Look, I know Georgia isn't on most people's radar. It's tucked between Turkey, Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan — a geographic position that sounds more like a geopolitical headache than a vacation destination.
But Tbilisi is quietly one of the most rewarding cities in Europe. And at prices that make Southeast Asia look expensive. Let me make my case.
Tbilisi exists because of these baths. The city's name literally comes from "tbili" — warm — referring to the natural sulfur hot springs in the old town's Abanotubani district.
The domed brick bathhouses offer private rooms with hot sulfur pools for 40-120 GEL ($15-45) per hour for 2-5 people. The water is naturally hot, slightly sulfurous, and after 30 minutes you'll understand why people have been bathing here for 1,500 years.
Add the kisi scrub (20-40 GEL) for a traditional exfoliation experience that's brutal, effective, and leaves your skin feeling brand new. Orbeliani Baths (the one with the striking blue-tiled Islamic facade) is the most popular. Royal Bath is more upscale.
Book for late evening. Trust me.
I don't use the word "life-changing" about food. But the boat-shaped Adjarian khachapuri — a bread vessel filled with molten sulguni cheese, topped with a raw egg and a knob of butter that you stir together at the table — comes dangerously close.
You tear off pieces of the crusty bread rim and use them to scoop the cheese-egg-butter pool. It's simple. It's devastating. It's 8-12 GEL ($3-4.40).
Machakhela is the reliable chain. Retro on Lermontov is the local's favorite. Literally any restaurant in the old town will serve a version that would cost $20+ in any Western city.
A 4th-century fortress sitting on a ridge above the old town. Free entry. Take the cable car from Rike Park (2.50 GEL one way) up, then walk down through the old town's tangled alleys.
From the fortress walls, you see the whole story of Tbilisi: the river cutting through the valley, the sulfur bath domes below, the Bridge of Peace glinting, the Soviet-era buildings on the hills, and the Mother of Georgia statue — holding a sword for enemies, a wine cup for friends.
Allow 2-3 hours for the fortress and the walk back down.
Georgia is (probably) where humans first made wine. Archaeological evidence dates Georgian winemaking to 6000 BC — 8,000 years ago. The traditional method uses qvevri, large clay vessels buried underground.
The resulting amber/orange wines taste unlike anything you've had. Honey, dried fruit, tannin structure, and something ancient you can't quite name.
Vino Underground is the best starting point in Tbilisi — tastings run 20-40 GEL. Wine Gallery and g.Vino are also excellent. For the full experience, do a day trip to the Kakheti wine region (120km, tours 80-150 GEL) and visit family wineries where the grandfather still ferments in backyard qvevri.
Georgian soup dumplings. 1 GEL each (~$0.37). Pick up by the twisted knob, bite a hole, suck the broth, eat the dumpling, discard the knob. Order 8-15 per person.
Beef, pork, lamb, mushroom, cheese, and potato varieties exist. The best khinkali restaurants are small, loud, and have no English menu. Ask your hostel staff for their personal recommendation — the answer will be better than any guidebook.
The old town (Kala) is a tangle of narrow streets where buildings lean against each other like old friends. The carved wooden balconies — some painted blue, some turquoise, some weathered to bare wood — overhang the alleys at angles that defy both gravity and building codes.
Grapevines climb every available surface. Cats lounge in doorways. Someone is always doing laundry from an upper window. It's chaotic, beautiful, and photogenic from every angle.
No entry fee. Just wander. Get lost. That's the point.
A disused bridge turned open-air market selling Soviet memorabilia, antique jewelry, oil paintings, vinyl records, Georgian enamel work, and Caucasian daggers. Open daily, best on weekends.
Free to browse. Bargaining expected — start at 40-50% of asking. The vintage Soviet cameras (Zenit, FED) make unique gifts. Georgian cloisonne enamel pendants and brooches are beautiful and relatively affordable (15-40 GEL).
Allow 1-2 hours.
A funicular railway dating to 1903 (rebuilt 2012) climbs through forested hillside to a hilltop amusement park at 770m. Round trip: 8 GEL. The 3-minute ride is scenic and mildly thrilling.
At the top, the Ferris wheel gives the highest viewpoint over Tbilisi. The park itself is pleasant — rides are pay-per-use, there's a decent restaurant, and the views at sunset are remarkable.
Michele De Lucchi's glass-and-steel pedestrian bridge is Tbilisi's most recognizable modern landmark. During the day, it's a pleasant crossing connecting the old town to Rike Park. At night, thousands of LEDs create a flowing light pattern that's mesmerizing.
The best photos come from the Rike Park side, looking toward the old town with Narikala Fortress lit up on the ridge above.
If you're lucky enough to be invited to a supra — a traditional Georgian feast — say yes without hesitation. The tamada (toastmaster) leads elaborate rounds of toasts to God, to Georgia, to the motherland, to ancestors, to the guests. Each toast requires drinking.
The food keeps coming. Dish after dish, refill after refill, until saying "no" becomes physically impossible. Georgian hospitality isn't a marketing slogan. It's a cultural imperative backed by 3,000 years of practice.
Even without a private invitation, several restaurants in Tbilisi offer supra-style dinners. Your hotel can arrange one.
Say "gaumarjos" (cheers) with conviction. It'll earn you a friend for life.
For more on this destination, check out our My Tbilisi Travel Diary: 5 Days of Sulfur Baths, Khachapuri, and 8,000-Year-Old Wine.
For more on this destination, check out our 17 Tbilisi Tips That'll Transform Your Georgia Trip.
Travel Guides
Travel Guides
Travel Guides
