Gastronomic Tour

04 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by caucasustbilisi in Gastronomic Tour Tags: , , , ,

Gastronomic Tour

Day 1: Arrival in the capital of Georgia Tbilisi. Meet your guide at the airport and transfer to hotel. After having a rest you will be taken to a small restaurant “At Zurab’s”. Here you will taste Georgian cuisine. Before dinner, the restaurant owner will give a master class in cooking khinkali. They say that the more “wrinkles” khinkali have, the more professional they are cooked. You will learn to cook khinkali of meat, mushrooms, potatoes and Georgian suluguni cheese. The recipe you will get at the end of your tour. Whoever is not interested in cooking, can try two kinds of wine made by the owner of the restaurant. Dinner will be held in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The owner of the restaurant Zurab will be your tamada (toastmaster). What a feast without a Georgian song? Here you will find a surprise… After dinner, walk through the city.

Khinkali

Day 2: In the morning first visit Tbilisi sulfur baths. Arab sages considered them among “Wonders of the World”. Sulfuric water that heats in the bowels of the earth will rejuvenate you. For an additional fee you will be able to order a bath attendant (mekise – as it is called here). He will make you an amazing massage that will cost you $ 10. After the bath you will walk along the Old Tbilisi district with its narrow streets and carved balconies. One of those little streets leads to Narikala Fortress. The fort was built here even before the foundation of Tbilisi. Here you will visit the Church of St. Nicholas. On the way back you will cross Tbilisi Shiite Mosque. This is a unique mosque – only here Sunnis and Shiites can pray together.

Narikala fortress

                                                                                                              

Sulfur Baths district – Abanotubani

Walk along Chardin Street; visit Sioni Cathedral (7th century), where the holy relics of Apostle Thomas are kept. Walk along Leselidze Street, where you will find many souvenir shops. After dinner you will be taken to Holy Trinity Cathedral “Sameba”. It’s not just the largest cathedral in Georgia, but the whole complex consisting of 13 churches.

Peace Bridge (Tbilisi)                                                                                                    Holy Trinity Cathedral (Tbilisi)

Next visit you will pay to the Pantheon of Eminent Public People of Georgia, which is located on Mount Mtatsminda (Holy Mountain). Here is buried the great Russian writer Alexander Griboyedov and his wife, a Georgian princess Nino Chavchavadze. Transfer to the restaurant “At Zurab’s”, where you will have a master class in preparing Georgian khachapuri. Those who are not interested in cooking can taste Georgian chacha. Move to a hotel.

Day 3: In the morning you will visit Tbilisi Winery “Bagrationi 1882”. Inspect the plant and learn how they make famous sparkling wine. Here you will taste several types of sparkling wine. Move to the ancient capital of Georgia Mtskheta. They say that this city was built by Mtshetos, son of Kartlos (sixth generation after Moses.) You will climb to Jvari Monastery, where from you can see the whole city stretched from the confluence of the Aragvi and the Mtkvari Rivers. Next stop is Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The robe of Jesus Christ in which he was crucified and the shroud of Elijah Predictor are kept in this church. Move to the “People’s restaurant”. Here you will try Georgian dish called lobio (boiled beans with spicy seasoning) in clay pots and kebab with wine of the Alazani Valley. After lunch you will visit Samtavro Nunnery. Return to Tbilisi. Free time.


       

Jvari

Mtckheta

Day 4: Drive to Gori city where you will visit the House-Museum of Josef Stalin and his railway carriage. Next stop will be in Surami village. Here you will see Surami Fortress. The walls of the fortress are wet all year round, but never freeze. Why? Your guide will explain you. In the forest you will stop for a picnic. You also will be taught how to make barbeque. Next visit you will pay to Borjomi. In Borjomi Park you will taste the genuine “Borjomi” straight from the spring. You will get a chance to walk in the park and climb to Borjomi Plateau. Ride the Ferris Wheel and go back to Tbilisi. Dinner.Mtskheta    

                                                                                                      

Borjomi

Day 5: This day you will spend in Kakheti – home of winemaking. In Georgia there are about 500 species of vines, 70 per cent of them grow in Kakheti. First of all you will visit Bodbe Monastery. The first church here was built in the IV century, during the life of St. Nino. Here she is buried. Go down to the sacred spring; its appearance is also associated with the name of a saint. They say those who plunge into this spring three times will cure of all diseases.

Bodbe Monastery

Next stop is in the beautiful city of Sighnaghi. This is the only city in Georgia surrounded by a fortress wall. Walk through the city.

 

Sighnaghi

Move to Gurjaani. Here you will visit “Gurjaani Wine House” and participate in cooking barbecue and Georgian bread called lavash.

Gurjaani Wine House

You’ll also be able to take a part in the producing of chacha (grape vodka) and Georgian sweet “churchkhela”.

Churchkhela

You will try red and white wines that are bottled only in 1700-1800 bottles, and participate in real Kakhetian feast with toastmaster. For extra charge you can enjoy Georgian polyphonic singing by ensemble “Gurjaani”. Return to Tbilisi.

Day 6: Free time. Transfer to the airport. Return home.
TOUR FEES:

250 euros per person for groups of 15 people (2* hotel or guesthouse).

285 euros per person for groups of 10 people (2* hotel or guesthouse);

570 euros per person for groups of 2 people (2* hotel or guesthouse);

390 euros per person for groups of 4 people (2* hotel or guesthouse);

295 euros per person for groups of 15 people (3* hotel);

325 euros per person for groups of 10 people (3* hotel);

630 euros per person for groups of 2 people (3* hotel);

430 euros per person for groups of 4 people (3* hotel);

The price includes:

• Accommodation in Tbilisi;

• Meals:

Day 1: Dinner, master class, wine tasting;

Day 2: Breakfast, dinner, master class, wine and chacha tasting;

Day 3: Breakfast, lunch;

Day 4: Breakfast, picnic in the woods, master class;

Day 5: Breakfast, master class, lunch and dinner, wine and chacha tasting;

Day 6: Breakfast.
• Visit to the factory of sparkling wines “Bagrationi 1882” and tasting;

• Visit to “Gurjaani Wine House”;

• Visit to sulfur baths;

• Visit to the House-Museum of Stalin;

• All entrance fees;

• Guide service on the route;

• Transfer of the whole route.
Extra Charges:

• Accommodation in 4* and 5* hotels;

• Airline tickets;

• Bath attendant service in sulfur baths;

• Performance of the folklore ensemble “Gurjaani”.

Contact Us

+995 55 78 64 37      ,             +995 95 56 38 56

e-mail – caucasustbilisi@gmail.com
geomoderntour@gmail.com