THE TREASURES OF 10 - 21 SEPTEMBER 2022

FROM £3,395 PER PERSON

Tour Leader: Bridget Wheeler RICH HERITAGE, MEDIEVAL HISTORY & NATURAL BEAUTY

Situated between the subtropical coast, the and the snowy peaks of the , the state of Georgia sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Georgia’s rich heritage has been hugely influenced by both Byzantine and Persian cultures. With (and Chechnya, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkar, North Osetia-Alania) to the north, Turkey to the west, and to the south and Azerbaijan to the east, Georgia remains a fiercely independent nation after years of oppression by the Russian Tsars and the . Georgia’s mix of natural beauty and medieval history has made this small country one of Eastern Europe’s most fascinating destinations.

Uplistsikhe Valley

12-DAY ITINERARY, DEPARTING 10 SEPTEMBER 2022

10 September London ancient land of Colchis, spectacular and filled with historical sights. modern and contemporary paintings Visit Bodbe Nunnery, just outside Suggested flights (not included in the by Georgian artists and masterpieces Sighnaghi. In the 4th century, after cost of the tour) Georgian Airways of Oriental, Western European and Georgia converted to , A9 752 departing London Gatwick at Russian decorative arts. Dinner at a , the queen responsible for 22.50 hrs. local restaurant. the conversion, withdrew to Bodbe Gorge where she died. She wanted 11 September to be buried in a in Bodbe 12 September Tbilisi Arrive Tbilisi at 06.35 hrs. Transfer and rather than being taken away to be Morning walking tour of Tbilisi. check into the centrally located 5* buried elsewhere by the king. Legend Begin with the Georgian Synagogue, Biltmore Hotel where two nights are has it that the king came with 200 a Jewish house which was built spent. Rooms are ready for immediate horsemen but could not move her, with bricks, in an eclectic style, occupation. Morning at leisure. so he ordered that a small monastery between 1895 and 1903. Continue be built for her to be buried in. The Lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon to Sioni Cathedral, which is one of monastery is now a convent for nuns. orientational city tour of the vibrant the most remarkable examples of Visit Sighnaghi, located in the most Tbilisi Old Town. Hidden in its Georgian medieval architecture, richly easterly region of Georgia. It is unique labyrinthine streets are monuments, decorated with frescoes and for being surrounded by fortress walls churches, art galleries, museums and in gold and dark turquoise colours. which have been well preserved and theatres, sulphur bath houses and This is followed by Anchiskhati is famous for its wine and carpet buildings with gaping holes in their , the oldest church in Tbilisi, making culture. The houses within facades that have their own stories dating back to the 6th century. End Sighnaghi’s walls date from the 18th to tell. Visit Church of the at Narikala Fortress, the main citadel and 19th centuries. Walk through the Assumption, the Orthodox church of the city where you can enjoy the narrow, cobbled streets of the town which was built by the Georgian King wonderful views of Tbilisi. in the shadow of richly decorated St. Demetrius II in the 13th century. Lunch at a local restaurant followed wooden balconies and enjoy the Visit one of the city’s historic sulphur by a visit to Rustaveli Avenue, the breathtaking views of the Kizikhi area. bath houses for which Tbilisi is central avenue in Tbilisi named renowned. The city has an abundance Lunch at local winery. Drive to Lopota after the medieval Georgian poet, of hot springs, high in sulphurs and check into the Lopota Lake Resort Shota Rustaveli. Dinner at a local and other minerals, with a constant for two nights. Dinner at the hotel. restaurant. temperature of 38C to 40C, and the waters have long been used as a 14 September Lopota / Nekresi / therapeutic aid for a range of ailments 13 September Tbilisi / Bodbe / / Tsinandali / Lopota including skin conditions and Sighnaghi / Lopota Depart by coach for Nekresi arthritis. Visit the Georgian National Depart by coach for (105 Monastery Complex. Drive to Gremi Museum, the largest museum kms) and explore what locals call architectural complex. complex in the country. Here visit the ‘the motherland of wine’, the fertile Proceed to Kakheti for a cooking Museum of Georgia which contains Alazani Valley with its medieval demonstration, where you can learn a collection of magnificent medieval monasteries and unique wineries. how to prepare a famous Georgian Christian art, including stunning The eastern region of Georgia is pork barbecue ‘Mtsvadi’ and gold and silver jewellery from the surrounded by picturesque mountains participate in the making of

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Old City wall around Sighnaghi

Churchkhela. Churchkhela is a demonstration, where you can see 17 September Kazbegi traditional Georgian sweet snack how Georgian bread is baked. Lunch Morning visit to Kazbegi, a small made of walnuts and grape juice. with wine tasting with a local family. town with views of Mt. Kazbek, the Lunch with wine tasting with a local Drive back to Tbilisi, check into the seventh highest peak in the Caucasus family. Visit Tsinandali Family Estate Biltmore Hotel where one night is Mountains. Mt. Kazbek is associated which once belonged to the 19th spent. Evening at leisure. Dinner at a with the myth of Prometheus. century aristocratic poet Alexander local restaurant. According to legend he was chained Chavchavadze. The complex on the mountain as a punishment for comprises a memorial house, a having stolen fire from the Gods and landscape garden, a historical winery, 16 September Tbilisi / / given it to mortals. Take a four-wheel wine cellar, hotel and a café. Drive / Kazbegi drive to 14th-century Gergeti Holy back to Lopota. Dinner at the hotel. Drive to Mtskheta, the ancient capital located at the confluence of the Trinity Church which is located at and Mtkvari rivers. See the a height of 2,170 metres under Mt. 15 September Lopota / Alaverdi / UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jvari, Kazbegi. Ikalto / Tbilisi a cross-shaped monastery which Experience making ‘Khinkali’, Depart by coach for Alaverdi dates to the 6th century, located at Georgian dumplings filled with Monastery. The monastery was the top of a hill. minced meat in dough which founded by the Assyrian monk Lunch at a local restaurant outside originated in the Georgian mountain Joseph (Yoseb, Amba) Alaverdeli, Tbilisi. Visit the grand 11th- regions, followed by lunch with who came from Antioch and settled century , a a local family. Drive towards the in Alaverdi, then a small village masterpiece of medieval Georgian Russian border, enjoying the views of and former pagan religious centre architecture with stunning views the dramatic Dariali Gorge followed dedicated to the Moon. At a height over the and Aragvi Rivers, by a hike to Gveleti Waterfall. Dinner of over 55 metres, Alaverdi Cathedral set on the southern slopes of the at the hotel. is the second tallest religious . Drive along the building in Georgia, after Holy Georgian Military Highway and visit Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, which 18 September Kazbegi / Gori / Ananuri Fortress, a former residence Uplistsikhe / was consecrated in 2004. Visit Ikalto of the Dukes of the Aragvi region. Drive to Gori (190 kms) and visit the Monastery Complex. The monastery This complex features churches and Joseph Stalin Museum, devoted to was the first in Kakheti region; it was towers dating back to the 14th-18th the most famous native of the city, built in the 6th century by a Christian centuries, overlooking the beautiful who became head of the government preacher, Zenon of Ikalto, who was Jinvali lake, in a picturesque and led the Soviet Union from 1925 to one of the Assyrian fathers settled in landscape. Continue your journey 1953. Georgia to preach Christianity. Zenon and explore Khevi Province, the heart lived in the monastery, preached of the country, known for its severe Lunch at a local restaurant in Gori. and healed. He had disciples and scenery and numerous architectural Visit Uplistsikhe, known as ‘God’s followers which led to the expansion monuments and archaeological sites. Fortress’ the remarkable ancient cave of the monastery. Zenon Ikalto was Check into Hotel Kazbegi for two city, all hewn out of rock. The city buried under one of the churches of nights. Dinner at the hotel. played a significant role in Georgian the complex. history over a period of approximately Proceed to Kakheti for a cooking 3,000 years. Archaeological

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Tour Price £3,395 Single Supplement £795

PRICE INCLUDES • Accommodation throughout as shown in the itinerary • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily • All entrance fees, visits, excursions and transportation as per the itinerary • Gratuities in restaurants for included meals • Gratuities to guide/s • Gratuities to driver/s • Porterage Jinvali Water Reservoir, Georgia • Local English-speaking guide/s • The services of your tour leader throughout

excavations have revealed 20 September Kutaisi / Tbilisi extraordinary artefacts dating from PRICE EXCLUDES Visit the Prometheus Caves located the late Bronze Age up to the late in the Samegrelo-Zemo Middle Ages. The ancient cave city • International flights region. This 1.2 km-long cave was built on a rocky bank of the • Alcoholic and non-alcoholic complex provides breath-taking Mtkvari River, approximately 15 examples of stalactites, stalagmites, beverages kilometres east of the town of Gori. curtains, petrified waterfalls, cave • Travel insurance Between the 6th century BC and pearls, underground rivers, and AD, it was one of the • Items of personal expenditure (e.g. lakes. Its unique features include most important political, religious, telephone calls / laundry etc.) a variety of halls and a diversity of and cultural centres of pre-Christian landscapes. Depart for Tbilisi (180 • Government levies or taxes , one of the predecessors of kms), with a visit enroute to , the Georgian state and flourished introduced after costing and home of the 9th-century St. George’s until it was ravaged by the Mongols publication of this programme on monastery famous for its beautiful in the 13th century. Continue your frescos. 06/08/21 journey to Kutaisi (170 kms) and check into the Newport Hotel where Lunch at a local restaurant. Check two nights are spent. Dinner at a into the Biltmore Hotel where one local restaurant. night is spent. Afternoon at leisure. Please note we have not included the Farewell dinner at a local restaurant cost of the flights in the tour price. with a Georgian folk show. Please contact us for prices should you 19 September Kutaisi wish to book them through us. Visit , the 11th- century cathedral, built during the 21 September Tbilisi / London Morning at leisure. Check out from reign of King Bagrat III and known hotel. as ‘the symbol of united Georgia’. The Cathedral was officially rebuilt Lunch at a local restaurant. Return on 16 September 2012. Visit Gelati to the Georgian National Museum Monastery, founded in 1106, by the complex to visit the National Gallery, famous king of Georgia, Davit the established in 1920 by Dimitri Builder. Gelati Complex includes an Shevardnadze which houses various academy and remained for a long exhibitions of fine arts and Sameba time one of the main centres in the Cathedral, the main cathedral of country for cultural enlightenment. the in The monastery has a great number the Armenian Quarter. Transfer to of preserved manuscripts dating Tbilisi airport. Suggested flights (not back to the 12th century and included) Georgian Airways A9 751 is listed as a UNESCO World departing Tbilisi at 19.25 hrs arriving Heritage Site. London Gatwick at 21.50 hrs. Lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner at a local restaurant.

Old Meidan Square, Tbilisi YOUR TOUR LEADER

BRIDGET WHEELER

Bridget has worked in the travel industry for 35 years. After obtaining a degree from London University she started her career at Montpelier Travel before setting up Riverside Travel in the late 1990s, which then amalgamated with The Ultimate Travel Company in the early 2000s. She now divides her time between her office in Hampshire and The Ultimate Travel Company in Fulham. She has travelled extensively and has led numerous groups to various diverse destinations including Ethiopia, Cuba, Jordan, the Baltic States and Georgia.

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