanently inhabited places in Europe, where people live year-round (according to the 2014 census - about 228 people).

First of all, the ancient Svan towers - stone defensive towers that have stood here for centuries. Together with the rest of Upper Svaneti, they are included in the UNESCO list.

The Church of Our Lady of the 11th century on the hill near the village of Zhibiani, the tower of Queen Tamara and a small museum of local history. And Shkhara - one of the highest peaks of the Caucasus - hangs over all this.

Go from Mestia to the east - about 33 kilometers of mountain road. Just don't plan it in winter: the road is covered with snow and it is cut off for months.

The warm half of the year is the safest choice, because in winter the path is often covered with snow for almost half the year. The altitude of 2,200 meters is noticeable, so take warm clothes even in summer.