Signature Tbilisi and Istanbul

Highlights

• Spend three nights in Tbilisi, where old churches, colourful balconies, wine bars and the streets around the Old Town sit within easy reach.
• Travel beyond the capital on a small-group tour to Mtskheta and Jvari Monastery, with views over the meeting point of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers and time in one of Georgia’s oldest cities.
• See Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, a UNESCO-listed landmark at the heart of Mtskheta and one of Georgia’s most important religious sites.
• Continue to Istanbul for three nights, giving you time to experience a city that stretches across Europe and Asia.
• Explore the old city with a guide, taking in the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar, with time around Hagia Sophia.
• Keep a free day in Istanbul for the places you want to see next, whether that is a Bosphorus cruise, the cafés and shops around Galata or crossing to the Asian side.

Tbilisi

Tbilisi is a city to explore on foot, where old stone churches, carved wooden balconies and narrow streets sit alongside wine bars, cafés and contemporary restaurants. Start around the Old Town, walk across the Bridge of Peace, then head towards Rike Park or take the cable car up towards Narikala Fortress for views across the rooftops. In the evening, try khinkali dumplings, khachapuri filled with cheese and a glass of Georgian wine.

Beyond the Georgian capital

One of the reasons this trip works so well is that you get out of Tbilisi too. Head to Jvari Monastery, set high above the rivers outside Mtskheta, before continuing into the old Georgian capital itself. Walk through its streets, visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and, if you want to add more to the day, look into a local wine tasting to learn about Georgia’s qvevri tradition of making wine in large clay vessels.

Istanbul

Istanbul brings a completely different setting for the second half of the trip. Spend the morning among the domes and minarets of Sultanahmet, then lose an hour or two inside the Grand Bazaar before heading towards the Bosphorus. On your free day, take a ferry across the water, wander through Galata and Karaköy, or stop for Turkish coffee and something sweet before dinner.

Evenings by the Bosphorus

Leave some room for Istanbul after dark. Head towards the waterfront for dinner, find a rooftop with views across the city or take an evening cruise to see the mosques, palaces and bridges lit from the water. It is a fitting finish after Tbilisi, giving you another city with centuries of history but a completely different atmosphere.

Terms and Conditions

Economy flights from Dublin to Tbilisi via Istanbul, departing 10-04-2027, with 40kg checked baggage per person. Three nights in Tbilisi in a Standard Double or Twin Room with breakfast, including a small-group tour of the Chronicles of Georgia, Jvari Monastery and Mtskheta. Flight from Tbilisi to Istanbul, followed by three nights in Istanbul in a Standard King Room with breakfast and a guided small-group tour covering the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia area and Grand Bazaar. Return flight from Istanbul to Dublin and airport transfers are included. Based on two adults.

6 nights from €1,650 per person