1st Day → Tbilisi (Holy Trinity cathedral, Metekhi Church, The bridge of peace, Narikhala Fortress, Abanotubani, Funicular)
After a leisurely breakfast, we will start a sightseeing and walking tour of Tbilisi, a charming town built in the 5th century along the twisting valley of the Mtkvari River. All the places of interest are very close to one another, within just a few minutes’ walking distance.
We will start our tour from the Sameba Cathedral, also known as the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, which towers over the city and can be seen from almost any point. You might assume that it is an old building, however, it was constructed between 1995 and 2004, in the classic style. It’s opening marked 2000 years of Christianity and 1500 years of the independence of the Georgian Church.
Afterwards a car will take us up to Shavteli Street where our walking tour of Old Tbilisi will begin. First, we will view the bizarre tower of Gabriadze Theatre, where every hour an angel appears at the small balcony at the top and rings the bell. Cafe Gabriadze is an extremely lovely and well-decorated place. Right next to the Gabriadze place you will see the oldest basilica in Tbilisi, Anchiskhati. It was built in the VIth century, then partially damaged and restored, remaining undestroyed until now.
The next stop on the tour will be the Bridge of Peace, a massive glass bridge spanning the Mtakvari River. You can also see the presidential palace constructed in this era, perched on one of the cliffs over the river. Next, we will be crossing the bridge and will take a walk in Rike Park, where the cable car station is located. From here, we will take a cable car up to Narikala Fortress, which used to be a part of Tbilisi's fortification system from the VIth century. we will also visit the 13th century Metekhi church, with the equestrian statue of the city’s royal founder standing above the steep cliffs of the Mtkvari River.
Once at the top of the hill, we will take a walk to Mother of Georgia, who is welcoming guests with a bowl of wine and warns the enemies with her sword. We will also stroll along the forts, go inside and find another church there. Enjoy the view over Tbilisi - this is just the first point for today!
From the hill we will go down on foot. It is a bit steep, but nice. Will will see another corner of Old Tbilisi on our way. At the foot of the hill, we will find ourselves in Abanotubani, the so-called bath district of Tbilisi. The city started here - according to legend. Nearby the bath district we can find a little waterfall which is definitely worth a visit.
During the tour you will have a chance to buy presents and souvenirs. Right underneath Meidan Square in the heart of the touristic center of Tbilisi we will get to the Meidan Bazaar. It is an underground tunnel at Gorgasali Square in the Kala District that is lined with shops, selling all sorts of souvenirs and local products including wine, spices, tea, jam and sauces. You’ll even find postcards, handcrafted socks and other special items.
2nd Day → Akhaltsikhe (Rabati fortress) - Vardzia cave Town.
Today we'll drive towards the South-West of Georgia passing Borjomi town, andarrive in Akhaltsikhe for a short tour inside Rabati fortress. The old stone Rabati fortress is standing on a small hill on the shores of the Potskhovi River. The history of the fortress begins with the IXth century. From historical data it is known that in the XIIth century the princely family of Dzhakeli constructed the first fortress here which became the residence of the Dzhakeli family in Akhaltsikhe.
Our tour will continue to Vardzia, with a short photo break at Khertvisi fortress (10-11th century). We will arrive at Vardzia, which was erected in the 12-13th centuries during the rule of George III and his daughter Queen Tamara for the purpose of protecting the southern boundaries of Georgia. Vardzia is not just a set of random rooms cut in rocks. It is a multi-storied complex with streets, tunnels and stairs leading to monasteries, temples, fortresses, baths, libraries dwelling houses and so forth.
3rd Day → Mtskheta (the old Capital of Georgia) - Jvari Monastery, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Cave town Uplistsikhe.
In the morning we visit Uplistsikhe cave town - one of the oldest-inhabited places in the Caucasus, which were founded in the Bronze Age. The first mention of Uplistsikhe occurs even in the annals of Ist century BC.. History of the town was full and ambiguous - it has experienced several ups and downs and finally was abandoned in the XIXth century. The city is known for its unique rooms and tunnels. After the adoption of Christianity in Georgia, several churches were built. For centuries, it served as the royal center and commercial crossroads of Kartli.
After the caves, we will visit the ancient capital of Georgia Mtskheta, on the wat back to Tbilisi. Situated at the confluence of the Aragvi and the Mtkvari rivers, Mtskheta is the site of the first Christian churches in Georgia. We will first visit Jvari Monastery (6th century), located at the top of the hill. This is the place where the missionary St. Nino erected a cross (“Jvari” in Georgian) in the 4th century to mark the coming of Christianity to Georgia. We will visit the 11th century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, used for centuries for the coronation and burial of Georgian monarchs. Most importantly, it is considered one of the holiest places in Georgia, since the Robe of Christ is buried here. Svetitskhoveli is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Georgia, with exquisite carvings and frescoes.
4th Day → Batumi (city tour- Old Batumi, Batumi Boulevard, Piazza Batumi, Argo Entertainment Center and Batumi Cable Car)
In the morning we will depart for Batumi. The sunny and modern Batumi personifies all the charm of a southern city and a sea resort of the third millennium with high-class luxury hotels. It is located on the Black Sea coast and is exquisitely framed by exotic subtropical flora.
First we will visit the Batumi Botanical garden located on Green Cape with amazing views of the Black Sea. Established in 1880, it is the biggest and the oldest botanical garden in the South Caucasus, which hosts an incredible collection of more than two thousand tree species.
After that we will go inside the city and we visit the Argo Entertainment center and cable car-Batumi viewing platform. After a short ride to the other end of Batumi Aerial tram ropeway you will enjoy a spectacular view towards Batumi bay.
Lunch break in a traditional Georgian or European Restaurant.
The next destination is Miracle Park, where you can visit the Ali and Nino statue of love and Alpabetic tower, which is one of the many skyscrapers of Batumi. The tower symbolizes the uniqueness of the Georgian alphabet and people. From here we will walk along the boulvard and enjoy nearby sights.
The next stop on the day’s itinerary will be Old Batumi which includes Piazza square, Media statue and Holy Mother Virgins Nativity Cathedral- one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Georgia Built in the French Gothic style, the church is also constructed with special stones which change color depending on the weather which adds additional mystery to it.
After the tour you might be able to attend the magical dolpin show in Batumi’s Dolphinarium, depending on whether they are offering a show that particular day.
5th Day → Batumi (Gonio-Apsaros Fortress, Ethnographic Museum “Borjgalo,, Batumi Botanical Garden)
We will start our tour in the morning. First, we will drive by bus through the new Batumi and will see the new modern style of the city. We will also pass a man-made lake where you can enjoy the magical dancing fountains show in the evenings.
The first destination is the Borjgalo Ethnographic Museum. The museum presents to you the ordinary lifestyle of people through the ages! All the museum´s items are handmade by the owner. Every exhibit item has a unique story behind it. You will have a tour with an excellent guide, who will tell you a lot of interesting things about Georgian people, culture, traditions, customs, life throughout history. At the end of the tour you get the possibility to craft - and to pick up your masterpiece as a souvenir.
After this amazing museum, we will drive to Makhuntseti, which is a small beautiful village near Batumi, an ideal place for capturing great pictures. There you can feel relaxed, taking pictures, enjoying the cool non-stop mist from the waterfall and breathg fresh and rejuvenating air. We will also visit Queen Tamar’s bridge, which was built over the Acharistskali River in the period between 11th-12th centuries from local limestone. This bridge serves as a perfect example of Georgian bridge construction and engineering.
By the way, we will have a lunch break at the ″Acharian Wine House” which is a wine factory and restaurant together. Here you can also taste and buy different unique local wines, such as Chkhaveri, a delicious rosé.
The last destination will be Gonio-Apsaros Fortress, with a history spanning several millenniums. The ancient archeological layers, dug in the fortress territory belong to the XV-XVII centuries BC.
6th Day → Kutaisi (Old city, Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Monastery, Motsameta Monastery)
First we will visit the Gelati monastery complex, which was founded by King David the Builder in the 11th century . The complex also includes Gelati Academy, which was not only a sense of the church lives, but concentrate and psychological thinking and the center of general education.
After Gelaty Monastery our destination will be Motsameta Monastery, a small and very beautiful monastery with round turrets crowned with peaked tent-shaped domes. The monastery is standing above the rough Rioni River and is buried in coastal vegetation. According to legend, the monastery was constructed in the place where foreign aggressors executed two brothers, David and Konstanti, Georgian princes, who refused to accept another religion.
Our last destination will be the old part of Kutaisi and the main Cathedral of the city. “Bagrati” which is standing on the top of a hill overlooking the city.
7th Day → Kutaisi (Martvili Canyon, Okatse Canyon)
In the morning we will visit Martvili Canyon Natural Monument. Which is located in Martvili municipality, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region. The 700-meter long stone paved circular route starts from Martvili Canyon visitor center and crosses the Dadiani historical trail. There are 2 bridges, 3 platform views and a historical 30-step staircase constructed of large limestone boulders.
Visitors can enjoy a 300-meter boat tour on the Abasha River and beautiful views of the mountain river canyon. After that you will have the opportunity to have lunch in a local restaurant to taste local dishes from theSamegrelo region. Afterwards, if we have enough time, we will visit Martvili Monastery, which is located on the top of a overlooking the town of Martvili.
Next, we will visit another Canyon, Okatse canyon, which is located in village Gordi, Khoni municipality, Imereti region.
Okatse Canyon’s 2-3 hour pedestrian route passes through Dadiani historical forest, 780 m length hanging trail and finishes with panoramic views, where visitors can take memorable photos by a “Smart Selfie” Camera.
