A country right after our own hearts…
Georgians love all things wine, cheese and more wine. We decided to nourish our inner queens and spend a few weeks exploring this underrated ex-Soviet country, admiring the stunning landscapes, dining on delicious gourmet food, trying plenty of the famous Georgian wine, visiting castles and towers, and even squeezing in a few nights out in the gay bars of Tbilisi.
With an epic backdrop that consists of looming mountains, ancient buildings, cobbled streets and bespoke restaurants, the cities of Georgia are never out of touch with nature. Even architecture snobs will be won over by the charming design of the Renaissance-style buildings in Tbilisi, the Stone Age style houses in Ushguli and the ‘city of caves’ in Vardzia.
We’ve compiled a list of the best things to do for gay travellers to Georgia, which include trekking through the mountains of Kazbegi (our personal highlight!), visiting the former Georgian capital of Mtskheta, and of course, embarking on a wine tasting tour!
LGBTQ Rights in Gay Georgia
When it comes to treatment towards LGBTQ people, let’s just say Georgia doesn’t have the sparkliest track record. Many Georgians consider queerness as a deviation from traditional ways of living. In a Pew Research Centre survey about the acceptance of homosexuality in East Europe carried out in 2015/2016, Georgia ranked as one of the least tolerant countries: a whopping 93% of the Georgians polled agreed that homosexuality should not be accepted by society. In addition, public events like Pride are often met with backlash and gay people don’t have the legal right to marry, enter a civil union or serve openly in the army.