Tbilisi

MOMA Tbilisi is the Museum of Modern Art on Rustaveli Avenue, dedicated to 20th- and 21st-century Georgian art in a restored 19th-century mansion.

The Tbilisi aerial tramway runs from Rike Park across the Kura River to the Narikala Fortress ridge. The 2-minute ride provides stunning aerial views of Old Tbilisi.

The Holy Trinity Cathedral (Tsminda Sameba) is the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church and the third-tallest Orthodox cathedral in the world at 87 metres. Completed in 2004, it occupies Elia Hill overlooking the Kura River.

Narikala Fortress is a 4th-century citadel perched on a ridge between the sulphur baths and the Tbilisi Botanical Garden. Expanded by the Umayyads in the 7th century and later by King David the Builder, it remains one of Tbilisi’s most recognisable landmarks.

Sioni Cathedral (Dormition of the Virgin) is one of Tbilisi’s principal churches, in the heart of Old Town. Originally built in the 6th century, it served as the seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch.

The Georgian National Opera Theater is a Moorish-revival opera house on Rustaveli Avenue, built in 1851. It hosts opera, ballet, and orchestral performances in an ornate 1,200-seat auditorium.

Rustaveli Avenue is Tbilisi’s grand central boulevard, stretching 1.5 km from Freedom Square to Heroes’ Square. Named after the medieval poet Shota Rustaveli, it is lined with theatres, museums, and plane trees.

Freedom Square is Tbilisi’s central plaza, anchored by a gilded column topped with a statue of St. George slaying the dragon. It marks the boundary between Old Town and the modern city.

The Chronicle of Georgia is a monumental memorial on a hill overlooking Tbilisi Sea. Sixteen stone pillars, each 35 metres tall, depict scenes from Georgian history in carved relief panels.

The Bridge of Peace is a 150-metre pedestrian bridge spanning the Kura River, designed by Italian architect Michele De Lucchi and opened in 2010. Its undulating glass-and-steel canopy is illuminated by 30,000 LEDs.

The Mtatsminda Pantheon is a hilltop cemetery and memorial garden on Mount Mtatsminda, where Georgia’s most celebrated writers, artists, and national heroes are buried.

Fabrika is a converted Soviet-era sewing factory in the Marjanishvili neighbourhood, now a creative hub with co-working spaces, boutiques, a hostel, and a courtyard buzzing with street art and pop-up events.

Metekhi Church sits on a cliff above the Kura River, facing Old Tbilisi. The 13th-century church and equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali form one of the city’s most iconic silhouettes.

The Anchiskhati Basilica of St. Mary is the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi, dating to the 6th century. Its austere stone exterior belies a serene, candlelit interior.

The Georgian National Museum on Rustaveli Avenue is Georgia’s largest museum complex, with collections spanning from 1.8-million-year-old Dmanisi hominid skulls to the Soviet Occupation exhibition.

The National Botanical Garden is hidden in a gorge behind Narikala Fortress, covering 128 hectares with over 3,500 plant species.

Tbilisi Sea is a large reservoir north of the city, created in 1953 by damming the Iori River. In summer it becomes Tbilisi’s de facto beach, with swimming, kayaking, and lakeside restaurants.

Turtle Lake (Kus Tba) is a small mountain lake at 686 metres above sea level, accessible from Vake Park via a trail or cable car. Popular in summer for swimming, picnics, and pedal boats.

Abanotubani is the historic bathhouse district at the eastern edge of Old Tbilisi, built over natural sulphur hot springs. According to legend, these springs led King Vakhtang Gorgasali to found the city in the 5th century.

Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia) is a 20-metre aluminium statue on Sololaki Ridge. Erected in 1958 for the city’s 1,500th anniversary, it holds a wine bowl in one hand and a sword in the other.