Arrive in Tbilisi on suggested flights and make your way to the hotel. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including travel insurance (a condition of travel), private hotel transfers, pre- or post-tour accommodation and a room category upgrade.

At 18:00, join your tour leader Mairi Nicolson and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing at the hotel, followed by dinner.

(D)

This morning, enjoy a private, guided walking tour of Tbilisi’s cobblestoned old town whose diverse architecture reflects a complex history with periods under Persian and Russian rule. Tbilisi was founded in the 5th century CE and has since served as the capital of various Georgian kingdoms and republics.

Stroll through the Old City to see the old mosque, Orbeliani Baths and synagogue, and take the cable car to Narikala Fortress, built in the 4th century, for a panoramic view of the city. See also the distinctive glass Bridge of Peace and Freedom Square before sitting down for lunch at a local restaurant.

The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax or to further explore Tbilisi at your own pace.

(BL)

Begin the day with a talk by Mairi on the coming days’ performances, then visit the National Museum of Georgia to see its exquisite treasures. The museum houses an extensive collection of artefacts from the Caucasus’ archaeological and ethnographic antiquity.

Afterwards, explore the Art Museum of Georgia with a focus on Georgian art, including the works of the renowned late 19th-century primitivist painter, Niko Pirosmani.

Enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant before the rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure.

(BL)

After breakfast, depart Tbilisi for Tsinandali, stopping enroute for a wine tasting and lunch at Mosmieri Winery. Founded by a German-Georgian viticulture team, this winery is a fine example of Georgia’s boutique wine scene with beautiful vineyards and courtyard gardens.

In the late afternoon, arrive at Tsinandali, a historical estate located in the heart of the wine-producing Kakheti region and once the residence of Georgian nobility. Check in to the hotel and enjoy some time at leisure before tonight’s performance.

This evening, attend the opening concert of the Tsinandali Festival featuring the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra conducted by Gianandrea Noseda along with Georgian violinist sensation Lisa Batiashvili.

PROGRAM:
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade, Op. 35
Alfred Schnittke – Violin Concerto No. 1

(BL)

Tsinandali Festival
Since its launch in 2019, the Tsinandali Festival has become a major annual celebration of classical music, held at the historic Tsinandali Estate in Georgia’s celebrated Kakheti region. The festival attracts leading international artists, including Sir András Schiff, Joshua Bell and Mischa Maisky, for a distinguished program of symphonic and chamber music, set against a backdrop of architectural heritage, vineyard landscapes and renowned Georgian hospitality.

Following a morning talk by Mairi, drive to Alaverdi and visit the 11th-century fortified Cathedral of St George, the tallest cathedral in Georgia. Continue to the ancient town of Telavi, the capital of the Kakheti Kingdom until 1801, for a cheese tasting and lunch at a charming family-owned establishment.

This evening, attend an intimate chamber music concert, featuring violinists Pinchas Zukerman and Sayaka Shoji, viola virtuoso Ori Kam, Canadian cellist Amanda Forsyth and Armenian-American pianist Sergei Babayan.

PROGRAM:
Felix Mendelssohn – Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49
Johannes Brahms – Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34

After the performance, enjoy a late supper at the hotel.

(BLD)

This morning, stroll through the leafy Tsinandali Park to the Chavchavadze Palace Museum for a guided tour of this historical estate, fashioned into a cultural and intellectual centre of the country by Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, the founder of Georgian romanticism.

Later, attend a concert by the renowned Schumann Quartet (program to be announced).

This evening, attend a special performance by the Sukhishvili National Ballet of Georgia, the first professional state dance company in Georgia founded in 1945, standing as a national treasure. Ballet holds immense significance in Georgia, serving as a vibrant pillar of national identity and a major source of international prestige.

(BL)

Start the day with a talk by Mairi before a performance featuring violinist Lisa Batiashvili, violist Giorgi Mardaleishvili and young Georgian pianists Giorgi Gigashvili and Sandro Nebieridze (program to be announced).

Afterwards, enjoy lunch at the hotel and the remainder of the afternoon at leisure to relax.

This evening, delight in a concert by the remarkable Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, alongside internationally-acclaimed violinist Pinchas Zukerman.

PROGRAM:
Ludwig van Beethoven – Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61
Modest Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition (adapted by Maurice Ravel)

(BL)

Today, attend a matinee concert by renowned Canadian virtuoso pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin (program to be announced).

The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to relax or perhaps further explore Telavi and its bustling agricultural market.

In the evening, enjoy an early dinner at the hotel, before hearing Armenian-American pianist Sergei Babayan in recital (program to be announced).

(BD)

Check out of the hotel and begin a dramatic ascent to the majestic Caucasus mountains, at the intersection of Asia and Europe. Stop at Ananuri to visit its impressive fortress complex on the Aragvi River. The castle was the seat of the Dukes of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th-century and was the scene of numerous battles.

Arrive at the foothills of Mount Kazbegi high up in the Caucasus mountains in the late afternoon.

Check into the hotel and enjoy some time at leisure before dinner.

(BD)

After breakfast, drive up to the picturesque 14th-century Gergeti Trinity Church (weather permitting), perched on top of a steep mountain looking up to Mount Kazbegi. The church is an active establishment of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church and its isolated location surrounded by the vastness of nature has made it a symbol for Georgia.

Afterwards, return to the hotel and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure to take advantage of the hotel’s spa facilities and spectacular mountain setting.

Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local family restaurant with the opportunity to observe the making of khinkali, traditional Georgian dumplings.

(BD)

Today, descend the Georgian Military Highway towards Mtskheta, the ancient capital and religious centre of Georgia and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Visit the 11th-century fortified Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and enjoy a Georgian church choir performance.

Arrive in Tbilisi in the late afternoon and check into the hotel.

This evening, enjoy a special farewell dinner with Mairi and fellow travellers at one of Tbilisi’s finest traditional Georgian-style restaurants.

(BLD)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast.

For those returning home today, make your way to Tbilisi Airport for suggested flights to Australia or New Zealand. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private airport transfer, additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)