Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia Short Break Tour

This day you will have a tour around Baku Old City. You will visit the legendary Zoroastrian Maiden Tower of the V century. Then you will walk to the old bazaar. The entire old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and during the city tour you will visit the oldest Multani Caravanserai, the Haji Banu Hamam of the 15th century, the Juma Mosque (Friday Mosque), as well as the Shirvanshahs’ Palace (the most striking example of the medieval palace structures in Azerbaijan, dating to the middle of 15th century), antique carpet shops and museum. The tour will continue to the Upland Park of Baku where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the city and bay of Baku. Then you will head to Martyr’s Line or Alley of Martyrs formerly the Kirov Park, where is a cemetery and memorial dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January. You will be also impressed by the modern district with the three Flame Towers near the Upland Park, overlooking the city. They look as if they have been thrown from heavens into the city by some fabulous giants. The next place to visit is Baku Boulevard. You will have a walk along Baku Boulevard, the second longest one in Europe. You can get a boat and make 30 minutes trip along Baku Bay. During Baku Bay Cruise, you will enjoy splendid panoramic views of Baku from the sea while learning about Baku and its history. After the boat trip, you will visit the Carpet Museum. It demonstrates carpets in close connection with other kinds of traditional handicrafts of Azerbaijan. Once you finish Baku Boulevard tour, you will head to Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center. An internationally recognized architectural marvel, Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center displays a curved modern style.

After breakfast you will head to Diri Baba Mausoleum in Maraza village. The tour will continue to Shamakhi city where you will visit Juma Mosque of Shamakhi. Further you will head to Tufandag Mountain, where you will ride a cable car. Next stop will be at Gabala Lake, where you can ride a non-powered boat. Gabala Lake is a gem, half-natural, half man-made. You will explore Gabala – the ancient capital of Azerbaijan. This veritable melting pot of culture and tradition is a joy to explore. Whilst traveling through Gabala in the north of Azerbaijan you will take the time to experience a small but significant part of the religious tolerance within the country. First, you will visit the Church of the Udi, near Gabala, in the village of Nij. This small church is special. It belongs to the native people of the Caucasus – the Udi people. There are only a few thousand Udi people in the world today and the majority, approx. 4.000, live in this area in Azerbaijan. Today they practice Orthodox Christianity and you will be welcomed with their kindness to see their church, renovated and used. You will then head to the village of Chukhur Gabala, home to interesting ruins from its time as the former capital of Caucasian Albania. During the tour, the guide will explain interesting facts about the history, cultural heritage of Gabala. Then you will get acquainted with the Gabala Archeology Center. The three-storey building of the Gabala Archeology Center has a showroom, an archeological collection, a restoration lab, a conference hall and study rooms for archeologists. So here, you can see the exhibition features about 1,500 items discovered during excavation. Head to Sheki for rest and overnight.

In the morning you will have a Sheki City Tour. You will visit the Upper Town, the magnificent Palace of Sheki Khans and the Craft Museum. Built in 1797 as a summer residence for Muhammad Hasan Khan, the Palace of Sheki Khans is a masterpiece of lavish decoration. Both the exterior and interior decorations of the palace embody the architectural glamor of the ancient Sheki Khanate. Continue to the Museum of carpets (there are various big rooms with pottery, silk embroidery, and national costumes, jewelry) Shebeke craft workshop, Sheki Bazaar, and the local sweet bakery. We advise you to try the famous Sheki sweet baklava – the pride of the Sheki population. Next you will head to Azerbaijan-Georgia border and pass the customs (please note that there is around a kilometer to walk from the Azerbaijani customs to the Georgian customs). After passing the customs you will meet your Georgian guide and head to Telavi for rest and overnight.

After breakfast you will explore the region of Kakheti – the main wine making region of Georgia. In a local winery you will have a tour and tasting of Georgian traditional local wine. A pleasant time is waiting for you in Sighnaghi – a royal town founded by the king Erekle II in the 18th century. Strolling around the tiny streets you will enjoy the local architecture and atmosphere. Head to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.

After breakfast you will head to Mtskheta which was the first capital of Georgia from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD. The town is considered the religious center of Georgia. Your excursion will start with the visit to the Cathedral of the 11th century – Svetitskhoveli. The next stop is Jvari Temple located at the top of the hill, it offers a fascinating view of the confluence of two rivers Kura and Aragvi. After your return to Tbilisi you will have a city tour including an in depth exploration of the old town, cable car trip to Narikala Fortress, a visit to the Bridge of Peace and Armenian Church, Jewish Synagogue and Turkish Mosque.

After breakfast, you will have a transfer to the Georgian-Armenian (Sadakhlo) border. Your pleasant trip to Armenia will start after passing the customs. First stop will be in Tavush region where you will have visits to the medieval monasteries of Goshavank and Haghartsin. The region is also home to the cozy resort town of Dilijan known for its arts and crafts as well as picturesque lush nature and healing air. The trip will continue to Gegharkunik Province, which is best known for its amazing Lake Sevan. It is one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world located at an altitude of 1900 meters above the sea level. In the evening you will be in Yerevan.

This day you will explore the ancient capital of Armenia, Yerevan, which was founded in 782 B.C. Armenians are proud that Yerevan is 29 years older than Rome. During the city tour you will walk around the center of the city and visit the Cascade, Opera and Ballet Theater, Mashtots Avenue, and the Republic Square. The tour also includes a visit to Matenadaran Museum, a repository of one of the richest manuscript collections in the world. The trip will continue to the Genocide Memorial – a solemn reminder of the first genocide of the 20th century.

A short morning drive will take you to Echmiadzin town – the religious center of all Armenians around the world. Here – after the adoption of Christianity in 301 AD – was built the first Christian temple in the world – Echmiadzin Cathedral. It is the seat of the Supreme Patriarch of the Catholicos of all Armenians. The cathedral keeps an important religious relic – the Holy Lance spear. In 2000 Echmiadzin Cathedral was listed as an UNESCO site. You’ll see the ruins of Zvartnots temple (7th century, UNESCO World Heritage Site), which was a miracle of its time. This day you will also have a 1-hour drive to the Canyon of Azat River. Our destination is Geghard Monastery. This unique monastery is carved into nearby rocks and the surrounding cliffs compose a great part of it. In 2000 it became a UNESCO heritage site. The trip leads us to Garni village, well known for its Garni temple – the only surviving example of Hellenistic architecture in the region.

The day will start with a trip to Ararat Province where it proudly stands one of the holiest sites in Armenia – Khor Virap Monastery. You will hike up a small hill to discover the monastery and enjoy the breathtaking view on Biblical Mount Ararat. The tour will continue through a narrow canyon to the valley of red rocks, right where Noravank Monastery is located – built in the 13th century it is a masterpiece of Armenian architect Momik. On the territory of the monastery, amazing khachkars are scattered all around – crosstones designed by Momik.

Transfer to the airport, departure.