16 Unique Things To Do in Tbilisi, Georgia

Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia, will take you by surprise with its transcontinental culture. Be it the beautiful Soviet architecture that characterizes the old town or the traditional sulfur baths allowing you to relax from your travels, Tbilisi has a wide range of experiences to offer to every traveler. In addition, the delicious and vintage-inspired dining experience paired with the delicate Georgian wine is the cherry on top of the cake. Through our article, 16 Unique Things To Do in Tbilisi, Georgia, we hope to show you why Tbilisi is quickly becoming a popular European travel destination.

16 unique things to do in Tbilisi, Georgia

16 Unique Things to Do in Tbilisi, Georgia

Just like Budapest, Tbilisi is so quirky and unique in its peculiar way. We have divided this article into 3 categories i.e. Experiences, Sightseeing, and Best Places to Eat & Drink. Each of these categories summed up a wholesome experience and impression of a city.

Also read: A weekend getaway guide to Budapest

We hope through these 16 unique things to do, you make the most of your time in Tbilisi, Georgia. Let’s dive in!

Experiences

These experiences made our time in Tbilisi enjoyable. From a relaxed morning in a Sulfur bath to bargaining in the flea market, we experienced a whole lot in Tbilisi. Tbilisi being at the intersection of Europe and Asia, we felt that these experiences had a bit of European charm mixed with an Asian feel.

Below are our top 5 of the 16 unique things to do in Tbilisi. Also, a side note: all of these are doable with a toddler in tow.

01. Stroll around the Old Town

A stroll around the Old Town was one of our favorite things to do in Tbilisi. It’s easy to get lost in the labyrinth of narrow streets and get mesmerized by Soviet-inspired architecture, complete with wooden balconies. In spring we saw so many wisterias hanging at the entrance, which made our stroll prettier. If you keep walking up through the old town, the roads will lead you to Narikala Fortress.

There are loads of restaurants, wine shops, and souvenir shops around Meidani Square. More often than not, you will be stopped by people and asked to eat at their restaurants or take tours from them. We politely declined all such offers.

Don’t miss out on soft-serve grape or wine ice cream. You will see stalls with a soft-serve machine just outside the Chreli Abano sulfur bath.

02. Relax in a Sulfur bath

In the Old Town, you will find many Sulfur Baths, but the most famous one is the Chreli Abano Sulfur Bath. What’s unique about these Sulfur baths (unlike the ones you would experience in Budapest, for example), is that they allow you to book a private room at a very reasonable cost. There are public baths as well, but the private room elevates the experience. These rooms have hot and cold water baths, a sauna, a sitting area, and a bathroom. An added advantage is that Sulfur Baths are safe for toddlers if they can tolerate the temperature.
We recommend booking a few days in advance, as the private rooms sell out quickly. Also, we booked a traditional Kisa peeling/scrub experience. This was one of our top experiences in Tbilisi.

Quick Tip: We recommend carrying cash with you, as you will need to pay for a traditional peeling experience directly to the masseur or masseuse.

03. Shop for souvenirs at Meidan Bazar

Right at the start of the Old Town, you will find an underground Meidan Bazar. Let’s just say that it is a one-shop stop for all Georgian souvenirs, starting from spices to paintings. It’s a good shop to go in even for a tiny stroll and window shopping. We brought back from Georgian spices and though a bit pricier, they were well packaged, etc.

04. Watch the sunset over Tbilisi from Narikala Fortress

The view from Narikala Fortress is just stunning and you would enjoy it even more if visited during sunset. This crumbling fortress was built in the 4th century, and it dominates the architecture of Tbilisi Old Town. The fortress is open 24*7, and there isn’t any entry fee for those climbing on foot. If you aren’t up for a steep climb to the Narikala Fortress, you can take a funicular to the top at a very small cost.

Quick Tip: If you are interested in climbing right to the top, you will be stepping on uneven surfaces. So, we suggest wearing good shoes with a grip.

05. Bargain for antiques at the Flea Market

We have never visited a Flea Market before, so it was such a fun experience to walk and look around. It’s an open-air flea market located on and below Dry Bridge in Tbilisi. Here you will find anything and everything, and some of them are absolute gems. From artwork to silver wear to knickknacks and jewelry, to antiques – you will find a whole lot of items sold here. We highly recommend taking a stroll here just for the experience.

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Sightseeing

Here is a list of sightseeing spots that made it to our list of 16 unique things to do in Tbilisi. These touristy spots are very unique to the city and you can easily cover them a day or two.

06. Visit the Clock Tower

At the heart of the old town, stands a quirky clock tower, giving the impression that it might fall any day now. The structure is unique and modern, conceptualized by the famous puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze. The clock tower is attached to Rezo’s puppet theater on its side. Every hour, an angel comes out and strikes the bell with a small hammer.

The street housing the clock tower is pretty lovely and has a good number of cafes you can indulge in. The famous Leila Cafe is right next to the Clock Tower.

07. Visit Holy Trinity Cathedral

Also known as Sameba Cathedral, Holy Trinity Cathedral is the biggest Orthodox Church in Georgia. The painting inside the cathedral is still a work in progress, but the cathedral itself is beautiful. Entry is free to the Cathedral and the grounds are huge with beautiful views.

The easiest way to reach the Cathedral is by hailing a taxi, as transportation is cheap in Georgia. Cathedral is 10 mins walk from Metro Station if you prefer to use public transportation.

08. Visit Fabrika

Fabrika is a cool, industrial-style Soviet Union factory-turned-hostel that now is also a hotel, bar, shopping & dining location along with a co-working space and events hub like live music. The hostel is located in the city’s oldest district and is filled with loads of beautiful restaurants and shops.

Don’t be lost like us, and just enter the building to experience the unique and quirky style of what it has to offer.

09. Get mesmerized by the colors of Gallery 27

Gallery 27, is a small shop offering beautiful local handicrafts and artwork. The gallery represents and sells artwork made by more than 100 locals from all over Georgia. You will find anything from ceramic to traditional blue tablecloths to enamel jewelry. The gallery also runs regular workshops, where you can learn more about Georgian culture & heritage.

What’s interesting is that the shop is located in a building decorated with beautiful stained glass. The entrance to the shop is truly spectacular and makes for those beautiful Instagram-worthy photos.

10. Visit the Chronicle of Georgia

The Chronicle of Georgia is a monument that’s located near the Tbilisi Sea. It features 16 columns reaching a height of 35 meters each and depicts scenes from the 3,000-year-old Georgian History. The location boasts a beautiful panoramic view of the Tbilisi Sea and the surrounding suburbs.

The Chronicles of Georgia is one of Instagram’s famous spots in Tbilisi. Also, it’s free to visit and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The easiest way to reach is by taking a taxi which will cost around 15GEL.

11. Bridge of Peace

The Bridge of Peace is a bow-shaped bridge for pedestrian crossing. Not as fancy as the rest of the spots in Tbilisi, but worth checking out at night, when the bridge is illuminated with numerous LEDs and looks beautiful over the Kura River.

Best Places to Eat & Drink

A country is best explored through its food and culture. We had some of the best dining experiences in Tbilisi and often I find myself thinking about the finger-licking delicious food and wine we have experienced in the city. Below are some of our favorites that made it to the list of 16 unique things to do in Tbilisi. We have also added a few bonus recommendations for you. 🙂

12. Zala Restaurant

Zala Restaurant was our favorite restaurant experience in Tbilisi. We were swooning over the interior decor, which with beautiful to say the least. The restaurant serves Georgian dishes with a modern twist and everything we tried was so delicious. The hearts and tummies were super full and satisfied, after a wholesome dining experience.

We would highly recommend making a reservation in advance.

13. Leila Cafe

If you are a vegetarian/vegan, you will find many options for yourself to indulge in. Located just around the corner from the Clock Tower, this cafe is right in the heart of the old town. The beautiful decoration just tops the experience.

14. Black Lion (Shavi Lomi)

Shavi Lomi came highly recommended by a local and the restaurant didn’t disappoint. Located in a small quiet street, with a very unusual entrance, the restaurant has a very quirky, cozy, and beautiful decor. The cutlery is vintage sourced from the flea market. The food was good and did have a few vegetarian/vegan options.

If you want to sit outside in the garden, we suggest making a reservation in advance.

15. Vino Underground

It’s a wine bar located underground beneath an arched masonry with a very cozy and rustic vibe. Don’t go hungry, as they only serve wine and cheese platters.

Vino Underground has very good reviews and comes highly recommended by locals. However, our experience was ok as the place was deserted when we went. Also, the wines seemed to be open for a long time and didn’t taste great.

16. 8000 Vintages

8000 Vintages has the best collection of Georgian wines. It’s a chain of shops and bars throughout Tbilisi where you can experience the most exquisite collection of wine. The team at 8000 vintages blind taste & sample 100 new wines every month and select only the finer ones to be a part of their collection. At the bar, the wine is sold at the shelf price without any additional service fee.

It’s a good location to buy some bottles as souvenirs for your travel.

Bonus Eating Spots

Some of the other restaurants that are recommended to us by our local friend are listed below. Hope you enjoy your culinary experience in Tbilisi.

Azarphesha Wine Restaurant for a cozy yet wholesome dining experience.
Veriko Restaurant is located in Wine Factory N1 and it offers both modern Georgian cuisine and traditional meals with a contemporary twist.
Barbarestan Restaurant for the best fine dining experience.
Ninia’s Garden is a special restaurant to discover in Old Tbilisi.
RIGI for Tbilisi-style and traditional Georgian dishes created in a simple but peculiar way.
Georgian Kalata is a cheese, wine, and Churchkhela shop in Tbilisi.

We are sure, by the end of the trip you would have had so much Georgian food, that you would start craving your comfort meal. 😉

Where to Stay in Tbilisi

We highly recommend staying near the old city center, just within walking distance from all major attractions. You will find accommodations & hostels for any kind of budget in Tbilisi.

We stayed at Apartment Betlemi, booked via Booking.com and the location was very convenient as it was only 2 mins walk from the old city center.

16 Unique Things To Do in Tbilisi, Georgia