Tbilisi does not fit well into the list of ten attractions. Yes, there is Narikala, sulfur baths, the Peace Bridge and Rustaveli Avenue. But the most interesting thing is what is between them: wooden balconies, courtyards, stairs, wine cellars, churches of different faiths in one block. And the forest, which can be reached on foot from the center.
About 1.33 million people live in the city - about a third of the country's population. At the same time, Old Tbilisi is compact: the main places of the historical center can be explored on foot in a day. Below is what to see, what to try and how to put together a route for one, two or three days.
How Tbilisi appeared
According to legend, in the 5th century, King Vakhtang Gorgasali hunted in these places. His falcon chased a pheasant and both birds fell into a hot spring. The king saw an unusual place and decided to found a city here.
Legend or not, the name is really associated with warm water: in Georgian “tbili” means “warm”.
Tbilisi became the capital at the beginning of the 6th century, when Vakhtang’s son, King Dachi, moved the court here from Mtskheta. The city stood at the crossroads of trade routes between Europe and Asia, so it was conquered and rebuilt many times. Hence the character of Tbilisi: its architecture mixes Georgian, Armenian, Persian, Russian and European influences.
Abanotubani and sulfur baths
Abanotubani is a bathhouse quarter at the foot of Narikala, along the Legvtakhevi river. It is easy to recognize by the brick domes that rise straight from the ground: the baths themselves go underground, only the vaults go outside.
The water comes from natural sources already warm. Data on the temperature differ: some sources call 37–42 °C, others - about 47. In the 19th century, Pushkin and Dumas visited here, and their visits to the baths are still mentioned in descriptions.
The most photographed is the Orbelian Bathhouse, also known as Chreli Abano, with a facade of blue mosaic. There are usually two formats: a cheaper common room and a separate room for a group, which is best booked in advance, especially on weekends. It is useful to take slippers and a towel. If you want the full experience, order a kisi, a traditional exfoliation with a hard mitt.
From the baths it’s five minutes to the Legvtakhevi waterfall: the path goes up the gorge right in the center of the city.
Old Tbilisi: it’s better to just walk
The best walk through the Old Town is without a rigid route. Start from Meydan Square, go up the streets of Qala and look into the courtyards. Locals call them “Italian”: a common courtyard, galleries with wooden balconies, a grapevine overhead, someone’s linen and someone’s flowers.
Along the way it's worth stopping by:
- in Anchiskhati - the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi, it dates back to the 6th century;
- to the Zion Cathedral;
- to Shardeni Street with cafes and wine bars.
This is a case where it is better to spend two hours on three blocks than to go through the entire list in the same time.
Narikala, Mother of Georgia, Metekhi and the Bridge of Peace
Narikala is a fortress above the Old City. Its history begins in the 4th century, but most of the surviving walls date back to the 16th–17th centuries. You can go up on foot from Meydan or by cable car from Rike Park. From above you can see how the city is built into the relief: the river, baths, church domes and mountains around form one panorama.
Nearby on the Sololaki ridge stands Kartlis Deda, “Mother of Georgia”. The twenty-meter aluminum figure was installed in 1958, on the occasion of the 1500th anniversary of the city. In one hand she has a cup of wine for friends, in the other a sword for enemies.
On the other bank of Mtkvari, on a cliff, stands the 13th century Metekhi Church, next to the equestrian statue of Vakhtang Gorgasali. Below, between Metekhi and the Old Town, is the Bridge of Peace: a glass pedestrian bridge designed by Michele De Lucchi, opened in 2010. In the evening, when the backlight turns on, it is especially good.
City of different cultures
In several blocks of Old Tbilisi there are Orthodox and Armenian churches, a synagogue, a Catholic church and the Juma Mosque at the foot of Narikala. The mosque is famous for the fact that Sunnis and Shiites pray together there.
The multinationality of Tbilisi did not appear today. French traveler Jean Chardin in the 17th century described Armenians, Greeks, Jews, Persians, Indians and Europeans in the city. This can be clearly felt now, especially in the area of the baths and Meydan.
Rustaveli Avenue and museums
If the Old Town shows eastern Tbilisi, then Rustaveli Avenue is European. Along the street, about one and a half kilometers long, are the Parliament, the National Gallery, the Rustaveli Theater and the Opera House. The Opera building in neo-Moorish style was opened in 1896.
Two museums are worth highlighting:
- National Museum of Georgiaon Rustaveli. Archeology and history of the country from antiquity to the 20th century. Go there before traveling around the regions: after the museum, fortresses and cave cities are perceived completely differently.
What to try in Tbilisi
Don't reduce Georgian cuisine to khachapuri and khinkali. You need to try them, but then the fun begins:
-Khinkali.In Tbilisi, the “urban” version of kalakuri, with greens in the filling, is popular.
-Khachapuri of different types.Imeretian, Megrelian and Adjarian are different dishes, and not one in different form.
-Pkhali and badrijani.Vegetable snacks and eggplants with nut butter.
-Lobio.Beans with herbs and spices, simple in appearance, but very Georgian.
-Chakapuli, chashushuli, ojakhuri.Already the next level of acquaintance.
-Mtsvadi.Meat on coals.
If you're renting an apartment, it's easy to continue the Georgian taste at home. Tkemali - for meat and potatoes, Svan salt - for vegetables and chicken, Megrelian adjika - for spicy lovers. These three are enough to make an ordinary dinner Georgian.
Wine and supra
A Georgian feast, supra, is not just a table with food. It is led by a toastmaster who makes toasts: about family, friendship, memory, guests. Toasts can be longer than a tourist expects, and this is normal - a feast here is a way to talk about important things, and not a pause between dishes.
Wine has been made in Georgia for thousands of years, and the traditional method of winemaking in qvevri was included by UNESCO in 2013 on the list of intangible heritage of humanity. You can start getting acquainted right in Tbilisi, in the wine bars of the Old Town, and then go to Kakheti.
For home tasting, take two wines from the same estate and compare styles: amber qvevri and dry red from a Kakheti family farm CH'VENTAN. Cheese and churchkhela with walnuts go well with wine.
MarketsDry Bridge.The most famous flea market in the city: Soviet badges, old cameras, dishes, books, paintings. Sources differ about the history of the market: the official tourist portal writes that old things were sold here already in the 1950s, and most descriptions connect the appearance of the market with the early 1990s, when after the collapse of the USSR people brought household items for sale. The advice is simple: walk a few rows before you buy and bargain - this is common practice here.Deserter Marketnear the station square is the exact opposite. They sell food here: herbs, spices, cheeses, fruits, churchkhela. This is the best place to see how the city shops for each day.
Nature within the city
Tbilisi is surrounded by hills, and the forest can be reached on foot. The easiest option is Turtle Lake on the northern slope of Mtatsminda, at about 690 meters. There are walking paths around, next to the ethnographic museum, and from there the path leads to Mtatsminda Park.
The most convenient way to climb is by cable car from Chavchavadze Avenue: the station is at the central entrance to Vake Park, the climb takes about five minutes, the journey costs GEL and is paid for with a transport card. There are only two booths, so there can be a queue on weekends.
Another green route in the center is the Botanical Garden near Narikala.
For a picnic by the lake, a light set is enough: thermos with tea, folding chair, light raincoat in case of changeable weather and power bank - navigation and photos drain the phone faster than it seems.
Do not light fires in city parks; take your trash with you. More difficult routes - Kojori, Uzo, Tbilisi National Park - are discussed in hiking guide in Tbilisi and the surrounding area.
Routes for 1, 2 and 3 daysOne day: historical core.Meydan → Abanotubani → Legvtakhevi waterfall → Botanical Garden → Narikala and Mother of Georgia → cable car down → Rike Park → Bridge of Peace → Metekhi. In the evening, dinner in the Old Town.Two days.The first day is as above, plus sulfur baths in the evening. Second day:
- in the morning National Museum;
- then a walk around Rustaveli: gallery, Opera, theater;
- during the day the Dry Bridge;
- in the evening wine bar or tasting.Three days.Make the third day active: Vake → Turtle Lake → Ethnographic Museum → trail to Mtatsminda → return to the center.Departure day.To avoid spending the last few hours searching for gifts, order them in advance for delivery. In the section "Tinties from Georgia" ready-made options are collected: a set of Georgian spices, Imereti churchkhela in box, honey from different regions. Please note when packing: honey, sauces and wine are considered liquids; they will not be allowed into your hand luggage - only in your luggage.
Day trips from Tbilisi
Tbilisi is a convenient base for trips:
- Mtskheta: ancient capital and UNESCO sites, 20–30 minutes by car;
- Kakheti: wine, Sighnaghi, Bodbe;
- Shida Kartli: Gori and the cave city of Uplistsikhe;
- Kvemo Kartli: Dmanisi, Bolnisi, Dashbashi Canyon.
But don’t try to combine everything at once: Tbilisi itself deserves at least two full days.
Briefly
- It is best to see Old Tbilisi, baths and Narikala on foot, in one day.
- The National Museum is worth a visit before traveling to the regions.
- Try not only khachapuri and khinkali: pkhali, lobio, chakapuli, local wine.
- Turtle Lake and the Ethnographic Museum - nature, which can be reached in five minutes by cable car.
- It is more convenient to order gifts in advance than to look for them on the last day.Sources: geostat.ge (2024 census); georgia.travel and travelguide.ge (Dry Bridge, Abanotubani); madloba.info (cable car Vake - Turtle Lake, mode and cost); sputnik-georgia.ru (Turtle Lake - Mtatsminda trail).