Historical Georgia

Historical Georgia

Route: Transfer - Tbilisi - Mtskheta, Gori, Uplistsikhe - Bodbe, Signagi, Tsinandali, Napareuli - Bolnisi, Dmanisi - Bagrati, Gelati, Motsameta - Sataplia, Promethe, Martvili, Zugdidi - Tbilisi, Free day - Transfer

Tour: 9 days / 8 nights

1 day

Arrival in Tbilisi

Transfer to the hotel.

And now a little about the capital. Tbilisi - Ancient Tiflis on the banks of the Mtkvari River, the capital of Georgia, its cultural, economic and political center, and an insanely interesting and diverse city. "Tbilis" means "warm" in Georgian. Tbilisi was based on hot sulfur springs. According to legend, which is so popular with local people, once King Vakhtang Gorgasali set out on falconry, his bird rushed after a pheasant trying to escape in the pond, and both immediately cooked in a hot spring. Toli the inconsolable tsar decided to immortalize in the history of his favorite falcon, the toli was impressed by the rising fetid steam, but Tbilisi originated here. Today, terracotta dome baths adjoin modern business centers, but the spirit of old Tbilisi still hangs over all this.

Tour "Evening lights of Tbilisi" and dinner in the restaurant, as well as national songs and dances.

2 day

Breakfast in the hotel.

City Tour of Tbilisi

Departure to the city for sightseeing. Acquaintance with the city will begin with the Cathedral "Sameba" - a symbol of the Georgian revival, unity and immortality. It rises in the center of Tbilisi on the top of Mount St. Ilia. "Sameba" in Russian means "Holy Trinity"

Then the transition to the monument to the founder of the city of Tbilisi, the great Georgian ruler Vakhtang Gorgasali. Gorgasali is a nickname, so the king was called in the war (Du Daz Gorgasali) and means "be more careful with a man with a wolf's head."

Metekhi Temple - the walls of the temple are built in classical Georgian technique. They are struck by their accuracy with grinding stones and their masonry. A wonderful view of the old part of the city of Tbilisi opens up from the Metekhi plateau.

Further on the lift in a few minutes we will be in the fortress of Narikala, where we will discover intriguing fascinating views of this legendary capital of Georgia. The Narikala fortress is the heart of the old city, it has been the main defense fortification of the city for 15 centuries, together with Metekhi Castle. And of course here we will meet "Mom of Georgia" with wine.

14:00 Lunch in the Georgian restaurant.

You will have an opportunity to feel the color of old Tiflis. The ancient sulfur baths are at the most ancient place of the city. All the bath rooms, below the ground level and are covered with semicircular arches.

The Temple of Sion - was laid as far back as the 6th century. The venerable age of the church is also evidenced by the fact that its floor now lies almost three meters below the surface of the pavement. Also we have a visit to the modern bridge - the Bridge of Peace, from where fascinating views of modern Tbilisi open and colorful photos are obtained ..

Day 3.

08: 00-09: 00 - Breakfast at the hotel.

Excursion to the ancient capital of Georgia - Mtskheta..

Mtskheta is the oldest city, the first capital of Georgia, the soul of this amazing country. Here you will have an opportunity to get acquainted with the cathedral "Svetitskhoveli" (XI century). He, the cathedral of the 12 apostles. At the base of it lies the Chiton of the Lord. Thanks to this shrine Mtskheta is called "the second Jerusalem".

We will visit the Samtavrii Convent of St. Nino. Here rest Saint. King Mirian and St. Queen Nana, who together with all Georgia took Christianity in 324.

We will rise to the monastery of Jvari (V in), from where a beautiful panorama of the ancient capital opens (in Jerusalem there is a church with the same name). According to legend, this temple was erected over the exuding fragrant oil (miro) on the bottom of that cedar, under which the educator of Georgia, Saint Nino, prayed.

Then continue the tour to the city of Gori.

Gori is located at the confluence of the Kura and Liakhi rivers in the picturesque Kartli Valley. From the south and west the city is surrounded by picturesque mountains. Despite the fact that in historical sources the city has been known since the VI century, the name of Joseph Dzhugashvili, better known as the "Father of the Peoples" of Comrade Stalin, who led the Soviet empire from 1925 to 1953, earned him worldwide fame. By the way, the countrymen of the great dictator are venerated and respected in every possible way. Even the main street is still named in his honor - Stalin's avenue. And the main attractions of the town are the Stalin House-Museum, built in the form of a marble sarque.

20:00 Transfer to dinner at the national restaurant in Tbilisi, where delicious dishes and good Georgian wine await you.

Overnight at the hotel.

4 day.

08.00-10.00 - breakfast in the hotel.

10:00 - Tsinandali - Bodbe - Sighnaghi - Napareuli.

Georgia is the cradle of wine. Georgia was the first country in the world to start planting grapes, now we have more than 2,000 varieties of grapes. Cultivation of this interesting culture for 7000 years, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds.

First of all, here we will visit the museum of Alexander Chavchavadze. Tsinandali is a beautiful yard, which is located on 12 hectares and has a rich wine cellar. Most importantly, you can try in the basement of 6 varieties (white, red, pink, green and black) of wine. Tsinandali is one of the best places to get a sense of how hospitable and original Georgian traditions are.

Then we go to Bodba. This temple is known for the fact that the saint preached here, who continued the work of Saint Nino, who is buried immediately. That's why this place is a pilgrimage in Georgia.

14.00 - Lunch in the Georgian restaurant.

 Sighnaghi is a city of love, spread out in a complex mountainous terrain. From the city opens an exceptional view of the Alazani Valley. Especially in the restored city balconies with wooden tracery fences are remembered. Here, in the narrow streets of the old city, the color of the past centuries is well felt. Sighnaghi became a city in the second half of the 18th century. Then, to be exact, in 1762 a fortress was built.

Visit the wine museum in Napareuli, where you will get acquainted with the traditional Georgian methods of winemaking, wine tasting.

Return to Tbilisi and dinner in the national restaurant, where you will find delicious dishes and good Georgian wine.

Overnight at the hotel.

5 day.

08:00 -10: 00 - Breakfast at the hotel.

We leave for Bolnisi, where one of the most ancient temples in the country is located. Bolnisi Zion - the oldest Georgian temple in the form of a basilica.

The building was started in 478 and finished in 493, it is the oldest and well-preserved basilica in the country. In the temple, one of the most ancient inscriptions in the Georgian language was found.

Next, we will head for Tsugrusheni temple - an ancient 13th century church, which is rich in ornaments.

Also here you will have a picnic from natural products.

The next stop of our tour will be Dmanisi. This city was important from the early Middle Ages. Here the routes of the most important trade routes passed to Byzantium, Persia and Armenia. International excavations in Dmanisi revealed that homonyms outside Africa were the most common (1,75 - 1,8 million years ago). Here, the oldest human skeleton in all of Eurasia was excavated. French scientists so realistically reconstructed the skull of a woman and a man that you can easily imagine them alive.

Transfer to the hotel.

21:30 - Dinner at the Georgian restaurant.

6 day.

08:00 -10: 00 - Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 - Travel to one of the oldest cities of Georgia - Kutaisi. Kutaisi is the capital of western Georgia. Located on both banks of the Rioni River at an altitude of 125 - 300 m above sea level. For centuries Kutaisi was the Georgian capital. That is why there are many historical monuments here. First we will see the Bagrat Temple - a temple erected in Kutaisi in the reign of Bagrat III as the main cathedral of its unified Georgian kingdom and consecrated in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin in 1003.

Majestic in size and proportions, the church became a fundamentally new word in the history of the Transcaucasian architecture, was magnificently decorated with carvings and mosaics and played an exceptional role in the medieval history of Georgia. In particular, it was here that David IV the Builder was crowned.

During the attack of the Turks in 1691, the explosion of gunpowder destroyed the roof and the dome of the cathedral, which was not restored afterwards. In 1770 the artillery of the Russian General Totleben destroyed the Kutaisi fortress and the entire eastern part of the Bagrat temple.

In 1994, the Bagrat temple was introduced by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

15:00 - Lunch in the Georgian restaurant.

The next point of our trip will be the Gelati Monastery of the Virgin near Kutaisi - the most significant medieval monastery in Georgia. Center for church and cultural life, the residence of the Catholicos from the second half of the XVI century to 1814, a monument to the World Heritage (1994).

The monastery was founded by King David IV the Builder in 1106 and became his burial vault. The cathedral church was built before 1125 and for another five years was decorated with mosaics, which are considered the best in the entire Transcaucasus. At that time the monastery was the seat of the Gelat Academy, whose members were keenly interested in ancient Greek philosophy.

In the XIII century the monastery ensemble was added to the church of St. Nicholas and St. George, as well as a three-tier belfry. Mural painting refers to different periods of Georgian history, from the 12th to the 18th century; Especially noteworthy are portrait portraits of crowned persons. Before, many valuable icons and objects of applied art remained in the monastery; In the Soviet era, they were seized and distributed to museums.

Next we will go to the Motsamet church (VIII century), which was named after the brothers David and Constantine, tormented by the Arab caliph Murman. A beautiful church and picturesque views will remain in your memory for a long time.

Transfer to the hotel.

21:30 - Dinner at the Georgian restaurant.

Overnight at hotel in Kutaisi.

Day 7.

08:00 - 09:00 - Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 - We leave for the reserve Sataplia. There you will find the amazing beauty of nature. The absolute height of the caves varies from 275 to 405 meters. Rich as etetically, as well as species of flora and fauna. In the adjoining territory there is a colchic forest with relict and endemic plants, as well as traces of dinosaurs.

Further we will go to the reserve of Prometheus. The tour is conducted by boat. You will see a waterfall, underwater rivers and a lot of beautiful views. Approximate height of just over a kilometer, the temperature here constantly keeps at a level of 15 degrees.

After the reservation of Prometheus we will go to the canyon of Martvili. This is one of the most popular attractions in all of Georgia. Here you can see the beautiful "work" of nature. Throughout the canyon you can contemplate the picturesque waterfalls, which will not leave anyone indifferent. Also, you can ride the canyon on a boat. It is worth noting that this is a great place for photos that you can brag to your friends.

15:00 - Lunch at a Georgian restaurant in Martvili.

After lunch we go to Zugdidi .. The Italian missionary Arkangelo Lamberti, who visited Georgia in the 17th century, wrote that "the prince has more than 50 palaces between whom the palace in Zugdidi is the most beautiful: it is built of very good stone, its interior chambers are decorated in Persian" .

Now the existing palace was erected in 1873-78. For the princess Ekaterina Dadiani. During the design, the architect Edgar J. Rice repelled from the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka. The second palace was built in the 1880s. For her son, the last Megrelian ruler, according to the project of Leonid Vasiliev.

After the abdication of Nicholas Dadiani from the throne (1866), his sister Salome went with her mother to Paris, where on May 18, 1868, she married the grandson of Marshal Murat, Prince Asile Murat, who brought several relics of Bonapartists to Mingrelia, including one of the three posthumous masks of Napoleon . Now it is exhibited in the historical museum, which occupies part of the palace complex. Today, the museum has collected up to 41,000 exhibits - rare examples of the Georgian national culture. Among them - the inventory of the Tagilonian treasure (1st millennium BC), the golden antique mask, the icon of the mother of the Georgian queen Tamara (12th century), the monuments of antiquity that came to Georgia after the fall of Constantinople.

Transfer to hotel in Kutaisi.

22:00 - Dinner at the Georgian restaurant.

Overnight at hotel in Kutaisi.

8 day.

08:00 - 10:00 - Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 - Transfer to the hotel in Tbilisi.

14:00 - Lunch in the Georgian restaurant.

Free day.

You can visit the supermarket, which sells Georgian national products and clothing. Also you will be given free time during which you can buy souvenirs, visit shopping - pier or take a walk along the beautiful Akhmashenebeli street. At 9 o'clock in the evening guests will receive thanksgiving accompanied by fireworks at a Georgian restaurant or hotel.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9

Breakfast in the hotel.

Transfer to Tbilisi Airport. Boarding for the flight. Happy returning home. And of course - I'll see you again Genatsvale!

Cost of the tour for each person:

1. 2 people – 1306$
2. 3-4 people -1078$
3. 5-6 people – 895$
4. 7-10 people – 849$
5. 11-17 people – 761$
6. 18-40 people – 712$

Cost for children:

1. Up to 4 years old - free of charge
2. 5-6 years - 50% discount
3. 7-8 years old - 30% discount
4. From 9 years - full price

The tour price includes:

1. Transfer airport-hotel-airport
2. Accommodation in a hotel in the prestigious district of Tbilisi
3. Welcome dinner at a restaurant with a national folklore and dance program
4. 3 meals a day: breakfast in the hotel, lunch and dinner in Georgian restaurants (lunch and dinner included in the menu)
5. Transport services along the entire route
6. Professional Russian-speaking guide
7. Entrance tickets to the historical and cultural centers provided by the tour
8. Wine tasting and other national drinks
9. Special vehicles

The cost of the tour does not include air tickets.