Ancient history does not always echo in the present via ruined temples and fortresses, although Georgia, lying at the crossroads of empires and trade routes for millennia, certainly has plenty of those.

Instead, the country’s many splendid yesteryears are most clearly manifest in the vineyards laced across its landscape. Nestled in Europe’s south-east corner, where Black Sea breezes cool the air, this is thought to be the planet’s oldest wine-producing region – a source of rich reds and fragrant whites for over 8,000 years, a fact of which the locals are justifiably proud. It’s impossible to avoid this viticulture on the country’s Caucasus hillsides and lush valley slopes. But a story with such winding roots has other chapters, too. Georgia is rich in religious architecture, this strand of heritage shining in the 12th-century Gelati Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tbilisi, the pretty capital, home to baths and bazaars, has been a dot on the map since the 6th century. The Black Sea is the nation’s eternal partner, today hosting seductive hotels and soft beaches in second city Batumi.