Georgious

Day by day

The itinerary

1. 1 Days 1 & 3 Old Tbilisi City of Balconies, Fortresses & Cable Cars +

   We landed from Sharjah, checked into Hotel Aviani in Old Tbilisi and went straight out to walk its cobbled lanes and carved balconies. On our city day we took a boat ride on the Kura River, rode the cable car from Rike Park up to Narikala Fortress for the best view in town, and finished at Mtatsminda Park under the giant Ferris wheel on top of the mountain. In the evenings we had dinner at Kala and the Maharajah restaurant, plus a late night at the Shangri La casino.

   “Tbilisi from Narikala. Old town rooftops, new town lights.”

   
2. 2 Day 2 Ananuri, Gudauri & Kazbegi Up the Military Highway to Gergeti +

   Our driver took us north on the Georgian Military Highway. First came the Ananuri Fortress, a cone-roofed church and castle walls above the turquoise Zhinvali Reservoir. Then we climbed to the Gudauri Panorama, a ski town with views across the Caucasus. We ended in Kazbegi, near the Russian border, where Gergeti Trinity Church stands alone on a ridge below snowy Mount Kazbek.

   “Georgious. Ananuri, where castles look over turquoise lakes.”

   Photos from this stop are coming soon.
3. 3 Day 4 Mtskheta, Jvari, Gori & Uplistsikhe Where Georgia's Story Began +

   This was a day of history. We started at Mtskheta, the ancient capital and spiritual heart of Georgia, and the 6th-century Jvari Monastery on its hilltop above the meeting of two rivers. Then we drove to Gori, Stalin's birthplace and home to his museum, and finished at Uplistsikhe, a cave town carved into rock that dates back to the Iron Age.

   “From Jvari, looking down on where Georgia's story began.”

   
4. 4 Day 5 Kakheti, Sighnaghi & Kvareli Lake Wine Country, the City of Love & Dancing in the Rain +

   We headed east into Kakheti, Georgia's wine country, for a tasting at KTW winery. Next was Sighnaghi, the "city of love," with its old city walls and the Bodbe Monastery nearby. That night we checked into Kvareli Lake Resort, surrounded by forested mountains and mist. It rained, we grabbed an umbrella, and the lakeside jetty became our dance floor.

   “Out-of-office tales: rain, an umbrella and Kvareli Lake all to ourselves.”

   
5. 5 Day 6 Borjomi Spring Water & Green Valleys +

   The same driver took us west across the country on a scenic road to Borjomi, the little spa town famous for its natural mineral water. We stayed at Hotel Old Borjomi and spent the evening in the town's leafy Central Park.

   “On the road to Borjomi, green in every direction.”

   Photos from this stop are coming soon.
6. 6 Day 7 Prometheus Cave to Batumi Underground Worlds on the Way to the Sea +

   On the drive to the coast we went underground into Prometheus Cave, a huge cave system with halls of stalactites, and stopped at the nearby waterfalls and canyon. That evening we reached Batumi and checked into Piaza Inn.

   “From underground caves to the Black Sea in one drive.”

   
7. 7 Day 8 Batumi & the Black Sea Into the Clouds Over the Black Sea +

   Batumi is Georgia's summer capital on the Black Sea. We rode the cable car up through the mist to the hills above the city, wandered Theatre Square, walked the Batumi Botanical Garden with its green cliffs over the coastline, and stayed for sunset at the moving Ali & Nino statue.

   “Batumi cable car: into the clouds, over the Black Sea.”

   Photos from this stop are coming soon.
8. 8 Days 9 to 10 Back to Tbilisi Eight Scenic Hours & One Last Evening +

   Our driver brought us back across Georgia on an eight-hour drive full of valleys and mountain views. We checked into Just Inn Tbilisi, had a last stroll and dinner in the old city, and flew home to Sharjah the next morning, with one last look at Georgia from the sky.

   “Georgia from the sky. Until next time, Sakartvelo.”