A bit of a mix of Berlin and Belgrade, Tbilisi is home to contradictory buildings that persist from the city’s different occupants, eras and ideologies. A day spent wandering the streets of the capital is well rewarded, especially in the city’s bohemian neighborhoods. Here are the neighborhoods that you absolutely must visit if the opportunity arises.
Abanotubani (old town)
Georgia’s historic center is built on a hill, resulting in a multi-level community that can boast both beautiful Persian-influenced carved wooden balconies and excellent sulfur baths. There are several baths clustered at the base of the old town, but having a bath and getting a kisa (an extensive scrub from a bath worker) at Chreli Abano is heaven after a day of walking around the town. You can book a private room for yourself or your friends, soak naked or in a swimsuit, and also order alcohol and snacks to your room.
Shared rooms are available, or private rooms start at around $17 per hour for one to two people, with prices increasing depending on the number of people and additional amenities. Because it is the most touristy area of Tbilisi, it makes a good base if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing during your travel Europe : it is a meeting place for many group excursions.
Avlabara
Avlabara is the historically Armenian neighborhood of Tbilisi, located along the left bank of the Mtkvari River, and it’s a great place to spend an afternoon if you want to connect some dots between events in the complex history of the Georgia. Metekhi Church, which dates back to between the 5th and 13th centuries, was built to look like an extension of the cliff it is perched on, overlooking the old town.
Legend has it that it was the church of King Vakhtang, who founded the city – if true, he could not have foreseen its later uses as a Russian prison, a site of execution by the Soviet Union and space for storage for the national museum. Art collection. The magnificent Georgian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is also in the district,
Vera
If you want to see some stunning Tbilisi architecture, head to the leafy, leafy streets of Vera: a formerly residential neighborhood, its 19th-century facades will keep your phone’s camera app constantly looking up. It’s bohemian and quaint, with boutique cafes and shops, as well as the chance to catch some shade in Vera Park.
Rooms Hotel, with vintage bohemian style, has been a go-to place to stay in this neighborhood since 2014, but Stamba Hotel, connected to the rooms by a shared courtyard, is making waves and was recently named one of the greatest places in the world . The same visionary entrepreneur also owns both, and his latest hotspot is a real standout, especially if you want a free-flowing, artsy atmosphere for sleeping, working, and playing.