7-Day Spring and Autumn Tour in Georgia

Day 1: Arrival and Tbilisi Old Town

Route: Tbilisi International Airport – Tbilisi
Overnight: Tbilisi
Meals: Welcome dinner

Meet your driver at Tbilisi International Airport and transfer to your hotel. The first day’s schedule will be adjusted to your arrival time.

Begin with a guided walk through Tbilisi’s historic centre. Visit Metekhi Plateau for views across the Mtkvari River, continue to the sulfur bath district of Abanotubani and walk through the narrow streets of the Old Town. A cable-car ride to Narikala Fortress can be included for a wider view of the city.

In the evening, have dinner at a local restaurant and try a selection of Georgian dishes with local wine. A private sulfur-bath session can be arranged separately.

Day 2: Mtskheta, Uplistsikhe and Borjomi

Route: Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Gori – Uplistsikhe – Borjomi
Overnight: Borjomi
Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Leave Tbilisi for Mtskheta, Georgia’s ancient capital. Visit the sixth-century Jvari Monastery and the eleventh-century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Both form part of the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Continue toward Gori. An optional visit to the Stalin Museum can be added for travellers interested in Soviet history. The main stop is Uplistsikhe, an ancient rock-cut settlement above the Mtkvari River. Walk through its carved halls, streets, wine cellars and places of worship while learning how the site changed from the pre-Christian period through the Middle Ages.

Arrive in Borjomi in the afternoon. Walk through Borjomi Central Park and taste the town’s mineral water at the public spring.

Day 3: Vardzia, Khertvisi and Rabati Castle

Route: Borjomi – Vardzia – Khertvisi – Akhaltsikhe
Overnight: Akhaltsikhe
Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Travel through the valleys of Samtskhe-Javakheti to Vardzia. This extensive twelfth-century cave complex was developed during the reigns of King George III and Queen Tamar. Explore its passages, chambers, wine cellars and the Church of the Dormition, which preserves important medieval frescoes.

On the return route, stop at Khertvisi Fortress, positioned above the confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani rivers. Continue to Akhaltsikhe and visit the restored Rabati Castle complex, where Georgian, Ottoman and other regional influences can be seen within the same fortified site.

Dinner introduces the distinctive food of the Meskheti region.

Day 4: Akhaltsikhe to Sighnaghi

Route: Akhaltsikhe – Borjomi – Tbilisi – Sighnaghi
Overnight: Sighnaghi
Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Travel east through Borjomi and Tbilisi before continuing into Kakheti, Georgia’s principal wine-producing region. This is the longest transfer day, with regular stops along the route.

Arrive in Sighnaghi in the late afternoon. Walk through the compact historic centre and visit an accessible section of the town’s eighteenth-century defensive wall. The viewpoints above the Alazani Valley offer clear views toward the Greater Caucasus in suitable weather.

Spend the evening in Sighnaghi and have dinner at a local guesthouse or restaurant.

Day 5: Sighnaghi, Kakhetian Wineries and Tsinandali

Route: Sighnaghi – Velistsikhe – Tsinandali – Telavi
Overnight: Telavi area
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Start with a visit to Sighnaghi Museum, whose collection covers the archaeology, history and art of eastern Georgia, including works by Niko Pirosmani.

Continue with a tasting at Pheasant’s Tears or another established Sighnaghi wine producer. Learn how qvevri wines differ from wines made using European-style methods and taste local grape varieties such as Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Kisi or Mtsvane, depending on the current selection.

In Velistsikhe, visit a family wine cellar for a more informal introduction to village winemaking and have lunch with local dishes. The day continues at Tsinandali Estate, the former home of the Chavchavadze family. Tour the museum, landscaped park and historic wine cellar before travelling to the Telavi area.

Winery visits depend on opening hours and availability. If necessary, a listed producer may be replaced with a winery of a similar standard while preserving the included tasting program.

Day 6: Gremi, Nekresi, Ikalto and Telavi

Route: Telavi – Gremi – Nekresi – Ikalto – Telavi
Overnight: Telavi area
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and farewell dinner

Visit Gremi, the sixteenth-century royal citadel that once served as the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti. Continue to Nekresi Monastery, set on a wooded slope above the Alazani Valley. Access to the monastery is usually by local shuttle followed by a short walk.

At Ikalto, explore the remains of a medieval academy, churches and historic winemaking structures. The site provides a useful link between Kakheti’s religious history, education and long-established wine culture.

Return to Telavi for lunch and an introduction to chacha, Georgia’s traditional grape spirit. In the evening, finish the tour with a Georgian supra dinner led by a tamada, with regional dishes, wine and traditional toasts.

Day 7: Ujarma and Return to Tbilisi

Route: Telavi – Gombori Pass – Ujarma – Tbilisi International Airport
Meals: Breakfast

Leave Telavi and cross Gombori Pass on the return journey to Tbilisi. Stop at Ujarma Fortress, a historic stronghold associated with King Vakhtang Gorgasali and positioned above the Iori River valley.

Arrive in Tbilisi in the early afternoon. Depending on your flight time, enjoy free time for lunch, shopping or a final walk before transferring to Tbilisi International Airport.