Three jewels in the crown of the Caucasus

Upon arrival in Baku, guests will be greeted by an Azerbaijani guide who will take them to a restaurant for lunch, after which visitors will drive to the Apsheron Peninsula to visit the Ateshgah Fire Temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Flames emerging from the ground as a result of gas ignition have been worshiped by Zoroastrians for centuries. Currently, the temple has been transformed into a museum. Not far away you can see the burning Yanar Dağ mountain. After returning to Baku, we invite you to visit the monuments of this architecturally fascinating city, where glass and steel skyscrapers rise above Soviet-era buildings, and among them there is an old town from the 12th century with cobblestone streets - included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here we will visit Şəhidlər Xiyabanı - a monument and cemetery dedicated to the victims of the Soviet intervention. The next stop is the medieval fortress of old Baku - İçərişəhər with the Virgin Tower, a medieval caravan inn and a market square. Before going to the hotel for the night, guests will have dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we will depart for Qobustan - a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its archaeological monuments. The cultural area of ​​Qobustan National Park covers a plateau dotted with rocks and boulders rising above the semi-arid central Azerbaijan with a unique collection of over 6000 petroglyphs, testimony to 40000 years of history. On the way to the town of Şəki, there will be time to visit the Diri Baba mausoleum in the village of Maraza. We will visit the historic Friday Mosque in Shemakha and the Yeddi Gumbeza mausoleum. We will have lunch at a local restaurant and then climb to the Muganly Pass. We can try the local Bado mineral water in the village of Baskal, while in the village of Vendam in the Qəbələ province we can admire the ruins of the capital of ancient Caucasian Albania. After arriving in Şəka, we invite you to explore the city. We will visit, among others: the palace of the Sheki khans and the history museum. Dinner and overnight stay in Şəki.

After breakfast, we will depart for Lagodechi, where we will cross the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan. We enter Georgia in Kakheti, the largest and most important wine region in Georgia, famous for its hospitality, delicious food and the ancient Georgian winemaking technique, dating back to the 8th century BC, still used to produce unique organic qvevri wines. We will visit the Khareba winery in Kvareli to take part in a wine tasting in the largest cellar in Georgia. After the tasting, we invite you to the restaurant in the vineyard for lunch combined with a Georgian barbecue. Afterwards, you will be transferred to the Royal Batoni Palace hotel. We invite you for dinner at the hotel with traditional dishes and Georgian wine.

After breakfast, transfer from Kvareli to the Alaverdi Monastery, built in the 2th century during the unification of the country, once the most significant temple in all of Kakheti, and still the second tallest church in Georgia. The monastery has an 1814th-century vineyard that is still used by monks. We continue the journey to Tsinandali, where there is a museum and the 23th-century winery of prince and poet Alexander Chavchavadze. The palace has one of the oldest cellars, where, among others, wine from XNUMX. For lunch we will go to the nearby village of Kisiskhevi, where the Schuchmann hotel and vineyard are located. After lunch, you will drive to the XNUMXth-century royal city of Sighnaghi, founded by Heraclius II, surrounded by the longest defensive walls in the region with XNUMX towers. Sighnaghi was once a strategically important point on the Silk Road. In the late afternoon we will drive to the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, for dinner at a traditional Georgian restaurant. Overnight at a hotel in Tbilisi.

After breakfast, we will visit the third largest Orthodox church in the world - the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Then, there will be a tour of the old part of Tbilisi - a multicultural and multi-religious city with 1500 years of history. We will visit the XNUMXth-XNUMXth century Metekhi temple, built in a cross-dome arrangement, which was once part of the royal residence. We will also see the ancient Narikala fortress from the XNUMXth century, sulfur baths, the Great Synagogue, Sioni Cathedral and the Tbilisi mosque. Then there will be time for a walk through the narrow streets of the old town, full of souvenir shops, cafes and art galleries. In the afternoon, a visit to the Georgian National Museum and the unique treasury containing the most valuable archaeological monuments is planned. Lunch and dinner at local restaurants in Tbilisi. Overnight in Tbilisi.

After breakfast, transfer to the ancient city of Mtskheta, which is the old capital of eastern Georgia and the most important religious center of the country. We will visit two places included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Jvari Monastery - the best example of the 2100th century. of Georgian architecture built on the top of a hill overlooking the city - and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral - a large building from the XNUMXth century. According to legend, the robe of Christ lies under the main nave. This fortified church is considered the most sacred place by Georgians. We continue our journey along the Georgian Military Road. Along the way, we will visit the XNUMXth-century Ananuri fortress, which until the XNUMXth century was the main seat of the Aragvich dynasty of princes dating back to the XNUMXth century. We will also visit the highest town in Europe - Gudauri (XNUMX m above sea level), and then, after driving through Cross the Cross Pass, we will reach Stepantsminda. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, you will be driven by off-road vehicles to the 3th-century Church of the Holy Trinity, located in a beautiful, lonely place on the top of a hill. From under its walls there are breathtaking views of snow-covered Kazbeg - an extinct volcano that is the 5rd highest peak in Georgia (047 m) and one of the most popular mountaineering destinations. On the way back to Tbilisi we will stop for Gudauri lunch. We invite you to a traditional farewell dinner accompanied by a folklore group from Tbilisi. There will be an opportunity to listen to unique, ancient polyphonic songs and taste one of the most popular dishes in Georgia - the famous khinkali dumplings. Overnight at a hotel in Tbilisi.

After breakfast, we will cross the border of Georgia and Armenia in Sadakhlo and drive to Yerevan. On the way, we will visit the Hachpat Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located above the Debed River canyon, from where we can admire the picturesque scenery. The monastery was founded by Saint. Nishan in the 967th century, during the reign of King Abas I. The largest and oldest church in the complex, the Church of the Holy Cross (Surp Nyshan), was built in the years 991-XNUMX by Queen Khosrowanush, wife of King Ashot III of the Bagratid family. It is a typical example of Armenian architecture from the XNUMXth century. Then we will visit the Sanahin Monastery from the XNUMXth-XNUMXth century (included in the same UNESCO entry together with Hachpat), which was once the educational center of Armenia. The monastery was built on the site of an earlier building from the XNUMXth-XNUMXth century. Then we will stop at Lake Sevan to visit the Sevanavank monastery from the XNUMXth century. Dinner and overnight stay in Yerevan.

After breakfast, visit the ruins of the Cathedral of the Angels of Heaven from the 395th century, and then the church of St. Rypsima, which is one of the oldest preserved churches in Armenia. The church was built by Catholicos Komitas on the site of an older mausoleum built by Catholicos Sahak the Great in 618, in which the remains of Saint Rypsima, patroness of the church, were buried. The structure was completed in 301. It is famous for its excellent Armenian architecture of the classical period, which has influenced many other Armenian churches since then. Together with nearby monuments, it is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. We continue our tour of Yerevan by visiting the cathedral in Vagharshapat - the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, built in 303-XNUMX by Gregory the Illuminator on the foundations of a pagan basilica, right after King Tiridates III, as the first ruler in history, adopted Christianity. It is the oldest cathedral in the world. The further journey will take us to the Awan canyon, where behind huge cliffs hides the pagan architectural complex of Garni, the most famous of which is the temple dedicated to the sun god Mithra (XNUMXst century AD). We will also visit a local farm, where we will take part in baking traditional bread - lavash. Another ride through the gorge will take us to the Geghard Monastery carved into the rocks (another UNESCO site). Dinner and overnight stay in Yerevan.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive through the Ararat region to visit the Khor Virap Monastery, located on the slopes of the biblical Mount Ararat. If the weather permits, we will have the opportunity to admire a wonderful view of the mountains. We will still have time to visit Yerevan. We will visit the Matenadaran Institute, where ancient Armenian manuscripts are kept, and the Museum of Armenian History. Afterwards, you will have free time to explore the city on your own. There will also be an opportunity to visit the Yerevan Brandy Company, where we will be able to try the famous Armenian brandy. At the end, we invite you for dinner at a local restaurant. Afterwards, transfer to the airport, where the plane home awaits.