Medieval stone towers in the high Caucasus
Mestia is the hub of Svaneti, a high mountain region of the Greater Caucasus where stone defensive towers rise above almost every family house. The Svaneti Museum holds icons and manuscripts protected here for centuries. The classic trek runs over several days from Mestia to Ushguli, one of the highest continuously inhabited villages in Europe, beneath the snowy wall of Shkhara, Georgia's highest peak. Svan salt and kubdari, a meat-filled bread, are local specialities.