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The Tbilisi Experience

Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba Cathedral)
It's taken me a long time to write about Tbilisi. This city has so much going for it that it's hard to know where to begin. Tbilisi is a cosmopolitan city with deep historical roots that provide a nice contrast to its forward looking modern architectural structures. It was also the melting pot of various cultures over centuries. So where do I begin?

The easiest way for me to give you, my reader, a taste of Tbilisi is to show you the places where our small tour group was taken. It was a full day tour so I got to see quite a bit of the city. Our first stop was at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Hope of Georgia , Holy Trinity Cathedral 
The Holy Trinity Cathedral is the seat of the Georgian Orthodox Church. It has a prominent position on Elia Hill in the Avlari district. It holds the distinction as the third tallest Orthodox church and one of the largest in the world. It was consecrated in 2004 after years of civil unrest in Georgia delayed its construction. Private and anonymous donors contributed to build this church, the symbol of national and spiritual revival in Georgia.

The Hope of Georgia icon features hundreds of saints and is decorated in gold and precious stones. It is a work in Georgian minankari or cloisonne enamel style.

Glory Of Georgia icon

Mtatsminda Park
Mtatsminda Park is a recreational park offering rides like a ferris wheel, a roller coaster among others, games, cafés and restaurants. Entrance is free but there is a fee for rides.

View of city from Mtatsminda Park
Mount Mtatsminda is the highest view point in Tbilisi and has panoramic views. 

Tbilisi Funicular
What I loved about this city tour is that we were able to take all forms of transportation in Tbilisi. We took the funicular when we descended from Mtatsminda Park to the city where we explored the area around the Parliament. From there we took the metro to Freedom Square where we met our van to catch the cable car from Rike Park to Sololaki Hill. i really appreciated this feature of our tour as it showed me options to get around the city on my own.

The Parliament Building
We saw demonstrators camped on the steps of the Parliament building. They had been protesting the suspension of talks for EU integration. They view the current government as authoritatian and undermining democracy in the country. Protests have been ongoing since October 2024.

Monument to the victims of April 9, 1989
In front of Parliament is this monument commemorating the massacre of 21 Georgian pro-independence demonstrators killed by the Soviet army in Tbilisi as well as the hundreds of other demonstrators who were injured by poison gas deployed by the Soviet military. Many were women who were beaten to death. Four thousand people were injured.

View of Sameba Cathedral from the cable car

View of Bridge of Peace and Tbilisi Public Service Hall from the cable car

Bridge of Peace
This pedestrian bridge links Rike Park with the Old Town. Michelle de Lucchi, an Italian architect, designed this curvy structure made of steel and glass. It is lit at night with thousands of LED lights. De Lucchi also designed the Ceremonial Palace and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Bridge of Peace 

Bridge of Peace and Hot Air Balloon on Rike Park in the background

Kura River and Ceremonial Palace of Georgia on the right

Tbilisi Public Service Hall
Designed by Massimiliano Fuksas, the building houses the National Bank of Georgia, the Minister of Energy and the Civil and National Registry.

Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia) on Sololaki Hill 
The Mother of Georgia is a 66 ft. tall aluminum sculpture built for the 1500th anniversary of Tbilisi. Its left hand holds a bowl of wine to welcome friends while the right hand brandishes a sword to defend against enemies. Take the cable car from Rike Park to go up to Sololaki Hill for a close up view of this iconic sculpture.

Mother of Georgia with wine bowl

Mother of Georgia with sword

Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater Leaning Clock Tower
There are hourly shows of an angel striking a bell at the Tower. This quaint section of the Old Town is on Shaveteli Street.

Miniature colorful tiles decorate the base of the Clock Tower

The smallest clock in the world is embedded in the Clock Tower

Thermal Baths 
The name Tbilisi comes from the word “warm” referring to the natural hot springs in the city. These hot springs gave rise to bathhouses particularly in the Abano district. Many bathhouses have domes because these retain heat and allows light to filter into the baths. It is believed that these geothermal baths have healing and detoxification properties. 

Chreli Abano
Persian and Turkish architecture inspired the baths in Abano. There are also mosaics in interior spaces. Decorative tiles decorate the Chreli Spa which looks like a small mosque.

Balconies are a typical feature of Georgian architecture

Paintings and souvenirs at the entrance to Shaveteli Street

Liberty Square Metro Station
There are two lines in the Tbilisi metro system. The metro stations are built deep underground. The escalators are long and move very fast. Its best to hold tight to the railing and be extra careful when you get off the escalator. 

There’s more to see and savor in Tbilisi. You’ll have fun discovering these on your own. 

Country Essentials:
Currency: lari or gel. $1.00 = 2.69 Georgian gel (as of January 13, 2026).
Electrical outlet: Type C or F.
Tour Guide:  I took a small group tour with G7 Euro Travel and Tours in Georgia and Armenia. What I liked about this tour company is that the guides were warm and friendly, gave the group a good historical background of the places we visited and assisted me in navigating challenging inclines during the tour. I highly recommend G7. Contact 995 579 12 8007.
How to get there: I flew nonstop on Lufthansa from Munich. It’s a four hour flight and I arrived in Tbilisi in the early morning hours. 
Where to stay:  Ibis Styles Old Town is on 39 Kote Abkhazi Street. It is surrounded by restaurants, cafés, grocery and souvenir shops. It is a short walk to Freedom Square and Meidani Square, both hubs of activity in Old Tbilisi. My room had a terrific view of the iconic Mother of Georgia statue and the steeples of churches on Sololaki hill. The hill is all lighted up at night, a sight to see.
What to eat: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2025/06/cool-georgian-bites.html

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*****

Images by TravelswithCharie



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Location: Tbilisi, Georgia

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