Secret Georgia

Fly from London Heathrow to Tbilisi, via Istanbul, and transfer to the 4-star Mercure Tbilisi Old Town for a three-night stay.

A walking tour of the city’s historic quarter visits its iconic Metekhi Church, set atop a riverside cliff; the Georgian (aka ‘Great’) Synagogue of Tbilisi; the medieval Sioni Cathedral, housing the holy cross of St. Nino, Georgia’s patron saint; and the 6^th-century Orthodox Anchiskhati Basilica of St. Mary, the city’s oldest surviving church.
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Discover the varied aspects of Tbilisi on today’s tour, including the majestic façades of Rustaveli Avenue; the National Museum of Georgia, its exhibits covering thousands of years of history from ancient finds of gold and silver to Soviet memorabilia; and the mesmerising Dry Bridge market, its myriad stalls selling anything from pictures and pottery to clocks and cameras.
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In the country’s ancient capital, Mtskheta, visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites, the cupola crowned Svetiskhoveli Cathedral, and the 6^th-century Jvari Monastery, revered as Georgia’s most sacred place. Travel to the award-winning estate of Chateau Mukhrani to enjoy a wine tasting, a bread baking demo, and a lesson in making churchkhela (a walnut & sweet grape snack); and continue to Borjomi, a town renowned for its mineral water, for two nights at the 4-star Crowne Plaza Borjomi Spa.
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Travel to the Samtskhe-Javakheti region to visit Vardzia Cave Monastery, an epic feat of underground halls, cut into the rockface of Erusheli mountain. Continue to Akhaltsikhe for its 9^th-century Rabati Castle, superbly reconstructed and revealing its history of different cultures and religions with a church, mosque, minaret, and synagogue within its walls.
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Drive to Kutaisi and visit a pairing of UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Bagrati Cathedral, built during the 11^th-century reign of King Bagrat lll, much restored, and seen as the symbol of united Georgia; and Gelati Monastery, a thousand years old, one of the largest medieval monasteries, and a centre of science and culture in Georgia’s ‘golden age’. Overnight at the 4-star Best Western Kutaisi Hotel or similar.
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Journey north in the Svaneti region for stunning natural landmarks, from the enchanting Enguri Gorge to the legendary Prometheus Caves. The country’s largest cave complex, it is atmospherically neon lit, a river runs through it, and we include a boat ride on its sub-terranean lake. Continue to Mestia for two nights at the 3-star Hotel Gistola.
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Navigate a rough road through the spectacular scenery of the Upper Svaneti to Ushguli. One of Europe’s highest settlements at 2,200m, its five historic hamlets cluster on the slopes of Georgia’s highest peak, Shkhara, its isolated location preserved the medieval villages and their dozens of defence towers, and its name translates as ‘fearless heart’. Visit Lamaria church, high on the hill, unaltered since its 10^th-century origins, and lit only by candles. Enjoy lunch at a local family home, and return to Mestia for a walking tour of the town.
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 Visit Mestia’s Museum of History and Ethnography, for an insight of the region’s unique culture, and continue to Zugdidi to visit the Dadiani Palace Museum, with exhibits ranging from ancient artefacts to a bronze death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte. Drive to Batumi, a Black Sea port and resort city, for two nights at the 4-star Colosseum Marina Hotel.
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A tour of Batumi includes a visit to the Botanical Garden, a beautiful enclave of flowers and forestry, with fabulous views of the sea; and to the ruins of the Gonio-Apsaros Roman fortress, south of the city, at the mouth of the Chorokhi River. A revealing glimpse of Georgia’s past, it was recorded as ‘Apsyrtos’ in the 1^st century AD, re-named ‘Gonio’ in Byzantine times, and shows evidence of Ottoman and Russian rule.
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Transfer to Batumi airport for the return flight, via Istanbul, to London Heathrow.
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