Tbilisi
Tbilisi is a city in Tbilisi — a region of Georgia, 3 h 25 min from Kutaisi and 5 h 30 min from Batumi. Home to about 1,118,035 people.
Guide last checked by the GTour desk on 16 October 2026. Latest news for this region is listed below the guide and updates automatically.
Why go
Tbilisi sits in a narrow gorge where the Mtkvari (Kura) river cuts through the Caucasus foothills, and the city’s 1,500-year history shows in a single afternoon’s walk: sulphur bathhouses, a hilltop fortress, Persian-style balconies, Soviet apartment blocks and glass footbridges all stand within a few hundred metres of each other. At 450 m elevation, with roughly 1.2 million residents, it is the obvious base for exploring eastern Georgia, and most day trips covered in our regional guides start and end here.
When to go
- April to June — mild days, green hillsides, the best light for the Old Town.
- September to October — grape harvest in nearby Kakheti, clear air, fewer crowds than spring.
- July and August — hot and dry in the city centre; many residents head to the mountains, which makes this a good window for day trips out of town.
- Winter — cold but rarely severe; useful as a base for skiing day trips, with the city itself quiet.
Getting there
Tbilisi International Airport has flight connections across the region and beyond; airport bus 337 runs into the centre as a low-cost option, and Bolt taxis are the standard alternative. Within the city, two metro lines cover the main north–south axis along the river, useful for reaching Rustaveli Avenue, Marjanishvili and the central station. For onward travel to Kazbegi, Kakheti or Gori, check current road status before setting out, particularly in winter when the Georgian Military Highway can close.
What to see
Old Town (Kala) and Abanotubani
- The sulphur bathhouses of Abanotubani, still in daily use
- Narikala fortress, reached on foot or by cable car from Rike Park
- Metekhi church, on the cliff above the river
- Sioni cathedral and the 6th-century Anchiskhati basilica, the oldest surviving church in the city
- Leghvtakhevi waterfall, tucked into a side ravine behind the baths
- The Peace Bridge, linking the Old Town to Rike Park
Rustaveli Avenue and the New Town
- Parliament building and the Opera and Ballet Theatre
- The National Museum, home to the Gold Treasury collection of pre-Christian jewellery
Sololaki and Mtatsminda
- Art-nouveau streets with carved wooden balconies, best explored on foot
- Mtatsminda Park, reached by funicular, with views over the whole basin
Markets, cafes and creative spaces
- Vera and Vake, for contemporary cafes and a quieter residential pace
- Dry Bridge flea market, for Soviet-era objects and local art
- Dezerter Bazaar, the city’s main produce market
- Fabrika, a former sewing factory in Chugureti now holding workshops, bars and a hostel courtyard
Parks and water
- Turtle Lake and the Tbilisi Sea reservoir, both popular with locals at weekends
- Sameba cathedral, the large hilltop cathedral visible from much of the city
Day trips
- Mtskheta — Jvari monastery and Svetitskhoveli cathedral, about 25 minutes from central Tbilisi
- Kazbegi — mountain scenery along the Georgian Military Highway
- Kakheti — wine country to the east
- Gori and Uplistsikhe — a rock-hewn town and the Stalin Museum
A three-day plan
Day 1 — Old Town on foot. Start in Abanotubani, climb or take the cable car to Narikala, walk down through Sololaki’s art-nouveau streets, cross the Peace Bridge, and finish at Anchiskhati and Sioni before dinner in the Old Town.
Day 2 — Rustaveli and the newer districts. Morning at the National Museum and the Gold Treasury, a walk down Rustaveli Avenue, lunch in Vera, and an afternoon browsing Dry Bridge market before taking the funicular up Mtatsminda for sunset views.
Day 3 — Mtskheta and beyond. Mtskheta is a 25-minute drive, making it easy to combine with a half-day at Jvari and Svetitskhoveli and still return by early afternoon; those with a full day can continue toward Gori and Uplistsikhe, roughly 1.5 hours further, or take a longer excursion into Kakheti. See organised tours for guided versions of either route.
Where to stay
- Sololaki and the Old Town — walkable to the main sights, a mix of boutique hotels and guesthouses in restored townhouses. GTour’s own base, the Castle in Old Town, is on Gogebashvili Street.
- Vera — quieter, close to Rustaveli, good for longer stays with cafes nearby.
- Vake — residential, leafy, better value for larger rooms or apartments, a short taxi ride from the centre.
- Marjanishvili — on the metro line, a working neighbourhood with a growing number of small hotels and a direct connection to the Old Town and Fabrika.
GTour’s verified register lists hotels and guesthouses for the region below, checked directly rather than drawn from aggregator listings.
Eat and drink
- Khinkali — boiled dumplings, eaten by hand, found everywhere from market stalls to sit-down restaurants.
- Khachapuri — cheese-filled bread, with regional variants including the boat-shaped Adjaran version topped with egg and butter.
- Pkhali — cold vegetable pâtés made with walnut paste, usually served as a shared starter.
- Wine — the wine bars of Sololaki offer a reasonable introduction to Georgian qvevri (clay-vessel) wine before a longer trip into Kakheti itself.
Practical notes
- Money — the Georgian lari (GEL) is the local currency; cards are widely accepted in the centre, though markets and small guesthouses may prefer cash.
- Connectivity — local SIM cards are inexpensive and easy to buy on arrival; wifi is standard in hotels and cafes.
- Getting around — the metro covers the main axis of the city; Bolt is the standard taxi app; the Old Town’s steep lanes are best covered on foot.
- Roads out of town — mountain routes toward Kazbegi and the border can close in winter weather; check road status before day trips in that direction.
- Safety — Tbilisi is generally safe for visitors; usual city precautions apply around markets and late-night nightlife areas.
Quick answers
How many days are needed for Tbilisi itself? Two full days cover the Old Town, Rustaveli and the main museums comfortably.
Is Mtskheta worth a half-day trip? Yes, it is about 25 minutes from the centre and can be combined with a later activity the same day.
Which neighbourhood suits first-time visitors? Sololaki or the Old Town, for walking distance to the main sights.
Is the metro useful for tourists? Yes, particularly along the Rustaveli–Marjanishvili axis, though the Old Town itself is best explored on foot.
When is the heat least of an issue? April to June and September to October both avoid the peak summer heat.
Can Kazbegi be done as a day trip? Yes, though it is a long day; check road conditions in advance.
Latest news for Tbilisi
Weather & RoadsGeorgia today, Saturday 31 October: weather, roads and the lari
Travel guidesUNESCO World Heritage in Georgia: Mtskheta, Gelati, Upper Svaneti and the Colchic rainforests — and the tentative list
Travel guidesCave cities of Georgia: Vardzia, Uplistsikhe and David Gareja — history, visiting rules and how to combine them
Festivals & EventsGarikula: a quiet wine and sculpture stop in Shida Kartli
Safari NewsBeyond the Myth: Spotted Hyenas Reclaim Their Status as Apex Hunters
Food & WineBe Yo: Fast Casual Choice on Tbilisi’s Vake Avenue
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Tbilisi is a capital built along a river gorge, where a medieval old town of balconied houses, sulphur bathhouses and hillside churches sits directly beneath a modern city of galleries, wine bars and late-night restaurants. Founded in the fifth century around its hot springs, it has been Persian, Arab, Mongol, Russian and Georgian, and every layer is still visible in a single afternoon's walk.
The essentials: the Narikala fortress and the view from the cable car, the domed baths of Abanotubani, the cathedral at Sioni and the river bridges, the Dry Bridge flea market, the Art Nouveau streets of Sololaki and Vera, and the vineyards-in-the-city cellars of the natural wine scene. Mtskheta, the ancient capital, is twenty minutes away.
Tbilisi is the natural base for Georgia: Kakheti, Kazbegi, Gori and David Gareji are all day trips. Spring and autumn are the finest seasons; summer evenings are long and warm, and winter is mild by Caucasian standards.
Facts and travel times: Georgian National Tourism Administration. Text and selection: GTour.
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