In Tbilisi for three days - what to see and do

Tbilisi for three days – what to see and do: observation decks, parks, sulfur baths, restaurants and bars, temples and modern art spaces in Tbilisi

There are a few cities in the world where I am ready to return again and again. This is Istanbul, Porto, and Tbilisi. We visited Tbilisi at first in 2013 at the end of March. Then there were summer and fall trips.

When I arrive in Tbilisi, I smile involuntarily all the time. It’s as if something has been scattered in the air and you feel bottomless happiness in every cell of your body. I guess I’ll tell you why I love Tbilisi and show you where I enjoy hanging out every time.

About the weather in Tbilisi

In summer, Tbilisi is hot and locals leave for their summer to their cottages in the mountains whenever possible. For example, in Racha where it is much cooler than in the capital.
Spring and fall are the perfect time to travel to Tbilisi. It is warmer here than in many Ukrainian cities.
In winter, it can snow, and it can be quite windy and cold.

How to get to Georgia

Let’s start with the airport, which receives many flights from Europe, UAE, Istanbul, and other directions.

Getting to Georgia and the city center from Tbilisi Airport

The municipal bus stop is located in front of the Arrival hall and provides passenger transportation on route # 37 – Airport – Tbilisi city center – Airport.

1 GEL – 90 minutes unlimited free travel – payment is possible with a ” Metro money” card, as well as with different bank cards*.

Purchase of subscription and “Metro money” card is possible to any payment office of metro stations of Tbilisi and at the express branches of the Bank of Georgia. The cost of a card is 2 GEL (please keep the receipt issued during the purchase of the card, as in case of loss or damage of the card it can be restored only through the receipt issued at the time of card purchase).

Route Scheme From Station Square 1: Queen Tamara Ave. – Heroe’s Square – Meliqishvili Ave. – Rustaveli Ave. – Freedom square – Baratashvili Str. – Queen Ketevan Ave. – Black Sea Str.- Kakheti Highway – Airport.

Route Scheme From Airport: Kakheti Highway – Black Sea Str – Queen Ketevan Ave. – Baratashvili Str. – Rustaveli Ave.- Kostava Str.- Queen Tamara Ave. – Station Square 1

Real-Time Bus | http://transferen.ttc.com.ge/?page=live&setLng=en

Public transport in Tbilisi

If you want to use public transportation, rely on the metro and minibuses. The fare is the same everywhere – 1 GEL-$0.36. For this amount, you can drive any distance within 1 hour and 30 minutes. After payment, you can change the mode of transportation – transfer from the subway to the bus.

However, to use public transportation, you need to buy a plastic Metromoney card – 2 GEL – $0.72 (sold at any metro ticket office). The card is purchased once, and can be recharged at the same cash desk or at a special kiosk on the street. If you want, you can return the card at the same place – at cash desks and kiosks. But you need to keep the purchase receipt.

Fare for the municipal bus:

1 GEL – 90 minutes unlimited free travel – payment is possible with a ” Metro money” card, as well as with different bank cards*.
3 GEL – 1-day unlimited travel – package purchase is possible only with a subscription card.
20 GEL – 1- week unlimited travel – package purchase is possible only with a subscription card.
40 GEL – 1- month unlimited travel – package purchase is possible only with a subscription card.
100 GEL – 3 – months unlimited travel – package purchase is possible only with a subscription card.
150 GEL – 6 – months unlimited travel – package purchase is possible only with a subscription card.
250 GEL – 1 – year unlimited travel – package purchase is possible only with a subscription card.

The card can be used to pay for travel in the subway and buses by leaning it against a validator, which takes money for the trip. Even if you transfer from one transport to another within an hour and a half, you still need to validate the card in each type of transport. Money for a trip within an hour and a half interval will not be charged.

You can also use your Metromoney card to pay for a cable car ride. The cost is GEL 2.5
The lower platform of the cable car is located in Rike Park, at the entrance to it from Europe Square, and the upper platform is on Sololak Hill near the Narikala fortress. More information on Tbilisi public transport schedules and routes on the official website ttc.com.ge.

Tbilisi Funicular

Tbilisi Funicular – was built in 1905 and has three stations: Lower (Daniel Chonkadze Street), Pantheon (a 70-meter-long section) and the upper one on Mount Mtatsminda. The funicular is not part of the public transportation system – it has its own ticket office and payment system.

The cable car runs at 10-minute intervals. The fare is 12 GEL ($ 6). And regardless of the stop you plan to reach. That is, it costs 8 GEL to get to the Mtatsminda station, get off at the Pantheon, take a walk, then go upstairs and pay 8 GEL again.

Where to stay in Tbilisi

Of course, it is best to choose housing in the very center of the city, for example, in the vicinity of Freedom Square. We stayed in an apartment on Galaktion Tabridze Street – it couldn’t be more central! We settled in a colorful Georgian courtyard in a great two-room apartment for a ridiculous $25 per day. Leaving the courtyard, you find yourself on a street with cafes and bars, around the corner from Freedom Square.

Tip: If you have an early check-out and a late departure from Tbilisi, you can leave your luggage in the automatic luggage storage. It is located at 4 Svobody Square. In order to leave your suitcase for half a day, you need to pay 10 GEL per locker. The storage rooms are located to the left of the entrance to the arch – in the photo below. They accept cash only.

The best areas to settle, especially if you are here for the first time:

Old Tbilisi – charming narrow streets, traditional houses with carved balconies, close to the main attractions. Perfect for your first walks.
Center (Rustaveli & Freedom Square) – the heart of the city: promenades, cafes, museums and theater. A good choice for those who like to walk.
Agmatsvero (Sololaki) – an area with cool cafes, bars and art spaces – great for foodies and young people.
Vake / Turtle Lake – a quieter area with greenery, parks and views of the city. Great for families or those who want to relax from the tourist center.

Tip: if you go to Tbilisi in winter, find out how the apartment is heated (not everywhere has central heating). If it’s cast, it must have air conditioning (it’s very hot).

Radisson Blu – is a classic, and in Tbilisi it is a modern skyscraper with glass facades – the rooms on the upper floors offer a stunning view of the city.
Urban Boutique Hotel – Comfortable, the breakfast is not very varied, and the hotel is located far from restaurants and cafes. If you like peace and quiet, this is the place.
About Sololaki – The hotel is located in the old part of the city, but there is everything you need nearby – shops, cafes, establishments. The center is not far – there are buses, you can get there on foot (15-20 minutes) or by taxi for a very cheap price.
Tbilisi View Hotel – This hotel is located in an amazing location. Very close to the main attractions (Old Tbilisi). The views of the city from the rooms are unbeatable!

Walking around Tbilisi

If you don’t want to deal with public transportation, then take your feet and go! Walking around Tbilisi on foot. This way you can spend a few days walking around the entire Old Town, visit the Sololaki district, cross to the other side of the river, and take a walk along Avlabari and Chugureti.

The first thing everyone does is take a walk in Rike Park, which is accessed by the famous glass and metal pedestrian Bridge of Peace, a modern business card of the Georgian capital. The bridge floats beautifully above the river and at night it shimmers with illumination lights. From here, it is convenient to take the cable car up to the Narikala fortress, which offers a great view of the entire city.

The Peace Bridge, which connects the Old Town with the park and the Metekhi district. In the evenings, musicians play near the bridge, and a hot air balloon rises into the sky next to it – an observation deck. Roller skaters and children ride scooters around the park – it’s a very cool place for all ages and interests.

Old Tbilisi

Old Tbilisi has been partially restored, but there are still neighborhoods where its true spirit lives on. The Sololaki neighborhood leads through cobblestone streets up the hillside, into courtyards with Italian balconies lining the perimeter. The neighbors know each other, the children play in noisy gangs, and if they get lost, they will help and show them the way.

Don’t forget about another bridge in Tbilisi – the Dry Bridge, which is home to the Tbilisi flea market. For a pittance, it is easy to get stunning jewelry, cutlery, and ceramics from the depths of junk. Local artists sell their paintings and watercolors.

Another iconic place in Tbilisi is the Rezo Gabriadze Puppet Theater. They show 5-6 puppet shows a month – the wise parables underlying the productions are more suitable for adults, but children like them too. Every day at 12.00, crowds of people gather near the theater building to see an angel appear from the tower.

Alternative hipster Tbilisi

In Tbilisi, you can see not only old courtyards and ancient temples. There are a lot of interesting places associated with contemporary subculture – look at a different Tbilisi through the eyes of young people.

First, visit the creative cluster and open-air space – Fabrika. It is located in the Chugureta district on 8 Ninoshvili Street. The territory and the building of the old factory harmoniously combine an art space, a hostel, coworking, designer shops, a museum, hipster cafes and bars with craft beer, which have become a place of attraction not only for locals but also for tourists.

There is a similar LX Factory in Lisbon – I wrote about it here

Nikoloz Baratashvili Bridge – sculptural compositions “Youth” are installed on top of the bridge. And in the pedestrian part (at the bottom of the bridge), photo exhibitions of Georgian and international photographers are often held. Be sure to take a walk and have a look.

Graffiti in Tbilisi is another contemporary topic that can become a theme for a walk around the city. In fact, there are a lot of them here – there are very cool and interesting ones, and there are some unintelligible smears, just like in other cities. I really liked the serial graffiti by Gosha Dimitruk @goshaart – he draws cool cats!

Observation decks – see Tbilisi from above

You should definitely see the city from above. To do this, first, you can take an old cable car to Mount Mtatsminda. In the middle of the mountain is the Pantheon , the resting place of prominent Georgian cultural and artistic figures. There is an amusement park at the top, and the mountain offers an almost complete panorama of the city.

Another observation deck is located at the top of the Narikala fortress, which can be reached on foot or by cable car. To see the evening panorama, be sure to get on the cable car before 23:00. Walk 10 minutes from the Narikala fortress and you’ll come to the feet of the Mother of Georgia monument. It is located on the top of Sololak Hill. The view from here is amazing.

The Metekhi Church rises above the river, near the monument to Vakhtang Gorgasal, offering a beautiful view of the Old Town and Kura, the Peace Bridge and Rike Park.

Tbilisi baths

Sulphur baths are another attraction of the Old Town. Locals and tourists come here to experience the rejuvenating effect of sulfur baths. They are located in the Abanotubani neighborhood.

Of course, they smell peculiar, but the effect is amazing. We booked a family room in Bath No. 5 and steamed for two hours in a pool of sulfuric water – hot, wow! I hired a bath attendant who gave me a massage and exfoliation: she rubbed my steamed body from head to toe with a hard sponge mitt. The massage practically turned me off – I was flying! Prices depend on whether you go to a public bathhouse or rent a private room with a pool. We had a family massage and paid separately for massage and peeling.

By the way, if you don’t know, the Tsavkisiskali River flows next to the sulfur baths. If you walk along these bridges to the end of the wall, you will see a waterfall in the very center of Tbilisi

The result after two hours in the sulfur baths: minus one and a half kilograms on her waist and five years younger. It felt incredibly light. After that, you can safely go to a khinkalniya (traditional cafe in Georgia) and wash them down with delicious wine.

Restaurants and wine bars in Tbilisi

Georgian cuisine and wine are already a reason to go to Georgia. And in Tbilisi, you can get really hung up going from one place to another. I’m not going to list all the restaurants – it’s impossible. I’m just going to write about my favorite places to eat and taste wine.

Dukani is my favorite place where you can eat national dishes from the heart and inexpensively. Khinkali, shish kebab, satsivas, khachapuri with lemonade and homemade wine will be extremely cheap here. We opened this place back in 2013, when it was being renovated. Now there are not enough tables even during the day. They also sell baked goods and takeaway dishes. I highly recommend it! (2 Mtkvari St.).

Veliaminov – the prices are the same, but simpler and a little less neat than in Dukan. If you are hungry, you can have a hearty meal (8 Dadiani St.).

City corner is a great restaurant on Davit Aghmashenebeli Street – tasty and nice, very nice service. And if it’s warm weather, it’s better to sit outside on the terrace, the street is very well lit.

Dadi Wine Bar is located nearby at Dadiani 4, where you can taste wines from craft winemakers from all over Georgia. A very cool place to get together with friends. If you want to dive into the topic of Georgian wine, catch the host Sasha Novikov, he will tell you so much that you will leave with gifts for yourself and your friends.

Gvimra Wine Bar – Not only wine, but also delicious food and snacks. (15 Alexandra Dumas St.).

Shavtelya Street is a scattering of amazing places:
Leila – just look at the ceiling there!!! – Georgian and Middle Eastern dishes.
BalconY no12 is a fantastically cozy coffee shop with tables in the courtyard and on the second floor. Very tasty coffee, sweets and cozy like nowhere else!
Tsangala’s Wine Shop & Bar is a wine bar with a good wine list on the ground floor.

One day trips from Tbilisi

If you come to Tbilisi for a week, you can plan several day trips to attractions that are not far from the Georgian capital.

For example, the route along the Georgian Military Road which passes through Mtskheta, Gudauri, the Ananuri fortress and. And it leads to the village of Stepantsminda, located at the foot of Mount Kazbek.

If you’ve already traveled this route, there are other routes to lesser-promoted tourist destinations. For example, the route to Rkoni – here you can see the Queen Tamara Bridge, the Rkoni Monastery and the Irkva Church. On the way, you can see the ancient fortress of Drisi.

An hour’s drive from Tbilisi is the Birtvisi Canyon and Fortress. It is better to plan this trip in good dry weather, as there is a small hike along the rocks and a deep gorge in which a green canyon is hidden. Very beautiful place!

You can also go to Bolnisi district, where there are many interesting things to see: theSamshvilde canyon and fortress, the Bolnisi Zion, and the Chapala fortress, which offers a great view of the valley and the surrounding mountains.

Useful links to prepare for travel:

Insurance – you can choose an inexpensive on EKTA
Booking of hotels, inns, and apartments – Booking.com
Rent a car in Georgia Rentalcars

Tbilisi for three days – what to do in the capital of Georgia

About the weather in Tbilisi

How to get to Georgia

Getting to Georgia and the city center from Tbilisi Airport