We had been wandering around Georgia for a good week before arriving in Tbilisi. We drove to Georgia from our home town of Kranjska Gora in our LR Defender converted into a camper. First, we stopped in Batumi, then spent a couple of days exploring the beautiful surroundings of Mestia and Ushguli in the Svaneti region, drove past the Martvili Canyon later on and passed the city of Kutaisi before arriving to the old city center of the Georgian capital. We honestly didn’t expect much from Tbilisi. Partly because we didn’t have time to intensively read about what the city had to offer before arriving, and partly because we are always drawn more to nature than to cities on such overland trips. Nevertheless, the stopover offered itself, as the road to the mountainous area of Kazbegi took us past here anyway. And guess what? Tbilisi blew us away with its architecture, colorful facades, interweaving of different styles, excellent restaurants and bars, and above all with its special relaxed summer atmosphere. We stayed two nights, in a beautiful apartment in a house 300+ years old house, and enjoyed a lot of beautiful things in the three days we spent there. We made an unplanned stop in Tbilisi again about a week later, when we were on our way to Armenia and were looking for a particular car part, albeit in vain. Despite the unsuccessful mission, we did see other parts of the city and visited some more technical shops, which was also an interesting experience. So, in this article, I am taking you to Tbilisi in words and pictures!
EVA’S PAVAROTI | our apartment in one of the most beautiful Tbilisi buildings
We were arriving from the direction of Kutaisi and 2 hours away from the capital we still didn’t have a place to stay. We really don’t like sleeping in the car in cities since we had children, mainly because we don’t have a toilet and because it’s often impossible to find a good and safe location. So while driving I scrolled through the famous application starting with the letter B and I had no idea which part of the city was the best to stay in. I turned on the “washing machine” filter because we really had to wash our clothes and the “parking lot” filter because we really don’t like leaving our Defender aka our home on wheels in some suspicious parking lot far away. The more I searched the more I drawn to one architectural gem with wooden balconies in turquoise colors. I read the reviews and was hooked. Booked!
A minute later I get a message from the owner, which, in addition to the friendly text, included a wine glass emoji. Okay, great start. We enter the address of the apartment called EVA’S PAVAROTI into the navigation. I wonder what the famous opera singer Luciano Pavarotti has to do with Tbilisi, who this Eva is and why would someone name their apartment like this, but I can’t come to a smart conclusion. We wind our way through the labyrinth of roads of the capital to the old center surprisingly quickly, and a few very narrow streets later we finally reach our destination. Thanks to our superdaddy pro driver. Gotta give him some credit here and there!
We park in the courtyard in front of this beautiful, over 300-year-old house, where a small group of tourists are taking photos. Nini approaches us with perfect English and welcoming us with a smile on her face. I’m still silently wondering who this Eva is and where is the connection to the opera, but the moment we step into the beautifully furnished apartment, where a jug of homemade red wine is waiting for us on the dining table, I don’t really care anymore. What a gem we’ve found, in such a great location, in such a special house, with such a pleasant hostess! Well, we learned about how truly special this house is a few sips of wine later.
The word “pavaroti” in Russian means “bend”. So the name of the accommodation has no connection with Pavarotti at all. And Mrs. Eva is no longer with us, but a couple of decades ago she lived right here in this house, which is located on this bend. And Mrs. Eva was a very special lady. You could get very special goods from her that were otherwise impossible to get at that time. Beautiful dresses. And whatnot. Of course, it was not exactly legal, so the house got the mysterious name “Eva’s Pavaroti”. When someone asked someone where he got that beautiful coat, the latter replied, on the bend at Eva’s. Of course, not everyone knew where exactly this place was and the whole thing seemed very mysterious. If someone in Tbilisi asks you where you are going and you don’t want to answer, you can still today calmly say that you are going to “Eva’s Pavaroti”. The name has become a synonym for something hidden, so to speak. I think this is pretty cool, isn’t it?
And we slept right here, in this truly special house where tourists take photos differently because it’s beautiful. But do they really know her story? Well, we’re grateful that we got to know its history so closely.
P.S. This is not a collaboration, a paid post or anything like that. But I’m still happy to recommend and share it with you, because it’s a really great location for exploring Tbilisi. And if any of you happen to go there, say hello to Nini on our behalf!
From here we spent one afternoon, one full day and one morning exploring the city and enjoying the charms of Tbilisi. All in all, we spent more than two weeks in Georgia, so we were in no hurry and managed to visit many of the sights in Tbilisi. The only challenge for us was that many things only open around 10 am. By then we had already been up for about 5 hours, because our children are not very good at sleeping. But well, we somehow adapted. In this post I will mention everything we saw, visited and experienced, and add a few locations which we unfortunately missed this time, but are surely worth a visit.
While we were waiting for our apartment to be ready, we went for an early lunch. For the first time in Georgia we tried the famous traditional KHINKHALI meat dumplings, MTSVADI roasted pork and delicious BADRIJANI – roasted, slightly spicy eggplants with typical walnut paste. We washed it all down with white Georgian wine. A great start! Overall we really enjoyed restaurant food in Tbilisi, because otherwise we mostly cooked for ourselves on this trip.
GEORGIAN CUISINE deserves its own special blog post, but let me quickly mention a few of the TRADITIONAL SPECIALTIES that are worth trying: KHATCHAPURI (traditional bread with cheese, but there are several regional variants, the best for us was “Khatchapuri Adjaruli” with egg and butter), TSITSILA TABAKA (roasted chicken), LOBIANI (bread stuffed with bean paste), CHANAKI (meat and vegetable stew), CHURCHKHELA (nuts dipped in concentrated grape syrup and dried in the form of a long sausage), various types of CHEESE, SHOTI bread, ICE CREAM with red wine and on and on. We fell in love with ADJIKA spice and SVANETI SALT, which give the dishes a really special taste. Georgian dishes impressed us and Tbilisi is a great location to get to know the local cuisine.
LEANING TOWER | interesting clock tower near Gabriadze theater
One of the first sights we visited after lunch was this famous LEANING TOWER, which is actually a CLOCK TOWER, located right next to the puppet theater on the pleasant IOANE SHAVTELLI STREET. Both structures were built by the theater’s owner, who used old parts of abandoned buildings in the old part of the city for this construction which went on for over 30 years. Every full hour, the clock window opens, a puppet angel peeks out and rings the bell, and there is a scene illustrating the cycle of life from birth to death under. Really interesting to see.
JAN SHARDENI STREET | lively street full of restaurants and bars
From the clock tower, we walked in the other direction along the extremely narrow JAN SHARDENI STREET, full of RESTAURANTS and BARS, which runs parallel to the KURA RIVER, to the famous MEIDAN UNDERGROUND BAZAAR, which was once considered the most important in the area.
We just had a good meal, but if you’re hungry, there are a lot of good restaurants here, all with beautifully decorated and green outdoor terraces, and of course a wide selection of Georgian wines and cocktails on the menus. It’s especially lively in the evenings, with several night bars and clubs in the immediate vicinity, for example in the neighboring COTTON ROWS STREET.
SIONI CATHEDRAL | a famous Orthodox cathedral
On the way to the bazaar, we also stopped at the ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF SIONI, which is located on Sioni Street next to the HISTORY MUSEUM and WINE MUSEUM. If you are dressed appropriately, you can take a look inside, it is really interesting. It can also be seen beautifully from the other side of the Kura River, for example from Rike Park, from where I took the photo below.
MEIDAN BAZAR | a charming underground bazaar
The bazaar is located near the METEKHI BRIDGE which counts as the entrance to the old town. We didn’t buy anything, but we did feast our eyes on all those colorful stands. If you are interested in buying Georgian wines, traditional pottery, honey, spices, tea, jewelry, antiques and souvenirs, or for example, tasting the Georgian dessert churchkhela, then this is the place to be.
VAKHTANG GORGASALI SQUARE | interesting square under Sololaki hill
On the other side of the METEKHI BRIDGE, near the underground bazaar, there is another square, surrounded by a bunch of architecturally interesting buildings. We took a quick walk around here too – another bunch of attractive RESTAURANTS and BOUTIQUE HOTELS, it is definitely a nice area to stay during your visit to Tbilisi.
We then walked back to our apartment, and along the way we treated ourselves to our first WINE ICE CREAM. It’s basically vanilla ice cream topped with wine. It’s worth a try, but at the end of the day I prefer a glass of wine.
Our next day was filled with adventures. First mission – breakfast. Since all the restaurants were still closed at such an early hour, we sent Charlie to the bakery and made breakfast right in the apartment. Luckily, you can get excellent bread everywhere in Georgia, and it is best eaten fresh, unfortunately it is as hard as a rock the next day though. We had an active day ahead of us, as we were leaving the day after, and there was still a lot of interesting things to see in Tbilisi.
BRIDGE OF PEACE | the most known bridge in Tbilisi
Our first stop was the 160m long, modern BRIDGE OF PEACE with a glass structure, which has been connecting the old part of the city with the newer part on the other side of the Kura River since 2010. Although it initially really stood out and dominated Tbilisi with its modernity, other more modern buildings have recently appeared in the city and the contrast between old and new is really strong in different parts of the city.
The bridge is also illuminated at night, but since it is one of the most popular tourist attractions, I recommend visiting in the early morning hours, when it is not too crowded. Another funny thing is that the bridge has also been nicknamed “Always Ultra”, because its shape resembles sanitary pads. If you are coming from the old town center like us, on the other side of the bridge there is a beautiful park called RIKE PARK.
RIKE PARK | lovely green park close to the old city centre
The landscape architect in me was observing all the details with enthusiasm here. For those of you who don’t know, I am actually a landscape architect by education, but I haven’t worked in this profession for several years. Nevertheless, I am still attracted to such outdoor sites and perhaps I experience them through different eyes than other visitors.
Anyway, this park, which is also one of the largest recreational areas in Tbilisi, is great! Mila ran around and played, Leo had a big nap in the stroller and we had a peaceful walk. In addition to rest areas, water features, a children’s playground and green areas, the park also features impressive CONCERT and EXHIBITION HALLS in an interesting modern architectural form.
RIKE – NARIKALA CABLE CAR | panoramic drive up to Sololaki hill
We didn’t just go to RIKE PARK by accident, we were actually here to this cable car to the top of SOLOLAKI HILL, to the NARIKALA FORTRESS and the BOTANICAL GARDENS. You can also get up here on foot, but the cable car offers truly magnificent views of the city and it is just easier with small kids. Since we were among the first visitors, we didn’t have to wait in line at all, the return ticket was really cheap and we took advantage of the ride in both directions.
SOLOLAKI HILL | city hill with many interesting sites
I really recommend this quick cable car trip even if you don’t have enough time to visit all the attractions in this part of the city, the VIEW from the top of Solokaki Hill is truly spectacular and you really get that real feeling of the size and diversity of Tbilisi here. On the hill and its slopes we can visit the BOTANICAL GARDENS, NARIKALA FORTRESS, ABANOTUBANI SULPHUR BATH, STATUE OF MOTHER GEORGIA and more. More about the latter below.
NARIKALA FORTRESS | mighty fortress on Sololaki hill
The mighty fortress, whose walls wind their way up the SOLOLAKI RIDGE, is truly unmissable, as it can be seen from several points in Tbilisi. In the lower courtyard you can also see the restored CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS, but otherwise the castle ruins are one of the most popular tourist spots with a wonderful view of the city.
ABANOTUBANI SULFUR BATHS | hot water springs and Abanotubani canyon
Tbilisi is also known for its iconic SULPHUR BATHS, most of which are located in the ABANOTUBANI CANYON area, at the foot of Sololaki Hill. From afar, it is hard to miss the dome-shaped structures, which hide natural hot water at around 40 degrees. If you are looking for an authentic, different and a special experience in the Georgian capital, this is a great choice. In addition to public spaces, you can also rent private rooms.
BOTANICAL GARDENS | the green lungs of Tbilisi
At the top of SOLOLAKI HILL, if you arrive by cable car, you will first encounter some tourist places in the form of souvenir stands and small shops, but when you pass here, a beautiful gorge and green hills open up on the left side, on which there is a huge BOTANICAL GARDEN with walking and cycling paths. So if you want to enjoy some nature while in Tbilisi, in addition to the city parks, this beautiful green oasis over here is a true gem. We skipped the visit this time, because it would have taken us too much time though.
“KARTLIS DEDA” | the most important memorial in Tbilisi
Another must-see attraction on Sololaki Hill is this imposing monolithic aluminum statue of “MOTHER GEORGIA,” which is probably the most important monument in Tbilisi. The statue holds a sword in one hand, with which it threatens enemies, and a jug of wine in the other, with which it greets guests.
We could have walked back to the city center, but we decided to take the faster route and take the cable car again. It had been a few hours since our breakfast and since we were in a city after a long time we thought about having a proper BRUNCH. We had a nice restaurant in mind which we passed yesterday, so we ventured in that direction.
Unfortunately, despite the lovely ambiance and friendly service, we weren’t overly impressed with the food, and the bill was even less impressive. I don’t know, but on such trips we really prefer to eat local food, which always turns out to be much tastier, rather than some poached eggs and bacon sandwiches. So this was the first and last time in six weeks that we ate something more European.
ANTIQUES FAIR | great fair on the Dry bridge
Despite everything, our stomachs were full and since our apartment was not far away, we went back “home” for a short siesta. Then we continued towards the MSHRALI KHIDI BRIDGE (“Dry bridge”), where the ANTIQUES FAIR takes place every day, but since today was Sunday, it was especially big.
Although it’s probably more geared towards tourists than locals, it felt quite authentic and ohhhh, if I had somewhere to put all those beautiful bowls, glasses, cutlery and other things, I would have bought them all. But, in the end we didn’t buy anything. Maybe I’m a little sorry, we could really find something interesting or useful as a souvenir here. An empty can of caviar, a special knife, a mug, a chandelier, an old camera. Maybe next time.
ART FAIR | paintings, handicrafts and more
In the immediate vicinity of the daily antiques fair, in the 9 MARCH PARK, you can also walk through the HANDICRAFT AND ART FAIR, where oil paintings, hand-knitted scarves, sweaters, socks, blankets, hats, children’s toys and similar products await you. If you are looking for unique gifts and souvenirs, it is quite interesting. Not far away there is also a BOOK FAIR.
DEDAENA PARK | another nice green park with playgrounds
And since we were already here, we slowly walked through DEDAENA PARK, where Mila played on the children’s playground, ran around in the water play playground and watched some of the older kids in the skate park. A really nice green park with lots of shade, which was just perfect on such a hot afternoon. We also had an ice cream, and then went searching for an early dinner spot.
IUSTITSIIS SAKHLIC | modern Public services building
Along the way, we also got to see this very interesting modern public administration building called IUSTITSIIS SAKHLIC, on the Kura River, where the residents of the capital do their administrative errands. There were protests in Tbilisi recently and the platform in front of this building might have been one of the protest sites, as we could still see the aftermath of the riots on the ground. Fortunately, everything was peaceful during our visit.
BAZARI ORBELIANI | a cult food market and food court
Dark clouds were gathering in the sky and the wind started to blow, so it was more than obvious that a summer storm was rolling in and by pure chance we escaped to the nearby, now modern COVERED MARKET called BAZARI ORBELIANI. The market has been here since 1886, but back then it looked a little different. All those gorgeous boutiques selling culinary goodies on the ground floor put a smile on our face.
But before we bought a few tasty things over there, we first rushed upstairs, where there is a large FOOD COURT with numerous restaurants offering Georgian, Asian and Western specialties. I had to try LOBIANI, a traditional Georgian bread with beans, while Charlie tried a really tasty burger. We also found some great craft beer.
A leisurely walk back to the apartment, and we ended the day full of new impressions pleasantly tired. The next morning we took time to organize and quickly clean the car, visit another local bakery, and take one last walk through the picturesque streets of “our” neighborhood before driving out of the city to the north.
I would like to add our impression of the other, non-touristy side of Tbilisi, which we experienced when we unexpectedly returned to the capital about a week later. At that time, we drove through completely different parts of the city and saw completely contrasting scenes. This is how I, in a clichéd way, imagine some Russian cities. If you come to Tbilisi with your own vehicle and are looking for anything technical, I highly recommend visiting the huge DOMINO HYPERMARKET. For some spare car parts, you will have to zigzag through the narrow streets in the north of the city, and TBILISI LAKE offers quite a few spots for wild camping, if you are traveling with a camper.
Finally, let me mention a few things and locations that we left out this time for various reasons. Either due to lack of time, because we enjoyed them somewhere else in Georgia, because we simply weren’t interested in them or because visiting them wouldn’t be the easiest with such young children.
So if I were to fly to Tbilisi for a weekend trip, I would love to do some WINE TASTING. Maybe even a cooking class. We later got to know Georgian wines better at a small family winery in the Kakheti region, where we had a great wine tasting experience. I would also like to see some MUSEUMS and EXHIBITIONS in Tbilisi, there are many of them near RUSTAVELI Avenue, and visit some crumbling, abandoned buildings. The whole city breathes art, from street art paintings on. Maybe we would also treat ourselves to a quick soak in the hot springs. Unfortunately, we missed the visit to the MULTIFUNCTIONAL CULTURAL CENTER FABRIK, with its numerous hip bars, art studios, shops and more. So we still have something left for a future visit, but despite everything, I think we made good use of our time in the capital.
DAY TRIPS FROM TBILISI | daytrip to Kazbegi mountains, Kakheti wine region and elsewhere
Since we were traveling with our own car, we didn’t take any of these day trips, but if you’re coming to the city for a (long) weekend trip, you might have one day left to drive around and get a first taste of Georgia beyond its capital. You can of course rent a car, but for many it might be easier to do one of the trips offered by numerous agencies in Tbilisi.
On our way to Stepantsminda and the KAZBEGI MOUNTAINS we encountered a lot of minibuses carrying day tourists from Tbilisi so this is definitely the most popular day trip. The usual day trip stops include the Zhinvali Reservoir, the Ananuri Complex, the Gudauri Monument and of course the icon of Georgia, the Gergeti Trinity Church near Stepantsminda. It is a lot of driving for one day though.
The second most popular excursion is a visit to the KAKHETI WINE REGION, where you can learn about Georgian wines and traditional winemaking, take part in a wine tasting, visit the lovely town of Signagi, the Bodve Monastery, and more. In addition to these two, you have a whole bunch of different excursions to nearby attractions, or you can of course rent a car yourself if you don’t feel like taking organized excursions.
Here’s a collage of photos from the above-mentioned locations, which we visited together with Tbilisi and other parts of the country in about a week.
QUICK TIPS FOR VISITING TBILISI
My first advice would be – don’t just visit the capital, take at least a few extra days for a day trip someplace else. Georgia is a truly beautiful, safe and hospitable country. YOU CAN CURRENTLY FLY DIRECTLY TO TBILISI from different EU cities. You can also fly to Kutaisi (currently Wizz Air flies there from plenty airports) or combine a visit to Tbilisi with a visit to the Armenian capital Yerevan, where Wizz Air has also been flying to for some time from nearby airports. There are many ACCOMMODATIONS of different levels available in Tbilisi, the same goes for restaurants. In general, PRICES ARE NOT VERY LOW, so don’t expect a very affordable destination. Coffee is usually around 3 eur. Public transport is affordable, products from bakeries, fresh vegetables and fruit at the markets also. Even entrance fees, if any, are low. It’s good to know at least a few basic RUSSIAN WORDS, although English usually gets you pretty far in the capital city. Georgians have their own alphabet, but most of the important signs are written in English as well. For taxis, use the BOLT app, and as for internet and SIM cards, I recommend an eSIM.
So, what do you say? Tbilisi impressed us and although I had never really thought of visiting it before, I think it is a great destination for a weekend trip if you like something different and a little more alternative. Unique cuisine, unique architecture, a great mix of everything possible and the special vibes completely captivated us and we would be happy to come back again one day. A long article about our trip to Georgia is coming to the blog soon – if you have enough time for a road trip around this interesting country, I highly recommend it, especially while it is still relatively untouristy.
