This highway has been named one of the world’s most underrated places – but you don’t need a car to explore

Road trips are great, but you generally don’t think of a road as your final stop. In fact, they’re part of the journey – by definition. But what if there was one road that was so jaw-dropping, so gorgeous, that traversing it was the destination in and of itself? Enter: the Georgian Military Highway.

If the word highway is conjuring images of tarmac as far as the eye can see, don’t worry. This is a 210km winding mountain road to Russia which has been named the sixth most underrated travel destination in the entire world by Time Out.

Our list of underrated places to visit was curated by locals and travel experts who have been across the planet and back again in search of the very best spots, from a Costa Rican rainforest, to a Welsh mountain, to tiny towns in Columbia. There’s something for everyone, and none of the places included are chock-full of tourists yet.

Although it’s hard to imagine why there aren’t crowds descending on Georgia’s Military Highway, this road is what Time Out’s Ruth Lawes describes as a ‘glaring omission’ in most Georgian itineraries. The views are pretty unbelievable, and there are a bunch of different ways to explore.

For instance, Ruth recommends hiring a private driver ‘as they’ll stop at the various attractions’. If that’s out of budget, she notes, you can also use public transport – a small ‘marshrutka’ van – but that won’t stop everywhere you might want it to.

There’s also the option of making a proper road trip of it and bringing your own car, although depending on where you’re coming from that could be a very long journey. But it’s worth it for scenery this lush – you’ll be treated to ‘breathtaking views of the Caucaus Mountains’, and you can plan your route. As Ruth points out: ‘Along the way, there are plenty of quirky stops including the Pasanauri Car Graveyard, home to abandoned Soviet-era automobiles, and open-air sculpture gallery the Stone Heads of Sno.’

If you’re not the road-tripping sort, don’t worry. We’ve got plenty of other recommendations in Europe and beyond.

Have a look at Time Out’s 33 most underrated travel destinations in the world now.

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Plus: The world’s most beautiful villages named by travel experts – with Europe taking top 8 spots.