What to see in Tbilisi and its surroundings from the sights on your own? We have selected all the interesting places that you should definitely visit and see everything with your own eyes. Next, we will compose the optimal route, see the prices for excursions and a map of attractions with photos and descriptions.
If you decide to relax in the capital of Georgia, then this is an excellent choice. Hospitable people, delicious food and picturesque landscapes await you here.
Tbilisi is a city founded in 458. In the southeast of the city, the Old Town is preserved, where medieval buildings and narrow streets remain. There are a lot of parks and gardens in Tbilisi, even in the old part of the city there is a lot of greenery. Although Tbilisi is a small city, it is still impossible to see everything. However, you can have time to see the most visited places in the city.
- You may be interested to learn about plane tickets, see information about prices and accommodation in the city, where to stay, which hotel to choose, fare and other questions.
What to see in Tbilisi on your own?
- The largest cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church Tsminda Sameba... It is also the tallest cathedral in Georgia. The cathedral is located on the left bank of the Keru.
You can reach it either by metro, the station is called "Avlabari", or by buses 91 and 122, stop "Sameba". If you are walking around the city, then it is easy to find, the cathedral can be seen from anywhere in the city.
The temple was built in 2004 for the 2000th anniversary of Christianity and the 1500th anniversary of the independence of the Georgian church and is a symbol of modern Tbilisi. The temple looks majestic and rich, at the same time it can fit 15 thousand people.
There was an Armenian cemetery on the site of the temple. The Armenian diaspora was unhappy with this fact, especially since the remains of people who were taken out during the construction process were never reburied.
There are a lot of icons inside the temple, the largest of them is decorated with gold and about 400 Georgian saints are depicted on it. 5 out of 9 chapels are underground, which is very unusual.
The entrance to the cathedral is free, the cathedral is open every day.
- Sioni Cathedral... The temple, built in the 7th century, still stands today. It is located in the Old City. This temple is not only an architectural monument, but also a place where some relics are kept, for example, the cross of St. Nino.
During the entire existence of the temple, it was destroyed many times by the Arabs, Khorezmians, was subjected to an earthquake and fire. Since the end of the 18th century, the temple has the appearance that it has today. Free admission.
- Metekhi temple - in the past a fortress and residence of kings. One of the ancient monuments, built in the 12th century. The temple is located in the city center and is easy to find. It stands on the Metekhi rock. The temple was destroyed by the Mongols and rebuilt several times.
An interesting fact - at the beginning of the 20th century, the temple was an NKVD prison.
Then they wanted to demolish the temple, but the townspeople managed to defend it.
The Metekhi temple was a prison, a theater, and a museum. And only at the end of the 20th century it was again converted into a church. The entrance is free for visitors.
- Narikala fortress... This fortress has only one function - defensive. It housed the Church of St. Nicholas, it was destroyed, only the foundation remained. At the beginning of the 21st century, the foundation was excavated and the temple was rebuilt.
It is better to climb to the fortress from the Botanical Garden. If you go to it from other places, you will have to climb higher. You can enter the fortress from all sides for free.
- Georgian opera theater and ballet to them. Paliashvili. The theater was founded in 1851 and is located on Rustaveli Avenue.
At the beginning of the last century, works by Georgian composers began to appear in the theater for the first time.
Reviews about the ballet are only positive. Lovers of opera and classical music can safely visit the theater. Tickets cost from 200 GEL.
- Orthodox Church Anchiskhati... Built in the 6th century, this church is the oldest church in Georgia.
Once in the church there was an icon of the Oraz of the Savior. During the attack on the Ottoman estate, the townspeople hid the icon, as it was of great importance to them. Now the icon is in the museum. Free entrance to the temple.
- Bridge of peace... It was built after the Georgian-Ossetian clash. An Italian architect worked on the architecture of the bridge, and a French designer worked on the design.
Of course, I would like to see the most picturesque and most interesting places in Tbilisi. Let's build a route through popular places in the city and its surroundings.
- By the way, if you are planning to rent a car, be sure to find out about the conditions, documents and prices.
You can start your trip around the Georgian capital with a trip to funicular... It was opened in 1905, the length of the path is 500 meters, the funicular runs every 10 minutes. The lower station is located in the city center. You can get there by buses No. 90 and 124, the stop is called "Mtatsminda", and the metro stations "Rustaveli" and "Freedom Square" are also nearby.
The next station - Pantheon... There is a restaurant at this station. The last station is called Mtatsminda... There are various cafes and restaurants, an amusement park. The funicular offers a beautiful view of the city and you can immediately see where to go in Tbilisi to see the sights. The funicular ride is worth 2 GEL.
But where to go in Tbilisi to see the sights on foot? Of course in Old city... And from there you can walk to the Freedom Square. At one time, revolutions and celebrations took place there. Previously, there was a monument to Lenin, and now St. George, who kills the dragon.
Located nearby Rustaveli Avenue, which connects Freedom Square and Rustaveli Square. The bloody events of the 90s and rallies in 2007 and 2011 took place on the avenue. There are theaters, museums, a cinema, hotels, a gallery. Everyone will find the place they want to go to.
In addition to the sights of Tbilisi, there are cafes in the Old City for every taste. It is not recommended to go to a cafe with European cuisine. Reviews of tourists indicate that Georgians do not know how to cook European dishes. And everyone's favorite sushi, even more so. Therefore, there is only one option left - to immerse yourself in Georgian cuisine.
There are cafes with famous khinkali at every step. Usually the price is indicated per piece, on average one piece costs 2-5 GEL. It is also worth trying the barbecue made from different types of meat. Georgians know how to cook meat of a very high quality. And Georgians are not the best waiters. They treat visitors warmly, with a soul, at home. It is customary for them to touch food with their hands.
Georgian cuisine is simple, but it has its own flavor. There are no unusual ingredients in Georgian dishes, no complicated recipes. It is about her that we can say “all ingenious is simple”.
Botanical Garden you need to set aside a sufficient amount of time. The garden was founded in the middle of the 19th century. It is there that you can take a break from the bustle of the city and breathe in the fresh air. Despite the fact that the garden is located in the center of the city, the air is clean there.
In the botanical garden you will find unusual plants, fountains, waterfalls. It is worth visiting the garden 1 GEL and 15 GEL with a guide. Local residents do not go to the garden, as they believe that there is nothing to do there. In fact, it is. Those tourists who have been to the Botanical Garden once do not visit it a second time.
- Perhaps you will be interested to know about the prices for excursions in Georgia, all programs with a Russian-speaking guide.
City walk route
Excursions in Tbilisi and its surroundings in Russian
In a separate article, we have already told where to go on an excursion in Tbilisi, the review turned out to be gorgeous and inexpensive for tourists at local prices.
There are several optimal walking routes and different agencies, so the prices for excursions in Tbilisi are completely different. But each route includes practically all the attractions in the city center.
During the walking tour, you can get around the Old Town and several major historical monuments. It is these places that carry a lot of information that are worth visiting with a guide. A knowledgeable person will convey the information clearly.
Wine and gastronomic excursions are very popular. Such excursions cost an average of 200 GEL. Wine lovers will taste different varieties of Georgian wines. And lovers of new dishes will get acquainted with Georgian cuisine. Each wine and food tasting takes place in a new establishment.
But, what to see in Tbilisi and the surrounding area in a few days, when there is little time, but you want to visit as much as possible? Better to see those sights that are within the city. Otherwise, it will take half a day to plan a trip to only one object outside the city.
Also in this case, you can choose a one-day walk. This way you can cover the most popular and interesting sights of Tbilisi. The most popular excursion consists of visiting:
- Tsminda Sameba Cathedral;
- Metekhi churches;
- a monument to King Vakhtang Gorgasali - the founder of the city of Tbilisi;
- ascent by cable car to the Narikala fortress;
- a walk in the old town;
- lunch at a restaurant with national cuisine; visiting the Jvari monastery; visiting the Svetitskhoveli temple.
The cost of the walk is from 250 to 350 GEL, the price depends on the number of people.
Rest in Georgia will show that there are good-natured people and extraordinary nature in this world. This is a country with sea, mountains and desert. And I want to visit every corner of this country. Our heading on travel in Georgia and tips.
