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Tbilisi

Sulphur baths, cable-car views & bargain bazaars

Browse Tbilisi

Tbilisi is one of the most rewarding places to explore, and this local guide brings together the best things to do, where to eat and where to stay in one place. Highlights include Lisi Sulphur Bath, Lilo Mall and Mediathek Tbilisi. Food lovers should not miss Wine Factory N1 and Shavi Lomi. Below you will find 14 hand-picked local recommendations across sights, restaurants, hotels and tours, which you can filter by category and budget to plan the perfect trip, whether you have a weekend or a week.

Tbilisi at a glance

  • Ideal stay: 2 to 3 days
  • Best time to visit: spring and autumn
  • Highlights: Lisi Sulphur Bath and Lilo Mall
  • Where to stay: Old Town and Vera
  • Local picks: 14 hand-chosen recommendations
  • Getting around: walkable, plus easy public transport

Local tips for Tbilisi

Stories and neighbourhood know-how from our local guides.

Where to stay in Tbilisi

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Old Town

Abanotubani Sulphur Baths

The brick-domed sulphur bathhouses in the heart of the old town.
★ 4.5
$
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Old Town

Babale

Why it matters: Babale is a social enterprise that works with children and adults with Down syndrome, who help create the whimsical clothing, textiles and homewares sold in this Old Town showroom. The signature buy is the sock collection inspired by famous Georgian paintings – each pair reproduces a work by artists like David Kakabadze or Petre Otskheli, with a note about the artwork printed on the back. You’ll also find Christmas ornaments, jewellery and magnets that beat any generic souvenir stall. Hours vary, so check their Facebook page before making the trip.
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Vake

Cafe Mziuri

Why it matters: this cafe tucked into Vake’s beloved Mziuri Park is a social enterprise whose profits go straight back into maintaining the park – and it was the first cafe in Georgia designed to be fully accessible to blind, visually impaired and wheelchair-using guests. The menu is vegetarian-friendly with solid vegan options, and the cafe runs Meat Free Mondays alongside a steady calendar of community events and workshops. Come on a weekday afternoon, grab a table, and let kids loose in the park afterwards – the cafe sits below street level inside the park itself, so it feels like a secret even to some locals.
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Cinema House | კინოს სახლი

New trailers, worldwide premieres and sold-out tickets are ruling the world now, but what to do, where to go when craving for rich, nourishing, delicious piece of cake? Missing childhood memories or…
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Fix Price • ფიქს პრაისი

More that 600 product from 64 category. From beauty care to snacks and hobby stuff. Quality? – High, Price? – Fixed – 2.5 GEL (1$). You can enjoy shopping fully, buy more…
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Rustavi

Fix Price Tbilisi

Tbilisi’s dollar-store fix – 600+ products across 64 categories, from beauty care to snacks and hobby bits, all at a single fixed price (~2.5 GEL / $1). A shopaholic’s fairy tale for stocking up cheaply.
★ 4.2
$
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Old Town

Georgian Wine and Supra Tour

A tasting of ancient qvevri wines paired with a traditional supra feast.
★ 4.6
$$
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Abanotubani

Gulo Sulphur Bath

One of the loveliest of Tbilisi’s historic sulphur bathhouses in Abanotubani, with private rooms of faux-marble pools, domed roofs and beautiful mosaic tilework. Book a room by the hour and add a traditional kisa scrub.
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Avlabari

Holy Trinity Cathedral

The soaring modern Sameba cathedral crowning the skyline.
★ 4.6
$
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Latino dance parties

Salsa Caliente Tbilisi Invites all Latin American and other social dance lovers to party in Dariani. This is the best Latino dance/party spot in Tbilisi with friendly and professional stuff. Usually parties…
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Lilo

Lilo Mall

A vast open-air wholesale bazaar on the city’s edge (on the road to the airport) where locals go to buy just about anything – carpets, jackets, pans – cheaper than in town. Huge, with parking, maps and sector signs to help you navigate. Tip: there’s a shuttle bus and even a shipping service.
★ 4.3
$
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Lisi Lake

Lisi Sulphur Bath

Tbilisi is said to have been founded on its sulphur springs, and beyond the historic Abanotubani baths in the Old Town you’ll find modern ones like this by Lisi Lake – sleek interiors, private rooms, a shared women’s sulphur pool (rare in the old baths) and a terrace for tea afterwards. Tip: towels rent onsite for ~1 GEL.
★ 4.5
$
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Vake Park

Mediathek Tbilisi

A beautifully designed modern library in Vake Park that’s become a favourite Tbilisi hangout for all ages – students drop in after class to read, chat over coffee or just relax, and there’s a Georgian souvenir shop too. A yearly membership (~15 GEL) unlocks full access, but it’s worth a look even once.
★ 4.5
$
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Old Town

Narikala Fortress

The ancient hilltop fortress over the old town, reached by cable car.
★ 4.6
$
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Vera

Rooms Hotel Tbilisi

A stylish, characterful design hotel in a former publishing house.
★ 4.6
$$
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Old Town

Shavi Lomi

Modern Georgian home cooking served in a leafy courtyard.
★ 4.5
$$
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Orbeliani Square

Social Concept Store ESKI

Why it matters: this little boutique near Orbeliani Square stocks handmade goods from 25+ Georgian social enterprises under one roof – makers include people with disabilities, single mothers and former inmates, so every purchase funds real employment. It is the easiest one-stop shop in Tbilisi for gifts with a story: Bebias beanies knitted from Tushetian wool, wooden toys handmade on the grounds of Sameba Cathedral, Ethnodesign ceramics and Babale’s painting-inspired socks. Open daily 10:00-20:00; go before you leave town and skip the airport souvenir markup.
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Vera

Stamba Hotel

A dramatic design hotel inside a converted Soviet-era printing house.
★ 4.6
$$$
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Tbilisi travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Tbilisi?

Two to three days is enough to enjoy the highlights of Tbilisi at a relaxed pace.

Where is the best area to stay in Tbilisi?

Stay central and walkable to the main sights for a first visit.

What are the best things to do in Tbilisi?

Browse the local picks above, from top sights and museums to where to eat and stay. Or read our best things to do in Tbilisi guide.

What is the best time to visit Tbilisi?

Spring and autumn usually bring the most comfortable weather and thinner crowds, though Tbilisi is worth visiting year-round.

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