Day 1
Arrival in Tbilisi. Meeting at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check into a hotel.
Plan of the day: Breakfast. Visit to the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Sightseeing tour of the old city, acquaintance with the architecture of Georgian churches, painting, worship of Orthodox shrines. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Guided tour of old Tbilisi. Acquaintance with the old city will begin from the historical center in Metekhi.
Metekhi Church of the Assumption of the Virgin.
- Shrines: Relics of St. Shushanik, Queen of Rana, martyr of the 6th century
- She suffered a martyr's death from the husband of the fire-worshiper
- People came to her from all over Georgia, and everyone received prayers through the prayers of the saint.
Zion Cathedral, historically the main temple of Tbilisi and one of the two main in the Georgian Church; named after the Mount of Zion and consecrated in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Shrines: Cross of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, head of the Apostle Thomas, myrrh-streaming icon of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, a miraculous stone brought by David of Gareja from Jerusalem.
The fortress of Narikala. Sightseeing walk to the fortress by cable car. Great place for photo sessions.
Anchiskhati Temple is a 6th-century church dedicated to the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin. The oldest surviving church in Tbilisi.
Mtatsminda, Holy Mountain. Mamadaviti, Church of St. David the Gareja Pantheon of public figures of Georgia. The first significant burial at this place was the burial of the famous Russian writer Alexander Griboedov (1795-1829), later his wife, Princess Nino Chavchavadze (1812-1857) was buried next to him.
Georgian restaurant, festive meal
Welcome dinner from the founders of the Georgian Weekend Company Dishes: Tushino shepherd cheese, vegetables in peanut sauce, Imereti khachapuri, Khevsur khinkali, Mingrel kupala, kebab in pita bread, pork skewers and good Kakhetian wine from Askaneli Brothers. Acquaintance with the traditions of the Georgian supra feast (feast), authentic Georgian dishes, Georgian wines led by the host.
Day 2
Plan of the day: Departure to Mtskheta, the monastery of the Holy Cross, the Monastery of the Twelve Apostles (Svetitskhoveli), worship of one of the main shrines for all Christians, the Robe of our Lord Jesus Christ, the cave settlement Uplistsikhe, arrival in Kutaisi. Temple of St. David and Constantine, Motsamet. Monastery complex Gelati.
Departure to Mtskheta.
- Monastery of the Holy Cross, Jvari. It belongs to the first half of the VII century. It is located where, according to historical sources, the Cross was erected by the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina. Georgia’s first World Heritage Site (since 1994).
- Svetitskhoveli Monastery, (life-giving pillar) Cathedral in the name of the Twelve Apostles Sightseeing tour accompanied by a guide. Since 1994, World Heritage Monument
- Main Shrine - You will have the absolutely unique opportunity to worship one of the greatest Shrines for all Christians, the Rize of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was brought to Georgia by the Mtskheta Jews, Rabbi Elioz and his brother Longinos, who were present at the Lord's crucifixion and protested against the unjust court of the Sanhedrin. ..
Departure to Uplistsikhe, an ancient cave city. According to archaeological data, Uplistsikhe became a cult center in the late II - early I millennium BC. E. Uplistsikhe caves are a UNESCO-protected site. Today there are no more than 150 caves from a huge settlement, where the number of grottoes carved in the rock once exceeded 700. According to archaeologists, people in Uplistsikhe lived already in the first millennium BC.
Arrival in the city of Kutaisi.
Monastary complex of Saints David and Constantine, “Motsameta”
- It was built in the 7th – 8th centuries and is famous for its architecture and unique paintings of the 16th century. Around the monastery is amazingly beautiful canyon. Panoramic views of the gorge of fabulous beauty open from the observation deck of the complex.
Church and monastery complex of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gelati.
- The architectural complex was founded in 1106 by the Georgian king David IV the Builder and was the most important center of culture, science and education. The Academy was founded at the monastery, the building of which has recently been restored. The complex includes the Church of St. George, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin, the Nativity Cathedral, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the building of the Gelati Academy. In 1994 included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Dinner at the hotel - acquaintance with Imereti dishes, Kakheti wine from the company Askaneli Brothers varieties Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane
Day 3
Plan of the day: Departure to Batumi. Walk around the old city with a sightseeing tour. Meal authentic Adjarian khachapuri Walk along the promenade. Return to Tbilisi.
- Walk around the old city with a sightseeing tour
- Visit to the Retro cafe where the best authentic Adjarian khachapuri is cooked in the oven
- Walk along the Batumi Embankment
Return to Tbilisi. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 4
Plan of the day: Kakheti. The monastery complex of Shuamta. Alaverdi Monastery Complex. Excursion to the Shumi winery, wine tasting. Ikalto Monastery
Departure to Kakheti, Shuamta complex in the Gombor mountains
Old shuamta
- An ensemble of several ancient churches. The small church in the foreground dates back to the 5th century, the other two - the large and small domed churches - to the 7th century. The large church is very similar to the Mtskheta temple of Jvari. The churches preserved paintings of the XII century.
- Akhali Shuamta Monastery was built later, in the 16th century.
- The monastery complex includes a large temple, a bell tower, a fence. According to legend, the monastery was built by the Kakhetian Queen Tina. Even in childhood, she had a dream that she was to build an Orthodox church. In a dream, she saw the place of its future construction. The place turned out to be unfamiliar, and only when she was already the wife of the Kakhetian prince Levan did Queen Tina recognize the place she had seen in a dream while traveling in Georgia. There the monastery was founded, where Tina herself subsequently took monastic tonsure.
Monastery complex of St. George, Alaverdi
- Alaverdi Monastery - the creation of one of the 13 Assyrian fathers, Joseph Alaverdi, who was engaged in the educational mission and the spread of Christianity here in the middle of the VI century, built a temple and died in 570, and was buried in this temple.
- Shrines: Imperishable relics of father Joseph Alaverdi
Excursion to the Shumi winery
- The main attraction of Kakheti is the Alazani Valley and its endless grape fields. To be in the wine region and not to learn about the technology for the production of the Georgian drink is the same as to be in Paris and not to see the Eiffel Tower.
- Especially for the group will be organized a tour of the territory of the wine complex with tasting.
- During the tour, you will be devoted to the mystery of Georgian wine production technology, full-cycle production: from growing and harvesting to bottling wine in branded bottles.
- From the collection of wines presented at the factory it is worth paying special attention to Tsinandali - this microzone is nearby and these regions are known for this particular wine. Wines of Saperavi and Mukuzani and finally Kindzmarauli - the most correct Kakhetian Kindzmarauli is here
- Wine degustation. Kakheti Shoti bread, Tushino cheese ...
Monastery complex Ikalto
- It was founded by one of 13 Assyrian fathers, Zeno of Ikaltoy in the second half of the 6th century. In the XII century, on the initiative of the mentor of King David the Builder, Arsen Ikatoeli, an academy was built here. The Ikaltoy Academy is famous for the fact that Shota Rustaveli studied there (author Vityaz in tiger skin).
- Shrines: The relics of Zeno of Ikaltoy
Transfer to the hotel in Telavi. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 5
Plan of the day: Gremi monastery complex, Sighnaghi, walk in the old city, sightseeing tour, Bodbe Monastery of St. Nino. The monastery complex of David Gareji. Return to Tbilisi
Architectural complex Gremy
- It was built in the 16th century under Tsar Levan Kakheti. He declared Gremy the capital of the Kakheti kingdom with a population of more than 100 thousand people. At that time, one of the branches of the legendary Silk Road passed through Gremi, which greatly contributed to the prosperity of the city.
- Sighnaghi guided tour
- After the restoration, Sighnaghi turned into a European town with narrow stone-paved streets, winding and steep, and blocks of one- and two-story houses under bright red tiled roofs in the style of South Italian classicism.
- Walking along its streets will give you tremendous pleasure.
- Bodbe (monastery of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina) is a stavropegial convent of the Georgian Orthodox Church, founded in the 4th century
- In 314 AD, the wife of the Iberian king Miran III, Queen Nana converted to Christianity. She was baptized by St. Nino of Cappadocia. According to one legend, during the hunt, the king stopped seeing. He asked "God Nino" for help, and his sight returned to him. Returning from the hunt, the king met with Nino and was soon baptized.
- Saint Nina in the last years of her life retired to Bodbe where she served until the end of her life. King Mirian over the grave of St. Nina erected a temple in honor of St. George, the heavenly patron of Georgia, and a monastery arose near him.
- Shrines: Relics of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, the Enlightener of Georgia, “Iverskaya” Icon of the Mother of God
Monastery complex David Gareji
- The complex is about 20 monasteries carved in the rocks. The main monastery is considered to be St. Lavra. David, which is located on the northern slope of the mountain that separates Georgia and Azerbaijan. The border runs along the top of the mountain, which Georgian historians call Udabno, by the name of one of the monasteries.
- The complex’s oldest monastery, the Laurel of David, was founded at the beginning of VI in the Syrian monk David, one of 13 Syrian fathers who settled in the natural cave of Gareja. In the Church of the Transfiguration of God is located the tomb of David of Gareja himself. This holy place is visited by many pilgrims.
Return to Tbilisi. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 6
Breakfast at the hotel. Airport transfer