Black Sea

Gourmands who liberally grab for the pepper or nutmeg might take pause to think, that at one time in history, those seasonings were worth more than their weight in gold. Spices were such a precious commodity that many a war were fought over them; they helped to build—and topple—vast empires, and led to the great Age of Discovery and founding of new worlds.

Olga Eggert was born in Crimea, Ukraine. Currently living on the Isle of Man, she has traveled with Zegrahm Expeditions for years as a lecturer, with an emphasis in the Black Sea region. Watch as she describes recent architectural growth in Georgia, and the overwhelming friendliness and positivity of the locals. 

On our recent Circumnavigation of the Black Sea expedition, marine archaeologist Susan Langley was delighted to share the history of Trabzon's Hagia Sophia church. The third, and youngest, of the Hagia Sophia's in Turkey, it began life as a church but later became a mosque, a museum, and then a church again.

While sampling the local cuisine is an integral part of any travel experience, you’ll find that partaking in a traditional Georgian supra is much more than time set aside to simply eat.

Circumnavigation of the Black Sea, 2012

Circumnavigation of the Black Sea, 2009