Gonio Fortress & Georgian Wine

Gonio Fortress & Georgian Wine

Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Batumi is located on the site of the ancient Greek colony in Colchis called Bathus or Bathys - derived from the Greek phrase bathus limen or bathys limin meaning "deep harbor".

Growth and development of modern Batumi began in Porto Franco period in XIX and continued more rapidly later on. Today Batumi is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities throughout Georgia.
First stop during your land adventure is the Gonio-Apsaros Fortress which is a real paradise for the lovers of historical and cultural antiquities. According to the Roman and Byzantine sources Apsaros was formed as a settlement during that period. Its history is closely connected to the myth of the Argonauts. According to the legend this is the site where king Ayet buried his son Apsaros, whose body was dismembered and thrown into the sea by Jason.
The revival of urban life has been traced since the Hellenistic Age. A number of historians claim that Gonio fortress used to be the strategic, political, economic and cultural center of the Eastern Roman frontier. A theatre and hippodrome functioned here in I-III cc. AD. One of the twelve apostles of Christ St. Mathias is buried in Apsaros.

You and your fellow SeaDreamers will then proceed to the Adjarian Wine House. Georgian wine has one of the most ancient histories in the world. From the western regions of Georgia, Adjara is one of the oldest centers of viniculture. Adjarian Wine House is situated in the Keda district which is considered to be the historical center of winemaking in Adjara. The House produces some old, unique wines such as “Chkhaveri” – Joseph Stalin’s favorite wine. The production of this wine is limited to 7,000 bottles per year. Hillary Clinton during her visit to Georgia in 2012, had excursion to this Wine House. During the visit of Adjarian Wine House you will have opportunity to find out the history of Georgian wine and the technology of production including refreshments at traditional local restaurant.

Notes: A minimum participation is required to operate all Yachting Land Adventures and some have limited capacity. All adventures and prices in the SeaDream Yachting Land Adventures program are subject to change. Not all of the land adventures shown will be offered on all voyages and departure times are subject to change. Final pricing and departures times will be published onboard.

Port: Batumi

Duration: 3 hours

Current Price: 79 USD