A Taste Of Georgia - Tbilisi To The Caucasus Mountains

The trip starts today in Tbilisi, the cosmopolitan capital of Georgia where both the old and new districts capture the imagination with their eclectic mix of architectural styles. There are no activities planned for today and you are free to arrive at any time although please note that your hotel room may not be available until after 2pm. Complimentary airport transfers are provided to all customers arriving both today (day 1), and on day 2, into Tbilisi International Airport (TBS), which is around forty five minutes drive from our hotel. As many flights don't arrive into Tbilisi until late tonight or the early hours of tomorrow morning, your tour leader does not plan to hold the welcome meeting until after breakfast tomorrow (day 2). Check the hotel reception for a notice with exact timings. If you arrive with time to explore, our hotel is centrally located and you may like to head out on foot across the river for a wander in the cobbled streets of Old Tbilisi and your first taste of Georgian cuisine and wine at one of the city's many restaurants. Tbilisi has a lively dining nightlife scene, a far cry from the days of the Soviet era.

Your tour leader will hold a welcome meeting this morning at our hotel after breakfast covering what to expect over the coming week. Following this we'll head out to explore Tbilisi on a walking tour, starting our visit at the 13th century Church of Metekhi, sited imposingly on a cliff overlooking the Mktvari River that bisects the city. Crossing the Metekhi Bridge, we take the cable car up to the Narikala Fortress for a great bird's-eye view over the city before heading down to the famous brick-domed Sulphur baths of the Abanotubani district. Continuing through the narrow lanes of Old Tbilisi we pass colourful houses with painted wooden balconies, and stop off to enjoy a coffee and cake in one of the local cafes. Along our way we'll see the Great Synagogue, Medieval Sioni Cathedral and Anchiskhati Church. Arriving in the newer part of the city we stroll along Tbilisi's main street, Rustaveli Avenue, with its many grand buildings. This is also the location of our first culinary experience of the holiday - a khachapuri 'masterclass'. Khachapuri is a much-loved traditional Georgian cheese-filled bread, popular both in restaurants and as a street food. It is considered by many to be Georgia's national dish and the Gastronomic Association of Georgia have even assigned 27th February to be National Khachapuri Day! The bread is leavened, allowed to rise, then moulded into various shapes before being filled with a mixture of cheese, and other ingredients. The shape of the khachapuri and additional fillings varies regionally. For example the Adjarian khachapuri is boat shaped with cheese, butter and an egg yolk in the middle, while the Gurian has chopped boiled eggs inside and looks like a crescent-shaped calzone. At our masterclass we'll observe the khachapuri being made and sample an array of regional variations. Khachapuri are commonly pared with a glass of Lagidze water, a soft drink made with soda water and natural fruit and herb flavoured syrups. It is named after its inventor Mitrofan Laghidze, a pharmacist's apprentice in the late 19th century, who wanted to find a natural alternative to the imported lemonade essences used at the time. Popular flavours include tarragon, lemon and chocolate.

This morning we leave Tbilisi and head east to Kakheti, Georgia's wine region. Georgia is one of the oldest wine growing regions in the world, having been producing wine for over 8000 years. We drive through stunning countryside with mountain views. Our first stop is at the tiny fortified town Signaghi, where we'll have time to explore. We then head to Kvareli to spend time with a local family and have a hands-on lesson in making Georgian bread and churchkhela, traditional Georgian sweets that look a bit like candles. Churchkhela are made with grape juice that's heated in large copper cauldrons to remove impurities before being thickened with flour. Shelled nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds being most typical) are stung onto threads which are dipped into the cooled grape mixture until coated to the desired thickness, then hung up to dry in the sun. We'll enjoy a traditional mstvadi lunch with our hosts. Mtsvadi is a traditional Georgian barbecue dish consisting of a skewered shish kebab. Ground pork, mutton, or veal is typically marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, pomegranate juice, tarragon, salt, pepper, and chopped onions, so that it remains tender and juicy when grilled. Prepared outdoors over an open fire, it's usually accompanied by tkemali plum sauce, raw onion rings, sliced tomatoes, and pomegranate seeds. In the afternoon we'll visit a local master craftsman who will show us how qvevri are made. Qvevri are large amphora-like earthenware vessels, that have been used in the traditional Georgian wine-making process for thousands of years. The qvevri are buried underground and the entire wine making process takes place within the qvevri, from fermentation right through to maturation, with the fermenting grape juice often being left on the skins and even grape stems to create wines of exceptional flavour, complexity and colour. After a full day of activity we head to our hotel in Telavi, a small market town in the foothills of the Tsiv-Gombori mountain range.