Treasures of the South Caucasus

Itinerary

• Days 1-5: Baku (Azerbaijan), Gobustan, Shemakha, Sheki
  

  The journey begins in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital and a bustling business center for the Caspian oil industry. Wander the narrow stone streets of the UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town, stroll modern Fountain Square, and admire the dramatically lit Flame Towers skyscrapers. Make a visit to the UNESCO-listed petroglyphs of Gobustan, and on the following days travel to the towns of Shemahka, former capital of the Shirvan Khanate and home to Azerbaijan’s largest mosque, and Sheki, where the historic center and Khan’s Palace are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • The winding streets, mosques, and tiny shops of Baku’s walled Old Town
  • The swooping architecture of Baku’s Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, designed by famed Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid
  • Permanent Azeri Carpet exhibition at the Heydar Aliyev Center, as well as special rotating exhibits
  • Gobustan’s petroglyphs, providing a surprisingly rich portrait of daily life in ancient times
  • Shemakha’s Juma Mosque, Azerbaijan’s largest, built on the site of what once was its oldest mosque
  • Sheki’s mosaic-covered Khan’s Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site
• Days 6-7: Signagi (Georgia), Ananuri, Gudauri, Kazbegi
  

  Cross the border into Georgia and enter the region of Kakheti, Georgia’s wine country. Take a walking tour of the vineyards of Pheasant’s Tears Winery, which uses traditional methods and organic grapes to produce some of the country’s most esteemed wines. Continue to the charming town of Signagi to experience Georgia’s exceptional cuisine and hospitality at a “Georgian Table” feast.

  Then ascend into the heart of the Caucasus Mountains to Kazbegi along the scenic Georgian Military Highway, built in the early 19th century and still the main road through the region. Visit the 17th century Ananuri Fortress Complex; the Church of Tsminda Sameba (the Holy Trinity), situated at the foot of one of the Caucasus’s highest peaks, Mt. Kazbek; and Gudauri, the highest village on the highway.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Touring and tasting at Pheasant’s Tears Winery
  • The narrow streets and intricate wooden balconies of the hill town of Signagi
  • A Georgian Table feast, accompanied by a performance of traditional songs in a centuries-old, distinctly Georgian polyphonic style
  • Ananuri Fortress and neighboring Zhinvali Reservoir, which together make one of Georgia’s prettiest settings
  • The remote 14th century Church of Tsminda Sameba, silhouetted against towering mountain peaks
  • Fresh mountain air and exceptional views at the alpine village of Gudauri
• Days 8-10: Mtskheta, Gori, Tbilisi
  

  Head out to hip, picturesque Tbilisi, making stops along the way at UNESCO-listed Mtskheta, capital of the ancient eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia and Gori, the childhood hometown of notorious Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

  Soak in Tbilisi, the country’s capital and by far its largest city, where pleasures include wandering the narrow streets of the red-roofed Old Town; a stroll down broad Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi’s main thoroughfare; and a funicular trip into the surrounding hills to see the 4th century Narikala Fortress and the towering Mother Georgia monument.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • UNESCO-listed Mtskheta’s two exceptional early Orthodox churches
  • The Stalin House Museum, located in the wooden hut where the Soviet ruler spent his first years
  • Landmarks in and around Tbilisi, including the 4th century Narikala Fortress, the hillside Mother Georgia Monument, and the colorful Old Town
• Days 11-15: Yerevan (Armenia), Lake Sevan, Dilijan, Khor Virap, Garni, Geghard, Echmiadzin
  

  Next stop, Armenia, the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion. The capital of Yerevan – a city older than Rome – is the base for day trips to some of the country’s most fascinating sights: the pagan Temple of Garni; UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery, carved into the side of a mountain; Echmiadzin, seat of the Christian Armenian Patriarch and another UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the little monastery of Khor Virap, which has fantastic views of Mt. Ararat.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Yerevan’s Cascade – a massive, magisterial staircase in the center of the city adorned with waterfalls and a world-class sculpture garden
  • Lake Sevan, one of the world’s largest Alpine lakes and a summer resort popular with locals
  • A live a cappella concert at the pagan Temple of Garni, situated on a cliff and built from huge basalt blocks
  • The intricately carved, distinctly Armenian khachkar stone crosses of Geghard Monastery
  • The Cathedral at Echmiadzin, a major pilgrimage site dating from the 4th century
  • The view of looming, snow-capped Mt. Ararat from Khor Virap