Treasury of the Caucasus6 Days | Tbilisi, Telavi, Tsinandali, Alaverdi, Napareuli, Gremi, Kvareli, Sighnaghi, Bodbe, Mtskheta, Ananuri, Kazbegi, Gori, Uplistsikhe

Arrival in Tbilisi. Transfer to hotel. Check-in at noon.
Meet your guide to start a sightseeing tour in Tbilisi. Start at Holy Trinity cathedral, one of the largest orthodox cathedrals in the world. Continue to Metekhi church and the monument to Vakhtang Gorgasali, the legendary founder of Tbilisi. Take cable car to Narikala Fortress to enjoy breathtaking panoramic view of the city. Walk down to the district of Sulphur bath houses passing by the only mosque in Tbilisi. Stroll through the Sharden area full of narrow streets with cozy cafés, wine tasting bars, souvenir shops, and breathe in the living past. Visit Sioni Cathedral, Anchiskhati Basilica, and the clock tower of famous Rezo Gabriadze Theatre. Cross the Bridge of Peace leading to Rike Park and head to Open Air Museum of Ethnography, a miniature model of Georgia. Overnight in Tbilisi.

After breakfast, drive to Mtskheta, one of the oldest towns and the cultural and religious centre of Georgia. Mtskheta was the capital of the Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Iberia from the third century BC. Visit Jvari Church, a true architectural masterpiece of the early Medieval Period built on a hilltop. You will enjoy the views of the confluence of Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers. Visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the main cathedral of Mtskheta and a sacred place where the robe of Christ is being kept.
Continue to Ananuri architectural complex, a former residence of Argveti Dukes. The complex features churches and towers dating back to to the 16-17th centuries, beautifully overlooking the Jinvali reservoir. Continue driving on Georgian Military Highway passing through the highest point of it at 2379 m. above sea level. En-route, make a stop at the mineral water spring flowing down from a hilltop. Arrive at Kazbegi, a small town with the views of Mt. Kazbek (or Mkinvari) 5033 m, the seventh highest peak in the Caucasus Mountains. Visit Gergeti Holy Trinity Church located on altitude of 2170 and enjoy breathtaking views to Mt Kazbegi. Overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Gori and visit the Stalin Museum. The museum includes more than 60,000 artifacts, the tiny house where Stalin was born, and impressive bulletproof train Stalin used to travel to Yalta and Potsdam. Explore the cave town Uplistsikhe, dating back to Hellenistic Period and notable for unique combination of various styles of rock-cut cultures and the co-existence of pagan and Christian architecture. Return to Tbilisi for overnight.

After breakfast depart towards the Kakheti region of Georgia, the cradle of Georgian wine. Beautiful road lies through Gombori Pass. Our first stop will be in Telavi, the administrative and historic center of the region. Have a short walk through charming streets of old Telavi and have a photo stop at the monument to Erekli II. Drive to Tsinandali, the residence of dukes of Georgia with beautiful English garden, a museum, and the wine cellar which belonged to prince Chavchavadze, 19th century public figure and poet. Continue to Alaverdi Cathedral, the second tallest cathedral in Georgia and an outstanding example of medieval Georgian architecture of 11th century. Final stop for today is a private Winery Twins Wine Cellar in Napareuli village. The premises of the winery include vast vineyard, museum of traditional Georgian winemaking in qvevri, and facilities for various workshops. Try yourself at baking Georgian bread puri, cooking national dessert churchkhela, harvesting and squeezing grapes for wine (subject to seasonality). An excellent round-up of the tour will be tasting five different wines produced at Twins Winery according to Georgian traditional technology of winemaking in qvevri. Return to Telavi for overnight.

Continue exploring Kakheti region and Alazani valley. Check-out from hotel and drive to Gremi architectural complex, 16th century royal residence and the capital of Kakheti Kingdom. Gloomy and monumental, the Gremi castle is one of the most visited tourist points in Georgia. Next stop will be at unique Winery Khareba located in the tunnel carved out of the rock. Originally built for military purposes, today the tunnel is used to store Khareba’s finest wines. Wine tour and wine tasting. Continue to Sighnaghi, the city of love and the Royal Town, one of the crossroads of the Great Silk Road surrounded by defensive walls with 23 towers. Depart to Tbilisi, making en-route stop at Bodbe convent, which according to the legend is a burial place of St. Nino, who converted Georgia to Christianity in the 4th century. According to Tsar Alexader III of Russia decree, since 1889 Bodbe complex functions as a nunnery. Continue driving to Tbilisi. Overnight at hotel.

Check-out from the hotel at noon. Free time until transfer to Tbilisi International Airport. End of the tour.