Sometimes, simply strolling the streets isn’t enough to experience a country. Considering this, I decided to take a cultural tour to Georgia, Armenia, and Iran to gain a fresh perspective on these countries. Given that the region is one of the oldest in the world, it was interesting to discover cultures that have lasted for thousands of years.
My big thanks to Arara Tour Agency for organizing such a well-planned cultural trip. We received excellent service throughout the whole tour and felt every detail was well-thought-out. We had a smooth, enjoyable, and memorable experience.
The tour started from Tbilisi, Georgia where we visited Metekhi, the historic quarter with an iconic Assumption Church standing tall. We continued our journey to the iconic Bridge of Peace. This is a striking modern landmark of the capital, the most visited spot, situated in the center of the city.
During the day we also had a chance to take the cable car heading to Narikala Fortress. This fortress is a well-known symbol of Tbilisi and is situated on a hill offering a panoramic city view. After exploring this fortress, we went down on foot to explore the Old Town, the sulfuric bath complex (XVII-XIX cc.), Meidani Square, a prestigious Chardin Street, and then continued our tour to Sioni Church.
Our cultural discovery trip led us to the North to discover the cultural and religious center of Georgia. This small and colorful town is called Mtskheta which was the first capital of Georgia from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD.
We explored the 11-century-Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Jvari Temple, offering a breathtaking site of the Kura and Aragvi River intersection. After the tour in Mtskheta, we headed to Gori to visit the cave town of Uplistsikhe, carved in the rock.
During this cultural trip to Georgia, we had a chance to visit the beautiful castle complex of Ananuri Fortress, and a popular ski resort Gudauri offering its services in any season. After rest, we went to Stepantsminda village to please our eyes with stunning nature and the outstanding view of Gergeti Trinity Church (14th century). During the day, we also managed to visit Dariali Gorge, the Church of Transfiguration, and then drive back to Tbilisi.
The next day was nothing short of magical. It was the day of wine! By the way, it seems to me the best option to combine the cultural and gastronomic tours. It gives a profound insight into the country’s heritage, its cuisine, and local people who are creators of these traditions.
We headed to Kakheti which is the main winemaking region of Georgia. We had a pleasant time in Telavi, then visited the unique wine cellar dating back to the 11th century, called Alaverdi Monastery. In Tsinandali village, we had a tour around the residence of Alexander Chavchavadze who was a popular public figure in Georgia.
Our following visit took us to Armenia, the first Christian country in the world. We started from Yerevan, the ancient capital of Armenia. Before reaching the city, we admired the lush, green landscapes and breathed the fresh air of a small town Dilijan, which is sometimes compared with Switzerland.
The first day in Armenia was memorable as we had a one-hour drive to Geghard Monastery, a site under UNESCO protection. This outstanding monastery is carved into the natural rock, imbued with mystery from the depths of the centuries. We also visited the Garni Temple, which is the only surviving example of Hellenistic architecture in the region. Back in Yerevan, we had a pleasant city tour along Cascade Complex, the building of the Opera and Ballet Theatre after A. Spendiarian, Republic Square, and more. Also, we paid a visit to the Museum of History of Armenia and Matenadaran which is a one-of-a-kind repository of ancient manuscripts. We had a chance at the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide, carried out by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. We finalized the day with tasty brandy degustations in the Ararat Brandy Factory and headed to our hotels to have a rest.
New day supposes new discoveries! The city of Etchmiadzin, a renowned one for being a religious center, is home to Echmiadzin Cathedral (UNESCO object), St. Gayane, St. Hripsime, and St. Shoghakat churches, as well as a museum-treasury. If you’re a religious person, you’ll find this museum super-fantastic, as it houses the spear that pierced the body of Christ during His crucifixion, fragments of Noah’s Ark, the cross on which Christ was crucified, and many other Christian relics. On the way back we visited the ruins of the temple of Zvartnots (under UNESCO protection).
The next day we had a trip to the southern part of Armenia. The journey was long but scenic. Before reaching Goris, a town with red-roofed houses, we paid a well-worth-it visit to the remarkable Noravank Monastery, explored its history, and tried exquisite local wine in Areni village. Our last stop Goris is close to the longest cable car ride in the world, Tatev Wings, holding the Guinness Record, and overlooking the exceptional and majestic Tatev Monastery.
Early in the morning, we headed to Tabriz, Iran. After reaching the Iranian city, we had a rest and slept with the greatest cultural expectations. We started the day by exploring Tabriz, quite a big city. During the tour, we admired the square artificial lake of El-Goli Park, the high-rise Tabriz Pars Hotel offering a stunning panorama, the Blue Mosque, and the big bazaar with oriental sweets. An internal flight from Tabriz to Tehran, the Iranian capital, was waiting for us in the evening.
We started the day with the Tehran city tour visiting the Golestan Palace, the National Museum, National Jewelry Museum. The latter holds a superb collection of Safavids and other dynasties. The tour also included the Milad and Azadi towers and a walk around the modern Ab–Atash. After completing this long tour, we flew to Shiraaz to have a cultural sightseeing tour. This trip included the Iranian Nasir-al-Mulk Mosque and Narenjestan Palace. During the city tour, we had a chance to admire the beauty of Shiraz from the Koran gates. A pleasant walk in the Eram Garden will make you feel like in a fairy tale with its oriental architecture and beautiful look!
Heading to the 3rd largest city of the country, Isfahan, and visiting ruins of Persepolis and Pasargad ancient cities which have been important centers throughout thousands-year-old Iranian history.
Isfahan is famous for its bridges, especially Si-O-Si-Pole, the longest one. We then had an excursion to Nakhsh-e-Jakhan Square and Ali Gapu Palace built by Abbas Shakh in XVII.
The last day in Iran was remarkable as we visited numerous sites (just like in the previous days), including Jame mosque, Minaret Jonban, Chekhel Sotun Palace, and Khasht Bekhesht Palace. The most capturing part of this day tour was the visit to the Armenian Vank Church, one of the most marvelous Armenian churches in the whole world.
This day was the last day of our cultural trip to these three beautiful, ancient, and rich cultural heritage countries. The highlights and cultural discoveries made during this luxury tour in Armenia, Georgia and Iran brought me closer to this region.