Old Tbilisi

Old Tbilisi is a dense cluster of two- and three-story houses with carved wooden balconies draped in grapevines. Walls of yellow brick and tufa stone are painted in ochre, terracotta, and pale blue. Streets just 2–4 meters wide wind between courtyard houses where fig trees grow and laundry dries overhead. Gorgasali Square (Meidan) sits at the district's crossroads: from here, streets branch toward Abanotubani, Shardeni Street, Sioni Street, and the path up to Narikala. The Jumah Mosque – Tbilisi's only active mosque – stands 100 m from the Orthodox Sioni Cathedral and a synagogue, reflecting centuries of religious coexistence.

In the upper part of the district, Narikala Fortress and the 20-meter Mother of Georgia (Kartlis Deda) statue are visible from anywhere in the Old Town. Stone steps descend from the fortress past the Jumah Mosque toward Abanotubani. Behind the sulfur baths lies the Leghvtakhevi gorge with a 22-meter waterfall right inside the city. The trail along the stream leads to the Botanical Garden (161 hectares, 4,500 plant species). Shardeni Street is a pedestrian zone lined with galleries, restaurants, and wine bars. Nearby stands the Rezo Gabriadze Theater with its clock tower – every hour, an angel emerges to ring the bell.

In the evening, the Old Town transforms: the illuminated Bridge of Peace, lit-up Narikala, and restaurant lights along Shardeni. Cafés and restaurants stay open until 23:00–01:00. The Dry Bridge flea market (daily, busiest on weekends) sells antiques, Soviet-era artifacts, silver, and paintings.

Age – the district was founded in the 5th century; some fortifications date to the 4th century. A UNESCO World Heritage candidate since 2007

Sulfur baths – over 10 operating bathhouses in Abanotubani. Water temperature 37–40°C. Public hall from 5–20 GEL/hr ($2–7), private room from 70–120 GEL/hr ($25–45)

Architecture – traditional houses with carved wooden balconies, 19th-century brick and stone construction. A blend of Georgian, Persian, and European styles

Leghvtakhevi waterfall – a 22-meter natural waterfall in a gorge behind the sulfur baths, 200 m from the Old Town center

Multi-faith quarter – within 200 m: Orthodox Sioni Cathedral (6th–13th c.), Jumah Mosque (18th c.), a synagogue, and an Armenian church

Cable car – 500 m from Rike Park to Narikala in 2–3 minutes. Glass cabins seating 8, panoramic views of the river and Old Town rooftops

The territory of present-day Old Tbilisi was inhabited long before the city's founding – archaeological finds date to the 4th millennium BCE. In the 4th century CE, a Persian citadel (the future Narikala) stood here. In the 5th century, King Vakhtang I Gorgasali relocated his court from Mtskheta and began building the city around the hot sulfur springs. His son Dachi formally declared Tbilisi the capital of the Kingdom of Iberia in the 6th century. The city changed hands repeatedly: Arabs established the Emirate of Tbilisi in the 7th century; in 1122, King David the Builder liberated the city and ushered in Georgia's "Golden Age." In the 13th–14th centuries, Tbilisi fell under Mongol rule.

In 1795, Persian Shah Agha Mohammad Khan devastated the city almost entirely – most buildings visible in the Old Town today date to the 19th century, rebuilt under the Russian Empire. During the Soviet era the district deteriorated, but the historic core survived. Following Georgia's independence in 1991, restoration began: façades on Shardeni and Erekle II streets were rebuilt, Sioni Cathedral was restored. In 2012, the cable car from Rike Park to Narikala opened, and Old Tbilisi became the country's primary tourist district.

From TBS Airport (17 km, 20–40 min): – Bus #337 to Freedom Square – 1 GEL (~$0.35), runs 7:00–23:00 – Bolt taxi – 15–25 GEL (~$5–9)

By metro: – Freedom Square station (red line) – exit directly onto the square, 2 min to the Old Town – Avlabari station (red line) – exit toward Sameba Cathedral and Metekhi Church, cross the bridge into the Old Town in 5–7 min – Fare: 1 GEL, Travel Card required (2 GEL deposit)

From Rike Park: – Walk across the Bridge of Peace – 3 min – Cable car to Narikala – 2.5 GEL, 2–3 min

From other Tbilisi neighborhoods: – Bolt taxi from anywhere in the city – 3–15 GEL (~$1–5) – City buses to Freedom Square – 1 GEL

Within the district: The entire Old Town is pedestrian. Main route: Freedom Square → Shardeni → Meidan → Abanotubani → Narikala. Distance ~2 km, elevation gain ~120 m to the fortress.

Season: April–June and September–October offer comfortable temperatures of 18–25°C for walking. Summer (July–August) is hot, up to 38°C – explore early morning or evening. Winter (December–February) is cool (2–8°C) but uncrowded, with lower accommodation prices.

Time of day: Morning (before 10:00) – empty streets, good light for photography. Sunset (18:00–20:00 in summer) – best light for panoramic views from Narikala. Evening – illuminated bridges and atmospheric restaurants.

Duration: 3–5 hours for the main sights. A full day with sulfur baths, Botanical Garden, and lunch. Two days for a thorough exploration including side streets and markets.

Avoid: Summer weekends (July–August) – peak tourist group volume from 10:00 to 16:00. Rainy days – cobblestones become slippery, the climb to Narikala can be hazardous.