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A selection of places that you need to see in the capital of Georgia on the first day of your stay.

Photo 1 of 9: Sights of Tbilisi: Tsminda Sameba© weatlas.com

Tbilisi is not a city, but a way of life. As local residents joke, even two days in the capital are not enough to have a drink, a snack and a conversation. And to see the sights of Tbilisi, you need at least a week. But we tried to do the almost impossible - to conduct a tour in 24 hours.

Before you go exploring all the must-sees of the capital of Georgia, you should first have a good breakfast. National cuisine will help you tune in to the right way of perceiving the city. If you are not familiar with traditional Georgian cuisine, then hospitable waiters will offer their assistance in choosing dishes. A meal in a traditional format begins with an abundance of fresh greens, a plate of suluguni, a spinach appetizer "phali", a bowl of kharcho, an offal appetizer "kuchmachi", salads, accompanied by hot bread or corn tortillas "mchadi", which are usually dipped in pots of hot lobio on based on legumes, and actively washed down with wine.

Sights of Tbilisi: Shota Rustaveli Avenue © photo-day.com

• Sights of Tbilisi. We walk along the main street of Tbilisi - Shota Rustaveli Avenue

Tbilisi is simply filled with traditional Georgian flavor. And to understand and feel it, you need to walk along Shota Rustaveli Avenue. This should be done slowly, savoring what you see. The central street of the city is named after the famous Georgian poet. Rustaveli is the main artery of the city through which life flows.

Construction of the avenue began in the 19th century under the governorship of Prince Vorontsov. The length of the avenue is about one and a half kilometers. Its final points are Freedom Square and Rustaveli Square with a monument to the poet. The main street of the city is simply surrounded by greenery. It is difficult to name another place in the city where its residents would so love to gather and socialize. Shota Rustaveli Avenue is home to theaters and museums, an ancient temple and monuments, a large number of shops, and all this without the Kyiv gloss and glamor. Simple and friendly.

Among the cultural heritage on Shota Rustaveli Street you can see the Parliament of Georgia, the Kashveti Church, the Georgian Academy of Sciences, the National Museum of Georgia, the Opera and Ballet Theater, the Shota Rustaveli Theater, the Tbilisi Russian Drama Theater named after A. S. Griboyedov and much more.

• Sights of Tbilisi. We visit Anchiskhati Church

To see the next attraction of Tbilisi, you need to go to the old city. It is there that the oldest stone church of St. Mary is located - the Anchiskhati Church, built under the heir of Vakhtang Gorgasali in the 6th century. The church received its name in the 17th century, when a large icon was transferred here from the Anchi Monastery (Southern Georgia).

The beautiful rectangular church building was built under the influence of ancient Palestinian architecture. The doors of the Anchiskhat Church are decorated with a traditional Georgian cross. On the western facade of the temple, a medallion with a cross is carved from stone, which has been preserved from the earliest part of the building. The upper parts and arches were rebuilt in the 17th-19th centuries.

Sights of Tbilisi: Anchiskhati Church © v-georgia.com

• Sights of Tbilisi. Let's go to the State Museum of Georgia

Even if you are not enthusiastic about visiting museums and they seem very boring and monotonous, still do not pass by the main museum of the country. After all, it represents a unique repository of objects not only of Georgian culture, but of the Caucasus as a whole.

The museum has a huge collection of exhibits dating from primitive times to the present day. Also in the museum's collection are jewelry from the 5th-4th centuries. BC BC, collections of coins and weapons from the countries of the Middle East, handicrafts, fabrics, carpets, clothing, magnificent wood carvings.

• Sights of Tbilisi. We visit Metekhi temple

On the rocky bank of the Mtkvari River, on a small hill, stands a witness to the centuries-old history of Tbilisi - the Metekhi Temple. At first there was a palace of local kings, which was supposedly built by Vakhtang Gorgasali himself, the founder of Tbilisi. In the 12th century, a church was built, which has survived to this day. During its existence, the temple was destroyed many times, but then rebuilt again

Sights of Tbilisi: Metekhi Temple © esosedi.ru

• Sights of Tbilisi. We visit the Tsminda Sameba temple

The main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church is located on St. Elijah Hill. Now this is the largest cathedral in Georgia in general and in Tbilisi in particular. The temple is visible from all parts of the city. And this is a kind of symbol of modern Georgia.

The cathedral is huge. Its construction began in 1995 and ended 9 years later, in 2004. After its illumination, it became one of the tallest Orthodox churches in the world. Its height is 98 meters, its area is more than 5,000 square meters, and its capacity is 15,000 parishioners.

The temple grounds are very beautiful and well-groomed: a garden with beautiful flowers and trees, a magnificent pond with swans, an area with pheasants. The temple contrasts strongly with the territory of the region on which it is built. But this does not make it less visited.

Sights of Tbilisi: Tsminda Sameba © weatlas.com

• Sights of Tbilisi. We go to visit the Narikala fortress

Narikala is the soul of Tbilisi. It amazes tourists with its high walls and inaccessible towers. Climbing Mount Mtatsminda, on which the fortress is located, you will see Tbilisi in full view. The walls of the fortress can tell the history of the country from the 4th century. Moreover, the Narikala fortress is the same age as the city, and perhaps even surpasses it in age.

Initially, the citadel was called Shuris-Tsikhe, which can be translated as “Enviable Fortress”, but during the Mongol invasion it received a new name - Naryn Kala, which is translated from Mongolian as “Small Fortress”. Many times the enemies of the Georgian people tried to destroy the fortress. But their attempts were in vain.

But in 1827, the fortress could not resist the forces of nature - a strong earthquake significantly destroyed the walls and towers of Narikala.

To date, a lot of restoration and strengthening work has been carried out in Narikale.

• watching the panorama of the city at night

In 2012, a new cable car opened in Tbilisi, and now you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city at night. You can take a cable car from the new Rike Park to the Narikala Fortress and back. This type of transport operates from 11 am to 11 pm.

Sights of Tbilisi: Panorama of the city at night © hrdirect.com.ua

The cabins accommodate 8 people, and the cost of the trip is 1 GEL. All the sights of Tbilisi are illuminated, so the view will not disappoint.

• Sights of Tbilisi. Bridge of Peace and the park near it

The Bridge of Peace is a pedestrian bridge on the Mtkvari River that connects historical Tbilisi and modern Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge is one of the newest large-scale constructions in the capital of Georgia over the past few years.

The 156-meter-long bridge was designed by Italian architect Michel de Lucchi together with French lighting engineer Philippe Martineau. The shape of the bridge is very unique and resembles a wave-like figure.

Sights of Tbilisi: Bridge of Peace © aviastar.org

This design looks especially stunning at night. At night, about 30 thousand light bulbs are lit and about 240 sensors are activated, combined into an interactive lighting system. Using Morse code, a message appears on the two parapets of the Peace Bridge every hour: one of the elements of the periodic table that is found in the human body. The main idea of ​​this idea is that all people are united, regardless of nationality and religion.

We also want to offer you guides to cities such as, and, if you only have 24 hours.

Updated 04/07/2019

You need to allocate at least a few days to the capital of Georgia, but if you are limited in time, then information on what to see in Tbilisi in 1 day will be useful. This is exactly what I will talk about in the article, which includes a description of one – the most exciting – route. At the end of the post, you will also be able to familiarize yourself with several other variations that will allow you to see no less interesting sights of Tbilisi.

Nuances of the route around Tbilisi for 1 day

To begin with, you should understand and accept that it is physically impossible to visit all the sights of Tbilisi in one day. Firstly, some interesting places are located at a considerable distance from others. Accordingly, you will need to allocate a separate day for them. For example, the local ethnographic museum is located on the road to Turtle Lake outside the outskirts of Tbilisi's Vake district. Secondly, even the central places of interest are located at a considerable distance from each other. Two tourist areas can be distinguished: the Old City, across the river from which there is Rike Park and the Avlabari metro station, and new areas, the center of which is Rustaveli Avenue, ending at Freedom Square (with the metro station of the same name). For a better acquaintance with the culture of the capital of Georgia, I suggest the following route around Tbilisi for one day: – Rike Park and Peace Bridge – Metekhi – Narikala – Old Town.

Tsminda Sameba and Rike Park

You should start your journey around Tbilisi from the main cathedral of the city called Tsminda Sameba, which is also called the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The temple is located just above the Avlabari station (5 minutes on foot), so the entire route can be started from this transport interchange (however, if it is more convenient for you to get to the temple on foot or by other means of transport, then the metro stop may not be included in the route). Tsminda Sameba is a religious site impressive in its size and surrounding territory. In the morning, the building is effectively illuminated by the sun from the eastern side.

From the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity we go down to. You can get lost in the interweaving streets of Tbilisi, but this will only add color to the walk, and finding your way around here is as easy as shelling pears - just move down towards the river. The landmarks will be the same Avlabari metro station and the massive Presidential Palace standing above the park. The green zone itself off the banks of the Kura River is distinguished by its modernity and interesting design solutions. You can spend some time looking for original benches, look at the giant chess and white piano, and be amazed at how futuristic the cultural center of Tbilisi is.

Bridge of Peace and Metekhi

There are two bridges across the river in the direction of the Old Town, one of which, the Peace Bridge, also features bold, modern architectural features. Skeptical locals call it a “laying”, but it seems to me that this bridge is worth seeing in Tbilisi in 1 day.


But our path does not lie across the Peace Bridge, but in the direction of another bridge and the area of ​​the same name -. It is located at the northeastern end of Rike Park, behind European Square. This is one of the most ancient districts of the city; the legend about the founding of Tbilisi by King Vakhtang Gorgasal is associated with it. A monument to this ruler stands above the waters of the river, and an ancient church stands here. Metekhi was rebuilt many times, there was even a palace here before, and therefore the thousand-year historical past of Tbilisi is especially felt here.

Cable car and Narikala fortress

The next stop on a walk around Tbilisi in 1 day is the lower cable car station in Rike Park. It is separated from Metekhi by the same European Square, but the upper station of the cable car is located quite far away - on the slope of the Sololaki ridge. The trip itself on this type of transport can be considered an interesting journey, because the cabins offer a beautiful view of the entire city. Well, another Georgian monument awaits you at the top - the symbol of Georgia and Tbilisi. The monument stands a few tens of meters from the cable car stop, but there is no point in going up the mountain just for this attraction. The main site of Sololaki is still ahead.


Directly from the upper cable car station you can enter the ancient territory. Now all that remains of it is the well-preserved Lower Castle, which contains the main entrance and a small temple, as well as a large number of fragments of the walls of the Upper Castle. From the monument to Mother Kartli, the road leads right to the upper part of Narikala, from where you can see panoramas of Tbilisi (the best views open from the highest point - the tower with a cross). If you are looking for what to visit in Tbilisi in one day, then the Narikala fortress is the clear leader in the rating. And after exploring the upper territory, you should go down to the main entrance, from where the ancient streets will lead you to the historical center of Tbilisi.

Old Town - Sulfur Baths or Botanical Garden

Orbiri Street will lead us straight to the Old Town, located under the Sololaki ridge. The main attraction of this area (besides the architecture, of course) is the famous. There are several dozen of them here, each bathhouse has its own conditions and prices, but it’s definitely worth taking a steam bath for at least an hour in these complexes. Firstly, it is useful, since the water is saturated with natural hydrogen sulfide directly from the springs under the city.


And secondly, visiting the baths will help you better understand the culture of Tbilisi. At this point the main route can be completed, because if you pay due attention to each attraction, then by the time you descend to the Old Town it will already be evening. But there are a few more ideas on what to see in Tbilisi in 1 day, and now I will share them.

1. A visit instead to the sulfur baths and/or the Narikala fortress (the large green area is very pleasant to be on hot days).
2. Visiting Tsminda Sameba at sunset instead of in the morning (so as not to make a detour from the Avlabari metro station, but go straight to Rike Park).
3. Visit to the main flea market of Tbilisi - the market on the Dry Bridge, where there is everything that can be brought from Georgia. The market is located in the northeast of Rustaveli Avenue, on the banks of the Kura River (instead of the Mtatsminda amusement park or Rike park).

Map of one-day route around Tbilisi

I marked all the main points of a one-day route around the Georgian capital on the map. It’s very easy to follow - attractions are marked with numbers from 1 to 10. Points 7 to 10 are not included in the main route, but if you wish, you can change it, giving preference to one place or another.

1. Tsminda Sameba.
2. Metekhi area.
3. Narikala Fortress and Mother of Kartli.
4. Botanical Garden.
5. Sulfur baths.
6. Freedom Square.
7. Dry bridge.
8. National Museum.
9. Mount Mtatsminda.

What to see in Tbilisi in 2 days ==>>

Other day itinerary options

In order not to confuse tourists visiting the city for the first time, we will consider all the options using the example of the route given above. And the first deviation from it will be the turn to the Peace Bridge, from which the road will lead us to Freedom Square (there is a metro station of the same name here).
This is the modern center of Tbilisi, from which Rustaveli Avenue branches off. The main street of the city will be of interest to those who love leisurely walks, enjoying the architecture and developed infrastructure. There are many old buildings on the avenue, and the street itself is very green. Here you can visit:

• Drama Theater named after Griboedov.
• Theater named after Rustaveli.
• Opera and Ballet Theater named after Paliashvili.
• National Museum of Georgia.
• National Gallery.
• Old Parliament Building.

The avenue ends at Rustaveli Square, where there is also a metro stop. This place is quite remote from the Old Town, so it makes sense to end the route here. However, there is always the option to start your walk around Tbilisi from here and continue in the area of ​​the sulfur baths.

But families with children who are interested in what to see in Tbilisi in 1 day can be advised to go from Freedom Square not along Rustaveli Avenue, but along Chonkadze Street, on which the lower station of the city is located.

Lately, Tbilisi has begun to resemble an average tourist city. Here a family from Pakistan is trying to squeeze through a crowd of people staring at bread in a clay oven, and there the noisy Dutch have bought wine and, with backpacks at the ready, are going to storm the Old City. Six travelers from Ukraine take a selfie on the Peace Bridge. An Englishman explains to a Frenchman where it is better to change money. And around this multicultural hubbub, the mummers of the aortic rupture of the Georgians are singing city romances that they themselves are already quite fed up with, and, as they say, “they are trying very hard to add some color.”

We, Georgians, are, of course, happy that prosperity is growing due to tourists, but we quietly whisper among ourselves: what impressions will they leave here with? Will they feel the flavor for which their fathers and grandfathers loved Georgia?

I began to sound the alarm when I read the first negative review about the trip to Tbilisi and decided that it was time to end with these stupid guides that are written by tourists for tourists.
At the center of my comic guide is a certain conventional tourist N, who has read a lot of advice and is now rushing headlong towards all possible mistakes in the delicate matter of understanding Tbilisi.

Chapter first. About the Old Town - Dzveli Tbilisi

Of course, the Old Town is the dream of any tourist in Tbilisi. He can just imagine how he will walk along the dilapidated streets, take photographs of beautiful carved doors and drink semi-sweet Georgian wine in the shade of elms, while horses harnessed to phaetons rhythmically clatter past on the cobblestones. Therefore, leaving his hotel or apartment, a tourist famously says to the taxi driver: "To the Old Town!"- and ends up in the so-called baths area.
Yes, the city really began from here. And indeed, there have been sulfur baths here since ancient times (in Motley, they say, the “sun of Russian poetry” Pushkin himself took a steam bath; part of the tiles on which Alexander Sergeevich walked with his bare feet, wrapped in a sheet, are still kept there). But there are no old streets, no carved doors, no grandfathers with backgammon here and there never will be. In fact, it is too noisy, there is a rather unpleasant smell of sulfur (what do you want? Sulfur springs) and there are too many houses restored using the “more plaster for peeling paint” method. Many ghost houses are never inhabited. That is, streets, doors and grandfathers playing backgammon really once existed here, but now they are more like decorations and mini-performances for tourists.

But you won’t be able to bypass this hotbed of souvenir shops. The historical significance is too important. Here you have a pheasant, which was shot by the founder of the city, Vakhtang Gorgasali (the whole history of the city begins with this hunt: the pheasant fell into the river, and they took it out boiled. Hot springs are a useful thing, so it was decided to found a city here. According to legend).

The tourist looks at the pheasant in confusion (the monument, of course, and not the same one that Gorgasali had), turns his head around and does not understand where the sulfur is coming from. They told him that he had to come here! They were painting the Shardeni pedestrian zone not far from here... But in reality it was absolute chaos, heat and no pleasure at all.

How can you make a visit to the Old Town a holiday and not an obligation?

• Book yourself a luxury room with a mosaic floor and ceiling in one of the bathhouses early in the morning for a couple of hours (luxury - so as not to be jostled in the general category). For example, in the Royal Baths or the Motley Baths, hire a bath attendant or bath attendant, order tea with white cherry jam and enjoy the water treatments. In two hours you are guaranteed to go out into the street a new person.
• After the bath, inspired and as if you have lost ten years, walk towards the waterfall along the wooden bridges and climb the iron spiral staircase to the upper streets. There are decorations here, but they are also interesting to see.
• Almost the entire Old Town is now being rebuilt and restored. And there are fewer and fewer of those same Italian courtyards where laundry hangs, children play and neighbors yell at each other. They are being resettled. To get away from the scenery, you need to know the places. For example, go towards Bethlehem Street (Betlemis Kucha) or Silver Street (Vercxlis Kucha). Walking around the Sololaki quarter - it may soon disappear altogether.
• When you get to that real Old Town (and it’s right here, on parallel streets - you’ll find it if you’re not afraid to turn into gateways), feel free to go into the entrances - it can be beautiful there - and pay special attention to the doors. You can collect a whole collection of doors of various colors and colors.
• Shardeni - a pedestrian zone that was once invented and implemented by Zaza Nishnianidze - is worth going for three reasons: to dance on Friday evening in El Centro, look at the Patriarchate and the Church of Sioni, or look into the local shops.

SHOPS IN CHARDENI AREA

CAFEES AND RESTAURANTS IN THE OLD TOWN AREA:

Assignment for attentive tourists: Find the yard in which Sergei Parajanov lived. A task for the attentive, but not very attentive: find a monument to Parajanov on Shardeni Street.

Cafe 144 Stairs

Where to stay in Tbilisi?

• Rooms Hotel Tbilisi - classic stop in Tbilisi - stay at Rooms. The main hotel and place of power in the city. Address - Kostava Street 14.
• A good alternative is the new boutique hotel Aivani. Number 201 is especially good in this one! Address - Samghebro Street 21.
• If you want a party and young people around, you should go to Fabrika Tbilisi on the left bank. Address - Ninoshvili Street 8

Chapter two. About “strength in unity”

This is the motto of Georgia. And the tourist was told that Georgians are a small but proud people. Small - understandable. There are only four million of them on the planet. But how can you feel that he is proud?

A tourist will most likely go looking for the pride of the nation in National Museum of Georgia and on Rustaveli Avenue (the main street of the city). Not a bad choice, especially if it ends up in the museum’s treasury and sees the gold of Colchis.
Perhaps he will go to the opera house and admire the parliament building. But there he will stumble upon the Museum of Soviet Occupation, his mood will deteriorate, and for the rest of the day he will think that he is not welcome here. Which, by the way, is not true.

Task for ordinary tourists: In front of the parliament on Rustaveli there is a monument that the locals call “April 9”. The monument is truly dedicated to this date. What event are we talking about?

For the color and pride of the nation, it is better to go to the pantheon on the Holy Mountain of Mtatsminda(Mtatsminda).
Almost all the great Georgians are buried there - writers, poets, musicians, the creator of the alphabet and even the mother of Joseph Stalin (her grave is not easy to find, by the way). But the very first grave does not belong to a tsar, not a ruler, not a revolutionary or a Georgian writer. The very first grave that everyone who goes up to the pantheon sees is the grave of Alexander Griboyedov, a Russian diplomat and poet who was married to the daughter of the Georgian aristocrat, Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, Nina.

“Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?” Nina made the gravestone inscription after the death of her beloved husband. Perhaps this is one of the most emotionally powerful places in Tbilisi. Not to mention what a beautiful view of the city opens from there.

But to feel the full power of how proud Georgians are, go to rugby. The Georgian national team is one of the ten strongest teams in the world. And the love for rugby replaced the love for the Soviet Dynamo Tbilisi, which won the Football Cup Winners' Cup in 1981.

Chapter three. About architecture and interior design

The tourist believes that, having visited the Old City and climbed the Narikala fortress (this is all in the same place), he has completed the obligatory historical program. Well, now he understood everything about the simple multi-tiered architecture of the city: wooden stairs, long carved common balconies and large windows. This is what an average house in Tbilisi looks like.

Dear tourist, Tbilisi is not all of Georgia. And to make sure of this, it’s worth spending a couple of hours on Ethnographic open-air museum on Turtle Lake(Kus Tba).

Several dozen houses were brought there from all regions of Georgia, along with household belongings, even cradles and spoons. A unique opportunity to visit a Gurian family of wealthy peasants of the 19th century. Or among the poor from Imereti.

Here, dear tourist, is a list of places that are a must-visit, so that you will be surprised at how great the influence on Georgian architecture is from almost all the surrounding countries, including Iran:

Writers' House

Writers' House

Academy of Arts

The “monsters” of Tbilisi deserve special mention. This is what I call buildings that resemble Mordor, LEGO, a flying saucer, a jellyfish, a magic mushroom, water pipes. In short, anything but a building:

• The House of Justice and the glass bridge of Peace nearby (the House of Justice is called a magic mushroom. This is a really working one-stop service, where in exactly 15 minutes they will give you any document. Any. In 15 minutes. Any!);
• the former Ministry of Transport is now a bank;
• Wedding Palace (and this was in Soviet times...);
• Ministry of Internal Affairs (on the way from/to the airport);
• Ivanishvili's glass house on the way to the funicular;
• prosecutor's office;

House of Justice

House of Justice

Palace of Ceremonies

Bridge of Peace

Prosecutor's office

Former Ministry of Transport

Chapter Four. About art

The tourist was told that Georgians sing. And that in general they are very talented. A tourist goes to the first theater he comes across, buys tickets and, perhaps, is disappointed, or maybe not. He'll be lucky if he gets to see a live jazz performance at the Kala Cafe. And if not?

Here are a few proven places where a tourist with intelligence and refined taste will definitely have a good time:

Ensemble Sukhishvili-Ramishvili

And ask at the city box office, Google, or your friends to see if they’ll suit you where is the evening of urban romance or are the ensembles Shvidkaca, Alilo, Qartuli Xmebi and others performing during your visit? Maybe there will be an evening in memory of Goga Dolidze? Or suddenly Nani Bregvadze sings? There you will meet all the light and color of Tbilisi in the good sense of the word. Such evenings are often held at various venues in the city; it would be a shame to miss them.

Chapter Five. Finally about food

A tourist gets hungry and goes to eat. He walks into a restaurant and says to the waiter: “Cover, I want national flavor, I haven’t eaten real Georgian pig for a long time.”. And the helpful and cunning waiter begins to throw everything that is not nailed down onto the table. And two hours later the tourist rolls out of the restaurant with the thought that he will not eat for the next 100 years. What do we have in the end? Lack of desire to live and move, a hefty bill and unfastened jeans...

A beautiful and interesting city attracts tourists to visit it regardless of the time of year, holidays or weather. Although, let's be honest, in the summer it can be really stuffy and hot. And if travelers go to the city for the sake of it, then the capital of the country is loved for its incredible variety of attractions. So Tbilisi will be able to please both little tourists: a zoo, Turtle Lake, an amusement park on Mount Mtatsminda, and their parents: a botanical garden, .

Some of the memorable places listed below do not require financial investment or cost mere pennies. Therefore, staying in the capital will be a completely affordable and interesting vacation for you. We recommend that you carefully read our list of attractions and choose the most suitable and affordable ones.

Tbilisi sightseeing route

Tbilisi is an amazing city. Every day you can find new places in it, admire the unusual combination of seemingly incompatible buildings and even entire neighborhoods, be surprised and rejoice at the peaceful coexistence of Orthodox churches, a Muslim mosque and a Jewish synagogue.

Next to the bell tower on the territory of the Tsminda Sameba temple there is a poultry house and a small pond.

You can spend a month here, immersed in the local flavor, or a couple of days, seeing all the beauty of the city, and maybe even its heart...

To fall in love with Tbilisi, it is best to walk around it with a local guide. It so happened that in 2018, on the advice of friends, we bought an individual excursion and spent a fantastic 12 hours with Dina. Fascinating stories, new amazing places, including ceremonial ones, as well as pleasant company - this is what awaits you on a walk with a guide. By the way, if you haven’t managed to find a “delicious” place with good Georgian cuisine, aimed not only at tourists, or you don’t know which bathhouse is better and how to order it, ask the guide about it during the excursion. They will advise and help with the choice. Dina can be found on the website: Georgia4travel.ru.

If you are traveling without a guide, we recommend starting with; from the main one in Georgia or from the new modern one. Any of the chosen options will not only bring a lot of joy and positive impressions, but will also allow you to get acquainted with the local beauties of the city.

For convenience, we have sorted the main attractions that we managed to visit during our stay in Tbilisi into groups. We will try to characterize and describe each of them in detail.

Bridges and parks

Since the Kura River flows through all of Tbilisi, there are quite a lot of bridges in the city. The most interesting and visited by tourists are only four of them: ultra-modern, Nikolai Baratashvili Bridge, Metekhi Bridge and the famous one. Each of them is valuable and magnificent in its own way not only for travelers, but also for the local population. For two of them we have separate, more detailed articles (highlighted in blue).

Heydar Aliyev Park modestly nestled in the area of ​​Abanotubani. Very green, well-groomed and equipped, the square attracts lovers of a relaxing holiday. There is always a bench for relaxation and a drinking fountain to cool off in the summer heat. And what about the magnificent flower beds flaunting around.

Cable car and funicular

If we compare these two attractions, then, to be honest, we liked the cable car much more than the funicular, which is popular far beyond Tbilisi. Perhaps this conclusion was facilitated by the huge queue and further congestion of the carriage during the ascent and descent from Mount Mtatsminda.

At the very beginning of Rike Park there is the lower cable car station.

Sulfur baths and waterfall in the city center

We have written a good and very detailed article about the sulfur baths of the capital of Georgia: Here we will try to briefly outline the essence of this attraction.

Near the sulfur baths there is practically no smell of sulfur, but there are very beautiful views of the Abanotubani area.

The sulfur baths are located in a very convenient location - in the Abanotubani area, next to Heydar Aliyev Square. There are over 10 of them in total. Each differs in furnishings, area, cost, and the like. Only a few of them have common rooms, which, to be honest, is not always good. It is better to go to the bathhouse with your own individual set of bath accessories or, at a minimum, with a towel, slippers and a washcloth. You should not be afraid of the specific smell of sulfur - the body quickly gets used to it, however, you will smell like that for a long time.

Additionally, you can order a massage, but you shouldn’t expect much pleasure from it. The average cost of bathing in sulfur springs is approximately 30 lari GEORGIAN GEL RATE:
30 lari = 9.93 euros;
30 lari = 11.4 dollars;
30 lari = 756.6 rubles;
30 lari = 319.2 hryvnia;
30 lari = 25.5 Belarusian rubles.
/hour for a private room and 3 lari GEORGIAN GEL RATE:
3 lari = 0.99 euro;
3 lari = 1.14 dollars;
3 lari = 75.66 rubles;
3 lari = 31.92 hryvnia;
3 lari = 2.55 Belarusian rubles.
Exchange rates and prices may not be accurate. for the total.

Located immediately behind the baths waterfall. The walk to it is quite short and, most importantly, very pleasant: not so long ago the fig gorge was improved. In addition, they brought the small river flowing through it outside. Now locals and guests of the city gather near the waterfall. On hot summer days it is impossible to tear yourself away from the reservoir - the coolness attracts everyone around you to it.

Museums, theaters, temples

There are also plenty of museums and theaters in Tbilisi. Some of the most interesting and popular among tourists are located along. Among them: the Opera House, the Shota Rustaveli Drama Theater, the National Gallery of Georgia (“Blue Gallery”), the main Rustaveli Cinema, the Georgian National Museum, the Griboedov Theater, and the Rizo Gabriadze Puppet Theater. No less beautiful and interesting buildings: the Vorontsov Palace, the Academy of Sciences, the former building of the Georgian Parliament. And this wonderful composition is completed by a woman who has seen many majestic events in her life. You can read detailed information about each of the listed places in the relevant articles: and

Presidential palace does not apply either to museums, much less to theaters. However, it can also be “inspected”, at least externally. Although, if you believe the rumors, there are excursions along it: you just need to arrange your trip in advance (two weeks, or even a month in advance) and sign up for a “walk”. The palace is clearly visible from and.

Temples

Tbilisi is inhabited by a huge number of believers of various faiths. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many temples in the city. We personally visited the most interesting ones along our route.

To get to the entrance to Sameba Church, you need to climb several dozen steps. This is not visible in the photo, but the temple is also the tallest in Georgia (more than 100 m in height and 40 m in depth).

The following equally amazing temples are: Armenian churches Surb Gevorg and Etchmiadzin. They are old and very revered in Tbilisi. They are cozy, calm, homely, warm and pleasant to be in. Surb Gevorg Church is also the cathedral of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia.

If you are interested in Tbilisi churches, we recommend reading about them in a special article:

Map of Tbilisi with attractions

We put the most interesting, in our opinion, attractions (listed above in the article) on the map of the city of Tbilisi. It can be enlarged by clicking on the rectangle in the upper right corner or scrolling the mouse wheel. To disable “unnecessary” groups of attractions, you should click on the icon in the upper left corner and uncheck the extra boxes in the catalog that opens.

Video of nice places in Tbilisi

If you have just started planning your trip to Tbilisi, then most likely the list above is just a meaningless set of letters for you. Below there will be a photo and description of each place.

If you don’t want to understand the intricacies of Tbilisi streets, you can book a tour. The guide will take you to the most interesting corners of the city and also tell you about them along the way.

Sights of Tbilisi, day 1

Abanotubani

Sulfur Baths area in Tbilisi

Coordinates: 41.688233, 44.811047

Abanotubani is a quarter in the center of Tbilisi, famous for its sulfur baths complex. According to legend, King Vakhtang Gorgasali was hunting pheasant in this area and found a hot spring. To celebrate, I decided to build a city around the source and move the capital here from. This is how Tbilisi was born.

The area of ​​the sulfur baths is usually the place to end your walk to take a steam bath after a busy day.

Reviews about the baths are different, decide for yourself whether you want this, for starters, you can just look at the round roofs and drink pomegranate juice in Heydar Aliyev Square.

Hot water in this place rises from the depths of the earth from a depth of 2500 meters. They say it's good for the skin.

The baths have common rooms for 3-4 GEL per hour (75-100 rubles) and private rooms with swimming pools from 30 to 150 GEL(750-3700 RUR) depending on the bathhouse, mekise services (massage or scrub) - from 10 GEL (250 RUR).

Canyon with a waterfall in the center of Tbilisi

Houses on the cliff and a spiral staircase to the city
Waterfall in the center of Tbilisi

Coordinates: 41.68674, 44.80903

Behind the sulfur baths the Legvtakhevi gorge begins. We walk along the Tsavkisistskali River (try to pronounce it) to the end and see a waterfall right in the center of Tbilisi.

Vakhtang Gorgasali Square

Georgian khinkali in Samikitno

Coordinates: 41.689829, 44.808903

All roads lead to Vakhtang Gorgasali Square (aka Meydan or Maidan). Here we have the inscription I love Tbilisi.

〠 Machakhela(Samikitno) - a popular cafe on the square, 2 floors and a balcony with a view. I used to recommend it because it was tasty and cheap. Now it's completely deteriorated. The portions are small, the wait is long, the food is tasteless. You can have a drink citric lemonade on the balcony, but it’s better to eat it somewhere else.

Shardeni street

Beginning of Shardeni street

Coordinates: 41.690333, 44.808641

A short pedestrian street of old Tbilisi with cafes, restaurants and hookah bars. It got its name in honor of a French traveler who visited Tbilisi.

In summer it loses its charm due to crowds of tourists. If you don’t see it, you won’t really lose anything, but you can go and have a look. Prices in cafes on Shardeni are high.

Metekhi Church

We go up to the church

Coordinates: 41.690102, 44.811155

We leave Shardeni, cross the river on the bridge and go up to the lookout to the Metekhi Church (there is King Gorgasali on a horse).

From the observation deck we see the Narikala fortress and the houses of the old city - in 10 minutes we will already be at the top.

Peritsvaleba Monastery and Darejan Palace

Coordinates: 41.691675, 44.812271

On the territory of the Sachino Palace (aka Darejan) there is now a small nunnery.

This place is located on a rock next to the Metekhi Church. The walls have a nice view of the city (Europe Square, Peace Bridge, old Tbilisi), and they also have a gorgeous round balcony.

Europe Square and cable car

Cable car Park Rike - Narikala

Coordinates: 41.692011, 44.810719

Cable car operating hours: 11.00-23.00

We cross the road to Europe Square. We see the beautiful Rike Park, but we will return here later. Now our goal is the lower station of the cable car.

Narikala Fortress

Coordinates: 41.688044, 44.808498

From the upper cable car station, follow the sign to the Narikala fortress. This defensive structure at the end of the Sololaki ridge was built more than 1,500 years ago.

Entrance to the fortress is free, the views of Tbilisi are wonderful both during the day and at sunset, when the lights are turned on. The highest point is near the cross above the fortress, we go there.

You can get to Narikala not only by cable car, but also on foot, climbing the mountain along a cobbled street from Meydan Square.

There is also a staircase leading from the Botanical Garden to the western wall of the fortress. From this staircase there is a beautiful view of the Tabori Temple and the Abanotubani area.

Statue of Mother Kartli

Coordinates: 41.688214, 44.804565

From the Narikala Fortress we walk to the statue of Mother Georgia, stopping at observation platforms along the way.

The Mother Kartli monument was built on the top of Sololaki Hill 60 years ago in honor of the 1500th anniversary of Tbilisi.

At first the statue was wooden, then aluminum, and in the 90s it was replaced by the one that towers over Tbilisi today.

In her right hand, Mother of Kartli holds a sword to greet those who come with war, and in her left hand she holds a cup of wine for guests who come in peace.

Staircase to Sololaki

Coordinates: 41.688597, 44.804299

From the statue of Mother Kartli we go down the stairs to the old Sololaki district, periodically stopping at observation platforms. Here it seems that you can reach the roofs of Tbilisi churches with your hand.

Sololaki

Residential building in Sololaki district

Going down the stairs, we find ourselves on Betlemi Street in the Sololaki area.

Sololaki is a once elite area in the very center of Tbilisi, where active development has been going on since the end of the 19th century. Nowadays, most of the buildings that are more than 100 years old are in a deplorable condition and, if they evoke admiration, it is mixed with sadness.

I'm glad that the scaffolding is still there - there is hope that Sololaki will be restored.

It is better to walk around the Sololaki area with a guide (for example, praise) to learn the history of the houses and the people who built them.

On your own, without knowing the details, you will just see old houses. The doors of some of them hide breathtakingly beautiful front doors.

〠 Sololaki has several iconic cafes. For example, Pur Pur (cool interior), Rachinsky dukhan (basement room where delicious champignons are served on ketsi)

Front Kaleidoscope

Coordinates: 41.689937, 44.805739

There's a sign on the building Gallery 27

The front door is open with Mon to Sun from 11.00 to 20.00

Old wooden a private house in the Sololaki district, remarkable both in itself and for its front door with stained glass windows. Magical place.

It is better to come in the morning in sunny weather, when the patterns cover the entire floor. After lunch, the drawings are not so bright, but still beautiful. There is a gift shop inside.

Frida Kahlo in Tbilisi

This summer, pictures from Tbilisi with a portrait of Frida Kahlo began to appear frequently on Instagram.

People ask where to look, where to run.

An image of the Mexican artist can be found on the wall in the entrance of the Check Point Hotel in the Sololaki area.

Coordinates: 41.689005, 44.806361

Freedom Square

Coordinates: 41.693419, 44.801507

Freedom Square is noisy and lively, Tbilisi is completely different here.

We don’t linger and go down Pushkin Street, looking at the masonry left over from ancient times.

Shavteni and Gabriadze Theater

We see a monument to a lamplighter and a sculpture of dancing Georgians ( 41.696677, 44.806714 ).

If you wish, you can go to the Baratashvili Bridge. There are also sculptures sitting on it, and also a view of the House of Justice (the National Bank of Georgia is also there).

If we don’t go to the bridge, then we immediately turn onto Shavteni street, coordinates: 41.696031, 44.806571 .

Here puppet theater Rezo Gabriadze, hostels, cafes, ripe grapes hanging overhead (autumn).

Pay attention to the theater tower. Every hour, a golden-winged angel appears from the painted doors and knocks on the bell with a hammer.

Daily in 12.00 And 19.00 You can see a mini-performance in the tower - “The Cycle of Life”.

〠 The cafe on the ground floor of the theater is often recommended to visit. Prices are high for Tbilisi, but tea and donuts are available in other places. IMHO, you can safely skip the cafe.

Tickets for performances (in Georgian with subtitles) at the puppet theater cost from 10 to 30 GEL($4-12) you can view the repertoire and order in advance on the theater website

Bridge of Peace

Bridge of Peace in Tbilisi

Coordinates: 41.693065, 44.808319

We reach the pedestrian Bridge of Peace and walk along it to Rike Park.

The Peace Bridge was designed by an Italian architect and built during the time of Saakashvili, but this bright glass structure still irritates some townspeople.

The new authorities even intended to demolish the Peace Bridge, but they never implemented their idea (that’s a good thing!)

Rike Park

Rike Park, Presidential Palace and two chimneys

Coordinates: 41.694100, 44.809518

Rike Park is pleasant all year round. There are playgrounds, benches, and walking paths. The area is completely pedestrian.

If you want to see flowering bushes in early spring or late autumn, when Tbilisi looks bare, you can go here - there is always some kind of greenery and flowers in the park.

There is also a monument to Ronald Reagan. The 40th President of the United States sits on a bench and looks at the Presidential Palace. You can sit next to me.

Two pipes in Tbilisi

Looks like some nice pipes, huh?

Directly below the Presidential Palace you can see the “chicken thighs” - a futuristic cultural complex that was built a long time ago, but was never opened to visitors.

Just today one intolerant woman wrote a comment about the pipes on my blog: “This is some kind of monstrosity built by Saakashvili, which has not yet become a theater or anything like that.”

In general, not everyone likes the building; people have different perceptions of beauty. My opinion does not coincide with the opinion of the author of the comment.

Palace of the President

The Presidential Palace was also built under Saakashvili. Onlookers are not allowed into the territory, but you can look at the building while walking through Rike Park.

Lookout over Rike

View from the lookout over Rike Park

Coordinates: 41.693126, 44.811551

We walk through Rike Park, climb the stairs to the observation deck.

〠 Next to the lookout there is Cafe Flowers (pink house with white stairs). Here you can order wine and cheese and enjoy the view of Rike Park and Mount Mtatsminda. A glass of wine - from 7 lari ($3), a bottle - from 23 lari ($10).

Monument to Mimino

Monument to Mimino by Tsereteli near Avlabari metro station

Coordinates: 41.69187, 44.81564

At the Avlabari metro station there is a monument to the heroes of “Mimino”. Author: Zurab Tsereteli. On the way to the Sameba Temple, we taxi to the monument to our favorite heroes (for some, not so beloved).

Tsminda Sameba Cathedral

Coordinates: 41.697516, 44.816543

The Holy Trinity Church is the main cathedral of Tbilisi, visible from anywhere.

The history of the construction of the cathedral on the site of a former Armenian cemetery is quite scandalous (the Armenian diaspora was against it, which is understandable).

The cathedral is interesting both for its external appearance and its interior decoration. Firstly, the building is gigantic, and secondly, real precious stones can be found on the icons.

〠 There is a cafe on site Lagidze water- here delicious creamy lemonade and Adjarian khachapuri are almost the same as in Adjara (almost, but not the same - in Batumi they make it tastier, but the lemonade is really delicious).

Leselidze

The route of the first day does not include the tourist street Kote Abkhazi (aka Leselidze). This is the longest street running through the entire old Tbilisi from Freedom Square to Maidan.

You will get to Leselidze in any case, even if you don’t plan to do so, because... all the roads of the old city lead here one way or another.

Route around Tbilisi for 2 days

We found out what to see in Tbilisi in one day, and now more about the second day. Today we’ll take a look at “Tbilisi Europe” and go for a walk along the avenues along the route:

Sights of Tbilisi on the map:

David Agmashenebeli Avenue

Agmashenebeli Avenue

On the second day you can come to the metro station Marjanishvili and walk along David Agmashenebeli Avenue to the Dry Bridge.

〠 Near Marjanishvili you can eat the most delicious ice cream in the city in a cafe Luca Polare behind 5 lari($2 / 130 RUR)

Near the Marjanishvili metro station there is a fashionable place today - Fabrika Tbilisi. Something like the Moscow Flacon. This is a large hostel in a former garment factory. You can live there (there are dorms and private rooms), or you can just spend the evening swinging in a hammock with a cup of coffee.

Now let's go back to the street. Agmashenebeli Avenue has recently been improved, part of it is pedestrian. There are street musicians, dozens of cafes, shops, and restored old houses. In summer there are festivals and folk celebrations. An analogue of Moscow Arbat and a “piece of Europe” in the center of Tbilisi.

Many people call this area Turkish because Turkish restaurants and hookah bars predominate here. The prices are not low, the exchange rate is unfavorable (in case you decide to change), but a walk along the pedestrian street is definitely worth it.

It’s especially nice here in the evening, when the lights are turned on and the cafes are filled with vacationers. During the day is also good.

There are several decent inexpensive hotels and hostels in the Marjanishvili metro area, I recommend reading about it to understand which area of ​​the city is more convenient to rent housing.

Dry Bridge

Coordinates: 41.701123, 44.802914

Flea market Tbilisi. The range of products offered in recent years has been quite strange. They mostly sell junk. You can buy someone's worn-out shoes or disposable slippers with the Sheraton Hotel logo.

Sometimes there is a chance to find something interesting: souvenirs, handmade toys, old coins, dishes. It’s not worth going specifically to the Dry Bridge, but if you pass by, you can take a look.

Rustaveli Avenue

The figures are placed along the houses below

Through the park on April 9 we go to Shota Rustaveli Avenue. This is the main avenue of Tbilisi. Here and there near the houses there are bronze figurines, don’t miss them.

You can walk all the way to the Rustaveli metro station, look at the monumental buildings from Soviet times and at the large bicycle standing at the beginning of the avenue.

There are several theaters and museums on Rustaveli, but I am not an expert on them, so I will not mislead you by recommending any specific one. For me, Tbilisi is still not museums, but city streets, people, music and food.

Mount Mtatsminda

Funicular to Mount Mtatsminda

Coordinates: 41.695393, 44.791808

In Tbilisi there is a funicular to Mount Mtatsminda. To travel you need to buy a non-refundable card for 2 lari(50 r) and pay 2.5 GEL for the rise in one side(at night 3.5 GEL).

Whether to visit Mtatsminda or not is everyone’s personal choice. I love this place and every time I am in Tbilisi, my feet carry me here. Looking at your favorite city from the mountain is especially pleasant on a hot day or at sunset.

The disadvantage of the funicular is that the carriage does not move until a sufficient number of people are gathered in it.

There is an amusement park on the mountain: a Ferris wheel, a TV tower, attractions for children, observation decks with views of the city. When it is hellishly hot in Tbilisi in summer, Mtatsminda is quite cool and comfortable.

Here is the temple and graves of Alexander Griboedov, Stalin's mother. There are 48 graves of poets, dancers, writers, artists, scientists.

Pantheon on Mount Mtatsminda

Where to go?

If you really want, in the afternoon you can go to Vake Park, ride the cable car and take a walk near Turtle Lake. If not, then we leave these entertainments for the next day or next year?!

Route around Tbilisi for 3 days

What else to see in Tbilisi when it seems like you’ve seen everything?

We've seen a lot in the first two days, it's time to get outside the center. Today on our agenda are the natural attractions of Tbilisi and the purchase of souvenirs, if necessary.

Route 1: Vake Park and Turtle Lake

Vake Park

Route 2: Lisi Lake and UFO

Service building 112 in Tbilisi

We are going for a walk and relaxation at Lake Lisi. In summer there are a lot of people here, there is a well-equipped pebble beach. Sun lounger - 4 lari, bicycles for rent 10 lari(there is a bike path around the lake).

Along the way, don’t forget to stop by to see the “Flying Saucer” of service 112

The 112 Emergency Response Center in Tbilisi is something like 911 in the United States. Joint help service: police, fire, ambulance.

People call with urgent matters, including to report seeing a flying saucer in the area.

Coordinates of the "plate": 41.737818, 44.755711

Located on Mukhran Machavariani street, 1.5 km from Lake Lisi.

Route 3: Tbilisi Sea

Monument to the history of Georgia on the Tbilisi Sea
Tbilisi sea club

A popular vacation spot for city residents. Of course, this is not a sea, but a reservoir, but in summer the Tbilisi Sea is full of people, since it is the largest body of water in the city.

On the Tbilisi Sea there is aquapark, google Gino Paradise (30 lari on weekdays, 40 lari on the weekend).

You can go see the “History of Georgia” memorial by Tsereteli (the monument is huge), take a walk along the sea or relax there.

Option 4: Botanical Garden and Tabori Temple

Tbilisi Botanical Garden

If we are in love with the center of Tbilisi and never want to leave it, then we continue exploring the less popular attractions.

We buy khachapuri with lemonade and go for a picnic, then again go down to the Sololaki area and visit another couple of front doors.

Or after the garden we put on comfortable shoes and go up to see from above how small, cozy and charming Tbilisi really is.

Route 5

Churchkhela with hazelnuts is a great souvenir

On this day you can go for churchkhela, cheese, and souvenirs.

There, nearby you can go for items made of cloisonné enamel minakari at the Gold Exchange (Sadguris Moedani metro station, Station Square, lower floor of Tbilisi railway station).

I wish you delicious khinkali and comfortable shoes!

Your Mila Demenkova