Rtveli tour program 2019.

Grape harvest festival in Georgia.

September 14 – Arrival in Tbilisi, transfer to the hotel.

Evening walk around the city, DINNER

15.09 – Sightseeing tour Tbilisi - Mtskheta

Breakfast at the hotel

Walking tour along Shardin Street, visiting Sameba Cathedral, Sioni, Anchiskhati and Narikala Fortress. Includes visits to the most striking sights of Tbilisi, including historical monuments, its surroundings, walking tours along old streets that have preserved their originality, a visit to a unique square where churches of three faiths peacefully coexist - a church, a mosque and a synagogue, an open-air museum where there are analogues of village dwellings of the 18th - 19th centuries, the State Museum and the Museum of Art, which have unique gold funds with exhibits from excavations on the site of the oldest settlement in Europe, and much more.

Visit to Mtskheta – THE HOLINESS OF GEORGIA – Jvari

Mtskheta was once the oldest capital of Georgia. Today the city of the administrative center of Mtskheta is Mtianeti. Unique cultural monuments. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and represents one of the most important centers of Georgian culture.

Svetitskhoveli is the church named after the 12 Apostles of Christ, which is without a doubt one of the most important cathedrals in Georgia. Svetitskhoveli has been a patriarchal cathedral since ancient times, because it is the burial place of the Robe of Christ. Svetitskhoveli is a cross-domed structure with beautiful architectural ornaments and frescoes.

Jvari Monastery is located on the eastern side near the city. Mtskheta, on the hill of the mountain. In the 20s of the 5th century, a wooden cross was erected here, a symbol of the unification of the country.

Free evening. Optional visit to sulfur baths.

September 16 - Bodbe - Chumlaki - Tbilisi

Breakfast at the hotel

And now let's move to Kakheti - a corner of the grapevine. The village of Bodbe is located 7 km from Sighnaghi. It is considered a national Georgian shrine, since a large episcopal and monastic complex of St. George was built here. In this cathedral, Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino of Cappadocia, the great baptizer of Georgia and the harbinger of Christianity, found her final refuge. Traditions say that it was in the village of Bodbe that sixty-year-old Saint Nino died in 335. She walked across the whole country, healed the sick and converted ordinary people to one God. As Saint Nino bequeathed, she was buried in these lands.

The temple ensemble in Bodbe had to be restored and restored more than once. In the 16th-17th centuries, the village was one of the main educational centers of Georgia. In 1837, the monastery was abolished, and in 1889, the women's parish cathedral of St. Nino was opened here, which continues to operate.

Let's visit the beauty of Kakheti, the extraordinary city of love Sighnaghi. It was declared a city in 1801. Sighnaghi is also a fortress, which was built in 1762. Its initial appearance has not survived to this day. The city occupies almost 40 hectares of land, and the length of the fortress wall is 2.5 km. The fortress has 28 watchtowers and 5 entrances around the perimeter. Each tower had its own name. The city has preserved remarkable examples of the architecture of residential buildings of the 19th century. The buildings of houses and buildings are presented in the style of Southern Italian classicism with Georgian elements. The city impresses with its majestic history.

Rtveli

GRAPE HARVEST – RTVELI HOLIDAY

"Rtveli" is a Georgian holiday of the vine and grape harvest.

Without wasting time, we will arrange a real feast accompanied by folklore.

Arrival in Tbilisi

September 17 – Excursion Telavi – Kvareli - Bodbe-Sighnaghi - Tbilisi

Kvareli Municipality(ყვარელი) is a region in eastern Georgia, in Kakheti, on the northeastern edge of the Alazani Valley, bordering Dagestan.

It is in this area that the famous Georgian wine “Kindzmarauli” is produced. One winery (“Kindzmarauli Corporation”) is located right in the city of Kvareli, and the second (new) is nearby, among the vineyards. There we will also visit an interesting grape museum, where you can see all sorts of rare varieties.

Arrival in Tbilisi

Dinner

September 19 – Free day

Breakfast at the hotel

On this day you will take a walk around Tbilisi on your own.

Or you can add an additional excursion

20.09 – Seeing off our guests

Transfer to the airport with a gift from the company

Tour cost from 350 $

The price of this tour includes: 3* accommodation in Tbilisi on a breakfast basis, excursions with a professional guide,participation in Rtveli (grape harvesting, juicing, wine tasting), comfortable transport

The price does not include: air travel, additional excursion if desired, wine tastings not specified in the program

The price includes

• Transport services throughout the tour according to the program;
• Services of a professional guide according to the program;
• Entrance tickets to museums and tastings of 3 wines and chacha;
• Accommodation in 3* hotels;
• Meals according to the program.

As a gift from the company on the return flight - 1 liter of real homemade Kakhetian wine.

• For single occupancy in a room, the cost of the tour per person is +25%;
• Children under 6 years old are free with additional charges. beds in the room for adults;
• Children from 6 to 12 years old - 70% of the tour cost, subject to additional charges. beds in a room with adults.

Despite the fact that Czech wine is not as widespread as beer, the tradition of making this drink dates back to the distant past. The very first vineyards in the Czech Republic appeared back in 280, when grapevines were planted on the slopes of Palava. Since then, in many parts of the Czech Republic they began to grow grapes and make a wonderful aromatic drink, which became popular first thanks to the monks, and then to wealthy citizens who created their own vineyards and opened private wineries. Therefore, it is not surprising that with the arrival of September, the grape harvest festival begins throughout the country, where you can try wine cider - “mosht” and young grape wine - “burchak”.

Vintage Festival in Znojmo

The largest grape harvest festival takes place on the streets of the Czech town of Znojmo. The celebration is accompanied by live music, not only modern, but also medieval. Any holiday guest will hear their favorite melodies, since the repertoire is very diverse - from jazz to rock. In the Church of St. Nicholas of Znojemski, performed by a chamber orchestra, classical music concerts are held on Saturdays. In addition to musical concerts, during the holiday you can enjoy ancient dances, fencing tournaments and theatrical performances. However, the main thing at the grape harvest festival is still the theme of wine, so everyone can try different varieties of this drink. Numerous tastings take place both under the beautiful arches of Znojmo Castle and in large and small wineries that open their doors to visitors during these holidays. During the holiday, the famous King John of Luxembourg comes to Znojmo with his wife Eliska Přemyslovna. The costume procession will travel throughout the city and end with a celebration in the Upper Park. The royal procession is usually accompanied by a torchlight procession with a fire show.

Grape harvest festival in Mikulov

Not far from Znojmo, in the famous Palava region, an equally magnificent grape harvest festival takes place. Festive celebrations and festivities are held in Mikulov. Guests of the celebration are invited to enjoy an extensive musical program, which takes place on Capuchin Street, in the castle and on the main street of the city. In addition to musical concerts, guests of the holiday have the opportunity to visit a bird exhibition, watch Gothic dances, a fire show, and also laugh at the jokes of comedians and jesters. A medieval folk crafts fair opens in the castle park, where guests can learn local songs. However, the hero of the occasion, wine, remains the center of attention. The National Wine Competition is held at the Galant Hotel. A real wine-making town is growing up on Kapucinska Street, where you can taste young wine “burchak”, as well as various types of wines and delicacies. In the city castle, the tasting takes place under the guidance of a special moderator. The main event of the holiday will be a solemn procession in ancient and national costumes, which will march through the streets of the city. There will also be a historical procession of King Wenceslas IV, who arrived with his retinue.

Grape harvest festival in Prague

Prague, along with other cities in the country, can also boast of holding a grape harvest festival, and several festivals take place in different areas. The Czech King Charles IV periodically issued decrees to open new wineries and increase the number of vineyards in the “Mother of Czech Cities”. In the Prague district of Vinohrady, celebrations began to be held recently, in 1997, since then it has become so popular that thousands of tourists come to it every year. Guests of the holiday will enjoy a varied musical program, a procession in ancient costumes, and, of course, a tasting of aromatic wine, delicacies and young “burchak”. In addition, anyone can take part in the grape pressing process. In another district of the Czech capital, Grebovka, festive festivities take place in the Havlíčkovy Sady park. The performance involves ancient gods, nymphs, dancers, and satyrs. Here you can see the ancient market and Roman baths. All this action goes well with tasting Czech wine, which will create an even more festive atmosphere. In the Troy area, on the territory of the Troy Vineyards, in the chapel of St. Clare, a wine and “burchak” tasting takes place. Anyone who comes to this place can take part in the celebration and enjoy the extensive musical program.

Vintage Festival in South Moravia

The main wine-growing region of the Czech Republic is the region of South Moravia. Connoisseurs of quality wines consider this region of the country as authoritative in the production of this drink as for the French Champagne. A huge number of tourists come to Moravia every year, preferring a relaxing holiday among picturesque nature, complemented by the atmosphere of wine cellars. In total, there are about ten thousand wine cellars in the Czech Republic and most of them are located in South Moravia. Therefore, grape harvest festivals are held in many towns and villages in this region. In addition to the largest and most famous ones, in Znojmo and Mikulov, holidays are held in Valtice, Bzenetsk, Straznica, Pavlov and many others. On holidays, music concerts, various competitions, costume parades, and folk dances are held here. The main thing, of course, is the tasting of Moravian wines, accompanied by popular dishes of Czech cuisine.

Vintage FestivalVKarlštejn

The famous Czech castle Karlštejn annually hosts the Karlštejn wine harvest festival. In addition to tasting Carlstein wines, “burchak” and culinary delicacies, guests of the holiday will be treated to a display of medieval clothing, performances by fakirs, fire-swallowers and court magicians. And also watch the royal knightly tournament and buy souvenirs at the medieval fair. The apotheosis of the holiday will be a costumed historical procession, led by Emperor Charles IV himself.

The main annual event in Kakheti is, of course, the grape harvest. They wait for it, prepare for it, and then naturally celebrate the result. In the fall, we managed to take part in Rtveli (that’s the name of this holiday) ourselves.

The grape harvest time in Kakheti varies slightly each year. It depends on weather conditions, but as a rule, Rtveli occurs between the beginning of September and the beginning of October and lasts 5-7 days. Rtveli is a family event: usually the whole family, all city relatives, come to harvest. The grapes need to be harvested as quickly as possible, before the rains begin.

This fall, Rtveli did not very well coincide with the election of a new Georgian president and came out a little crumpled. But no president can decree the grapes, and they still need to be picked, otherwise there is a risk of being left without wine. The Georgians cannot allow this to happen, and we were only too happy to help them.

Georgian friends of our Moscow friends took us to one of the vineyards near Sighnaghi, where we were given a bucket and pruning shears and sent “to the fields.”

Grapes grow here for homemade wine - different varieties mixed together, white and black.

But they don’t really like to work in Kakheti, so we didn’t even have time to collect a couple of buckets of grapes (not counting a full stomach) when we were called to the table.

Our loot:

Overripe grapes straight from the vine are a mind-blowing thing, real concentrated Kakhetian sun. This one never reaches us.

The festive feast, in my opinion, is a much more significant and important part of Rtveli than the grape harvest itself. Actually, grapes can be entrusted to hired workers, but a festive dinner is a much more responsible event.

If khinkali is considered the birthplace of Georgia, then Kakheti is the birthplace of shish kebab. At first glance, Kakheti kebab is a very simple thing, but like all Georgian cuisine in general, it benefits from the excellent quality of the products.

Kakheti kebab is made like this: a local semi-wild pig is taken, which grazes in the fresh air all year round and eats well; not very carefully chopped into pieces along with all the fat and bones; seasoned with a handful of coarse salt and roasted over grapevine coals.

Grapevine coals are absolutely thermonuclear, burn out instantly and give off very intense heat. Thing! And no barbecue, this is all nonsense.

The serving is simple - meat, vegetables, shoti bread and homemade cheese.

Well, and wine, of course. We need to quickly finish off last year's reserves to make room for new wine. In my opinion, Rtveli came up with this idea too =))

Some Baltic film crew stopped by our vineyard for a “spark.” In general, there are quite a lot of Baltic people in Georgia, and they suddenly all suddenly remember the Russian language, because the attitude towards Russian speakers in the country is completely different.

To the general amusement, the cameraman was immediately given a half-liter “penalty for sharpness.”

There is no feast in Georgia without toasts, and toasts are a separate type of Georgian verbal art. For example, our toastmaster and part-time owner of the Zaza vineyard pronounces one of them. Every time you definitely need to drink to Georgia, to St. George, to the world, to friends, to parents, to women, to the harvest... Then you are allowed to invent toasts on a free theme. In general, as Georgians say with a sigh the next morning, “it’s difficult.”

The holiday's roots go back to ancient times, when the Bulgarian lands were inhabited by Thracian tribes, who revered Dionysus - the god of wine and vines - more than all other gods. The ancestors of modern Bulgarians who came to the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in the 7th century adopted the Thracian traditions of winemaking and viticulture. The festival of winegrowers was superimposed on the pagan traditions in the popular consciousness.

This pagan holiday was “reformatted” in honor of the Christian priest Tryphon, who was executed in Nicaea in 250. According to legend, on the day of the execution, all the vineyards of the country were attacked by insects and the winegrowers called on Saint Tryphon to protect them.

According to tradition, vines were pruned on this day in order to get a large harvest in the fall, which is why St. Tryphon in Bulgaria is called Zarezan (Pruned). Now St. Tryphon's Day is celebrated not only by winegrowers, but also by gardeners, gardeners and owners of wine taverns.

On this day, Bulgarian housewives get up at sunrise. They stew and fry chicken stuffed with rice in a sachak (shallow copper frying pan) and pour buklitsa, homemade wine, into a special wooden vessel. They put everything, along with homemade bread, into a new wool bag, and the owner of the house, throwing the bag over his shoulder, goes to the vineyards, where all the other men of the village are already gathering. From this moment the celebration begins.

After Tryphon, spring comes, and the winegrowers will no longer have the opportunity to relax and gather in a cheerful company. Therefore, for three days in the Bulgarian villages there is smoke like a rocker, there is a noisy celebration. In the vineyard, the men make the sign of the cross, each of them takes a garden knife and cuts three branches from three large grape vines. Then, having crossed themselves again, they pour the wine they brought with them onto the vines. After this, the election of the king of the vineyards begins. A crown of vines is placed on the king's head and a garland of grapes is thrown over his shoulder. He sits on a cart, which is pulled by the winegrowers themselves.

Having reached the village, this procession walks through the streets, stopping in front of each house. The housewives bring out the wine in a white vessel and offer a drink first to the king, and then to all participants in the procession. The king throws the rest of the wine over his shoulder to everyone’s shouts: “May our harvest be rich! May our home be a full cup!” The king replies: “Amen.”

The procession reaches the house of the king of the vineyards, where he, having changed clothes and leaving a wreath and garland, sits down at the head of a sumptuously laid table, to which all residents of the village are invited. The king is chosen from among the wealthy so that he can feed everyone in the area. Wine flows like a river on this day: according to legend, the new wine will be the same as what was served to the table on Tryphon the Slaughter.

On the second day of the holiday, lighter food is served in large quantities - compotes and pickle juice, so that men can recover from what they drank the day before. The next two days are honored as providing protection from wolves. All this time, women do not cut with scissors to prevent the cleft palate from opening; they do not knit or sew. They bake ritual bread and put pieces of it into livestock feed to protect livestock and people from predators.

Recently, following changes in the church calendar, the Feast of Tryphon the Slaughter began to be celebrated on February 1. In many areas, however, the holiday continues to be celebrated on February 14th.

Handmade silver jewelry with a rare nautilus shell. The healing and magical properties of the nautilus shell.