5 Clear Reasons Why You Should Visit Tbilisi in Georgia

While I was extremely excited to finally travel to Georgia, I will admit that I didn’t know what to expect from the country’s capital, Tbilisi. My main mental image was a grim, unpleasant city from the Soviet era. Of course, that was way off. The truth was, I had no idea why Tbilisi was worth visiting.

Tbilisi is cool, quirky, and complex. It’s unlike any European city I can think of, and I do think that experiencing what Tbilisi has to offer should be another reason you want to visit Georgia. With all that in mind, here are my reasons why Tbilisi is worth visiting and why you should be just as excited about it as Georgia’s mountains and wine.

Getting to Tbilisi

At first, it may seem like Tbilisi is a little hard to get to and out of the way.

But I was honestly surprised by how easy it was to reach from the heart of Europe. For starters, you’ll want to look at Kayak for flights there, with Europe and the Middle East offering you the most options.

Your only other real option for coming to Tbilisi is via Azerbaijan or Armenia, but again, you’ll probably need to fly to those, too. As for travel from within Georgia, such as from Batumi and Kutaisi to Tbilisi, I’d suggest looking to Georgian Railway, as I enjoyed my train travel in Georgia.

When it comes to getting around Tbilisi, you can walk quite a few places if you’re staying somewhere near Old Town or Rustaveli. Still, don’t be afraid to use the metro as it is helpful, especially when getting to/from the train station. It’s also very affordable, as most things are in Georgia.

Where to stay in Tbilisi

When I first planned to visit Tbilisi, I had no clue where to stay.

Working out an obvious city center is tricky when you look at the map, and even just choosing the Old Tbilisi area doesn’t narrow things down.

The good news/bad news is that there are plenty of places to stay in Tbilisi, making it hard to narrow things down. I recommend prioritizing locations that are close to attractions. Neighbourhoods like Vake and Vera are nice for atmosphere, while the streets around Rustaveli couldn’t be more convenient.

During my trip, I stayed at both Terrace House near Opera and M42 Hostel and would happily recommend both. Terrace House had more of a family guesthouse feel that I preferred, though.

Other well-rated places to stay in Tbilisi that are more upmarket include:

• Barnovi Boutique Hotel
• TbiliSee Hotel
• The Blue Fox Hotel
• Stamba Hotel

Why Tbilisi is worth visiting

With the logistics out of the way, let’s look at why I think Tbilisi is such a good place to go and why you really want a few days in Tbilisi to explore.

While I’m not giving you a clear-cut itinerary of things to do in Tbilisi, I will mention the attractions that I think make it worthwhile. However, if you don’t know where to start, a walking tour like this should set you off on the right foot.

An easy starting place for Georgia

Often, with a new country or region, it’s nice to ease your way into this unfamiliar environment. Jumping into the deep end can be fun, but it’s tough and not for everyone. If you’re new to Georgia and the Caucasus region then Tbilisi is probably the best place for you to start.

Georgia may not seem overly established as a tourist destination, but compared to its neighbours it certainly is. Walking around Tbilisi, it definitely felt like having tourists there was no longer a strange occurrence. By all accounts, tourism in Georgia has been surging these past few years, and with such good word of mouth, I understand why.

Still, Georgia and Tbilisi are relatively unknown to most people right now. That means for many, the idea of visiting can be a little daunting as they won’t know what to expect yet.

But starting with Tbilisi is a good way to ease yourself into things, compared to places like Kutaisi and Batumi. The tourism infrastructure here seems more developed, at least for Western tourists, than that of other cities in my experience.

There are also plenty of opportunities in Tbilisi to learn more about Georgia and its culture. Places like the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia teach you about the country’s history, while everyday interactions will teach you plenty about modern Georgian life.

A city with diverse neighbourhoods

Tbilisi is a wonderfully complex city, and one of my favourite things about it is the sheer variety of its neighbourhoods.

Move around the capital, and you’ll find countless neighbourhoods and districts that each manage to have their own character and appeal. And I’m just talking about the central parts of the city, as that was really as far as I made it.

The most common starting point for tourists in Tbilisi is the old town of Abanotubani. This historic heart of the city has plenty of attractions and character. It’s also probably the side of Tbilisi you’ll most expect.

Heading northwest, you have what I like to think of as the downtown area around Rustaveli Avenue. The buildings here are more modern, but still have a sense of that old-world grandeur to them. Then there are the quiet residential areas like Vera and Vake that sit on the hillside of Mtatsminda.

It’s almost jarring how quickly you go from inner city to relaxed inner suburbs in these spots, but it’s the perfect kind of place to stay.

If I were to live in Tbilisi, I think Marjanishvili and Aghmashenebeli Avenue would be the area that I’d gravitate to. Following this long, pedestrian-only road, you’ll find a food and nightlife area that’s fun and completely fresh.

What’s great about all this is that Tbilisi is the kind of city that rewards those who explore. You might have a nice time if you just stick to one neighbourhood like the historic centre. But you’ll get a whole lot more out of the city by finding out what else Tbilisi has to offer.

Fascinating cityscape views

It may seem like a superficial thing to focus on when visiting Tbilisi, but one of the best things to do is take a look at the city skyline.

It’s so great to see all the different pockets of the city together from above in one go. After all, there’s a reason that the most common photos of Tbilisi are big panoramic shots.

Tbilisi has a complex mix of new and old, but it’s something you may not fully appreciate at street level. Once you get a look at that cityscape, though, the city’s blended appearance becomes plainly obvious.

Sure, you could look at it and wonder what you’re seeing. To me, though, it was immensely fascinating, and my perspective changed with each new direction I looked.

There’s no shortage of viewpoints in Tbilisi either. The city is focused on the Mtkvari River, and from there it just goes up and up on either side. You’ll find the most popular lookouts on the western side of the river at places like the Narikala Fortress.

But head further up, and they just keep coming. It’s not too far to the Kartlis Deda viewpoint beneath the giant metal statue of a woman. Go even further, and you reach the Mtatsminda Amusement Park, from which you have the whole city in front of you.

Trying Georgian cuisine in Tbilisi

A big part of experiencing Georgian culture is the country’s wine and food. While the wine may get a lot of attention (it’s so good!), it’s hard to believe how many different Georgian dishes there are to try. Best of all, in a place like Tbilisi, you’re able to try a lot of it in one place.

Spread throughout Tbilisi, there are ample opportunities to try Georgian cuisine. Naturally, there are restaurants everywhere serving dishes like khachapuri and other standard fare. If you want to dig into some fantastic khinkali dumplings, then I highly recommend Khinkali House on Rustaveli.

But it wasn’t just at restaurants where I got to try Georgian food. Upon arriving at my first guesthouse in Tbilisi, I was practically force-fed delicious food and drink as a welcome. This included fresh pelamushi, a dessert made from grapes straight from their garden.

As for cafes in Tbilisi, again, not a problem. Head down to Aghmashenebeli Avenue in Marjanishvili, and you’ll find plenty. There are scores more across the city, and as Tbilisi grows as a digital nomad hub, I’m sure the quality will only go up.

The chance to do day trips around Georgia

While I think Tbilisi is worth visiting, don’t let it be your only stop in Georgia.

Georgia blew me away with its depth of destinations and attractions. I spent half my time in Tbilisi making day trips to understand the country beyond the confines of its capital.

And when it comes to Tbilisi day trips, there are so many to choose from. The capital isn’t centrally located in Georgia, but it’s close enough that you can visit a long list of places. What’s nice is that they vary from smaller cities like Mtskheta and Gori to more regional spots like Sighnaghi and David Gareji.

Sure, you could move between each of these destinations without staying in Tbilisi.

But it’s nice and convenient to be able to come back to the city after a long day sightseeing. You already know your way around, know where to grab drinks and/or dinner, etc. I’d say that if you’re short on time, this is the best approach to getting the most out of your trip.

Do you have your sights set on a visit to Tbilisi, Georgia? If you’ve been to Tbilisi, what travel tips for Tbilisi would you suggest travelers need to know? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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