Highlights of Caucasus 11 Days / 10 Nights Enjoy your stay in Caucasus and explore the ancient traditions of Caucasian hospitality, taste typical food and sample famous wine. Do not miss the chance to visit historical cities, cave towns, museums and UNESCO world heritages. Itinerary Day 1: Departure from home country Arrival at the Zvartnots airport. Meet and greet transfer, accommodation at the hotel. Day 2: Yerevan city tour – Echmiadzin – Zvartnots (100 km) In the morning meet your tour guide and start city tour around Yerevan. Drive to Echmiadzin – the place where the only Begotten descended. Holy Echmiadzin is the whole Armenians’ spiritual center and one of the centers of Christianity all over the world. Return to Yerevan with a stop at the ruins of Zvartnots temple - the pearl of the 7th century architecture, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. Visit Tsitsernakaberd – walking through Memorial park and visit museum of the victims of Genocide. Visit Cafesjian Show Room and then Vernisage flea market, the place to get a little taste of Armenia, to see the fusion between national traditions, art & crafts with contemporary taste. Overnight in Yerevan. (B/-/-) Day 3: Yerevan – Khor Virap – Noravank – Yerevan (250 km) After breakfast, start sightseeing tour to Khor-Virap monastery the importance of which is connected with Gregory the Illuminator, who introduced Christianity to Armenia. It is a wonderful masterpiece situated on top of a hill. It is a pilgrimage place where every year a lot of tourists and native people visit. It looks like a castle where everybody has the hint to sit and dream while admiring the beauty of the church. The highlight is the best view to the biblical Mt. Ararat. Continue tour to Noravank monastery – religious and cultural centre of 13th cen. It is situated in a narrow gorge which is known for its’ tall, sheer, brick red cliffs, directly across from the monastery. The beauty of this monastery is appreciated by thousands of visitors not only because of its’ architecture and history, but for its harmony with surrounding fabulous nature. Drive back to the capital city. Overnight in Yerevan. (B/-/-) Day 4: Yerevan – Lake Sevan – Garni – Geghard – Yerevan (250 km) After breakfast, depart to Lake Sevan, one of the largest freshwater alpine mountain lakes in the world. The beautiful landscape and the crystal water serve nice preconditions for excellent rest. Here we visit Sevanavank Monastery. Then drive to Garni Temple – which towers over a triangular cape and represents the unique survived example of heathen culture in Armenia. After adopting Christianity in 301, the pagan temple lost its significance and the fortress of Garni became the summer residence of the kings. Afterwards drive to Geghard monastery inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage list. Geghard monastery is the unsurpassable masterpiece of +995 322 17 77 17 www.miminotravel.com [email protected] the 13th century’s Armenian architecture. Some of the churches of the complex are masterfully hewn in a huge rock. The complex is rich in subtle sculptural embellishments and many striking khachkars (cross-stones). Return to Yerevan. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan. (B/--/--) Day 5: Tbilisi city tour Breakfast at the hotel. Direct transfer from your hotel to Tbilisi (without guide). Arrive in Tbilisi hotel and after short rest meet your guide at the lobby of the hotel and start a few unforgettable hours of familiarization with the capital. All the places of interest are very close to each other, within a few minutes’ walk. Start our excursion from Metekhi (13th century) plateau, before reaching Narikala Fortress (4th century) which dominates the skyline of the Old Town. Continue to explore brick-domed underground sulphur baths (17th century) – the district of naturally hot mineral waters, cafe street Shardeni, Synagogue, Sioni Cathedral and the most ancient Basilica in Tbilisi Anchiskhati (6th century). Walk across the Bridge of Peace which is a stunning design as well as convenient crossing between the newly constructed Rike Park and the Old Town. It also provides superb views over the city. Enjoy free relaxing hours in the evening. Hotel accommodation and overnight in Tbilisi. (B/-/-) Day 6: Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Uplistsikhe – Gori – Tbilisi (210 km) After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Mtskheta – an ancient capital of Georgia, important religious centre and city-museum which is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Along the way we will stop to visit the Jvari Monastery (6th century). This well-known monastery is located on the top of the mountain, at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers. Then head to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century) which is known as a place where Christ’s robe was buried. Walk along the narrow streets of Mtskheta with souvenir shopping possibility. Then drive to Gori – the birthplace of the Soviet leader Stalin. Photo-stop at the museum of Stalin and proceed to the cave town Uplistsikhe (1st millennium BC) – one of the first cities in Georgia carved into the rock. The caves were the site of pagan rituals, before Georgia became a Christian country. In the evening return to Tbilisi. Hotel accommodation and overnight in Tbilisi. (B/-/-) Day 7: Tbilisi – Alaverdi – Gremi – Winery Khareba – Tsinandali – Tbilisi (310 km) After breakfast, start our drive to Kakheti region - Georgia’s premier wine-producing area as well as home to hundreds of historical and architectural monuments. Visit Alaverdi monastery. It was built in 11th century and was one of the tallest structures of the time. The surrounding courtyard is home to vineyards from which local monks make their own wine. Afterwards we have possibility to see Gremi monastery complex. Gremi was the Capital of Kakheti Kingdom (1466–1616 years). It had booming cultural life, but because of internal strife and the invasion of Shah Abbas, the town was destroyed. Afterwards proceed to Khareba winery tunnel carved in the rock of the Caucasus Mountain Range and used to age wine. You will have wine degustation there. Afterwards visit Tsinandali – a village noted for the estate and its historic winery which once belonged to the 19th century aristocratic poet Alexander Chavchavadze. We will have an excursion in the family museum and a walk in the park beautifully laid out in an English style with fine views and exotic plants. In the evening drive to Tbilisi. Hotel accommodation and overnight in Tbilisi. (B/-/-) +995 322 17 77 17 www.miminotravel.com [email protected] Day 8: Tbilisi – Lagodekhi – Sheki (270 km) After breakfast drive to Georgian – Azerbaijan border in Lagodekhi. We will have some border formalities, change transportation and guide. Start our excursion in Sheki one of the most ancient cities of Azerbaijan and is located on the picturesque hillsides of the Caucasus Mountains in the background of snowy peaks. Here we visit the palace of the Sheki Khans (1762) – a rare example of a combination of national architecture and traditions of palace architecture. You can hardly find the second palace like this by the design and interior decoration. Mosaic in there is made in traditional style Shebeke (colored glass decoration). Hotel accommodation and overnight in Sheki. (B/-/-) Day 9: Sheki – Shemakha – Baku (300 km) After breakfast in the morning, start our drive to Shemakha – an ancient city of Azerbaijan founded in the 5th century BC. In 11th–16th centuries, it was a capital of the kingdom of Shirvan and a residence of Shirvanshahs. Shemakha was one of the most beautiful cities in the East. Natural conditions of Shemakha lands attracted people since ancient times. Shemakha district is interesting not only for its rich nature but for an ancient history as well. Despite the numerous earthquakes in Shemakha there are many historical monuments still preserved: The Juma mosque with two minarets (743rd year), the mausoleum Shahihandan (15th century), the tomb of Shirvan Khans – mausoleum Yeddi Gumbez (Seven Domes) (18th – 19th centuries), the mausoleum “Diri-Baba” built in 1402, the ruins of the Gulistan citadel (XI-XIII centuries). In the evening drive to Baku. Hotel accommodation and overnight in Baku. (B/-/-) Day 10: Baku city tour – Gobustan (80 km.) After breakfast at the hotel, start Baku city tour from Marty’s Lane, Highland park which connects the city center by funicular. A beautiful panoramic view of the city and the Baku Bay opens from the park. Continue to Maiden’s Tower – Baku landmark, a much loved symbol of the city and of Azerbaijan. It looms dark and enigmatic, looking out to sea from the southern edge of Baku’s old, walled city the Icheri Sheher. The Tower has been constructed in 12th century. Then proceed to Juma Mosque or mosque in the Icheri-sheher which has been functioning since the 12th century. According to many modern archaeologists, there was a pagan sacred centre on the site of Juma Mosque, where the fire worshipers gathered. Afterwards discover Palace of Shirvanshah – the most striking example of the Medieval palace structures in Azerbaijan is the Shirvanshah Palace complex dating to the middle 15th cen. Afterwards visit Bibi-Heybat Mosque which is a historical mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan. The existing structure, built in the 1990s, is a recreation of the mosque with the same name built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan II, which was completely destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936. Afterwards we visit famous Carpet Museum. Located in the center of Baku, the museum displays Azerbaijani carpets and rug items of various weaving techniques and materials from various periods. Then drive to visit Gobustan which occupies the south-eastern spur of the Great Caucasian Range and situated 60 km south of Baku. It is a monticule semi-desert area dissected by numerous gullies and ravines and Gobustan, in translation, means "ravine land".