Streets (pigs) of Zugdidi

Historically, Zugdidi was a capital of the Principality of Mingrelia (Odishi) until 1867, when the principality was abolished by the Russian Empire. Nowadays it is the capital of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, which combines Samegrelo (Mingrelia) and upper part of Svaneti, and the center of the Zugdidi Municipality within. The city is located 318 kilometers west of Tbilisi, 30 km from the Black Sea coast and 30 km from the Egrisi Range.

Zugdidi that time has been hosting and still hosts many refugees. The city has played a significant role in providing shelter and support to those who have been displaced from their homes due to conflicts and wars. Between 1991 and 1993, about 80,000 ethnic Georgians were displaced from the Gali district of Abkhazia, and about 52,000 were displaced from Sukhumi.As of 2023, nearly 300,000 persons remained internally displaced in Georgia, with 30-40% of them living in the Samegrelo region adjacent to Abkhazia.

Zugdidi is the gateway to Svaneti, one of the most beautiful and mountainous regions of Georgia. The road between Zugdidi and Mestia, is known as the Svaneti Highway and offers a scenic journey through the beautiful mountains of the Greater Caucasus. As travelling on budget, we could reach the Svaneti main city by minibus via an arduous and dangerous 5-6 hour journey.