9 Days Magic Turkey Georgia Combined Tour

(Breakfast included) Our journey begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Today we discover the Byzantine and Ottoman treasures of Istanbul. We visit Hippodrome and the Obelisk brought from Egypt. Then our next visit is the Blue Mosque with its six minarets. Visit St. Sophia. This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time. Afternoon we will visit the Topkapi Palace, which was the residence of the Ottoman sultans, with its fabulous treasure chambers. Lunch break at 13:00 pm. After the lunch, Murtis Tour will take you to the Grand Spice Bazaar, which is a unique atmosphere with reasonable prices for your shopping. Here you will find; Exotic Spices and Herbs, Turkish Baklava, Turkish Delights, Turkish Coffee, nuts and fruits, small souvenirs such as Ceramic Handicrafts, Evil Eyes totems, all naturel olive oil, soaps and many other goods in Souvenir Shops and stores. After the tour, transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul. Please Note: Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays, Topkapi Palace closed on TUesdays. If your tour is on one of these days, we would offer you to visit Underground Cistern instead of Hagia Sophia and Topkapi palace museum.

(Breakfast included) Af After breakfast between 08:00 am and 09:30 am pick ups from hotel. Your tour consultant will give you final timing one day before. BOSPHORUS BY BOAT; a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shore lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion, you will see the magnificent sights of the following attractions from your boat. See Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of its marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists, gather every sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries. RUMELI FORTRESS (view from boat), Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul was completed in only four months to control and protect the infamous Bosporus passage. It is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere in the world. BEYLERBEYI PALACE (view from boat), is the summer residence of Ottoman sultans exists in its original renovated glory featuring original antique furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian side of Istanbul. Lunch break at the Turkish restaurant. After the lunch we will then take you to the GRAND COVERED BAZAAR In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as hand painted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and meerschaum pipes. After the tour transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

(Breakfast included) After breakfast, check out from the hotel and depart by international flight to Georgia. Upon arrival Tbilisi, meet with our local representative and you will be escorted to your hotel room which is booked for immediate occupancy and rest up for your first day of adventure. After a short break, we shall start our tour. The Georgian Art Museum houses the best-known samples of Georgian artwork. Different collections of the Museum preserve approximately sixty thousand objects. The Museum is distinguished for its Georgian goldsmith pieces dated back to the VIII-XIX Centuries. The most significant exhibits are the icon of Zarzma Monastery, the Chalice of Bedia, Anchistkhati and Khakhuli Triptychs, Processional Liturgical Crosses etc. Tbilisi Open Air Museum exposes 14 ethnographic zones. Each of them presents the particular historic-ethnographic area of Georgia. Together with the architectural monuments the museum exposes ethnographic materials - different kinds of tools, textile and ceramics. The museum also exposes the V-VI c. basilica of Sioni, as well as a rich collection of the gravestones in relief. Overview of the city, excursions in the old part of Tbilisi; the 4th century Narikala Fortress, an ancient citadel on a steep hill overlooking the city; Metekhi Church (13th c.) - the grave of St. Shushanik the Christian martyr is within the church. Sioni - the cathedral of the 6th-7th cc; sulphur baths - a favorite place of Tbilisi citizens and foreign guests. At the end of the tour, transfer back to your hotel. If you want, you can try sulphur bath with massage to relax yourself. Overnight in Tbilisi.

(Breakfast included) After breakfast, pick up from your hotel and we shall start our tour today. Firstly, we will visit to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (XI c.) where the largest ecclesiastical construction extant in the country. Jvari Monastery (VI c) is a symbol of Mtskheta; and we will visit to Ananuri Fortress. Through Military Highway arrival to Kazbegi. Walk up (1.30-hour trekking) Gergeti Sameba (Trynity) Church, enjoy a pleasant view of Mount Kazbeg (5000). For those who don't wish to trek there will be waiting a car (4X4) to drive up the hill. At last we will drive to Gudauri. Overnight in Gudauri.

(Breakfast included) Today Murti's Tour will lead you to visit Stalin Museum. The museum has three sections, all located in the town's central square. It was officially dedicated to Stalin in 1957. With the downfall of the Soviet Union and independence movement of Georgia, the museum closed in 1989, but has since been reopened, and is a popular tourist attraction. On our way back to Tbilisi, we will have a stop in Uplistsikhe, it is the cave town is situated seven km (4,3 miles) southeast of Gori on the left bank of river Mtkvari and still amazes the visitors by its dimensions, extraordinary position, refined forms and the beauty of decors. You will find huge echoing halls, long meandering corridoreets, chambers for pagan worship and even the remains of Georgia's oldest theatre there, and will be impressed by the skill, knowledge, experience and physical and spiritual power of all those, who created this unique monument. Afterwards, we will continue drive back to Tbilisi. Upon arrival, we will transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the evening is leisure. If you want, you can attend the folk theatre Nabadi which is completely different and almost unique with its essence presents new style performance. The long history of Georgia, the country being a crossroad between Europe and Asia is shown in traditional and modern forms of expression, sense of rhythm, folk dances and songs. During the performance you will be treated with a glass of wine and sweets made of grape juice and nuts (Churchxela, Tatara). Overnight in Tbilisi.

(Breakfast included) After enjoying your breakfast at hotel, TravelShop Booking will pick you up and we proceed to visit David Gareja Monastery, the cave town complex (the cradle of Georgian Christian activity of early and medieval period), where monks live and work. It is situated deep in semi-desert about 75 km south-east of Tbilisi. The Monasteries were founded in the 6th century by the Christian Father St. David. Walk up to Udabno to explore some of the fine frescos of the 8th-13th c. and cave architecture. The complex includes hundreds of cells, churches, chapels, refectories and living quarters hollowed out of the rock face. The area is also home to protected animal species and evidence of some of the oldest human habitations in the region. Then we will head to visit Ikalto Academy (XII - XIII cc) and Tsinandali. A visit to Chavchvadze's Palace, the residence of the poet and public figure, Kakhetian prince of the 18th c. A. Chavchavadze, English park and the wine cellar (XIXc.) where you will taste wines. Afterwards, we will depart for Signagi. It is one of the country's smallest towns with a population of 2,146 as of the 2002 census. Sighnaghi's economy is dominated by production of wine and traditional carpets. The town and its environs are also known for their landscapes and historical monuments. Sighnaghi has recently undergone a fundamental reconstruction program and has become an important centre of Georgia's tourist industry. In Signagi you are invited to taste Georgian wines, learn about old Georgian wine making traditions and listen to Georgian folk songs. Overnight in Signagi.

(Breakfastincluded) Today, after the breakfast and before we drive back to Tbilisi, Murti's Tour would like to take an educational tour about this place where is noted of its architecture of the 18th century and beautiful landscape. The Alazani Valley and the Caucasus seen from here, according sun shining, foggy and other factors of the weather constantly change their coloring. The town is surrounded with 4-kilometer-long stonewall. Also we will visit to Bodbe Monastery, where St. Nino is buried. Afterwards, we will continue drive back to Tbilisi. Upon arrival, we will transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the evening is leisure. If you want, you can join the excursion to attend the folk theatre Nabadi which is completely different and almost unique with its essence presents new style performance. The long history of Georgia, the country being a crossroad between Europe and Asia is shown in traditional and modern forms of expression, sense of rhythm, folk dances and songs. During the performance you will be treated with a glass of wine and sweets made of grape juice and nuts (Churchxela, Tatara). Overnight in Tbilisi.

(Breakfast included) Today is the end of the tour; it is time to say goodbye and farwell to you. In line with your flight departure time, we will arrange your transfer to airport for your international flight back home. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we would like to see you in future in one of our tours again. Have a nice trip back home and thanks for choosing TravelShop Booking.