Guria

Guria is one of the smallest regions of Georgia, wedged between the Black Sea coast to the west and the foothills of the Meskheti Mountains to the east. It is wet all year round — it rains more here than in any other region of the country — and you notice it immediately: the hills are an almost fluorescent green, the road embankments are covered in ferns and the roofs of rural houses are thick with moss. The air smells of damp earth even on dry days.

The regional capital, Ozurgeti, is a small, quiet city. Its centre has no grand monuments, but the local market is worth a wander: stalls piled with bulk hazelnuts, walnut oil, wild berries and freshly made churchkhela. Guria produces most of Georgia's hazelnuts; in autumn they are picked by hand and trucks loaded with sacks fill the back roads. Villages in the interior, far from the E70, preserve wooden houses with carved balconies unlike anything seen elsewhere in the country.

Guria is famous within Georgia for two things: its Gurian choral polyphony — recognised by Unesco as intangible heritage of humanity — and the humour of its inhabitants. Gurian music is rhythmically more complex than that of other regions, with voices crossing in syncopated patterns that surprise even those who already know Georgian polyphony. If there is a chance to attend a rehearsal in a village, do not miss it.

Guria was an independent principality during the Middle Ages, before being absorbed into the unified kingdom of Georgia. Between the 17th and 18th centuries it maintained relative autonomy, navigating between Ottoman pressure from the Black Sea coast and Persian influence to the east. The region developed a solid cultural identity: its choral polyphony has been on Unesco's intangible heritage list since 2001, and its inhabitants are known throughout the country as the most witty and humour-prone — jokes about Gurians are a genre of their own within Georgian folklore.

• Ozurgeti Quiet regional capital. The central market is the best place to buy bulk hazelnuts, walnut oil and churchkhela. Worth a stroll on a Saturday morning when it is busiest.
• Shemokmedi Monastery Medieval complex perched on a hill above Ozurgeti, with partially preserved frescoes and views over the Supsa River valley. Access is via a dirt track; after recent rain a four-wheel-drive vehicle is advisable.
• Ureki Black volcanic sand beach with magnetic properties, about 20 km north on the E70. It attracts Georgian visitors with joint problems. In July and August it is crowded; June or September is more comfortable.
• Valleys towards Meskheti Trails ascending from Guria towards the Meskheti Mountains pass through chestnut and beech forests with almost no tourists. Bring waterproof clothing: rain arrives without warning.
• Wooden villages of the interior Villages like those around Shuakhevi preserve rural architecture with carved balconies and dark tile roofs. The best way to see them is to rent a car in Ozurgeti and explore the back roads at leisure.

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Guria lies between Batumi to the south and Poti to the north. From Tbilisi, there are direct marshrutkas to Ozurgeti (about 3.5 hours, approximately 15 GEL). From Batumi, the journey is around 1.5 hours. The coastal road E70 runs along the west of the region. The nearest airport is Batumi; Kutaisi is an alternative if the final destination is further north.

Guria has no dry season: it rains all year, more so in summer. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) have fewer storms and pleasant temperatures; autumn also coincides with the hazelnut harvest. July and August are hot and humid on the coast. The interior of the Meskheti Mountains can have snow in winter and some access roads close.