In a world where places are famous for being famous, Georgia stands in sharp contrast. Despite its rich and ancient culture, a combination of distance, geography, and politics have kept it closed off to visitors for much of its history. Visiting is still not a walk in the park, despite heavy investment in tourism over the past decade, but for a country smaller than the state of Maine, Georgia is home to an astonishing variety of mostly unspoiled landscapes. Even more astonishing is how the people have complemented the landscape with old churches, watchtowers, and castles in places like Svaneti, Ateni, and Davit Gareja.