The agency representatives will be waiting for you at Tbilisi airport.
Transfer to the hotel and overnight stay in Tbilisi.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST

In the morning, we begin the excursion around Tbilisi. The capital has a long and fascinating history.
It was founded in the 6th century by Vajhtang Gorgasali, King of Iberia. The king was hunting with his falcon in these forests, and after catching a bird, the falcon fell into a hot spring and died scalded. The monarch took this incident as a divine sign and decided to establish his capital there. Therefore, Tbilisi, in old Georgian, means “hot water.” Thanks to its beneficial mineral springs, the capital quickly became the most important city in the Caucasus.

In the 12th–13th centuries, Tbilisi was the most powerful political, economic, and cultural center in Central Asia. The Silk Road passing through Georgia made the city the most important bridge between Europe and Asia. However, its walls have been breached by Arabs, Khorezmites (a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Mamluk origin), Mongols, Persians, and Russians. The city has endured about thirty raids and as many reconstructions. Persistence and faith have never failed these hardworking Georgians.

We begin with a visit to the Pantheon of Holy Mtatsminda, dedicated to the most famous figures of Georgian society: writers, poets, scientists, politicians, and more. From Holy Mtatsminda, there is a stunning view of the city, including the 4th-century Narikala Fortress, wooden houses with decorated balconies, and the sulfur baths, once visited by famous writers, poets, composers, and even kings.

The old city impresses with its mix of cultures. Here, mosques, synagogues, Armenian and Catholic churches coexist in enviable harmony with Georgian Orthodox churches. We will also visit the sulfur baths, the Metekhi Church (12th–13th century), which houses the tomb of Saint Shushanik (5th century), and the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Tsminda Sameba), built between 1995 and 2004. It is the third tallest Orthodox cathedral in the world.

Overnight stay at the hotel in Tbilisi.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we begin our journey to Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, located 20 km from Tbilisi. Archaeologists date the city back to the 2nd millennium BC. Mtskheta was the capital of the Kingdom of Iberia from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD. The Georgians adopted Christianity in the early 4th century, like the Armenians, about twenty years before Rome. The city and its architectural monuments are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

We visit Jvari Monastery (“Cross” in Georgian) from the 6th century, located atop a hill with splendid views of Mtskheta and the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers. Then we visit the present-day city of Mtskheta and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century), a masterpiece of Georgian architecture from its Golden Age.

Next, we travel to Gori (population 50,000), the birthplace of Joseph Stalin (Ioseb Jughashvili, 1878–1953), where we will visit his museum and birthplace. Stalin remains the most universally recognized figure in Georgian history. For some, a hero; for others, detestable. Yet for Georgians, he is still a source of pride, as they remember that the Soviet effort (with 22 million deaths) helped defeat the Nazi invaders. Interestingly, many children and refugees from the Spanish Civil War (1936) were hosted in Georgia, including José Díaz (1895–1942), General Secretary of the Spanish Communist Party, who died and was buried in Tbilisi.

We then visit Uplistsikhe, an impressive cave city dating back to the 10th century BC and one of Georgia’s most ancient architectural masterpieces. Hundreds of rooms, halls, streets, a theater, a large hall for pagan rituals, and a water conduit system have been preserved. Although Uplistsikhe was damaged by earthquakes and invasions, it still has a colossal appearance and leaves a deep impression on all visitors.

Note: Visiting Uplistsikhe requires walking on limestone terrain for approximately 1.5 hours. There are stairs, slopes, and a poorly lit tunnel, so closed shoes and comfortable walking are recommended.

Afterwards, we continue our journey to Kutaisi, the mythical city of Colchis.
Arrival in Kutaisi in the afternoon. Overnight stay at the hotel in Kutaisi.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST

Morning at leisure in Batumi. In the afternoon, visit Gonio Fortress and the impressive Batumi Botanical Garden.

Overnight stay in Batumi.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST

In the morning, after breakfast, we leave the hotel in Batumi and travel to Tbilisi.
Arrival in Tbilisi in the afternoon. Overnight stay at the hotel in Tbilisi.