Tbilisi, Georgia in Winter
Until recently, it never occurred to us to consider visiting Tbilisi, Georgia. Yet now that we visited in January, 2020, we’re already calculating when we can return! We hope our highlights of things to do in Tbilisi, Georgia will encourage your own plans to visit someday. In addition to the photos here in this post, you can see more by clicking here.
Why Visit Tbilisi, Georgia?
The idea to visit was launched by our friend Will, a UK-native who along with his Romanian girlfriend Irena, was working for the British Council in Tbilisi. His affectionate descriptions of Tbilisi’s welcoming community, green spaces, delicious food, uncommon wines, sulfur bath houses, arts and culture scene, pleasant year-round climate, striking architecture, and affordable living sounded too good to be true. But as it turns out, it was everything he’d led us to imagine, and more!
Where is Tbilisi?
The city of Tbilisi is located in the country of Georgia. Georgia (the country, not the U.S. state) has a population of 3.7 million, one third of whom live in Tbilisi. The country is situated between the Black and Caspian Seas in an area known as the Caucasus. Joining Georgia in this region are Armenia, Azerbaijan, and southern Russia. Although geographically closer to Western Asia, the Caucasus are considered by many to be part of modern Europe.
Georgian Hospitality and Wine
We kid you not: the country of Georgia, credited as being the world’s birthplace of wine, gave us a complimentary bottle of red Saperavi wine as a welcome gift when we passed through border security at the Tbilisi airport. The wine label says it all:
Further emphasizing Georgia’s hospitality is Kartlis Deda, a 65+ foot (20 meter) aluminum sculpture overlooking the city which depicts the “Mother of Georgia” whose right hand grips a sword, ready to defend her country against enemies, but in whose left hand is a bowl of wine to welcome those who come as friends.
Georgia’s wine history and culture run deep, as was written about in this 2018 article from Forbes. The knowledgeable team at 8,000 Vintages in Tbilisi are excellent guides into Georgia’s numerous and wonderful wines. We were especially enamored with Georgia’s amber dry wine, produced in a qvevri, through a method that dates back more than 8,000 years.
Qvevri (also sometimes spelled kvevri) are large, egg-shaped earthenware vessels. These are typically buried into the ground up to their mouths before they are used for the fermentation, storage, and ageing of traditional Georgian wine. Georgia’s amber wines are derived from white grapes. Their unique amber color comes from the qvevri vessels in which they’re created, but they’re also unique because they are fermented and aged on their grape skins in the way most red wines are made. By fermenting white grapes on their skins, the result is an amber-colored wine with a tannins and a stronger body. We loved this wine for its brut, earthy, mushroomy, dried apricot flavor with bright acidity.
A byproduct of Georgia’s winemaking process is Chacha. The grape pomace that is left over in the qvevri after the wine has been removed can be distilled into a clear and strong brandy that is strong, with no sweetness, like vodka. You can purchase upscale chacha in beautiful bottles from wine shops, or, by the plastic cup-full from the homemade stashes many vendors keep in barrels beneath their tables at the Dezerter Bazaar. We tried a lovely plum flavored chacha at Shavi Lomi restaurant. The restaurant, addition to having sophisticated spins on traditional Georgian foods that make our hearts ache in fond memory, was one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever dined.
The affordable, unique, and organically-produced small-batch wines are just one of the countless wonderful things that await you should you have the opportunity to visit the beautiful country of Georgia!
Georgian Food
As pescetarians, our options when dining at restaurants can sometimes feel limited. But we had no trouble finding delicious vegetarian food in Tbilisi. Below are a few of our recommended vegetarian Georgian foods:
Nigvziani Badrijani
Made from thin slices of eggplant, slathered with a spiced walnut spread, then topped with fresh pomegranate seeds. Mmmmm!!!
Khinkali
This iconic Georgian food reminded us of a cross between a Chinese soup dumpling and a pierogi. Although khinkali are traditionally stuffed with ground meat, they can also be ordered instead with either mushrooms, pureed potato, or cheese. Khinkali can be found on every traditional Georgian restaurant’s menu, but we particularly enjoyed the ones at Pasanauri. Mark was such a fan, he bought a pair of socks printed with a khinkali pattern as his souvenir from our trip!
Pkhali
A vegetarian pate made from blending walnuts, aromatic spices, and various vegetables such as spinach, beets, and eggplant.
Jonjoli pickles
Made from the flowers of a jonjoli bush. Delicious (if you like pickles) with a unique texture from the floral sprouts.
Adjarian Khachapuri
A traditional khachapuri is made from thick dough topped with a salty sulguni cheese. We went for the most decadent version, Adjarian khachapuri, which is served with sulguni cheese (reminiscent of feta), a small pad of butter, and a raw egg yolk. Made from chewy bread that’s been molded into a boat shape, it’s served super hot from the oven which allows the subsequently-added egg to begin cooking upon contact. We noticed locals quickly stirring their khachapuri fillings together before eating, which taught us a method to more fully cook and incorporate the egg. After one of these (we had the SMALL version by the way) you may not feel hungry again for at least eight hours, so it’s a great meal for travelers on a budget!
Lobiani
Made from a savory crust that’s stuffed with fragrant, spiced beans, Lobiani is a bit reminiscent of a quesadilla, without cheese.
Tklapi
Thin fruit leathers sold in massive circular shapes which are then rolled just like a Fruit Roll-Up, or folded into triangles. Common flavors are plum, strawberry, apricot, kiwi, and fig.
Churchkhela
A traditional Georgian candy resembling a wax candle. It’s typically made from grape must, nuts, and flour. Various types of nuts are threaded onto a string, dipped in thickened grape juice or fruit juices, then dried by hanging.
Here’s a surprising Tbilisi fun fact about a type of food we didn’t eat during our trip: Tbilisi is home to the world’s largest Wendy’s fast food restaurant. Spanning 15,600 sq. feet (1,450 sq. meters) across three floors, it can host up to 450 guests. And yes, they serve Georgian wine.
Tbilisi Architecture
Today, Tbilisi’s architecture is a fascinating mix of Old European, Brutalist, and Futuristic designs. Everywhere we looked, there was always something beautiful to behold. Many older homes were ornately decorated with relief sculptures, and almost all courtyards had a centuries-old grape vine as its centerpiece.
In sharp contrast to the cobblestone streets and 300+ year old fortresses that lend an old world feel to many Tbilisi neighborhoods, are the surprising pops of contemporary structures and spaces, most notably, the Bridge of Peace. We recommend taking the Aerial Tramway from Rike Park on the left bank of the Mtkvari river up to the Narikala Fortress and Mother of Georgia monument. There, you can marvel at Tbilisi’s stone homes, Orthodox churches, modern public buildings, serene river, and snow capped mountains in the distance.
We were also wowed by Fabrika, a multi-purpose space housed in a former soviet sewing factory, which is now a destination for cutting-edge boutiques, bars and restaurants, a coworking space, and trendy hostel. Workshops and events are frequently hosted at Fabrika, so check their website before you visit for the latest happenings.
But by far, the most “Instagrammable” structure we came across in Tbilisi is the whimsical Leaning Clocktower, built by renowned puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze whose Marionette Theater is one of the highly recommended activities we were disappointed to have missed during our January, 2020 visit.
Abanotubani Sulfur Baths
Natural sulfur hot springs run beneath Tbilisi in the Abanotubani neighborhood. Here, you’ll find numerous traditional Georgian bathhouses, identifiable by their domed stone roofs. Renting a private room in a bathhouse (which are often elaborately decorated with tile mosaics) where you can experience a professionally administered Georgian body scrub is recommended by many as a must-try activity (which you can read more about here, in this post from Travels of a Bookpacker). Regretfully, we missed our chance to try a Tbilisi sulfer bath due the timing of our visit during the Georgian Christmas holiday week. In Georgia, Christmas is celebrated on the 7th of January as the Georgian Orthodox Church uses the old ‘Julian’ calendar for their festivals. Georgian bathhouses are hugely popular with locals during Christmas week, and were no longer taking reservations. Yet another experience to look forward to on our next visit!
Art and Culture in Tbilisi
Public sculpture and abundant arts and culture organizations delighted us throughout our brief visit. Here are a few notable sights:
Opera and Ballet Theatre of Tbilisi
(the building’s exterior alone is enough to warrant a stop!)
Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater
Let us know if you visit!
We feel fortunate to have been able to visit Georgia while living in Istanbul, Turkey where direct 2.5 hour flights are available for just $100 pp, round trip. But no matter where you are flying into Tbilisi from, there are many affordable lodging options for your stay. Our Airbnb, a 1-bedroom apartment in a converted 300+ year old former fortress which included a full-sized, separate kitchen and living room with giant windows overlooking the river, was a bargain at just $15 USD per night (the enormous key for the enormous door was particularly memorable).
Please let us know if you visit — we’ll add your highlights and recommendations to this post!
