Caucasus First Impressions

Day 1: Yerevan
Arrival in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Private transfer to the hotel and accommodation for 4 nights, with breakfast.


DAY 2: YEREVAN
After breakfast, half-day tour of the city center. It includes lunch at a local restaurant.

Touristic places to visit:

• The main attractions: Republic Square; Cascada, a giant staircase made of limestone and Abovyan, a famous bohemian street;
• Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, commonly called Matenadaran, one of the richest repositories of ancient manuscripts and documents in the world, where 17,000 ancient manuscripts are preserved;
• Cafesjian Center for the Arts: Yerevan art museum, with the best of contemporary art;
• Tsitsernakaberd: known as the force of the little swallows, it is a monument dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide;

Return to the hotel and free afternoon for independent activities (not included).

In the evening, welcome dinner with typical Armenian music.


DAY 3: YEREVAN - ECHMIADZIN - ZVARTNOTS - YEREVAN
After breakfast, visit the Echmiadzin Monastery, built in 303, and the ruins of the Zvarnots Cathedral, representing an extraordinary work of Armenian church architecture. Next, visit the Ararat Brandy factory, where the world-renowned Armenian brandy is produced. Weather permitting, visit the Vernissage market (open only on weekends).

Lunch at a local restaurant, including cooking class.

Return to the hotel in Yerevan.


Day 4: YEREVAN - GARNÍ - GEGHARD - YEREVAN
Breakfast at the hotel and trip to the Kotoyak region, to visit the Geghard monastery, one of the most mysterious and partially excavated in an adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. At the monastery, possibility to attend a vocal concert.

Then, visit the Garni Temple, built in the 1st century by King Tiridates I of Armenia. It includes lunch at a local house and the preparation of typical Armenian lavash bread.

Return to the hotel in Yerevan.


Day 5: YEREVAN - SEVÁN - DILIJAN - HAGHPAT - TBILISI
After breakfast, drive to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Along the way, visit Lake Seván, the largest lake in the Caucasus region, and the Sevanavanq Monastery, located on the peninsula on the northwestern shore of the lake.

Before crossing the border, visit the Hagphat Monastery, considered one of the most important educational centers of medieval times. It includes lunch at a local restaurant.

At the Sadakhlo border point with Georgia, immigration procedures, change of guide and vehicle. Continuation of the trip to Tbilisi for accommodation for 2 nights, with breakfast.

In the evening, dinner at a restaurant with a typical dance show. Then a brief stroll to see the illuminated city.

Suggested optional activity (not included):

• Boat trip on Lake Seván, with an approximate duration of 1 hour.

DAY 6: Tbilisi
Breakfast at the hotel and tour of the city of Tbilisi. Founded in the 5th century, the city is a cultural mix with different nationalities. The city, which was dominated by merchants, warriors, tyrants, and dictators, is today a modern city, with museums and theaters, art galleries, churches, archaeological excavations, and sulfur baths. It includes lunch at a local restaurant.

Touristic places to visit:

• Passage through Rustaveli Avenue, the city's main artery and the meeting place for many Georgians, famous for its emblematic buildings.
• Narikhala (4th-18th century): the main citadel that defended Tbilisi from invasion. Cable car ride and walk through the Abanotubai neighborhood (weather permitting to reach Fortaleza).
• Banotubani: the sulfur baths district and the place that gave rise to the founding of the capital of Tbilisi.
• Walk along Erekle II and Sharden streets, a place full of bars and a meeting place for many Georgians.
• Peace Bridge, with panoramic views of the city.
• Anchiskhati Basilica and its bell tower (6th to 18th centuries), one of the oldest churches in Tbilisi.
• Visit to an open-air market where, in addition to local handicrafts, you can find curious items from the Soviet era.

Suggested optional activity (not included):

• Visit to a sulphurous bathing site. Including massage and tasting of local fruit tea.

DAY 7: TIBILISI/BAKU
After breakfast, transfer to the airport and board Baku, Azerbaijan. Upon arrival in Baku, transfer to the hotel for accommodation for 3 nights, with breakfast.

Then, tour the historic part of Baku, which is comprised of narrow alleys and winding passages surrounded by the walls of the medieval Icheri Sheher fortress (15th-17th century). The vast majority of the area is closed to traffic and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000. There are old mosques, bathhouses, caravanserai (type of hotel establishment) and medieval markets.

Touristic places to visit:

• Palace of the Shahs of Xirvão (15th century);
• The Maiden's Tower (12th century) on Meidan Square;

Return to the hotel and welcome dinner with a typical show. Then a short stroll to see the illuminated city.


DAY 8: BAKU - ATESHGAH - BAKU
After breakfast, tour to the Absheron Peninsula and visit the temple of fire worshipers.

Return to Baku and a short tour of the city. It includes lunch at a local restaurant.

Touristic places to visit:

• The Ateshgah temple (17th-18th centuries), located in Surakhani, is dedicated to fire devotees. The historical roots of this monument go back to the days when the state of Azerbaijan was being established and when the teachings of the prophet Zarathustra and fire rituals were practiced seeking protection against adversity and oppression.
• Heydar Aliev Cultural Center.
• Fountain Square, famous for being the shopping center.

Suggested optional activity (not included):

• Visit to the Nobel Brothers Museum, with tasting of typical Caspian sturgeon caviar and champagne.

DAY 9: BAKU
Breakfast at the hotel and trip to the Gobustán Nature Reserve, where another UNESCO heritage site is located: the Gobustán museum.

Touristic places to visit:

• Gobustan State Reserve: rich in archaeological monuments, the reserve has more than 600,000 rock paintings depicting primitive men, animals, battle, ritual dances, bullfights, boats with paddlers, warriors with spears in their hands, camel caravans, images of the sun and stars, which date back an average of 5 to 20 thousand years ago.
• Mud volcanoes, whose highest concentration is in Gobustan;
• Carpet Museum, located in a very curious building with the shape of a rolled carpet.

Return to the hotel and free afternoon for independent activities (not included).


Day 10: BAKU
After breakfast, transfer to Baku airport.