Georgia · Archaeology

4-Day History and Archaeology Tour in Tbilisi and Dmanisi

4 Days Round trip from Metekhi Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Visit the National Museum of Georgia named after S. Janashia
02 See the reconstructed models of the first Europeans at the Dmanisi Archaeological Museum
03 Learn about Georgia's past at the Open-air Ethnographic Museum
04 Explore the famous cognac plant, D. Sarajishvili
05 Marvel at the ancient Metekhi Temple

Explore Tbilisi and Dmanisi on a 4-day journey through Georgia's history, archaeology, and culture. Discover the landmarks of Old Tbilisi, ride a cable car to Narikala Fortress, and visit the Open-air Ethnographic Museum of Georgian folk architecture. Travel to the Dmanisi Archaeological Museum to see reconstructed models of the first Europeans, Mzia and Zezva, and continue with visits to the National Museum of Georgia and the famous D. Sarajishvili cognac factory.

Here, you will be able to inspect objects found during archaeological excavations in Dmanisi, including reconstructed models of the first Europeans, Mzia and Zezva.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Tbilisi, Dmanisi

Languages English, Russian

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival and Old Tbilisi Discovery

Meet your tour guide upon arrival.
Begin your tour of the historical part of the city and get acquainted with the main sights of Old Tbilisi. Visit the Metekhi Temple.
Take a cable car to Narikala Fortress. On the way down, continue to the historic bathhouse district with the existing grey baths, and visit the Karvasla Museum (Caravan Shed), Sioni Temple, and Anchiskhati Basilica.
Visit Tsminda Sameba, the Church of the Holy Trinity, and walk along 18th-century David Agmashenebeli Avenue.

Day 02

Ethnographic Museum, Bread House and Theatre

Start the day with a visit to the Open-air Ethnographic Museum of Georgian folk architecture, located 3 km southwest of Tbilisi on Turtle Lake. This is one of the most visited museums in Georgia and includes more than a hundred exhibits in its collection.
Visit the Georgian Bread House, where you will have a unique opportunity to see how the famous Georgian bread, puri, is baked. You will also learn to prepare it yourself.
The next stop is Mount Mtatsminda, where you will visit the pantheon of Georgian writers and prominent figures, including the grave of A. Griboedov and his wife N. Chavchavadze.
Finish the day at the theatre named after Griboyedov. Russian theatre in Georgia dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. The theatre actively tours and successfully participates in international theatre festivals both nearby and abroad, and has been a leader among the theatres of Georgia in terms of the number of touring performances.

Day 03

Dmanisi Archaeology and Bolnisi Heritage

Visit the Dmanisi Archaeological Museum. Here, you will be able to inspect objects found during archaeological excavations in Dmanisi, including reconstructed models of the first Europeans, Mzia and Zezva. The Dmanisi Museum is the first of its kind in Georgia. Visitors can observe archaeological work, become possible participants in new findings, and receive the latest information on scientific discoveries.
Continue to Tanzania, an ancient village in the Bolnisi region. It was once the residence of the owners of Kvemo Kartli. Here, you will visit the museum.

Day 04

Didgori, National Museum and Cognac Factory

See the site of the Didgori battle.
Visit the National Museum of Georgia named after S. Janashia. The museum includes several buildings, where the world's largest collection of Urartian inscriptions from the 1st millennium BC and the bones of hominids inhabiting Dmanisi are represented.
Explore the famous cognac plant, D. Sarajishvili, where one of the best cognacs in the world is produced. During the tasting, you will learn the secret of the cognac aroma. Today, this technique is the hallmark of Georgian artists. Here, you will also have a unique opportunity to see and try to make unique jewellery yourself.

Where this trip takes you

Metekhi Church, Narikala, Tbilisi Open Air Museum of Ethnography, Dmanisi Archaeological Museum

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Metekhi 2 cities · 4 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

All transport services during the tour
Excursion service by a qualified Georgian tour guide
One bottle of mineral water per person per day (0.5 ml)

What's Not Included

Entrance fees to museums
Lunch and other personal expenses

Know before you go

Open-air Ethnographic Museum of Georgian folk architecture: The unique feature of this museum is that it is a kind of Georgian village, where every house and manor reflects different eras of Georgian history. In addition to the houses themselves, their interior decoration is also of interest. You can see household items and furniture, traditional clothes, embroidery, various home decorations characteristic of each region, and a collection of weapons.
Dmanisi city: Dmanisi is the remains of a large city that once existed at the confluence of the Mashavera and Moshevani rivers. The city was built in the 6th century. There are two interesting religious and historical monuments on the territory of the settlement: remnants of fortifications and the Dmanisi Zion Temple, built in the 7th century. During excavations on the territory of the fortress city, fascinating artifacts were found, which now call into question the very theory of the evolution of mankind.
Dmanisi Museum: The Dmanisi Archaeological Museum is an important cultural heritage monument, the scientific study of which began in the first half of the 20th century. The museum is located on the site of archaeological excavations, where cultural layers of three epochs are simultaneously represented: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Middle Ages.
Museum of Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani: Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani was the spiritual father of the royal palace, the ambassador to Europe, a Georgian writer, lexicographer, translator, diplomat, and famous public figure. This museum was founded in 1984, and its collections and exhibition halls contain materials that reflect secular and spiritual life. Artistic manuscripts of his works, printed books, and other items are displayed on the stands.
Didgori battle: A battle that took place on August 12, 1121, between the troops of the Georgian kingdom and the Seljuk army. The battle led to the defeat of the Seljuk army and the liberation of Tbilisi, which became the capital of the country. From that moment began the "Golden Age" of Georgian history. An annual festival known as Didgoroba is held in memory of the battle.

Logistics