Black Sea to Georgia: Trabzon – Batumi – Tbilisi — 6 Days

Arrival in Trabzon and check-in. The day covers Sumela Monastery and Altındere Valley National Park. Sumela Monastery is a Byzantine cliff monastery carved into the sheer face of Karadağ (Black Mountain) at roughly 1,200 metres elevation, overlooking the Altındere Valley in the…

1. 08:30 - 11:00 Sumela Monastery· 150 dk

   Tour coaches can reach the Altındere National Park car park; the steep, narrow upper section cannot be reached by coach and requires the shuttle minibus. Parking: A large car park and reception facilities are available at the Altındere National Park entrance; vehicles are left there, with onward access by shuttle.

   The panoramic viewing terrace on the valley's opposite slope; the final bend of the trail approaching the monastery; the fresco walls of the Rock Church; the Altındere Valley view veiled in morning mist.

   Wheelchair access within the monastery is limited due to the rocky, stepped path; wheelchair users can still enjoy the valley floor and the viewing points.

2. 12:45 - 13:45 Lunch — local flavour stop· 60 dk

   Lunch break of regional cuisine.

3. 11:30 - 14:30 Altındere Valley National Park· 180 dk

   Tour coaches can reach the car park on the valley floor without difficulty; the final leg is completed only by shuttle service and on foot. Parking: Paid parking on the valley floor (approximately 50-70 TRY/day); also suitable for tour coaches and campervans.

   The valley viewpoint on the opposite slope where the monastery appears in panorama; the bridge and waterfall on the valley floor; the entrance terrace and fresco gallery of the rock church; the streamside area around the trout facilities.

   Limited — the car park, valley floor and trout facilities are level and accessible, but the final 20-30 minute steep path to the monastery is not suitable for disabled or mobility-restricted visitors.

Route Trabzon, Maçka

The day covers Hamsiköy (Rice Pudding Village), Zigana Pass & Tunnel, Atatürk Pavilion and Trabzon Hagia Sophia (Museum-Mosque). Hamsiköy is a lush green mountain village in the Maçka district of Trabzon, set at roughly 1,200 metres on the northern slope of Zigana Mountain.

1. 08:30 - 09:30 Hamsiköy (Rice Pudding Village)· 60 dk

   Suitable for tour coaches; flat parking areas in front of the businesses allow easy manoeuvring for large vehicles. Parking: Wide, free parking for cars and tour coaches in front of the roadside bakeries and restaurants.

   The panorama of the village and spruce forests framed from in front of the roadside bakery-restaurants; timber Black Sea houses by the stream; the misty-morning viewpoint overlooking the Zigana slopes; a macro shot of a freshly baked plate of sütlaç.

   Wheelchair access is moderately easy since the ground is largely flat; most restaurants have road-level entrances, though some paths within the village are uneven.

2. 10:00 - 10:45 Zigana Pass & Tunnel· 45 dk

   Tour coaches can park on the wide shoulders of the old pass road and the summit clearings; the narrow, steep bends require experienced drivers for large vehicles. The tunnel route is trouble-free for standard coaches. Parking: Free open-air parking on the wide shoulders of the old pass road, the flat areas around the summit, and near the ski facility.

   Summit viewing terraces (green Black Sea-facing slopes and southern Gümüşhane plateaus in one frame), the hairpin bends of the old pass road, the sea of clouds filling the valleys on summer mornings, and snowy forest views in winter.

   The panorama can be comfortably enjoyed from the vehicle or from level overlooks; sloping nature trails and snowy ground are not suitable for wheelchairs.

3. 11:15 - 12:15 Atatürk Pavilion· 60 dk

   Tour coaches can reach the Soğuksu car park; the municipality's Köşk shuttle bus service is also available. Parking: Soğuksu pavilion car park; tiered fee for cars (first 30 minutes free). Free for a set period for disabled visitors' vehicles.

   City rooftops and Black Sea panorama from the garden terrace (a classic tour photo); the white neoclassical façade amid the pine grove; the period-furnished interiors of Atatürk's study and bedroom.

   Entry is free for disabled visitors and one companion; the disabled car park is free for a set period. Because it is a historic mansion, access to the upper floors is by stairs; the ground floor and garden are accessible.

4. 12:45 - 13:45 Lunch — local flavour stop· 60 dk

   Lunch break of regional cuisine (outside half-board).

   Local spread and presentation shots.

5. 13:45 - 14:45 Trabzon Hagia Sophia (Museum-Mosque)· 60 dk

   Tour coaches can pull up close to the building; drop-off and pick-up are possible a short walk from the garden entrance. Parking: Dedicated parking beside the building is limited; paid car parks and street parking are available nearby.

   The garden framing the bell tower and main dome together; the sea-view south terrace; the stone reliefs on the south portal; the frescoes and the opus sectile floor beneath the dome inside the apse.

6. 15:15 - 16:45 Free time — city centre· 90 dk

   Rest and free exploration (~1.5 hours).

Route Trabzon, Maçka, Ortahisar

Transfer from Trabzon to Batumi. The day covers Batumi Boulevard and Europe Square & Medea Statue. Batumi Boulevard is a palm- and magnolia-shaded seafront promenade stretching roughly seven kilometres along the Black Sea, and it is rightly considered the beating heart of…

1. 08:30 - 12:10 Transfer from Trabzon to Batumi· 220 dk

   Inter-city transfer in an air-conditioned vehicle; short rest stop en route.

2. 12:10 - 14:10 Batumi Boulevard· 120 dk

   Tour coaches can pull up at the wide areas on the northern (Miracle Park) and southern (New Boulevard/Dolphinarium) ends; the boulevard itself is a car-free walking promenade. Parking: Large car parks at Miracle Park / the Alphabetic Tower, in front of 6 May Park and along the New Boulevard; suitable for tour coaches.

   The Ali & Nino moving statue (sunset); the Alphabetic Tower silhouette; the historic colonnades; the musical fountains and modern skyline; the Miracle Park panorama to the north.

3. 14:40 - 15:40 Lunch — local flavour stop· 60 dk

   Lunch break of regional cuisine (outside half-board).

   Local spread and presentation shots.

4. 15:40 - 16:10 Europe Square & Medea Statue· 30 dk

   Tour coaches drop off on Memed Abashidze Avenue and surrounding streets; passengers reach the square on a short walk. No vehicle access into the square. Parking: The square is a pedestrian area; the nearest car parks and street parking are on surrounding streets and at car parks along the seaside boulevard.

   Corner angles framing the Medea column against the neoclassical facades; the building facade with the astronomical clock; low-angle wide shots of the golden figure at sunset and under evening illumination.

   Flat, paved ground makes it suitable for wheelchair access; a step-free pedestrian area.

Route Batumi

The day covers Piazza Square, Alphabetic Tower, Ali and Nino Statue, Argo Cable Car and Gonio (Apsaros) Fortress. Piazza Square sits in the very heart of Batumi's old town, just a few blocks in from the Black Sea, an Italian-inspired courtyard square covering roughly 5,700 square metres.

1. 08:30 - 09:10 Piazza Square· 40 dk

   Tour buses cannot enter the square; they drop passengers on the surrounding boulevard/seafront routes, with the group reaching the square after a few minutes' walk. Parking: The square itself is pedestrianised; the nearest parking is on the surrounding streets and in the paid/street parking near Batumi Boulevard.

   The arched passage beneath the clock tower; the upper-floor cafe terraces looking down on the mosaic; a wide angle from the centre of the square during the evening illumination; the stained-glass facades and Italian-style street lamps.

2. 09:40 - 10:10 Alphabetic Tower· 30 dk

   Tour buses can pull up on the wide roads beside the boulevard/Miracle Park; passengers reach the tower with a short walk. Being close to the centre makes drop-off and pick-up easy. Parking: Roadside and nearby car parks are available around Miracle Park and the boulevard; the seafront parking areas can fill up during peak season.

   Golden-hour light and night LED illumination from the seaward side; the double helix and letters seen beside the Ali and Nino statue; the full silhouette from the boulevard's palm-lined paths; a panorama of Batumi and the Black Sea from the glass sphere at the top.

3. 10:40 - 11:10 Ali and Nino Statue· 30 dk

   Tour coaches use the parking bays and nearby car parks along the boulevard; passengers reach the statue with a short walk. Parking: Public car parks along the seaside boulevard and roadside parking along the boulevard are used; there is no dedicated car park right at the statue.

   The sunset angle framing the sea and the illuminated figures behind; a side shot at the moment the figures merge; long exposure of the evening neon lighting; framing together with the Alphabetic Tower.

4. 11:40 - 13:10 Argo Cable Car· 90 dk

   Tour coaches can drop off and pick up passengers on the wide streets near the lower station; the central location suits coach access, though nearby streets must be used for parking. Parking: Limited street parking and paid car parks around the lower station; can fill up in peak season.

   A panoramic frame of the harbour and city skyline from the upper terrace railing; the Black Sea horizon at sunset; the aerial view through the gondola window during the ascent; the row of gondolas at the lower station.

   The cabins may be narrow for wheelchairs; staff assistance is available at both stations, and the upper terrace has a level walking area. Full accessibility is limited; confirming in advance is advised.

5. 13:40 - 14:40 Lunch — local flavour stop· 60 dk

   Lunch break of regional cuisine (outside half-board).

   Local spread and presentation shots.

6. 14:40 - 15:40 Gonio (Apsaros) Fortress· 60 dk

   Tour buses can pull up right at the fortress entrance; there is sufficient space for manoeuvring and parking. Parking: A large flat, free/paid car park for cars and tour buses in front of the fortress.

   The courtyard panorama taken from the tower steps; the main entrance gate; the southwest angle framing the sea and rampart wall together; the archaeological museum building in the courtyard.

   The flat courtyard is largely accessible by wheelchair; however the tower stairs and rampart walk are not accessible.

7. 16:10 - 17:40 Free time — city centre· 90 dk

   Rest and free exploration (~1.5 hours).

Route Batumi, Gonio

Transfer from Batumi to Tiflis. The day covers Tbilisi Old Town & Shardeni Street. Dzveli Tbilisi, the historic core of Georgia's capital, spreads across both rocky banks of the Kura (locally Mtkvari) River and is the very place where the city was born.

1. 08:30 - 14:00 Transfer from Batumi to Tiflis· 330 dk

   Inter-city transfer in an air-conditioned vehicle; short rest stop en route.

2. 14:00 - 15:00 Lunch — local flavour stop· 60 dk

   Lunch break of regional cuisine (outside half-board).

   Local spread and presentation shots.

3. 15:00 - 18:30 Tbilisi Old Town & Shardeni Street· 210 dk

   Tour coaches drop off in bays near Rike Park, Metekhi and Avlabari; groups then walk or take the cable car up to Narikala. The old town itself is entirely on foot. Parking: In tour-bus bays and central car parks around Rike Park, Metekhi and Avlabari; vehicles cannot enter the old town's narrow inner streets.

   Panorama of the old town and the Kura River from the Narikala ramparts; the equestrian statue angle of Vakhtang Gorgasali in front of Metekhi Church; the blue-tiled façade of the Orbeliani Bath in Abanotubani; narrow side lanes with carved wooden balconies; a night river view from the Bridge of Peace.

   Partly difficult: steep slopes and cobblestones are obstacles for wheelchairs. The riverside promenade, Rike Park, the Bridge of Peace and the cable car are accessible.

4. 19:00 - 20:45 Free time — bazaar, centre & shopping· 105 dk

   Free time to explore the bazaar and support local trade (~1.5–2 hours).

   Street texture, tradespeople and handicrafts.

Route Tiflis

The day covers Narikala Fortress & Cable Car, Abanotubani Sulphur Baths, Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral and Jvari Monastery (Mtskheta - UNESCO). Narikala Fortress is Tbilisi's most recognisable historic landmark, rising on the Sololaki ridge above the old town and the valley of the Kura (Mtkvari) River. Transfer at the end of the tour.

1. 08:30 - 09:45 Narikala Fortress & Cable Car· 75 dk

   Tour buses cannot drive directly up to the fortress; they pull in at the Rike Park car park and transfer the group to the cable car, or drop passengers at bus bays near Abanotubani/Avlabari. The ascent is made by cable car or footpath. Parking: There is no parking directly at the fortress; tour vehicles and buses use the Rike Park car park at the lower cable-car station, while visitors also park around Abanotubani and Meidan Square.

   The highest bastion of the walls (panorama of the entire old town and the Kura bend), the Kartlis Deda statue platform, the river and Bridge of Peace seen from inside the cable-car cabin, St Nicholas Church in the lower court, and the silhouette of the walls against the city lights at sunset.

   Limited. The steep slope, stairs and uneven stone ground make the interior of the fortress unsuitable for wheelchairs. The upper cable-car station can be reached and the flat area inside the main gate is usable; since the cable car keeps moving slowly during boarding and alighting, assistance is recommended.

2. 10:15 - 11:15 Abanotubani Sulphur Baths· 60 dk

   Tour buses cannot enter the district's narrow, sloping streets; the standard practice is for the bus to pull up at the wide drop-off point around Gorgasali (Meidan) Square or the Metekhi bridge, with the group walking 3-5 minutes down to the bath lane. Parking: Parking is almost non-existent on the narrow historic streets; the nearest paid open and covered car parks are around Gorgasali (Meidan) Square and Vakhtang Gorgasali Avenue. Individual visitors are advised to park near the square and walk in.

   The most iconic shot is the facade of the blue-tiled Orbeliani (Chreli Abano) Bath; taken from the start of the bath lane it frames the brick domes in the foreground with Narikala Fortress and the city slopes behind. Other strong spots are the view from the bridge over the Legvtakhevi gorge showing the sulphur waterfall alongside the domes, and the aerial view of the district's undulating dome skyline from the Narikala cable car. Early morning and sunset light show the tiles' colours most vividly.

   Limited: the quarter consists of sloped, cobbled, narrow streets, and most baths are reached underground by stairs. Wheelchair users can view and photograph from the upper streets, but access to the bath interiors is generally not suitable; assisted accompaniment is recommended.

3. 11:45 - 12:45 Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral· 60 dk

   Full bus access; the broad forecourt and hilltop road suit tour coaches, with easy drop-off and pick-up. Parking: Dedicated parking and tour-coach bays are available around the cathedral complex; the pockets near Rike Park and Avlabari provide extra capacity.

   The golden dome and cruciform façade from the main courtyard; the Kura River valley and Tbilisi old-town panorama from the cathedral terrace; the distant view of the hilltop cathedral dominating the city skyline from the Metekhi side or around the Bridge of Peace; the moment the golden dome glows in sunset light.

   Ramped/level access to the main worship floor is largely possible, and the broad, flat courtyard suits wheelchairs. However, access is partial due to the hilltop location, sloped surrounding approaches and stepped descents to the underground chapels; assistance is recommended.

4. 13:15 - 14:15 Lunch — local flavour stop· 60 dk

   Lunch break of regional cuisine (outside half-board).

   Local spread and presentation shots.

5. 14:15 - 14:55 Jvari Monastery (Mtskheta - UNESCO)· 40 dk

   Tour coaches can drive directly up the service road to the hilltop car park; the road is narrow, so careful maneuvering is needed for large vehicles. Parking: A car park and turning area for tour coaches and cars at the hilltop; a large car park also exists in central Mtskheta near Svetitskhoveli.

   The panorama from the hill's northern terrace of the Kura and Aragvi rivers meeting in front of Mtskheta (the most iconic shot); the cross-and-dome silhouette of the church from the front; close-ups of the founders' reliefs and the Asomtavruli inscription on the exterior; the confluence of the two rivers at the evening golden hour.

   Limited: the ground is stony and sloping with a step at the church entrance, but the walk from the car park to the panorama terrace is short and the view can be enjoyed from a wheelchair-accessible point.

6. 15:25 - 16:55 Free time — city centre· 90 dk

   Rest and free exploration (~1.5 hours).

Route Tiflis, Mtskheta