Itinerary

Fly  over  the  immense  forests  and  numerous  lakes of  Canada  on  our  way  to  Kuujjuaq  for  a  technical stop. 
 
Then continue over southern Greenland’s beautiful scenery  before  landing  at  Kangerlussuaq  in western  Greenland.  The  airport’s  Kangerlussuaq Museum  illustrates  the  town’s  past  as  a  U.S. airbase during WWII. 
 
Because  we  will  be  approaching  the  Arctic  Circle and the “land of the midnight sun”, we will have an astonishing 20 hours of daylight! 

Enjoy  a  full  day  of  sightseeing  with  a  visit  to  the  famous  Geysir  hot  spring  area  with  numerous  hot  springs  and geysers - one of them erupts every few minutes; take a look at the magnificent waterfall Gullfoss; visit the volcanic crater  Kerid  and  the  greenhouse  village  Hveragerdi;  drive  across  Gjabakkavegur  Pass  to  the  Thingvellir  National Park, a unique place of beauty, with its interesting geology and history; then cross Mosfellsheidi Heath to Reykjavik; visit the Blue Lagoon.  
 
We  will  see  volcanic  craters,  geysers,  waterfalls  and  the  national  park  Thingvellir,  which  is  Iceland’s  national treasure and one of its most beautiful spots. 
 
It is certainly a great experience that’s not to be missed.

From  ancient  constructions  dating  back  to  the  1500s  to  modern  architectural  marvels,  the  city  of  Luxembourg  is filled with impressive buildings and is a must-visit for architecture and history. Today we’ll go on a half day city tour of Luxembourg. Visit the “Palais Grand-Ducal”, City Hall and the business district.  

Skiathos presents an ideal combination for leisure and sea sports. There are more than 60 beautiful beaches with golden  sand  or  white  pebbles;  a  turquoise  sea  to  swim  or  sail  in;  today  we’ll  go  on  a  half  day  boat  tour  to  the neighboring islands of skopelos and sail to the Pelion peninsula (Mainland Greece). 

Fly to Tbilisi. Upon arrival at Tbilisi international airport this afternoon, clearing immigration and customs, the group will  be  met  by  our  local  guide.  We  will  then  be  privately  transferred  to  our  hotel  in  the  center  of  town  by  private luxury vehicle. Transfer to Tbilisi (30 min) and check in at the Stamba Tbilisi Hotel.   
 
Stamba  Hotel  was  conceived  to  highlight  the  industrial  splendor  of  the  20th  century  printing  house  in  which  it  is situated.  Housed  within  historic  atriums,  passages  and  courtyards  of  what  was  once  Georgia's  most  important printing house, Stamba Hotel is a celebration of Tbilisi's ever-evolving identity as a hotbed of talent and originality. 
 
This afternoon we’ll explore the sites of this captivating city with our expert guide. Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia and the country’s largest city. The city is a vibrant example of the mix of nationalities, cultures, religions, and ethnic groups found in Georgia. Tbilisi was founded in the 5th century AD by Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Georgian King of Kartli (Iberia) and made into a capital in the 6th century. Today Tbilisi is a significant industrial, social, and cultural center.  
 
We’ll you will pass through the old quarters and the center, with its famous sulfur springs along the Mtkvari River. Traditional houses with balconies and grape vines are the backdrop to our stroll towards Narikhala, the 4th century fort overlooking the city. The fort provides an exquisite view of the city and region. 

Today is a day to relax or explore on your own.  

Today we’ll go for a half day city tour of Baku. Step into the history and see the wonders that lie  inside the 12th- century walls of Icheri Sheher, or The Inner City, during our guided tour of this UNESCO World Heritage site. 
 
On the way we’ll stop to savor layered Baklava stuffed with walnuts and spices and pick up jars of homemade jam. 
 
We then stroll along New Boulevard; seaside streets lined with charming teahouses and cafes, and see the cultural insights at the Yarat Contemporary Art Centre and Azerbaijan Stone Museum.  

Fly to Bukhara. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer to the Zargaron Plaza Hotel situated in Bukhara’s historic center. 
 
One  of  Central  Asia’s  oldest  cities,  Bukhara  was  a  legendary  stop  on  the  ancient  Silk  Road,  a  network  of  trade routes  between  China  and  Europe. Recognized  as  a  UNESCO  World  Heritage site  for  its  historic  center,  the  city  remains the  best  example  of  a  well-preserved medieval Central Asian city.

Fly to Samarkand - one of the highlights of Uzbekistan.  This  small  town  is  packed with strikingly beautiful architecture and so much history.   
 
Upon  arrival  we’ll  transfer  to  Emir  Han hotel, positioned right on the patch of Silk Road  that  famously  connects  Samarkand and Bukhara. 

 Fly to Mary. Upon arrival, we’ll drive east of Mary, towards Bayram-Ali, to visit the contemporary re-incarnation and humble suburb of the glorious Ancient Merv (UNESCO World Heritage Site).   
 
One of the major archaeological sites of Central Asia, Merv played an important part in the development of the Silk Road  for  more  than  2000  years.  Within  the  limits  of  the  archaeological  park,  which  is  1200  ha,  you  will  have  a chance to observe all constituent parts of the “wandering city”.  
 
 Besides remnants of the cities of Merv, we’ll visit the 6-9th centuries AD forts of Big and Little Kyz-Kalas, excellent examples  of  the  so-called  corrugated  Koshks;  the  splendid  XII  c.  mausoleums  of  Sultan  Sanjar  and  Muhammed ibn-Zeyd, demonstrating exquisite Seljuk period brickwork and architectural decor. If time permits, a possible visit to several more interesting spots within the site.   
 
After  sightseeing,  we’ll  head  back  to  Mary  for  lunch  at  a  local  restaurant.  Then  visit  Regional  Mary  Museum, presenting a wide array of archaeological finds (dating back to the 3rd mill. BC through the late 19th century) from both Ancient Merv and Bronze Age sites as well as interesting ethnographic displays reconstructing the scenes of daily life of the Turkmen population and other minorities of the Murghab oasis.   
 
Today we’ll also visit a local house in a village owned by a painter to see ordinary village life. 
 
At the end of the tour, we’ll check-in to Mary Hotel, located in the city center. It is the largest hotel in Mary city built in  2015.  The  six-floor  hotel  has  a  restaurant,  a  gym,  swimming  pool,  and  sauna.  There  are  tennis  courts  in  the adjoining territory. Apart from that, guests may enjoy shopping in the souvenir and the carpet shops. 

This  morning  our  tour  includes  the  World  Heritage  listed  fortress of  Old  Nisa,  the  earliest  of  the  Parthian  Empire capitals. Located in an atmospheric area on an irregular pentagon hill, at the foot of the Kopet-Dag Mountains, Old Nisa  is  a  beautiful  landmark.  Afterwards  continue  to  the  Arkadash  stud  farm,  home  of  the  famous  Akhal-Tekke horse. The breed is one of the oldest in existence and well known for its stamina. Snacks and tea will be provided at the farm.  
 
On  the  way  back  to  Ashgabat  make  a  sightseeing  stop  in  Kipchak,  to  visit  a  complex  of  the  biggest  mosque  in Turkmenistan (called “Turkmenbashi Spirituality Mosque”) and the family mausoleum of the first President.  You will also  visit  the  National  Museum  of  History  (more  than  327.000  objects  on  a  display)  exhibiting  exclusive  ancient artefacts from different historical & archaeological sites of Turkmenistan, such as Old Nisa, Ancient Merv, Kunya-Urgench & others.

This morning we’ll drive with our local guide to Geghard, one of the treasures of Armenia.   
 
It  is  a  medieval  monastery  in  the  Kotayk  province  of  Armenia,  partially  carved  out  of  the  adjacent  mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   
 
While the main chapel was  built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator  at  the  site  of  a  sacred  spring  inside  a  cave.  The  name  commonly  used  for  the  monastery  today, Geghard, or more fully Geghardavank, meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", takes its name from the spear which had wounded Jesus at the Crucifixion, allegedly brought to Armenia by Apostle Jude, called here Thaddeus, and stored amongst many other relics.   
 
Enjoy a private Spiritual Vocal Concert arranged specially for you.   
 
Continue to Garni, a large village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia which is known for the nearby classical temple. En route stop for lunch at a rustic  local restaurant. Enjoy the local food as well as the master class of Armenian lavish bread making.   After lunch, continue to the ancient pagan temple of Garni.  
 
The  Temple  of  Garni  is  a  reconstructed  classical  Hellenistic  temple  and  the  best-known  structure  and  symbol  of pre-Christian Armenia. It is the only "Greco-Roman colonnaded building" in Armenia and the former Soviet Union. Enjoy traditional duduk flute by the temple. 
 
We return back to Yerevan to visit Matenadaran Museum - The Institute of Ancient Manuscripts.

If the velocity of the wind is suitable today, we’ll have an early bird departure from the hotel for a formidable  “Balloon  Adventure”  over  the enchanting “lunar landscape” of Cappadocia, to hail  the  slowly  rising  sun,  with  a  glass  of champagne.  The balloon ride over Cappadocia at sunrise is an experience of a lifetime, with all the  excitement  of  seeing  from  above,  the farthest “fairy chimneys” of the vast region, as a lunar  landscape,  only  possible  in  one’s fantasies.   
 
We’ll  then  return  back  to  our  hotel.  After Breakfast,  our  tour  continues  to  explore  the most  extraordinary  treasures  of  sacred  art,  the rock-carved churches of Goreme, now an ‘open-air  museum’.  This  museum  hosts  some  of  the finest examples of ninth and tenth century. What survives  at  Goreme  and  other  sites  scattered about  Cappadocia  marks  out  the  region's  rock-cut churches and chapels as one of the greatest museums of medieval art in the world.   
 
Next, we’ll visit another marvel of the region: the ‘underground  city’  at  Kaymakli.  The  enigmatic cellar  villages,  over  40  of  which  have  been discovered  empty,  are  among  the  wonders  of Capp adocia. 
 
After a morning of touring glorious sites in Cappadocia, we will be transferred to a specially-chosen vantage spot where,  white-gloved  country  lunch  has  been  arranged.  Right  in  the  midst  of  the  Cappadocian  landscape  next  to “fairy-chimneys”, this is truly being here! 
 
Another  cultural  experience,  unique  to  this  region,  is  a  visit  to  the  group  of  young  village  girls  from  all  over Cappadocia,  at  their  “Art  School”,  where  they  happily  learn  to  become  masters  of  the  national  art  of  weaving Turkish carpets and kilims to be able to contribute to their traditional dowry, before they get married. 

Fly to Bodrum situated on the southern Aegean coast of Turkey. 
 
This fabled coastline is where Homer’s heroes were born, where the ancient Greeks consulted their oracles and the Romans built magnificent temples to honor their gods.  

Today is at leisure to relax and enjoy the hotel amenities on your own. 

Wiith our local guide we’ll begin an exploration of Como, the lake’s main town, as we discover historic center. After lunch, enjoy a cruise around Lake Como admiring chic hillside villas and hotels against the backdrop of the Alps. 

After breakfast and an in-depth briefing, we’ll launch for our over-water crossing to Iceland and spend the night at Hotel Borg.
 
Dignified  and  imposing,  Hotel  Borg  overlooks  the  beautiful  square  of  Austurvöllur,  in  the  heart  of  Reykjavík, across from Althingi, the Icelandic parliament and the cathedral.