Worldwide brochure 2022-2023

EUROPE • ARMENIA & GEORGIA
Armenia & Georgia:
Treasures of the Caucasus
Duration • 11 days & 10 nights
Category • Standard
Expert-led group tour • From £2,895 (incl. flights)
History • Art • Archaeology
Tour overview
Explore the spectacular highland
countries of Armenia and Georgia,
the world’s oldest Christian nations,
with experts Dr William Taylor or
Rowena Loverance. Both countries
contain a treasure trove of ancient ruins,
churches and monasteries together with
centuries-old folk traditions. Europe
meets Asia in this spectacular and
historic region of the Caucasus, where
visitors will find a friendly welcome,
excellent food and wine, and varied
landscapes.
Signature Experiences
Visit awe-inspiring medieval
monasteries
Private guided visit by a senior
curator at the Georgia Museum of Art
Exclusive visits to monasteries and
meetings with local religious leaders
All meals included
Expert lecturers
Dr William Taylor, an
expert in Ottoman and
Orthodox studies, is
also an Anglican priest
and Chairman of the
Anglican and Eastern
Churches. His personal
contacts guarantee special access to many
monasteries and churches. He has worked
in Jordan, Cairo and Turkey, and travelled
in the Middle East and Central Asia.
Rowena Loverance is a
Byzantine art historian,
specialising in sculpture,
mosaics and icons. She
worked for more than
20 years at the British
Museum and is a visiting
research fellow at King’s College, London.
Day 1: Fly to Yerevan, via Kiev
Fly from London (regional connections
available) to Yerevan, via Kiev, with Ukraine
International Airlines. Arrive and transfer to the
Metropol Hotel (or similar) for 4 nights. (N)
Day 2: Yerevan
Take a full-day tour of Yerevan with visits
including the Matenadaran – the repository
of ancient Armenian manuscripts – and
Erebuni Fortress, where you meet a local
expert (subject to confirmation). Continue to
Tsitsernakaberd, a memorial and museum
dedicated to the Armenian genocide of 1915,
with its picturesque views over the city. Next,
visit the National Art Gallery, which contains
some excellent examples of medieval frescoes
and Armenian and European art. (B, L, D)
Day 3: Etchmiadzin
Drive west to visit the UNESCO World Heritage
Site of Etchmiadzin (now called Vagharshapat),
the spiritual centre of the Armenian-Gregorian
Church, and take a private behind-the-scenes
tour of the monastic complex. Visit a fine
example of Armenian architecture at the St
Hripsime Church before visiting Etchmiadzin
Cathedral, the oldest state-built cathedral
in the world, dating back to the early fourth
century. Inside the cathedral is the reputed
Holy Lance that pierced Christ’s side during his
crucifixion. End the day at the seventh-century
ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral. (B, L, D)
Day 4: Garni • Geghard
Drive east of Yerevan to visit the temple of
Garni, a classical Hellenistic temple that is the
best-known structure and symbol of pre-
Christian Armenia. Nearby is the medieval
monastery of Geghard, partially carved out
of the adjacent mountain and surrounded by
cliffs. (B, L, D)
Lake Sevan, Armenia
Day 5: Lake Sevan & monasteries • Tbilisi
Cross the border to Georgia, stopping en route
to see Lake Sevan and the UNESCO-protected
monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin, unique
for their 10th-century architectural styles.
Proceed to Tbilisi and stay 2 nights at the
Museum Hotel (or similar). (B, L, D)
Day 6: Tbilisi
Today's full-day tour of Tbilisi includes a cable
car ride to fourth-century Narikala Fortress,
which occupies a scenic spot overlooking the
city; and the fifth-century Metekhi Church, an
unusual cross-cupola church which became
an infamous prison during the Soviet era.
Visit the State Museum, home to hundreds of
Caucasian icons and metalwork dating from
the Bronze Age to the 20th century. Spend
the remainder of the afternoon at the Georgia
Museum of Art on a private guided visit, led by
a senior curator. (B, L, D)
Day 7: Mtskheta • Gori • Kutaisi
Drive north-west to the UNESCO World
Heritage Site of Mtskheta. Lying at the
confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers,
the city was the place where Christianity was
proclaimed as the official religion of Georgia in
337 AD. Continue to the church of Jvari nearby,
then to Gori, birthplace of Joseph Stalin. Visit
the intriguing Stalin Museum, which features
numerous personal artefacts, including Stalin’s
notorious armour-plated railway carriage.
Drive to Kutaisi and spend 1 night at the
Bagrati Hotel (or similar). (B, L, D)
Day 8: Bagrati • Gelati • Ubisa • Tbilisi
This morning, visit Bagrati Cathedral, which
occupies a prominent position over Kutaisi.
Continue to the Gelati monastery complex,
built by the former king of Georgia, David IV
the Builder. This UNESCO World Heritage Site
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