The Accommodation
Georgia, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, has always been a place of convergence of many cultures
since the trade between the countries has existed. The exceptional hospitality of Georgian people originates
from here.
The immense cultural diversity of the capital city, Tbilisi, is one of its famous dignities. What’s more,
Tbilisi has been gradually expanding to meet the needs of people all around the world, curious to discover our
land. The expansion has resulted into quite high number of well-equipped hostels with a capacity to accommodate
50-100 people. We have decided to split the participants in such hostels. Even if the hostels are often clustered
together, each group will gain a unique experience, coming from different vibes of this small city, that is worth
sharing among each other. Since our plan for transportation is using public transport, this does not create additional
organizational problems or costs.
Fabrika Hostel and dorm room in Fabrika Hostel [Copyright: [1].]
The locations for the hotels (red) and hostels (green) we have picked. [Copyright: Google, 2022 [2].]
Catering
Georgian food is an appropriate expression of its history and culture. Situated at the crossroads of East and West,
Georgia has adapted and assimilated the flavors and aroma of visitors’ culinary traditions and consequently, our
cuisine has become a rich fusion between Mediterranean and Middle Eastern tastes. Tradition of "Supra" - a large
feast incorporating food and often large amounts of wine is an integral part of the culinary identity of the country.
Khinkali. [Copyright: Taste Atlas [3].]
If you are a meat lover then Georgian cookery is an excellent choice for your needs: Khinkali, Chakapuli, Kubdari,
Shkmeruli, Mtsvadi... but don’t worry! If you are on the vegan side of the table, you will have plenty of options
too! Religious fasting, which is one of the most commonly followed Christian traditions, is the basis for us having
a vast assortment of vegan cuisine. Foods like Pkhali and Ajapsandali make up for very nutritious and tasty
alternatives.
Undoubtedly, the most common, favourite ingredient in Georgian cuisine is cheese. If you are ever in Georgia,
you will, without a doubt, taste one of the most popular and tasty dishes consisting of a variety of Georgian
cheese: Khachapuri.
Georgia has been recognized as the oldest wine-making country of the world [6],
dating as far back as 8000 years ago. The unique technique of producing wine in Qvevri - a specific earthenware vessel
used for making, aging and storing the wine, has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity in 2013. Some of the most famous Georgian wines are: Rkatsiteli, Tsinandali, Kindzmarauli,
Khvanchkara (for a little guide see [7]).
Aside from the wine, Georgia is famous for its mineral waters and lemonades made with regional ingredients.
We even have (we know you were waiting for this sentence) some of our local brands of beer.
Georgian wine. [Copyright: Batumi Official Tourism Portal [8].]
One of the key reasons of why Georgian dishes are so delicious is because almost all of the ingredients are local,
fresh and organically grown. What’s more, the prices for food in Georgia are sufficiently low, compared to the West.
And we arrive at the most crucial aspect of Georgia being the host of ICPS - catering. We take pride in a great many
deal of things, however our cuisine, love for it and our mastery over it is of uttermost importance. That is the reason
why the meals will be prepared by students of the Culinary Academy of Georgia, as their master classes are delivered by
professional, top-notch Georgian chiefs. They only use the highest quality (fancy) ingredients for cooking, ensuring a
supreme level of dishes.
Students at the Culinary Academy of Georgia. [Photo provided by the staff of Free University.]
Although the cooking will be at its finest, it will not be hard on our budget, since the Culinary Academy of
Georgia belongs to our key partners (Agricultural University of Georgia) and their involvement in catering will be of
their professional interest, as such events have already been seen to be productive and successful.
Lunch boxes served on campus. [Photo provided by the staff of Free University.]
Both lunch and dinner will be served on campus. The members of the Culinary Academy will provide our participants
with healthy meals of top quality. The plan is to have 3 different stations where participants will be able to pick
up already prepared lunch/dinner boxes. This will avoid long queues and save precious time for us all. The participants
will be able to enjoy the meals in the university cafeteria or even outdoors.
Desert served on campus. [Photo provided by the staff of Free University.]
References
- [1] Fabrika Hostel. https://hostelfabrika.com/. Accessed: 2022-08-05.
- [2] Google Maps. http://maps.google.com/. Accessed: 2021-08-13.
- [3] Taste Atlas: Khinkali. https://www.tasteatlas.com/khinkali. Accessed: 2021-08-13.
- [4] Taste Atlas: Khachapuri. https://www.tasteatlas.com/khachapuri. Accessed: 2021-08-13.
- [5] Taste Atlas: Ajapsandali. https://www.tasteatlas.com/ajapsandali. Accessed: 2021-08-13.
- [6] BBC: ’World’s oldest wine’ found in 8,000-year-old jars in Georgia. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41977709. Accessed: 2021-08-13.
- [7] Must Try Wines in Georgia. https://www.advantour.com/georgia/wine.htm. Accessed: 2021-08-13.
- [8] Batumi Official Tourism Portal: Georgian Wine. https://gobatumi.com/en/10-reasons/georgian-wine. Accessed: 2021-08-13.