Things to do in Tbilisi: A Tbilisi Photo Tour

Georgia in Eastern Europe is a hidden gem full of history, culture and culinary diversity. Tbilisi, guarded by hills and mountains from all around, is a cobbled street city with a perfect vintage vibe of eastern European culture and diversity which the city has adopted from Arabs, Ottomans, and Russians who left their own distinctive cultural mark. With life buzzing at its core, the list of things to do in Tbilisi can be very long as the city has a lot to offer to everyone. This photo tour will take you on a virtual journey of the beautiful capital of Georgia, Tbilisi.

I landed in Tbilisi along with my best friend around 4:30 pm on a September afternoon encountering a not so sweet immigration experience, all thanks to my Pakistani passport! (Tip: if you’re traveling to Georgia being a local or resident of any of the Gulf countries, please carry copies of your hotel booking/s, return ticket and most importantly Travel Insurance! Georgian immigration officers are very particular about Travel Insurance).

My recommended Travel Insurance: World Nomads

Finally making through the immigration and customs, stepping out from the airport was a bit of a disappointment, as winter seeking desperate people from Oman, we were greeted by bright sunny and warm weather in Tbilisi. Then began our journey to our hostel in Rustavelli Avenue, which is the main tourist hub in the city. Ask me the best thing about Rustavelli Avenue; its cobbled streets! Coming from Oman, a country with some of the best roads in the world, cobbled streets were a pure treat for me.

Compare hotel prices and read reviews: Hotels Combined I Booking.com

Spending the rest of the day wandering around the street, searching halal restaurants to eat from (there are too many of them in Tbilisi) and dealing with jetlag (even though Tbilisi and Muscat are in the same time zone but let me relate my laziness to jetlag) we finally called it a night.

While I thought I did my research well before visiting Georgia for the first time, there were plenty of new adventures and experiences awaiting. We woke up the next morning all ready to start our first full day waiting for our guide and anticipating exploring the best things to do in Tbilisi.

Also Read: Exploring Georgia on a Road Trip

Things To Do In Tbilisi – Stroll around Erekle Street

Out and about for the breakfast, I encountered this gorgeous-looking giant piano on Erekle Street. Georgians are great artists and they have an amazing taste in music and you will encounter many of such vintage pianos on the streets of Tbilisi. Feel free to play them.

Erekle st. leads to an extremely gorgeous looking food street that looks like it has come straight out of a fairytale. We stopped there to have our first meal of the day. Mind you, Georgians doesn’t like to wake up early! It was half-past eleven in the morning and most of the cafes were still closed.

Luckily, we find one small and cozy café who was just gearing up for a day of business. Here, I would like to highlight the benefit of being with a guide or a local in Georgia, as the entire menu was in Georgian language and you just cannot expect the server translating every single item on the menu for you! Our guide, who was already a friend by now, translated the whole menu for us (such an angel in a disguise). On his recommendation, we ordered Khachapuri, a very popular Georgian cuisine which is a cheese-stuffed pizza. The real catch here is the cheese! It is made in the local farms of Georgia and it will taste nothing like the cheese you have ever eaten. Khachapuri is a must-try cuisine when in Tbilisi!

Check This Detailed Recipe of Ajarian Khachapuri – Georgian Cheese and Bread

Things To Do In Tbilisi – Bridge of Peace

Our first stop of the day was ‘The Bridge of Peace’, that is just a five minutes’ walk away from the food street. The Bridge of Peace is a pedestrian bridge running over the Mtkvari (Kura) River that connects old Tbilisi to the new district. Its contemporary design and picturesque views on both the ends make it worth a visit for every tourist.

A view of the river from the bridge…

A distant view of ‘Mother of Georgia’ standing tall on the hill with a bowl of wine in one hand to welcome the friends and a sword in the other hand to keep the enemies away! Interesting, right?

Things To Do In Tbilisi – Shangri La Casino

Just on the embankments of the Mtkvari River, nearly a two minutes’ walk from the Bridge of Peace is the Shangri La Casino of Tbilisi. It is one of the most contemporary, luxurious and high-end service gaming facilities in all of Georgia. We were pretty broke during that time, so stepping in the casino was a big NO-NO! We passed it, walking towards our second stop of the day.

Things To Do In Tbilisi – Metekhi Cathedral & The Monument of King Vakhtang Gorgasali

Our next stop for the day was the Metekhi Cathedral and the monument of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, which is adjacent to the cathedral. King Vakhtang Gorgasali belonged to the Chosroid dynasty, who ruled the region of Iberia during the fifth century. He is attributed to making Tbilisi the capital city of Georgia. His giant statue stands tall next to the Metekhi Cathedral overlooking the city of Tbilisi, which was built by the King himself. This place is on a hill, which was a tad bit exhausting walk on the bright sunny afternoon. The views of Tbilisi from the top of the hill are quite mesmerizing. A great spot to click pictures too.

Things To Do In Tbilisi – Mother of Georgia

‘Mother of Georgia’ was our next stop, which is perhaps a mandatory stop of anyone visiting Tbilisi. She stands tall on a hill overlooking the entire city. It can be reached either by hiking all the way up to the hill or by taking a cable car, which is a preferred way to go up. We obviously opted for the cable car to reach up while enjoying the 360 degrees view of the city.

Before visiting the statue, do stop for a while and listen to these guys. Georgian street musicians are undoubtedly worth your time!

After enjoying the street music, we walked our way to get a closer view of ‘Mother of Georgia’. As she stands near the edge of the hill, it is practically impossible to get a front-view photograph of the statue.

We choose to hike our way down from the hill rather than taking the cable car back and it turned out to be a great decision. The hike down the hill takes you through small congested yet extremely picturesque alleys straight out of your imagination!

And you will also stumble upon views like these…

Things To Do In Tbilisi – The Clock Tower

Already down from the hill now, while making our way back to the car, we encountered an unusual structure, ‘The Leaning Clock Tower of Tbilisi’. Tucked into the side of a small street, this disheveled clock tower is a puppet theater. The tower was planned to structure in a leaning position and it did not end up like this after any accidents or earthquakes. Surely, this makes it an interesting place to visit.

Things To Do In Tbilisi – The Sulphur Baths

Visiting Tbilisi but not visiting the famous Sulphur Baths of Tbilisi is no less than a sin! The legend says that many years before the King of Georgia discovered Sulphur springs in Central Georgia and decided to build a city around it. Hence, Tbilisi was born and yes, the city is built on thermal springs. These dome-shaped baths are quite similar to the Turkish baths which offer a traditional massage, a great place to relax.

Things To Do In Tbilisi – Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi

The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi is a beauty in itself. Situated in the center of the city, this cathedral is the largest in Georgia and the third largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world. It is built on a huge area and every corner of the place is extremely picturesque. We also saw a wedding photo-shoot happening in one of the gardens on the Cathedral. So if you’re visiting Tbilisi with your significant other, add Holy Trinity Cathedral in your list for a memorable photo-shoot.

By this time we were well worthy of an afternoon power nap so we came back to our hostel to rest looking forward to spending a memorable evening in Tbilisi.

The sunset skies are pretty dramatic in Tbilisi

Things To Do In Tbilisi – Funicular

Remember the Ferris wheel and a tower far on the hill I talked about on my first day in Tbilisi? That place is called Funicular on Mt. Mtatsminda and yes, that was our next destination and first stop of the evening. The way to the amusement park on the top of the hill goes through a cable train. However, it is recommended to visit the Funicular before sunset to enjoy the views of the whole city you get to see while ascending on the hill and from top of the hill. There are restaurants, cafes, and an amusement park to sit, enjoy and eat on the top.

Though we visited the Funicular during the evening, the views from the top were still breathtaking…

Things To Do In Tbilisi – Walk around Rustavelli Avenue

When visiting Tbilisi, I highly recommend staying in Rustavelli Avenue because the street has everything a tourist can possibly ask for. From the Opera house, an Old cinema, Georgia Parliament Building, restaurants, branded stores to street vendors selling traditional items, art galleries, and a metro station, yes, all of that on a single street! Amazing, right?

Check hotels in Rustavelli Avenue: Hotels Combined I Booking.com

Things To Do In in Tbilisi – Shopping at Marjanishvilli Street

It is mandatory to end a busy day exploring the city by shopping in the night and that’s what our final plan for the day was. Marjanishvilli Street is just one stop away from Rustavelli metro station. It is a buzzing street, much similar to Rustavelli Avenue with all the big brand stores, ATMs to nightclubs and if you’re like me in a quest of halal food then you’re in for a treat here! Both sides of the street have countless Indian and Turkish halal food restaurants. Street artists can be seen performing on the street square and cars thumping with music passing by. In short, Marjanishvilli Street offers a complete nightlife experience of Tbilisi.

It looks very calm and peaceful during the early hours…

And it buzzes in its full charm during the evening

And like that our exploration day in Tbilisi finally came to an end!

While most people visit Tbilisi with the aim of finding the vibe and charm of Paris or London; Tbilisi in itself is a gem of a city waiting to be seen around. The charm it has to offer is nothing short of amazing. Tbilisi is truly an experience to be lived and rejoiced.

Fun fact: Alcohol is easier to find in Tbilisi than water!

P.S: All the pictures in this post are courtesy my best friend and travel buddy Sree. Check out more of his epic adventures and photography tips at The Picture Perfect Tales.

Check Out Some Fun Tours To Take From Tbilisi

Disclaimer: Some of the links in the article are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. However, I only recommend products and services I trust.

Inspired? Pin it!

Planning To Visit Tbilisi? Check Out The Latest Hotel Prices

Booking.com

Liked The Article? Share It With The World