An Introduction to Tbilisi

Post written by Laura

For the final section of my G Adventures ‘Best of Armenia & Georgia‘ trip as part of a group of 14 we were based in Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia for the last 2 nights.

Tbilisi is strategically situated on the border of Europe and Asia and close to the Silk Road which had resulted in a turbulent history. Today Tbilisi has a mix of multi cultural populations although 90% are ethnic Georgians. Tbilisi is considered a safe city and has recently become a popular place for digital nomads to base themselves.

The bus had dropped us off in Europe Square where we began with a short city walking tour as our G Adventures guide Anna led us around some of the highlights. Europe Square is located in the historical part of Tbilisi next to Rike Park.

Rike Park is an attractive public space in the centre of Tbilisi and contains a range of activities including benches for relaxing and a stage for public performances.

Adjacent to Rike Park is the Bridge of Peace which crosses the Kura River. The 150 m Bridge of Peace was commissioned by the Tbilisi City Hall to be built with a contemporary design. This pedestrian bridge was opened in 2010 and is a popular landmark of the city.

We walked the the centre of the Bridge of Peace where we had lovely views of the river and the city.

From the bridge we walked back to Europe Square where Anna purchased tickets for us to board the cable car.

The cable car took us to the Narikala Fortress and provided panoramic views of the city.

Towering over the city is the Mother of Georgia statue, the official name being the Kartlis Deda. This statue was erected in 1958 at the top of the Sololaki hill to commemorate the year Tbilisi celebrated its 1500th anniversary. This 20 m statue is made from aluminium and shows the Mother of Georgia in national dress. 

Behind the Sololaki hill are the botanical gardens.

Overlooking the city the 4th century Narikala Fortress is one of the oldest landmarks. Over the years it has gone through several iterations and name changes. There is a 1.5 km walking path which enables you to properly explore this castle and surrounding features.

I had a look inside the St Nicholas Church which is part of the Narikala Fortress complex where colourful fresco’s can be found.

Due to the hot springs running under the city there are a number of historic thermal bath houses in Tbilisi. The name ‘Tbilisi’ actually means ‘warm spring’. We passed the Chreli Abano with its ornate facade which is one of the well known bath houses.

Shortly afterwards the bus driver met us again and drove us to our hotel which was to be our final base for the next 2 nights.

Tbilisi nightlife

I only spent two evenings in Tbilisi and for our first evening 9 of us went out to explore the evening nightlife. From the hotel we walked for about 20 minutes to Fabrika which was transformed from being an industrial factory into a creative co-working/digital nomad/hostal kind of place. Within the middle of Fabrika and lined with an array of street art and quirky features were several bars and cafes and options for street food. This cool and edgy kind of place reminded me of RAW-Gelande in Berlin.

The 9 of us sat around a table in the noisy Camora bar where a stage was being prepared for a band later that night.

From Camora bar we walked around the corner and found the Satatsuri restaurant where we sat around a large oval table and had snacks and more drinks. This was a lovely restaurant with friendly staff serving tasty Georgian food.

For the final evening of the tour our guide Anna had booked a table for the 14 of us into a restaurant called ‘In the Shadow of Metekhi’. With its Georgian menu and traditional folk entertainment this was the perfect end to a wonderful trip.

My meal was fairly simple at the restaurant as I wasn’t that hungry. I had some ‘chvishtari’ local bread made with cheese. This, together with a bowl of vegetable soup and a glass of local white wine was 36 lari (around £11).

Folk music and traditional dancing show in the restaurant.

Hotel

Of the group of 14, there were 4 of us who had booked single rooms and upon arrival at the hotel we found there was an issue with one of them. This meant someone was asked to volunteer to stay in a hotel next door.

With the promise of an upgrade the volunteer was me 🙂 I stayed in the Bridge Boutique Hotel and with its kingsize bed, powerful shower, clean and spacious room it was great! I enjoyed breakfast on the roof terrace which had the same city view as my room (shown in the above photo).

Currency

Before the trip I had researched and understood that euros could be used so I took 100 euros in cash with me. However I didn’t find this to be the case at all and didn’t come across anywhere in Georgia that offered to accept euros. By far the easiest option is to take a commission free cash debit card such as a Monzo and withdraw the local currency (Georgian Lari) from an ATM whilst you are there.

Credit cards are widely used in Tbilisi although some restaurants are not too keen on multiple transactions for one group.

Airport transfer

Our guide Anna had strongly advised downloading the Bolt app, a service similar to Uber. This I did and it worked brilliantly! I was able to pay in cash (or could have used a card) and the 15 minute journey was only 24 Georgian Lari (£7.30). Please note that this was at 08.00 am on a Saturday morning with no traffic. This 15 minute journey can take 40 minutes during the rush hour.

Summary

I only spent a short time exploring Tbilisi as most of my time in Georgia was spent away from the city so I feel this was more of a glimpse!

Overall the trip was fabulous! This was my second journey with G Adventures and I would highly recommend them as a tour company. In both of my experiences they have provided interesting itineraries which include supporting local and ethical businesses, have helpful office-based staff and excellent in-country guides.

I was also fortunate to have spent the week with a wonderful group of 14 fellow G adventurers and travel enthusiasts – I enjoyed the non-stop travel conversations and the impromptu evening visits to random bars to sample local food and alcoholic beverages.

I would love to see more of Georgia and with the many hiking trails of the Georgian Caucasus mountains to explore I’m hoping for another visit in the future.