Tbilisi: Mtskheta & Jvari UNESCO Sites, Wine Tasting

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1/12

Duration5h

GroupUp to 50

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two UNESCO Sites & Georgia's Ancient Capital in One Morning

You visit two UNESCO-listed monasteries—Jvari from the sixth century and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in the ancient capital Mtskheta—plus the carved stone monument Chronicles of Georgia, all in five hours with a knowledgeable guide. Hotel pickup is included if your group is four or more; otherwise you meet at a central landmark. Wine tasting is optional but worth adding if you want to taste Georgian wine without arranging it separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tbilisi to Mtskheta and back

Meet at Bicycle Monument 8:45AM
Drive 30 minutes to Jvari Monastery
Visit Jvari Monastery
Free time in Mtskheta for 1 hour
Visit Chronicles of Georgia
Return to Tbilisi at 14:00

The Experience

You've just landed in Tbilisi or you're staying nearby with a free afternoon—either way, you're standing in front of the Bicycle Monument near Radisson Blu Iveria at 8:45am, or your hotel lobby at 8:15 if you're in a group of four or more. A guide in a red scarf meets you there. Thirty minutes later, the van pulls up to Jvari Monastery, a sixth-century stone structure perched on a rocky mountaintop where two rivers meet below. It's called the Monastery of the Cross, and from up there you can see why the monks chose this spot—the view drops straight down to Mtskheta, the ancient capital that sits in the valley like it's been waiting for you to arrive.

Mtskheta itself is where you spend the next hour or so, and it's smaller and quieter than you'd expect for a place that was the coronation and burial ground for Georgian kings until the 1800s. The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral dominates the town center—it's the second-largest church building in Georgia, and locals will tell you it holds Christ's mantle. You're free to walk around, duck into the cathedral if you want, grab lunch at one of the small restaurants, or sit with a glass of wine at one of the tasting spots scattered through the old streets. The guide doesn't rush you; they're there to answer questions, not to herd.

On the drive back toward Tbilisi, you stop at the Chronicles of Georgia, a monument that most visitors miss entirely. It's thirty meters of carved stone pillars designed in 1985 by artist Zurab Tsereteli, and it overlooks the Tbilisi Sea—a reservoir that catches light in a way that makes the whole landscape shift. The carvings tell Georgia's history in stone: kings, saints, battles, moments. It's the kind of place where you stand for a while without talking. If you've selected wine tasting as an add-on, that happens somewhere along the route—Georgian wine, not the stuff you know from elsewhere, and the guide will explain what you're tasting instead of letting it be a blank experience. By 2pm you're back in Tbilisi, and the whole morning has the feeling of something you didn't have to organize yourself.

What’s included

Air-conditioned vehicle with experienced guide, visits to Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, time to explore the ancient capital, stop at the Chronicles of Georgia monument overlooking Tbilisi Sea, and hotel pickup if your group is four or more. Wine tasting, sweets tasting, and churchkela tasting are optional add-ons available when you book.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Budget Friendly Tours FZE LLC

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see Georgia's oldest sites and the ancient capital without arranging transport or timing yourself—the fixed schedule and included guide handle all three stops in one morning, leaving your afternoon free.