Things to do · Tbilisi · Georgia
18 best things to do in Tbilisi
18 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Tbilisi are Narikala Fortress, Abanotubani sulphur baths and Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia). Of the 18 picks below, 13 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 5 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Narikala Fortress
- Free sights
- 13
- Good on a rainy day
- Abanotubani sulphur baths
- Time to see the highlights
- 5 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narikala Fortress | Old Tbilisi | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Abanotubani sulphur baths | Old Tbilisi | 1–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia) | Sololaki | 30 minutes | Free |
| Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) | Avlabari | 45 minutes | Free |
| Bridge of Peace and Rike Park | Old Tbilisi | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| Metekhi Church | Avlabari | 30 minutes | Free |
| Anchiskhati Basilica | Old Tbilisi | 20 minutes | Free |
| Sioni Cathedral | Old Tbilisi | 20 minutes | Free |
| Georgian National Museum | Rustaveli and Mtatsminda | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Rustaveli Avenue | Rustaveli and Mtatsminda | 1 hour | Free |
| Mtatsminda Park and funicular | Rustaveli and Mtatsminda | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Dry Bridge Market | Marjanishvili and Chugureti | 1 hour | Free |
| Fabrika | Marjanishvili and Chugureti | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Tbilisi Botanical Garden | Old Tbilisi | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Chronicle of Georgia | Tbilisi Sea | 1 hour | Free |
| Gabriadze Theatre clock tower | Old Tbilisi | 20 minutes | Free |
| Open Air Museum of Ethnography | Vake | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Dezerter Bazaar | Marjanishvili and Chugureti | 1 hour | Free |
The 18 best things to do
Castle · Old Tbilisi
1.Narikala Fortress
The ruined fortress walls of Narikala, first built in the 4th century and expanded by later rulers, run along the ridge above the Old Town. From its towers there are views over the sulphur-bath domes, the river and the city. A cable car glides up from Rike Park across the river in a few minutes.
Ride the cable car up, then walk down through the fortress and the botanical garden or the steps to Abanotubani.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Experience · Old Tbilisi
2.Abanotubani sulphur baths
Tbilisi's name comes from the Georgian word for 'warm', after the sulphur springs that feed the domed brick bathhouses of Abanotubani. Most bathhouses offer public pools and private rooms rented by the hour, with an optional kisi scrub. The Chreli Abano (Orbeliani Baths), with its blue-tiled façade, is the most photographed.
Book a private room in the evening; a scrub with a kisi mitt is worth adding, and you'll leave very relaxed.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Private rooms at popular bathhouses fill up in the evenings and at weekends; reserve a day or two ahead.
- Iconic
- Couples
- Rainy day
- After dark
Landmark · Sololaki
3.Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia)
A 20-metre aluminium statue on the Sololaki ridge, holding a bowl of wine for guests and a sword for enemies, symbolising Georgian character. It stands a short walk from the Narikala cable car's upper station.
Walk the ridge path from Narikala to the statue for views on both sides of the city.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
Religious site · Avlabari
4.Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba)
Completed in 2004, Sameba is the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, with a gilded cross visible across the city. Its grounds include gardens, smaller chapels and a bell tower.
Visit during a Sunday morning service to hear the choir, dressing modestly.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Iconic
Architecture · Old Tbilisi
5.Bridge of Peace and Rike Park
A glass-and-steel footbridge opened in 2010, designed by Michele De Lucchi, links the Old Town with Rike Park on the left bank. After dark its canopy lights up with LEDs. Rike Park has fountains, play areas and the lower station of the Narikala cable car.
Cross the bridge after dark for the lights, then ride the cable car up to Narikala for the night view.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Kids
- Photo spot
Religious site · Avlabari
6.Metekhi Church
A 13th-century church on a cliff above the Mtkvari River, facing the Old Town, with an equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, founder of Tbilisi, beside it. It is one of the classic views of the city.
Photograph it from the Old Town bank at sunset, when the church and cliff are lit gold.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Old Tbilisi
7.Anchiskhati Basilica
Built in the 6th century, Anchiskhati is the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi, with a dim, frescoed interior. Its choir is known for traditional Georgian polyphonic singing during services.
Visit during a service to hear polyphonic singing, standing quietly at the back.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Old Tbilisi
8.Sioni Cathedral
Sioni Cathedral, rebuilt several times since the 6th century, is traditionally believed to hold the cross of St Nino, made of grapevines bound with her hair, who brought Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century.
Combine it with a walk along Sioni Street to Meidan Square and the sulphur baths.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Museum · Rustaveli and Mtatsminda
1.Georgian National Museum
The museum on Rustaveli Avenue displays Georgia's archaeological gold treasury, with intricate Colchian jewellery, as well as early hominid skulls from Dmanisi, around 1.8 million years old. Other floors cover natural history and the Soviet occupation.
Start with the gold treasury in the basement, then see the Dmanisi skulls before the rooms get busy.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Street · Rustaveli and Mtatsminda
2.Rustaveli Avenue
Tbilisi's main avenue runs about 1.5 km from Freedom Square past the Parliament building, the Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Rustaveli Theatre, Kashveti Church and the National Museum. Its 19th-century façades and plane trees make it the city's grand promenade.
Use the underpasses to cross; traffic is heavy and pedestrian crossings are limited.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
Theme park · Rustaveli and Mtatsminda
3.Mtatsminda Park and funicular
On top of Mount Mtatsminda, reached by a funicular from the city, an amusement park has a Ferris wheel and rides with views over the whole city. The funicular's middle station serves the Mtatsminda Pantheon, where Georgian writers and public figures are buried.
Go up an hour before sunset to see the city by day and as the lights come on.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Views
- After dark
Market · Marjanishvili and Chugureti
4.Dry Bridge Market
Around the Dry Bridge and the adjoining park, sellers spread out Soviet medals, cameras, vinyl records, old jewellery, paintings and household oddments. It is busiest at weekends and good for browsing even if you don't buy.
Haggle politely, and check that antiques can legally be exported before buying anything old or valuable.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Off the beaten path
Neighbourhood · Marjanishvili and Chugureti
5.Fabrika
A former Soviet sewing factory converted into a hostel, co-working space and courtyard of bars, cafés, studios and shops, covered in street art. It is a lively evening hangout for locals and visitors.
Come in the early evening and explore the surrounding streets of Aghmashenebeli Avenue afterwards.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Art
- Food
Garden · Old Tbilisi
6.Tbilisi Botanical Garden
Stretching into a gorge behind Narikala Fortress, the botanical garden has shaded paths, a waterfall, bridges and plant collections. It feels far from the city despite being a short walk from the Old Town.
Enter from the fortress side and exit near Abanotubani to make it part of a walking loop.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
Landmark · Tbilisi Sea
7.Chronicle of Georgia
A monumental work by Zurab Tsereteli on a hill above the Tbilisi Sea reservoir, with huge bronze pillars depicting Georgian kings, queens and Biblical scenes. It is striking and rarely crowded.
Go late in the afternoon by taxi and combine it with a walk by the Tbilisi Sea.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Off the beaten path
- Art
Architecture · Old Tbilisi
8.Gabriadze Theatre clock tower
A whimsical, leaning clock tower beside the Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theatre, built by the puppeteer himself from old bricks and tiles. An angel strikes the bell on the hour, and a short mechanical puppet show plays a couple of times a day.
Check the time of the puppet show locally and arrive a few minutes early; the lane is small and fills up.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Vake
9.Open Air Museum of Ethnography
On a hillside near Turtle Lake, this open-air museum gathers traditional houses, wine cellars, a church and farm buildings from regions across Georgia, giving a sense of village life and architecture.
Take the cable car up to Turtle Lake and walk to the museum, then have lunch by the lake.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Outdoors
Market · Marjanishvili and Chugureti
10.Dezerter Bazaar
Tbilisi's main food market, near the central railway station, sells cheeses, spices, churchkhela, dried fruit, meat and produce from across Georgia. It is a good place to see everyday city life.
Ask to taste cheeses and spices before buying, and keep an eye on belongings in the crowded aisles.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Georgian National Museum, Fabrika, Chronicle of Georgia and Open Air Museum of Ethnography |
| History | Narikala Fortress, Metekhi Church, Anchiskhati Basilica and Sioni Cathedral |
| Views | Narikala Fortress, Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia), Metekhi Church and Mtatsminda Park and funicular |
| Outdoors and nature | Tbilisi Botanical Garden and Open Air Museum of Ethnography |
| Food and markets | Dry Bridge Market, Fabrika and Dezerter Bazaar |
| After dark | Abanotubani sulphur baths, Bridge of Peace and Rike Park, Mtatsminda Park and funicular and Fabrika |
| With children | Bridge of Peace and Rike Park, Mtatsminda Park and funicular, Tbilisi Botanical Garden and Gabriadze Theatre clock tower |
| On a rainy day | Abanotubani sulphur baths and Georgian National Museum |
What to book ahead
- Abanotubani sulphur baths: Private rooms at popular bathhouses fill up in the evenings and at weekends; reserve a day or two ahead.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Tbilisi?
Narikala Fortress. The ruined fortress walls of Narikala, first built in the 4th century and expanded by later rulers, run along the ridge above the Old Town.
+What can you do for free in Tbilisi?
Narikala Fortress, Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia), Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba), Bridge of Peace and Rike Park and Metekhi Church. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Tbilisi when it rains?
Head indoors to Abanotubani sulphur baths and Georgian National Museum.
+What is there to do in Tbilisi at night?
Abanotubani sulphur baths, Bridge of Peace and Rike Park, Mtatsminda Park and funicular and Fabrika are best after dark.