You will be picked up from your hotel at 10:00 AM and will travel to Mtskheta, the previous capital of Georgia. Mtskheta is an ancient town of extraordinary importance to the Georgian nation and is located about 20 km out of Tbilisi. It was the capital of the Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD. It was also the site of Georgia’s adoption of Christianity in 334 and remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Mtskheta is of primary interest to any travellers interested in Georgian history or Orthodox Christianity. During the tour, you will see Svetitskhoveli Orthodox Cathedral, located in the historic town and built in the 11th century. Walk in the old city, and visit Djvari Monastery, built in the 6th century. You have the opportunity to take photos with a very beautiful view of Mtskheta.
At 1:30 PM, you will visit Gori Town where the Joseph Stalin Museum is located. Joseph Stalin’s Museum was established in 1951 as a local history museum but clearly intended to become a memorial to Stalin, who died in 1953. The main building of the complex is a large palace in Stalinist Gothic style. The exhibition is divided into six halls in roughly chronological order and contains many items actually or allegedly owned by Stalin. There is also much illustration by way of documentation, photographs, paintings and newspaper articles.
At 4:00 PM, visit Uplistsikhe Town, an ancient rock-hewn town in Eastern Georgia, some 62 miles west of Tbilisi. Uplistsikhe is identified by archaeologists as one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia. The central part of Uplistsikhe is the largest and contains a bulk of the Uplistsikhe rock-cut structures. Narrow alleys and sometimes staircases radiate from the central street to the different structures. End your day trip with a return to your hotel at 7:30 PM.
