If you’re looking for a destination that brings together history, nature, and culture, we provide you with the best things to do in Georgia Tbilisi to discover the top places and activities in the capital of Georgia. You can walk through the old city and see the houses with wooden balconies, visit the Peace Bridge and the sulfur baths, and you can also explore the fortresses and elevated spots overlooking the city. In this article, we present the most important things you can do in Tbilisi, whether you’re traveling with family, a partner, or alone, or planning a short trip from the UAE.

Things to Do in Georgia Tbilisi at a Glance

There are many varied activities in Tbilisi to suit all types of travelers, and below are the highlights:

Families

Tbilisi is one of the best tourist destinations for families because it is a safe and easy city to navigate with children, and it has wide parks, gardens, and historic fortresses that excite young ones and enrich their knowledge. All families who come love walking in Mziuri Park with the famous silver horse statue that escaped from the zoo during the 2015 floods and became a symbol of the city.

Couples

There are many romantic restaurants in Tbilisi, along with stunning sunset viewpoints above the city. Couples can also try the private sulfur baths, which are one of the most distinctive highlights of a couples’ trip here.

Adventure Seekers

You can hike up to Narikala Fortress via the winding Betlemi rock steps, or explore Leghvtakhevi Canyon, and walk through the branching streets of the old quarter for hours without a map and without getting bored.

Food Lovers

Trying khachapuri stuffed with cheese, egg, and butter, and khinkali with its inner broth, are experiences that have no equal anywhere else in the world.

Free Activities

Most churches, fortresses, bridges, and parks are open for free, and wandering through the old quarter and sitting in the city’s gardens to watch daily life costs nothing, and it is one of the finest things about Tbilisi.

Luxury Stays

Tbilisi has a range of luxury hotels, including boutique hotels located in historic buildings such as Stamba Hotel, which was formerly a Soviet publishing house. There are also international hotels like Radisson Blu Iveria, which stands out for its views over the Kura River and the mountains surrounding the city.

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Why Visit Tbilisi

Tbilisi has many places and activities that visitors can enjoy, and below are the top reasons:

What Makes Tbilisi Unique

Tbilisi is a city that brings together in one place Ottoman sulfur baths, classical opera, hipster restaurants, Orthodox churches, mosques, and synagogues. There is no other place in the world that brings together this level of architectural and cultural diversity in a small, fully walkable geographic area, and its residents are considered among the most welcoming people in the world toward foreign visitors.

Culture, History, and Nature in One Place

During your visit to Tbilisi, you will find many places that reflect Georgia’s history and nature, and you can start the tour from the old quarter and walk among its buildings, then take the cable car from Rike Park to Narikala Fortress to see the city from above. After that, you can visit Sameba Cathedral and learn about its history.

Why Tbilisi is a Preferred Destination for Short Trips from the UAE

It is easy to plan a short trip to Tbilisi from the UAE, as the flight takes about three hours, and UAE residents can enter Georgia without a visa for up to 90 days according to entry conditions, and the city offers varied options for activities, accommodation, and food, which makes it suitable for spending two or three days.

Best Historical Things to Do in Georgia Tbilisi

Tbilisi is a city full of historical landmarks that tell centuries of successive civilizations, from the Persians, Arabs, Mongols, and Ottomans through to the Soviet era, and below are the top historical sites that should not be missed among things to do in Georgia Tbilisi.

Exploring the Old Quarter of Tbilisi

The old quarter is the beating heart of Tbilisi and extends from the sulfur baths area in Abanotubani all the way to Freedom Square, and it is an exceptional architectural mix that brings together buildings from the Middle Ages, Neoclassical style, Art Nouveau, and the Soviet era in narrow, intertwining alleys. Its building facades are filled with carved wooden balconies and vines climbing cracked walls that give it an exceptional and unforgettable character. And you do not need a map here, because getting lost in the alleys of the old quarter is itself the experience.

Walking on the Peace Bridge

The Peace Bridge is one of the most distinctive landmarks in modern Tbilisi, and it is a glass and steel bridge designed by Italian architect Michele De Lucchi and opened in 2010 as a symbol of Georgia’s transition from the Soviet era to a new phase, and it connects the old quarter to Rike Park on the other bank of the Kura River, and the bridge has more than 1,200 LED lights that run on four different lighting programs every hour at nightfall, which makes it one of the most beautiful night scenes in the city.

The bridge also has motion sensors that light up the walkway for every person who crosses it, and it gives you a direct view of Narikala Fortress, the Mother of Georgia statue, and the Presidential Palace all at once.

Visiting Narikala Fortress

Narikala Fortress is one of the top things to do in Georgia Tbilisi and it is a historic fortress that dates back to the 4th century AD, and it expanded significantly at the hands of the Arabs in the 7th and 8th centuries, and the Russian ammunition explosions of 1827 caused the destruction of large parts of it, and inside the fortress is the Church of St.

Nicholas dating to the 12th century, which was rebuilt in 1996. You can reach it either on foot via the Betlemi rock stairway that takes you between traditional houses and old churches, or by cable car from Rike Park for a ticket priced at 2.5 lari, and the fortress walls give you exceptional panoramic views over all of Tbilisi.

Discovering Metekhi Church

Metekhi Church, officially known as the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, sits on the edge of a steep rocky cliff overlooking the Kura River at the bottom of the old quarter, and it is one of the landmarks that is hard to miss while walking around the city, and in front of it stands a large statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, the founder of the city of Tbilisi, on horseback. Entry is free but women are required to cover their heads and wear modest clothing, and the platform surrounding the church gives you a view from the other side over the Peace Bridge, the old quarter, and the modern city in one scene worth photographing.

The Leaning Clock Tower of Gabriadze Theatre

The leaning clock tower of the Gabriadze Puppet Theatre is one of the strangest and most beautiful landmarks in the old quarter, designed by the famous Georgian artist and director Rezo Gabriadze, who decorated its base with hundreds of colorful tiles painted by hand, and despite looking old and cracked it was built in 2010 only.

A small golden angel comes out from the top of the tower every hour to strike the bell, and at exactly noon and 7 PM a small puppet show called The Circle of Life is performed inside it, beginning with birth and ending with death, and this is what makes sitting in front of it one of the most distinctive cultural experiences among things to do in Georgia Tbilisi.

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Things to Do in Georgia Tbilisi for Couples

Tbilisi is one of the cities suited for romantic trips, where couples can enjoy walking through the streets of the old city, visiting various landmarks, and spending quiet time together, and below are the top activities that can be done:

Romantic Restaurants

Couples can try a number of restaurants in Tbilisi, including In the Shadow of Metekhi restaurant, which serves Georgian food with traditional music and dancing, and it is preferred to book several days before the visit, and couples can also choose SEE360 restaurant to enjoy food with a view over the city and live musical performances.

Sunset Spots

To watch the sunset, you can head to the area near the Mother of Georgia statue above Sololaki Hill, where large parts of Tbilisi appear from above, and nearby there is GriLisi Grill Bar where you can sit and enjoy drinks and the view.

Riding the Cable Car

The cable car takes you from Rike Park to Narikala Fortress, and it provides a beautiful view over the old quarter and different parts of the city, so it can be a suitable option for couples during an evening tour.

Private Sulfur Baths

The Abanotubani area has many sulfur baths, and it also allows couples to book private rooms that contain a bathtub and a seating area, and the most well-known among them are Chreli Abano and Orbeliani, and prices vary depending on the room type and available services.

Things to Do in Tbilisi by Season

To be able to enjoy your trip to the city, you should know the following tips:

• Spring weather from March to May is moderate and more suitable for walking around the city and visiting parks and tourist attractions, and the best thing you can do is trips to the nearby mountain areas.
• Temperatures rise during summer in June, July, and August, so it is preferred to avoid walking for long periods at midday.
• Fall from September to November is characterized by more moderate conditions, and this is what makes it a suitable time for exploring the city and the surrounding areas, and fall colors appear in the parks and forests.
• In winter, temperatures drop during December, January, and February, and snow may fall in the nearby mountain areas such as Gudauri and Kazbegi, while the weather inside Tbilisi is less cold compared to the higher altitude areas.