13 Things To Do in Tbilisi, Georgia

A few weeks into my backpacking trip to Turkey, I hopped on a Turkish Airlines flight to Tbilisi, Georgia, to explore more of the region.

Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia and home to about 1.5 million of the country’s 3.7 million people.

Georgia shares a border with Turkey to the southwest, Armenia and Azerbaijan to the south, and Russia to the north and east.

It has proven to be a tricky place to maintain one’s sovereignty. For example, let’s look at just the last two hundred years.

The Russian Empire annexed Georgia in September 1801. Georgia declared its independence on May 26, 1918, but its freedom didn’t last long.

The Soviet Union took over Georgia in 1922 following World War I. When the U.S.S.R. fell apart in 1991, Georgia regained its independence.

As the country aligned itself with Western Europe, Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and has occupied several regions in the east ever since.

I share this recent history of conflict in light of Russia’s cruel war in Ukraine today and because my May visit to Tbilisi coincided with Georgia’s annual Independence Day celebrations.

Tbilisi Attractions

Let’s move from the history lesson to the best things to do in Tbilisi. I had a wonderful time exploring the Georgian capital over several days.

I’d rented a private room through Airbnb, which gave me easy access to downtown Tbilisi.

1. Walk the Old Town

Going for a walk is one of the easiest ways to get your bearings in a new city, so that’s just what I did the morning after arriving in Tbilisi.

The Old Town extends west from the left bank of the Kura River, which passes through central Tbilisi. Pedestrian-friendly roads and alleys are lined with shops and restaurants to explore.

2. Sioni Cathedral

The first significant landmark I saw was Sioni Cathedral, a Georgian Orthodox cathedral named after Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

A church was initially built here in the 6th and 7th centuries. However, it has been destroyed by invaders and rebuilt several times since then. The current version is based on a 13th-century design.

The rather plain exterior belies a beautiful interior, rich in colorfully painted frescoes.

Address: 3 Sioni St, Tbilisi

3. The Bridge of Peace

From Sioni Cathedral, it’s only about a block’s walk north to the Bridge of Peace.

Opened in 2010, this modern…