Classical Georgia - 8 Days

Arrival at Shota Rustaveli airport, group transfer to the hotel in Tbilisi. Hotel accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel. 10:00 – City tour of Tbilisi.
Old Town, sulfur baths, Metekhi Temple, chairlift to Narikala Fortress with wonderful view over the whole city; Sightseeing of Chardin Street, Liberty Square, Rustaveli Avenue. Visit to the National Museum of Georgia.
Departure to Mtskheta, the old capital of Georgia. Sightseeing of the 6th century Jvari Temple, which stands on a mountain and offers a beautiful panorama of Mtskheta and the view where the two rivers Kura and Aragvi merge. Lunch. Then visit the 11th century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, where according to legend the chiton of Jesus, brought to Georgia by Mtskheta Jews Rabbi Elioz and his brother Longinose, who were present at the crucifixion, is buried. Walk through the narrow streets of the city.
Return to Tbilisi.

Breakfast at hotel.
Departure to Gori, one of the oldest cities in Georgia. The city takes its name from the rock formation (goraki) in the center of the city. Gori is first mentioned in the VII century AD, although archaeological evidence suggests that in place of Gori, there were settlements of urban type from the early Bronze Age, about 3 thousand years BC. In Gori was born Joseph Stalin-the Russian revolutionary, Soviet political, state, military and party leader. From January 21, 1924 to March 5, 1953 the head of the USSR. Visit to the museum of Stalin where his personal belongings are kept.
Tour of the cave town Uplitsikhe, “Lord’s Fortress”. The city appeared at the end of II – beginning of I millennium BC. One of the first cities on the territory of Georgia, finally abandoned in the XIX century. City is a multilayered archaeological site, one of the most important monuments of Georgian culture.
Return to Tbilisi.

Breakfast at hotel.
10:00 Departure to Gudauri (famous Georgian ski resort), on the way visit Ananuri fortress of the XVI century. Further on through the cross pass (alt. 2395 m. above sea level) arrival in Stepantsminda, the old name of Kazbegi, settlement of urban type, climatic and balneological resort.
Lunch. Here you can eat real Georgian khinkali. Walking in the mountains in the direction of the Temple of the Holy Trinity (3km), or by jeep (6km), the temple was built in the XIV century, which offers an amazing bird’s-eye view of the Caucasus Mountains.
Return to Tbilisi.

Breakfast at hotel.
10:00 – Departure to Kakheti through the Gombor pass. The height of 1839 m above sea level. This historic place, an ancient trade route and one of the directions of the Persian invasion of Georgia. The pass itself presents you with breathtaking scenery, the mountain Tsivi (1991 m above sea level) and unspoiled nature.
Telavi was the former capital of the Kakheti Kingdom. Today it is the center of a municipality and the capital of the Kakheti region. House Museum Batonis-Tsikeh, the palace in the fortress was the residence of the last king of Georgia, Irakli II. Visit to the traditional market of the city.
Gremi royal fortress, the medieval capital of the Kakheti kingdom was built in the XVI century under King Levan of Kakheti. By order of Levan on a small mountain was built a palace and churches, and at the foot of the rose a rich trade city with a population of over 100 thousand people.
At that time a branch of the legendary Silk Road passed here, which contributed to the prosperity of the city. Gremi existed for a century and a half. At the beginning of XVII century it was destroyed to the ground by the troops of Shah Abbas I of Iran. In XVII century Kakhetian rulers moved the capital of the state to Telavi.
Continuing to Tsinandali, tour the family estate of Prince Chavchavadze, father of Griboyedov’s wife. The estate has an old wine cellar, whose collection contains the famous old wines of Europe. This is where Georgian wine was first bottled. The “Saperavi” from 1842 and other historic vintages from the 19th century are still kept in the Tsinandale Enoteka. The collection starts from 1814 and includes such legendary wines of the nineteenth century as Tsinandali, Saperavi, Chateau Lafite, Chateau Ikem, etc.
The monastery of Bodbe. It was founded in the IX century. There are relics of St. Nina, the enlightener of Georgia, who died there in 347, at the age of 67, after 35 years of apostolic life.
Sighnaghi is the city of love, a recently reconstructed medieval fortress city with a mesmerizing view of the Alazani Valley. In Sighnaghi couples can get married at any time with their passports. Opportunity to visit the museum of Signagi, which presents 16 works of world famous Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani (opcion). Free time – dinner in a restaurant, return to Tbilisi.

Free day!

Free day!

breakfast at the hotel. Group transfer to Shota Rustaveli airport. Shota Rustaveli