Tbilisi (Georgian: თბილისი), is the capital city of the country of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mtkvari River. The metropolitan area covers 726 km² (280 mi²) and has a population of approximately 1.3 million (2026).
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Tbilisi (formerly called 'Tiflis' after its Russian name) lies in the centre of eastern Georgia, in the foothills of the Trialeti mountain range. According to Georgian legends, it was founded in the 5th century by King Vakhtang Gorgasali who, while hunting, shot a pheasant which fell into a warm spring and was either boiled or healed. Either way, the king was inspired to found a city on the site, and the name of the city derives from the Georgian word tbili meaning "warm".
The primary transport inside and outside the Tbilisi city are metro, buses and marshrutka (converted transport vans aka minibuses aka microbuses). Check the Tbilisi Transport Company website for live overview and more information on buses. Otherwise, to find the correct bus route, GoogleMaps has comprehensive bus network information with numbers and routes. If you click on one of the numerous bus stops around the city or next to you, you will get displayed the bus lines, their routes and frequency. There is the Metromoney (IC) card, which must be used for most of Tbilisi's public transport options and tapped when entering any vehicle or station.
The Georgian National Museum is the umbrella organisation for a dozen museums and other sites in Tbilisi and elsewhere, with practical info in English. Usually they charge 7 lari for an adult, and are closed Mondays. 1 Open Air Museum of Ethnography (ეროვნული მუზეუმი ღია ცის ქვეშ), Kus Tba 1 (1 Turtle Lake Road, Tortoise pond lane) კუსტბის გზა #1) (Bus 59 from Metro Rustaveli; Bus 9 from station square and a little walk up), ☏ +995 32 2729045, fax: +995 32 2982133. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Part of the Georgian National Museum. "Skansen"-type museum with 70 houses and other buildings characteristic of the various parts of Georgia, plus household gadgetry and craft tools.
1 Sulphur Baths (Abanotubani), Bath Street (აბანოს ქუჩა) (from Metro Avlabari 1 km SW, south side of the Metekhi bridge). The main bath district is easy to spot with its small domes on ground level. There are several small baths offering different levels of comfort. The baths are relatively small, and you may have to wait for a pool to become available. English service is not guaranteed. Massages are available; however, they are more like a washing, but well worth it for the experience. You should bring your own towel and beach sandals but also they are available for a small fee, but pricey compared to the 3 lari if you use the public bath.
Street side stalls selling Georgian fast food are all over the city. Some kind of hot snack will cost 0.70-2.50 lari. 1 Kiwi Vegan Cafe, 6 Ivane Machabeli St (in Old Town between Pushkin and Leselidze), ☏ +995 322990456. Vegan cafe. Low prices, delicious, has tofu. 4-7 lari (Dec 2017). (updated Aug 2022) 2 Racha, 4 Mikheil Lermontovi St. Great and authentic Georgian restaurant. It is not fancy, but it is real and the food is tasty. An interesting place in the basement for unpretentious tourists who want to eat inexpensively. The menu offers a selection of national dishes. You can feel the atmosphere of Georgia here. (updated Aug 2022) 3 Veliaminov, 8 Shalva Dadiani St.
One is never far from a corner store opening late selling the bare essentials of life late into the night, which always include booze and bread. Georgia is known as the cradle of wine having produced wine since the neolithic period; and locals are very proud of this. Georgian wine was and still is the best in post-Soviet culture and there are many wine tasting shops in the upmarket areas of the city where wine culture is greatly respected.
Tbilisi is very safe after the Rose Revolution. You will be welcomed with the cheerful hospitality that is a hallmark of Georgian culture. The police system was reformed completely and the public's trust in police rose dramatically. The police are usually quick to respond, though usually only Georgian and Russian are spoken. Walking as a solo black man is unusual. Be prepared to receive stares and be "randomly" controlled by police every day. While walking is generally fine, even for solo women, it makes sense to take a bus or taxi home at night. Use common sense and big-city awareness. Night time at the clubs and bars are generally safe but fights between locals can escalate quickly.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Tbilisi typically sees ~30°C daytime highs and 5 rainy days.
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