Tbilisi Traditions

General information

Destination
Tbilisi, Georgia

Program details

Your Tbilisi adventure begins at Freedom Square. After just a few steps, you’ll be immersed in the historical district of Sololaki, favoured by the great and the good of Tbilisi for centuries.



Highlights

- Get a deeper understanding of the country and its heritage

- Explore the chaotic lanes of Old Town and marvel at its 19-century architecture

- Follow the Betlemi stairs to admire the view of the city and be rewarded with khachapuri (Georgian cheese pie)

- Be charmed by the emblematic sights of Tbilisi



Admire the decadent former glories of this intriguing city, you’ll be tempted by the smell of freshly-baked bread from the underground bakeries that are located nearby, and you’ll see locals happily set up impromptu sidewalk markets in order to sell their seasonal produce. Up the steps to the clifftop is next where you should be prepared for some breathtaking views of Tbilisi.



From the observation deck of the Betlemi Quarter, you’ll be able to see most of the city’s main landmarks. Here we will reward ourselves with a delicious khachapuri, which literary means cheese with bread, and a glass of local wine (or mineral water from the neighbouring mountain springs). Our next stop will have you carried away with colours as we visit the magnificent ‘kaleidoscope house’ to admire its stained glass decorations. Back to modernity, we’ll mooch our way down the always busy Leselidze Street, which leads to Meidan Square, the former site of the city's main Bazaar.



Then it’s on to the red-brick domes of the Abanotubani sulphur baths, the restorative hot springs that gave the city its name. Unusually for a city tour, our next stop will be at a spectacular waterfall, the local’s favourite place to come and cool off on a hot summer day and make a wish. As we cross the Metekhi Bridge, we’ll stop to admire the church on the rocks above the river. This is where Vakhtang Gorgasali built his palace, when he made Tbilisi his capital all the way back in the 5th Century. Finally, we will walk along the winding path through Rike Park on the eastern riverbank and stroll across the Mktvari River on the glass-and-steel Peace Bridge which helped to transform Tbilisi's profile.



Your tour will end near the clock tower which was built by the puppet master Rezo Gabriadze outside his popular theatre. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your expert local guide for more tips on what else to see and do while you’re in town.



Language

English