Actor Bahram Radan's wedding ceremony in Georgia

Just 47km yet a two-hour drive from Mestia is the remote village of Ushguli and at 2100m it is reputedly the highest inhabited village in Europe. The harsh winters cut it off from the rest of the country each year, so the inhabitants are a hardy people. The village has been a UNESCO World Heritage site listed for its 20 Svan towers, including one which belonged to Queen Tamar. The mountains surrounding provide some fine walks, especially around Mt Shkara, Georgia's highest peak.