Tour Description
Old Tbilisi, located in the depression with the same name on both sides of Kura River is indeed very beautiful. Part of the old city is spread on the top of Metekhi Cliff and together with Metekhi Church looks down at Kura River and the other part spreads over Mtatsminda slopes, below Narikala Fortress and ends with historical Abanot Ubani (Bath District), Tbilisi (warm) was called so due to presence of the hot geodesic mineral springs there. Any guest seeing old city would vividly sense that view of the city was formed under the influence of the European and Asian cultures, to form wonderful original Georgian culture, reflected as in architecture, also in everyday relationships between people of different confessions. Here centuries old historical monuments can be seen at every step, making Old Tbilisi unique and unforgettable for the visitors.
Tour Highlights
Gallery
In the course of Tbilisi tour you will explore Old Tbilisi, with its old narrow paved streets, houses with overhanging balconies painted in different colors and decorated with incredible ornaments. You will visit Christian churches, synagogue, mosque located side by side and sense the spirit of old town. You will view Narikala Fortress being the main citadel of the city for many centuries and panoramic view of Old Tbilisi will leave indeed deep impression.
After descending from the fortress you will find yourself in Abanitubani, at the bathes with natural geodesic sulfur waters that delighted the travellers from all over the world for many centuries. You will visit the National Museum, to see the exhibits dated back starting from antiquity and epoch of Colchis creating deep impression about brilliance of Georgia. You will walk along Rustaveli Avenue.
Service:
● English speaking guide
Visa requirements
Valid passport is necessary of the visitors of any nationality. Individuals with passports issued in USA, Canada, Israel, EU member states, Russian Federation, GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) etc., do not need visas. In addition, no visa is required for the nationals of CIS countries, with the exclusion of Turkmenistan. Please, see additional information at: https://www.geoconsul.gov.ge/en/visaInformation.
Entry into Georgia
To visit Georgia, you can take a flight. Shota Rustaveli International Airport in Tbilisi, the largest among 3 Georgian airports, offers numerous direct flights from the Europe and Asia. There are 2 more, smaller airports: Batumi and Kutaisi international airports. You can also cross border in several points by train from Yerevan (Armenia) and Baku (Azerbaijan) to Tbilisi. To arrive to Georgia from Turkey, you can cross land border in 3 points: Sarpi, Vale and Kartsakhi. In addition, you can cross border with Armenia in 3 points: Ninotsminda, Geguti and Sadakhlo. Azerbaijan can communicate with Georgia through 2 border posts: Red Bridge and Lagodekhi. Between Russia and Georgia operates one border point, at Larsi, in the vicinity of Stephantsminda.
Climate
Climate in the country is amazingly diverse. Greater Caucasus Range protects Georgia from cold air masses while Caucasus Minor ensures protection of the country from very hot and dry air from the south, as a result, average summer temperature varies between 19OC and 22OC, and winter temperature – from 1.5OC to 3OC.
The best period for travel
With respect of weather, May-June and September-October are the softest and most mellow months in Georgia, with sunny, warm weather. July-August is the best period for walk and tracking.
For the smokers
Smoking is prohibited in any buildings, including the hotel and restaurants. The smokers can use the balconies, terraces or enjoy smoking outdoors.
Water
In Georgia, tap water is safe but if you are used to bottled water, please, be consistent and have bottled water only.
Currency, banks & ATM
In Georgia the official currency is Georgian lari, usually denoted by GEL. Lari consists of 100 tetri. You can change foreign currency at airports, border points, hotels and currency exchange offices. Usually no service fees are paid for currency exchange though recently, in some places the newly opened offices request commissions, so be attentive,
Banks and ATMs are in all large cities but when traveling in countryside make sure that you have sufficient cash.
Electricity
Electricity is 220 V, 50 Hz, with round sockets corresponding to European standards.
Communication
Country telephone code is 00 995. Mobile operators (Silknet, MAGTI and Beeline) cover almost entire territory of the country (with the exclusion of several remote places). You can procure SIM card for the mobile phone with certain quantities of minutes and internet access. In large cities, actually all cafes, bars and restaurants offer Wi-Fi service.
Work hours
Banks open at 10:00 AM and close at 6:00 MP, from Monday to Friday, inclusive. On Saturdays the banks have short working days, from 120:00 AM to 2:00 PM. On Sundays the banks are closed. Most stores open on 10:00 AM and they do not close earlier than at 8:00 PM. Shopping malls work every day, from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. There are also food-stores working for 24 hours per day, but this is only in large cities. The museums open at 10:00 AM and work up to 6:00 PM; museums are closed by Mondays. Cafes and bars open at about 11:00 AM and most of them work up to midnight, or until the last guest leaves.
What to wear?
Georgians wear modern western-style clothes. So, you can easily chose the clothes, if you don’t plan to visit the church. For the visit to church you should remember that women mist cover their heads and shoulders and wear long dress while the men must take off their hats and do not wear shorts.
What to taste?
Khachapuri (variations of cheese bread from different regions of Georgia)
Kubdari (minced meat, onion, garlic, pepper, spices, baked in dough)
Khinkali (minced beef and pork with spices in dough, meal from the mountains)
Chkmeruli (chicken roast on ketsi in garlic sauce)
Satsivi
Shashlik (grilled pork or calf)
Chakapuli (lamb pieces, onion, new green sour plums and estragon prepared in white wine)
Pkhali (spinach, chard, cabbage with spices and walnut paste)
Eggplants with walnuts (eggplants roast on the pan dressed with walnut paste with spices_
Imeretian Sulguni and guda cheese
Nadughi in the sulguni sheets (nadughi with mint and sour cream wrapped in sulguni sheets)
Gebzhalia (sulguni pieces boiled in milk and placed in Georgian yoghurt with mint and garlic)
Champignons with cheese (champignon heads roast on ketsi with the grated cheese above).
Tkemali sauce (sauce of sour plums with the young herbs (parsley, mint, dill, coriander), garlic and salt)
Churchkhela (sausage-shaped sweets made of walnuts and grape juice)
Gozinaki (roast walnuts in honey)
And, of course, you must have Georgian meals with wide variety of famous Georgian wines.
Emergency
For all the emergency cases please call 112.
Tour Map
Suggested Tours
Tbilisi Tour (standard)
In the course of this tour you will view the places of interest of Old Tbilisi, Christian churches, mosque, synagogue. You will have a walk in the twisted lovely streets of Old Tbilisi, view unique and original architecture of Old Tbilisi and sense the spirit of ancient, multinational and multicultural city.
Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Tbilisi
You will visit Mtskheta, the ancient capital city of Georgia, the city is 24 centuries old. You will view the masterpieces of Georgian architecture: Jvari Monastery of 6th century located on the top of the mountain, overlooking Mtskhea at the confluence of Kura and Aragvi rivers and pride of entire Georgia, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral of 11th century.
Tbilisi – DavitGareji – Tbilisi
In this tour you will visit unique monastery complex of DavitGareji located in 70 kilometers from Tbilisi. Monastery complex is a real oasis in the middle of a desert, indeed very beautiful. With its cells, premises, rooms intended for different purposes and event temples, cut in the red cliffs. Walls of the rock-cut temples are decorated with amazing paintings of religious content. All above and beauty of Gareji semi-desert would create unforgettable impressions of the tour.