Tbilisi Old Town (Dzveli Tbilisi)

Winding up the hillside beneath the Narikala Fortress, Tbilisi’s Old Town is best explored on foot. Tours typically stop by the historic district’s top attractions, including Anchiskhati Basilica, the Abanotubani sulfur baths, and Sioni Cathedral. Or, check out the Old Town’s trendy eateries and bars on a culinary tour or pub crawl. Several full- and multi-day tours across Georgia and beyond feature Tbilisi.

• Tbilisi’s Old Town can be tricky for wheelchair users, though accessible tours are increasingly available.

• Tours normally include entrance to paid attractions; otherwise, you can book admission to some sights in advance.

• You’ll usually need to cover your shoulders when visiting religious sites—pop a shawl in your bag before heading out to sightsee.

Tbilisi’s Old Town straddles the Kura River before climbing up toward the Narikala Fortress and Kartlis Deda monument. As the district is compact enough to navigate on foot, most city tours depart from a central meeting point. If you’re getting there from farther away, drive or take advantage of Georgia’s comprehensive—if a little slow in places—public transit system.

For fewer crowds and milder temperatures, go in early autumn or late spring, when the weather is ideal for walking. On Georgian Independence Day (May 26), you’ll find a great deal to see and do across Tbilisi’s old and new districts. Easter is a lively time of year within Orthodox communities.

As you stroll through Tbilisi, you’ll notice all sorts of architectural and cultural influences and styles, from Islamic to Stalinist, medieval to modern. The city’s location on the geographical crossroads between Asia and Europe means it’s been a site of trade and invasion for centuries. Learn more about Tbilisi’s unique past at the Tbilisi History Museum, or widen your perspective of Georgian culture at the Open Air Museum of Ethnography.