Beautiful Georgia - Textiles, arts, crafts and much more . . .
- Shila Desai
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
. . . and wine and food. Hospitality. And . . .
The list goes on. For good reason, Georgia was a standout hit of our 2025 tours.
Georgia's rich traditions in carpet weaving, sericulture, and felting have often nurtured within the serene walls of ancient monasteries in spectacular landscapes. I'd wanted to organise a tour for years but needed a muse.
Serendipity brought world-renowned Georgian textile artist Nino Kipsidize on an EYHO tour. When Nino and her friend, Maia, generously invited us to Georgia, I could hardly believe my luck. What's more, Nino offered to curate our tour.
In Fall last year, my travellers and I headed out on a sold out tour of the Caucasus. Best at harvest time, when grapes hang heavy and the tables are bountiful to enjoy the lovely Georgian tradition of feasting (supra) and toasting with wine (tamada). Each supra is a celebration of resilience in a region marked by invasions.
Carpet weaving in Georgia is more than a craft; it is an expression of identity and storytelling. The first co-operative studio we visited had successfully revived natural motifs and natural dyed yarns to produce creatively imagined rugs and everyday items.
Sericulture dates back to ancient times. Georgia's climate and mulberry trees create ideal conditions for raising silkworms. Silk production was once a thriving industry during the Soviet times. Evident in the astonishing State Silk Museum in Tbilisi. With the museum director, we toured carefully documented and mounted exhibits. Nothing like I've seen before! We were very kindly treated to a hands-on workshop using silk cocoons and educated on the various types of cocoons, extraction, mulberry leaves, and the worldwide customers Georgian silk supplied.
Felting is another ancient craft of Georgia, especially in rural areas. We visited a veteran of Georgian felting, took in a visit of the last remaining wool processing facility, and engaged in a hands on felting workshop.
Supra and the Role of the Tamada
No exploration of Georgian culture is complete without experiencing the supra, a traditional feast that celebrates community, food, and storytelling. The tamada, or toastmaster, leads the supra with eloquence and wit, guiding guests through a series of toasts that honour friendship, history, and life itself. Of course, food and Georgian wine feature highly. After we had explored textiles, arts and crafts to our hearts' content, it was time to wine, dine, and raise a toast in the most exciting of Georgian farm-to-table wineries.
Undoubtedly, the highlight of our Georgia tour was an invitation to the House of Blue Laces, a Tbilisi heritage landmark and Nino and husband David's private residence and studios. We got an insider view of Nino's creative process and David's encaustic paintings. Of course, much feasting before.
All through Georgia was like that . . . pinch me, am I dreaming? Huge thanks to Nino and Maia and David for sharing their spectacular homeland. Their tremendous hospitality has set a very high bar.
At Nino's behest, we hope to head back to Georgia in 2027. This time we add Tusheti, the mountainous region known for transhumance, felting, and a slow pace of life. Join us! Write for advance registration on this sell-out tour. shila@eyhotours.com
Thanks for taking a look! I am Shila Desai, owner of E.Y.H.O. Tours. I personally handcraft itineraries, and infuse them with curated activities, accommodations, and sightseeing. Together with my in-country teams, we deliver exceptional holidays every time. I invite you to leave me a comment or write shila@eyhotours.com
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