There are many ways to organise your time on a Tbilisi City Break, but it can tempting to pack too much in, simply because there are so many great things to do in the city and in a week in Georgia. What I like most about Tbilisi is the variety of experiences to choose from – there’s truly something for everyone here. So, if it’s your first time to Tbilisi, try to sample a bit of everything. This will help you get best acquainted with the city’s history, people and culture. Whilst, this blog barely scratches the surface, or gets off the main tourist trail, here are some ideas for your visit to Tbilisi, Georgia.
Your first impression of Tbilisi might be the crazy traffic on the roads, or the confusing layout of streets. So, what better way to ‘find your feet’ on a Tbilisi City Break than to put yourself in the hands of a local and take a walking tour, getting insights about the history and culture along the way.
There are lots of walking tour options in Tbilisi. We chose one focused on the Old Town for the starting point of our Tbilisi City Break. Check it out on Get Your Guide.
When choosing a walking tour of Tbilisi, make sure to choose one which includes the cable car trip up to the Mother of Georgia (Kartlis Deda) monument on the Sololoki Ridge.
We met our guide, Salome, at Freedom (Liberty) Square, before setting off on the cobblestone streets of Tbilisi Old Town. We explored hidden courtyards with houses proudly displaying colourful carpets on their balconies, historically done to show that the family could afford a carpet. Many of the old houses have ornate balconies, and, as Salome’s Grandma said, “A house without a balcony is nothing!”
My takeaways from the walking tour of Tbilisi were that:
Tbilisi is a delightful hotchpotch of narrow lanes, hidden squares and architectural styles. Having been conquered 29 times, each invader has left some imprint on what you see (and eat!) in today’s Georgia, for example, Persian influences are visible in the blue coloured balconies and buildings of Tbilisi’s Old Town, blue being a favoured Iranian colour.
Similarly, Tbilisi’s position on the ancient Silk Road, also means that influences came from those moving through the city on the important trade route. The more you explore, the more you find!
Overseen by the 4th century Narikala Fortress, and encircled by the remnants of ancient city walls, Tbilisi’s Old Town is a charming cluster of crumbling, ivy-covered buildings, in stark contrast to some of the modern structures which have been built.
Key modern structures to look out for on your Tbilisi City Break include:
We thought it was interesting that most of the city’s oldest crumbling buildings and houses are still under private ownership so, rather than being maintained by the State, they are at the mercy of the owners – when they’re gone, they’re gone.
That said, there are some areas of the city, such as Gudiashvili Square, which have been extensively restored (perhaps to the detriment of its charm?).
Georgia is the second oldest place to formally recognize Christianity (after Armenia) and so it is unsurprising that Tbilisi, it’s capital city, is full of churches – more than 150 in total, including circa 137 Georgian Orthodox Churches, with triangular designs to represent the Holy Trinity.
Whilst you might not want to spend your time on a Tbilisi City Break visiting them all, there are some real gems which you could prioritise or pop into if you’re passing.
Dress Codes are in place to enter Georgian Orthodox Churches. Ladies - take a headscarf with you to cover your hair and make sure your legs and shoulders are covered. Gentleman - no shorts and vest tops please.
You can find murals and street art all over Tbilisi. Look out for the many pieces of artwork by GoshaArt, the ‘local Banksy’ specialising in feline murals – there are over 1000 of them around the city; everywhere you look there are cats, either real ones or in paintings.
In addition, look for the sculptures throughout Tbilisi by Georgian artist Levan Bujiashvili, including:
The Toastmaster (Tamada) statue at the end of Jan Shardeni Street.
The Janitor's Sculpture based on a painting by Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani, outside Hotel Ambassadori.
The Saxophonist, a sculpture coming out of a wall on Rustaveli Avenue, also lined with small statuettes based on characters from the paintings of Pirosmani.
You can also see bronze statues climbing on the Baratashvili Bridge, particularly as you pass underneath on one of the river boat tours. These were sculpted by Gia Japaridze in 2006.
The best example of this is the Puppet Theatre with a leaning clock tower, Gabriadze Clock Tower, built by the puppet master. Try and catch the clock on the hour when a model angel emerges to ring a bell with a small hammer.
Tbilisi has some lovely tree-lined avenues, shady park spaces and a lovely old flower market. The city is full of Mulberry trees which drop their berries on the floor and get squished by passersby, and pine trees which smell lovely. Add in the Botanical Gardens, it’s river setting and a city centre waterfall, and you can still feel very connected with nature in the centre of Tbilisi.
If you don’t want to explore the city on a walking tour, you can pick up one of the golf buggy tours waiting by the sides of the road around the city centre. Simply agree your price and off you go, no need to pre-book. This can be a good idea if your feet are weary from exploring.
Tbilisi straddles the Kura River, so the river is central to the layout of the city.
If you have a spare 30 minutes on your Tbilisi City Break, then head to the river for a short but rewarding activity. Representatives of boat tour companies hang out in Rike Park around the Bridge of Peace and Cable Car station. We picked up a leaflet from one of the reps when we were passing on the walking tour of Tbilisi, then contacted them by WhatsApp later to book a boat trip with Tbilisi River Cruises.
There are steps down to the riverside from the Peace Bridge (Rike Park end). Once you’ve found the right boat company launch points (there are a couple of different ones), then wait for your boat to arrive and off you go. The crew offer you a drink on arrival, but the check-in process is all very casual. The boats are small and whizz quickly along the river; our driver cranked up the music, so we had ‘banging tunes’ along the way.
The boats don’t travel very far, however the views on the way are impressive. You get a very different perspective from the water, especially looking up at the houses and buildings overhanging the steep cliffs along the Kura River – some of them look very precarious.
We went under the Bridge of Peace and past the old Parliament Building, ‘mushroom’ Justice Hall, and under the bridge with iron statues on it, before heading the opposite way to enjoy the cliff views, and spot birds nesting by the side of the river.
There are 2 main cable car routes in the centre of Tbilisi, and 1 funicular.
From Rike Park you can take a cable car up to the top of Sololoki Ridge, the hill overlooking Tbilisi’s Old Town. The ride only takes 5 minutes, and you can ‘tap on/off’ with your bank card for just a few Georgian Lari. This cable car usually runs from 8.00am to 8.00pm.
Once at the top, follow the path past the men with birds of prey offering you photographs, and stalls selling souvenirs and refreshments. Keep going until you get to the base of the enormous Mother of Georgia statue (20 m tall).
Designed by Elguja Amashukeli and erected in 1958 to celebrate the city’s 1500th anniversary, the Mother of Georgia is an emblem of Georgia’s independence. With a sword in one hand to see off enemies and a bowl of wine in the other to welcome guests, the Mother of Georgia makes a striking figure. However, this aluminum version is a replacement as the original wooded statue suffered weather damage. You will bond with this impressive statue on your Tbilisi City Break as it is visible from all over the city.
From the Mother of Georgia, you can walk east for 10 minutes along the Sololoki Ridge to reach the ruins of 4th century Narikala Fortress. The fortress was built as a Persian citadel but was largely destroyed by Russian munitions in 1987. That said, the views from here are worth making the journey for.
Walk past the top entrance of the Narikala Fort and pick up the path down the hill through the Botanical Gardens which stretch down 160 hectares of the Leghvtakhevi Gorge. On the way downhill, look out for the Leghvtakhevi Waterfall, a beautiful waterfall in the city. Note – the waterfall is beautifully illuminated at night and so if you are in the area around 9.00pm, pop along to see it lit up.
Funicular – a funicular operates daily between 9.00am and 04.00am from the lower station on Daniel Chonkadze Street (between the Solokai and Vera districts) to the top of the mountain (5 mins). It makes an intermediate stop at the Pantheon and Mamadaviti Church.
Cable car – alternatively you can reach the top of Mtsatsminda Mountain (meaning Holy Mountain), Tbilisi’s highest peak, on a cable car from Rustaveli Avenue, near the Telegraph Hotel. The ride takes 8-10 minutes and offers fantastic views at the top.
Once at the top you can enjoy the sweeping city views, check out the red and white Soviet era TV tower on the plateau, or have fun in Mtsatsminda Park which is full of 1930s amusement rides, restaurants and large Ferris wheel.
The word Tbilisi means ‘warm place’, a name given to the city due to the mineral sulfur (Georgian spelling!) springs on which it is built.
Legend has it that 5th century King Vakhtung discovered the area’s natural hot springs on a hunting trip and was so taken with the place that he made it the capital of Georgia, transferring power from the ancient capital of Mtskheta. For many years, particularly during times of plague, it was customary for anyone entering the city to cleanse themselves in the sulfur baths before entering.
Today, the sulfur baths of the Abanotubani District (‘baths district’) are open for recreation. There are several different bath houses you can visit (about a dozen), some with private options, and some public baths (nudity possible, although males and females are separated). I would say this is a don’t miss experience for your Tbilisi City Break.
We booked the following private baths session at Gulo’s Thermal Spa via Get Your Guide, which was a real holiday highlight.
On arrival, we were given an explanation about how to get the best out of our experience at the baths. Our advised rotation was: 10-12 mins in the hot sulfur pool (38 degrees), quick cold shower, 10-15 mins in the dry Sauna, quick shower, then 4 minutes in the cold pool (17 degrees). You can repeat the rotation if you have time. Then you can relax and ‘come around’ in the temperate waiting room over a cup of lemon tea with fruits.
Our skin felt fantastic afterwards, squeaky clean and soft, and we felt very relaxed. We appreciated the privacy of our baths area, with its own toilet, showers, and hairdryer. Shampoo provided. We just needed to take our towels. Maybe next time we’ll be brave enough to try a nude session!
You can pay extra for a loofa scrub (Kisi); however, we didn’t have time for this as our morning tour ran over time due to ‘Tbilisi time’ (see Travel Planning a Week in Georgia).
The patio to the side of Gulo’s Thermal Spa offers great views for photos over the domed stone roofs of the sulfur baths.
If you love urban cityscapes and Brutalist architecture, then you can take a tour to visit some of the key sites around the city. As Georgia was under Soviet rule for 70 years, then it is of no surprise that some of the architecture reflects this period.
We booked an Urbex (Urban Exploration) Tour via Get Your Guide which was excellent and highly recommended.
The main stops on the tour included:
We thoroughly enjoyed this tour as our guide was very interesting, and it gave a different perspective to Tbilisi that that gained in the Old Town. Sadly, the tour didn’t include a visit to The Palace of Rituals (Wedding Palace) which is one of Tbilisi’s best-known Soviet-era buildings. Private tours required to visit. Next time!
The food in Georgia is fantastic, although navigating the menu can be a little overwhelming at first. If you want an immersive experience, then book a cookery course for your Tbilisi City Break and get your hands dirty whilst learning more about Georgian food.
We booked a Khinkali and Khachapuri Cookery Course through Get Your Guide which was fun and informative. We enjoyed the cookery and also swapping travel stories with the other participants over a glass of wine.
However, once you’ve mastered Khinkali and Khachapuri, there are plenty of other foods to try, and endless places to eat and drink in Tbilisi. We barely scratched the surface of everything on offer.
As you eat what you make on this Cookery Course, then there's no need to book a restaurant for your evening meal!
Georgia loves jazz and Tbilisi even has its own Jazz Festival, usually in May. There are lots of Jazz Clubs in Tbilisi, so we decided to book a table at the Tatuza Jazz Club in the basement of The Telegraph Hotel. You can find details of the jazz club on the hotel’s website and see who is playing on the calendar. Then you can buy tickets via the Georgian ticket app: TKT.GE (just have your Google translator handy!).
The environment at Tatuza was very smart, with small tables, low lighting, a cosy atmosphere and very good sound. There is a menu for small plates of food alongside cocktails and full bar. With everything catered for, you can then just sit back and enjoy the music. We saw the award-winning Jazz vocalist Ashley Pezzotti perform and she was amazing.
Alternative – apparently Techno and Electronic music is huge in Georgia. Not our thing, but some of the youngsters we met on tours were very excited about it!
Whilst we didn’t do this, our walking tour guide suggested a Georgian Dinner Dance Show would be fun. This is something you can also book via Get Your Guide.
More for Culture Vultures – visit one of the city’s many museums, such as:
Impressive collection of historical and archaeological artefacts. Top floor is dedicated to the Museum of Soviet Occupation.
Classic art gallery with over 30,000 pieces, including artwork by Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani.
Modern art gallery with stunning Apple of Love sculpture outside by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli.
Whilst shopping wasn’t top of my list on a Tbilisi City Break, there are some good opportunities for shopping if that’s what you like to do, for example:
There are several flea markets in the centre of Tbilisi, such as the Dry Bridge Market which is full of antiques and vintage finds. On our walking tour, we visited the Meidan Bazaar, an underground tunnel filled with all things Georgian – traditional garments, sheepskin hats, jewellery, food produce, wine and chacha. If you are looking for Georgian souvenirs, then this is the place!
Just of Freedom (Liberty) Square on Rustaveli Avenue is Galleria Tbilisi, a large shopping mall full of High Street brands, food outlets and a cinema.
For exclusive shops, wander along Rustaveli Avenue from Freedom (Liberty) Square towards the Vera neighborhood. A Burberry store overlooks Freedom Square.
Whilst we chose to concentrate on exploring the city whilst on our Tbilisi City Break, we did meet other travellers who were using Tbilisi as a base whilst taking day tours to other places further afield, such as Kazbegi in the mountains, and the Kakheti Wine Region.
This is something that Tbilisi seems to do very well as the list of tours was endless. Other options included the UNESCO sites at Mtskheta, Georgia’s Rainbow Mountain, the Stalin Museum at Gori, and many more.
Now is a great time to visit Tbilisi, and Georgia in general. With more direct flights available from the UK, and several positive appearances on TV shows such as Race Across The World, there is a buzz about Tbilisi which has returned since 2008 when Russian invasion knocked its tourism status.
We packed a lot into our time in Tbilisi and still left the city with a long To Do list. We couldn’t have included anything else without it having made the visit exhausting. So, the advice is to pace yourself in Tbilisi, as there’s so much to do and it’s an exciting place. Try to pick a range of activities so that you sample the variety on offer in Tbilisi, but leave some things for next time, as I’m sure you will want to return.
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