Cultural Highlights of the Caucasus

Once a crucial trading hub on the Silk Road route, Azerbaijan’s capital curls around the Caspian Sea. Baku is a beguiling blend of medieval history and modern architecture. The city is best explored on foot. Dive into bazaars selling perfumes and intricately woven carpets in the shadows of futuristic buildings like Flame Towers, a trio of skyscrapers.

Its historic walled city, Icherisheher, is dominated by the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, built between the 12th and 15th centuries. You’ll spend time unlocking the history of its mosques, tombs and palatial bath house with a private guide. Wander the narrow passageways, passing limestone buildings and homes with wooden balconies. 

A must visit during your stay is the Maiden Tower, thought to date to the sixth century BC. This defining symbol of the city houses a small museum and is topped by a platform for views out to sea.

Your journey heads northwest to Georgia, where you’ll spend a few days exploring the capital, Tbilisi. At its heart is Old Tbilisi, the historic centre, whose cobblestoned lanes meander down from hilltop Narikala, a reconstructed fourth-century fortress.

During bespoke, in-depth tours, you’ll unlock stories of the city’s culture and heritage. See historic buildings and monuments in granular detail. And meet local artists to learn more about the dynamic creative scene.

The city is a hub of Georgia’s culinary scene, with influences from Europe and Asia. Visit cafes or food stalls to try khachapuri, a bread filled with egg and cheese. Taste natural wines at Warehouse, a wine shop in the landmark Stamba Hotel, and enjoy specialities like khinkali (soup dumplings) and grilled meats or mtsvadi.

Heading north, you’ll enter Kazbegi National Park – high in the Caucasus Mountains. The air thins and the scenery opens up here, with trails up to peaks and through alpine valleys with meadows, gorges and mineral lakes.

You’ll spend the next few days walking through these inspiring landscapes. Take a guided forest hike to Dariali Gorge and Gvleti Waterfall, passing the ruins of stone monuments and surrounded by mountains. The cascade rushes to a heart-shaped pool known as the ‘lake of love’. Follow trails in the Truso Valley, a dramatic landscape of narrow canyons, abandoned stone villages and rust-red travertine formations. 

You’ll also get an authentic taste of local life. Have lunch with a family in the cliffside village of Tsdo. Your host will give you a tour of the area and their house before you help to prepare khinkali, or meat dumplings.

With winemaking traditions dating back millennia, Kakheti is known as the ‘cradle of wine’. Archaeologists have unearthed qvevri  – egg-shaped clay vessels in which wine was fermented and stored – dating from the seventh century BC. During your time here, you’ll learn more about the history of this wine region, and visit vineyards and wineries still employing ancient techniques.

The vast majority of Georgia’s wines are produced here, and you’ll have ample opportunities to taste them. Sample speciality natural and amber wines and be guided through perfect food pairings. Visit pretty villages and towns surrounded by the vineyards of the Alazani Valley and descend into cellars for exclusive tours, tasting wine straight from the qvevri.

On a stopover in Tbilisi, you’ll have free time to wander. Ride the funicular railway to mountaintop Mtatsminda Park, the highest point. Its amusement park has carousels and a Ferris wheel with views across the city.

On Rustveli Avenue, Tbilisi’s main thoroughfare, architectural highlights include the Parliament of Georgia, Opera House and Kashveti Church. Browse galleries and souvenir stores, and stop in cafés in tree-filled squares.

In Old Tbilisi, see Kartlis Deda or ‘Mother of Georgia’, an imposing aluminium statue of a woman in traditional dress, and walk around the red-brick domes of 17th-century bathhouses, delving beneath to soak in the sulphur springs.

Your Caucasus route dips south to Dilijan. The mountain town, in northern Armenia, lies within Dilijan National Park. Its evergreen forests, meadows and gorges have earned the area the nickname ‘Little Switzerland’. Famed for spa resorts, it makes a luxurious base for exploring the verdant surroundings and nearby monasteries.

It’s also a hub of traditional Armenian crafts, with a rich heritage of carpet weaving, pottery, jewellery making and intricate woodwork. Visit the Old Dilijan Complex, a reconstructed 19th-century quarter with artisan workshops. You can see masters at work and browse pieces to take home, or take a hands-on workshop.

Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, was founded in the eighth century BC – and its layered, complex history is tangible in its ancient artifacts and Soviet-era architecture. Republic Square is the heart of the city, with neoclassical government buildings and musical fountains. Here, the History Museum has fascinating archaeological finds including a shoe dated to the fourth century BC.

Many buildings were constructed with locally sourced volcanic tuff stone, whose rosy tint earned the city its nickname of ‘Pink City’. The mountainous surroundings and, most notably, the twin peaks of dormant volcano Mount Ararat add to the city’s famous beauty.

Over the final few days of your adventure, scale the Yerevan Cascade. This limestone staircase connects the city centre and Monument district, sweeping past gardens, public artworks and fountains. Delve into learnings of the past at the Matenadaran library, home to ancient Greek and Armenian manuscripts. Stop in a café or bakery to try a slice of paklava, a nutty, lemon-laced variation of the layered pastry dessert baklava.