7 Day Wine Festival
In the sunny valley of Kakheti where about 500 sorts of vine are growing, local families assisted by their relatives and friends harvest grapes in September and October. The harvesting accompanied by jokes and folk song and in the evening, people celebrate Rtvely with good homemade wine in a company of friends and relatives. Travel to Georgia to take part in Rtveli festival, participate in grapes harvesting and winemaking, immerse into local customs and traditions to feel the freedom of simple rural life, enjoy an atmosphere of centuries old festivity.
Day to day itinerary
Pick up from Tbilisi hotel.
Tbilisi historical district. Visit Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) built in 21st c which presents a mixture of traditional Georgian church architecture. Afterwards visit Golden Treasury of Georgian National Museum on Rustaveli Avenue. The Museum houses various archeological collections. Some of artifacts are dating back to 40 million years. Continue the tour from Meteckhi plateau and visit Metekhi Church of 13th c. overlooking Mktvari river. Nearby the church stands the monument of king Vakhtang I Gorgosali (Vakhtang the Wolf Head) who established the city of Tbilisi – the capital of Easter Georgia. Continue to Narikala fortress by cable car and enjoy views of the city from the top. The fortress was built first built in 4th c. AD. Stroll down to the old city and visit Tbilisi Mosque, Legutakhevi (Fig ravine) waterfall and take a walk towards Sulfur bathehouse district – one of the oldest districts in Tbilisi. Walk on Maidan square. Sharden and Erekle II streets. Lots of cafes and pubs, souvenir shops and art galleries are located here. Sioni Cathedral the former seat of patriarch, also stands here. The Cathedral was built in 6th – 7th cc. Continue to Anchiskhati basilica, which is the oldest church in Tbilisi dating from 7th c.
After the excursion dinner in authentic restaurant with entertaining program – Georgian polyphonic singing, folk dances and music.
Overnight in Tbilisi hotel.
Breakfast in the hotel. Hotel check out. 9:00 drive to Kakheti – Georgia’s wine producing province.
Arrive to vineyards. Meet the owner of the vineyards, have some instruction on grapes harvesting and participate in harvesting.
After the grapes harvesting drive to owner’s house and participate in vine pressing and wine making process.
Lunch in Georgian family where the hospitable owner will treat you with traditional Georgian wine and shashlyk (barbeque meet) while the housewife will serve home food: khachapuri, eggplants with wall nut, cheese, djonjoli, bread, salads and etc..
After the dinner we will take part in preparing vine alcohol – chacha, in the meanwhile others can take part in making home bread in special oven – tona.
Later we go to Signagi. Hotel check in. Night in Signagi Hotel.
9:00 After breakfast head to Velistsikhe village with one of the oldest wine cellars in Kakheti dating back to 16th c. During the excursion in the museum you’ll find antique exhibits connected to the wine making process in traditional Georgian vessel of Qvevri. After excursion enjoy wine-tasting in Velistsikhe wine-cellar.
Next site to see is Nekresi (7th c.) – one of the largest monastery complexes in Kakheti region.
Excursion in Kakheti winery and wine cellar. Lunch in Wine house. Taste Traditional Georgian wine and cha-cha. Wine House produces wines according Georgian technologies, it has traditional Georgian wine cellar – marani.
After the lunch take a trip to Gremi – royal citadel of 16th century Kakheti kingdom and Church of Achangels (16-17 cc.).
Our next highlight is Alaverdi Cathedral (9 c.) it is one of the biggest churches after Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi and one of the most worshiped in Kakheti region. It has well preserved frescoes dating back to 15th century.
Visit Tsinandali to see the house-museum of Kakheti nobleman Alexander Chavchavadze 19th c. Have excursion at the residence, English-French garden and wine cellar.
Arrive to Signagi. Dinner in Signagi restaurant. Overnight in Signaghi hotel.
After the breakfast check out from the hotel and go for a walk in Sighnagi – a small town, surrounded with 18th c. defensive structures. Visit Sighnaghi ethnography museum, where you find exhibits found on archeological sites and on the second floor there is the permanent exhibition of the famous artist of the late 19th – early 20th century, Niko Pirosmanashvili often known simply as Niko Pirosmani.
After the excursion we will go to a small restaurant where the owner and the chef will carry out master classes on preparing Georgian dishes: lobiani (hot dish prepared from beans), eggplant with wall nuts, khachapuri (flatbread with cheese inside), and Georgian desert – churchkhela. Traditional Kakheti wines tasting: 3 sorts of red and white wines and one sort of chacha. Lunch to taste the food prepared at the master class.
Visit Bodbe Nunnery of 9th c. – a functioning nunnery and a place where St. Nino (Georgian female evangelist) relics are shrine.
Trip to Tbilisi. Hotel check in. Night in the hotel in Tbilisi.
9:00 after breakfast in the hotel start to Kazbegi tour. We will be travelling along the Georgian Military Road from Tbilisi and stop at the 16th century Ananuri Fortress located by the Aragvi River.
Continue the tour to Cross Pass, to enjoy breathtaking views of the mountains and Aragvi River. Drive to Stepantsminda village located at the foot of Kazbegi. Mount Kazbegi is 5033 m high and provides spectacular views over the surrounding landscapes.
Lunch in Rooms Hotel restaurant.
On the slope of the mountain, discover the ancient 12th-century Gergeti Triniti Church and the 5th – century cave of Bethlehem.
Trip back to Tbilisi.
After breakfast drive to Mtskheta, one of the oldest Georgian cities, which was a capital of Eastern Georgia up to the 5th c. then the court was moved to Tbilisi. Archeologists discovered remains of the city dating back to 1000 year BC.
Mtskheta is a popular tourist destination as it contains two of the UNESCO World Heritage sites – Svetitskhoveli Cathedral of 12th c. and Jvari monastery of 6th c. Both of the sites represent true masterpiece of different styles of Georgian church architecture.
Visit the museum and house of Joseph Stalin, located in Gori town, where Stalin was born. The museum presents items related to Soviet leader’s life.
Continue to Uplistsikhe, an ancient village, located near Gori. Uplistsikhe is a rock-cut town approximately covering 8 ha., can be divided into 3 parts, the middle one is the largest and connected to the other two with passes and tunnels. The complex contains structures dating back to Early Iron Age.
Drive back to Tbilisi. Night in the hotel in Tbilisi.
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out until 12:00 pm. End of service.
