A 20-meter-tall statue of Kartlis Deda, the Mother of Georgia, presides over Tbilisi bearing a bowl of wine in her left hand and a sword in the right. This represents how Georgians greet guests.

Tbilisi is home to dozens of Orthodox churches ... is a 161-hectare verdant respite in a steep gorge behind the Mother of Georgia statue. Access is via the cable car from Rike Park, and walking ...