Bakhmaro

Bakhmaro is a climatic resort in the mountains of Guria, at roughly 1,950 metres. Its unusual reputation rests on the air: the Black Sea is only a few dozen kilometres away, yet the resort sits high in the alpine zone, so humid marine air mixes with dry mountain air. From the Soviet period onward people with respiratory problems were sent here to recover, and that tradition still shapes who comes.

The architecture is unlike anywhere else in Georgia. This is not a town of hotels but a scattered settlement of wooden cottages, many raised on stilts, spread across open pasture. In winter Bakhmaro is effectively empty: snow lies metres deep and the road closes. Life starts in July and finishes in early September.

Things to know:

• The season is short — realistically July and August, with late June and early September marginal
• The road is rough — the last few dozen kilometres are unsurfaced and get worse after rain
• Services are basic — a few cafes, family guesthouses, no ATM

In August the settlement hosts a traditional horse race, one of the best-known events in the region, which fills the place completely for several days. Outside that week, the appeal is quiet: meadows, mist rolling in from the sea below, and long evenings.