The short answer: one full day is enough for Tbilisi's Old Town, the cable car to Narikala fortress and the sulphur-bath district. Two days let you add the 19th-century streets of Sololaki, Rustaveli Avenue, a museum and the city's newer side at Fabrika. With a third day, leave the city for Mtskheta, Georgia's old capital, 25 km away. Below is a plan for each, with food stops, and a few things to know before you start.
Day 1: Old Town, Narikala and the baths
Start at Metekhi Church on its cliff above the Mtkvari river, next to the statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali. Cross to Rike Park and take the cable car up to Narikala fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue; the views over the Old Town's roofs and wooden balconies are wide, and the ride saves you a steep climb.
From the fortress walk down past the Leghvtakhevi waterfall to the brick domes of Abanotubani, the sulphur-bath quarter. Then Sioni Cathedral, the Anchiskhati Basilica and the leaning Gabriadze clock tower, before Shardeni Street's cafés and the glass Bridge of Peace. All of this is about 5–6 km on foot, with steep, polished cobbles in places, so wear flat shoes with grip.
Food stops: khachapuri or khinkali for lunch in the Old Town; a glass of Georgian wine on Shardeni Street in the evening.
End the day in the baths. A private room at one of the Abanotubani bathhouses, with a hot sulphur pool and an optional scrub, is the traditional way to recover from the hills. Rooms are booked by the hour, and evenings fill up, so reserve ahead. Our guide to Tbilisi's sulphur baths explains how it works.
Day 2: Sololaki, Rustaveli, museums and Fabrika
Morning: Sololaki. Just below Narikala, Sololaki is one of the city's oldest residential districts, full of 19th-century mansions with carved doors, painted entrance halls and shared wooden-balconied courtyards. It is a neighbourhood for wandering slowly rather than ticking off sights; be discreet in the entrance halls, as people live there.
Late morning: Rustaveli Avenue and a museum. Walk up Rustaveli past the Parliament building and the Opera. The Georgian National Museum on Rustaveli (the Simon Janashia Museum) holds the country's archaeology collection; its Treasury, the gold collection, has a separate ticket. The museum is closed on Mondays, so plan this day for another day of the week.
Afternoon: the Dry Bridge market. The open-air flea market at the Dry Bridge sells Soviet badges, old cameras, enamel, jewellery and paintings. It is busiest at weekends; take your time and bargain politely.
Evening: Fabrika. Across the river, a former Soviet sewing factory is now a hostel with a courtyard of cafés, bars and small shops. It shows the younger, creative side of Tbilisi and is a relaxed place for dinner.
Food stops: the Dezerter Bazaar for cheese, spices and churchkhela (walnuts dipped in thickened grape juice); hot shoti bread from a tone oven, a round clay oven sunk into the floor; and a natural-wine bar at night.
Day 3: Mtskheta
Mtskheta is about 30 minutes by car from central Tbilisi, and its churches are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site (Historical Monuments of Mtskheta, inscribed 1994). Start at Jvari Monastery, a 6th-century church on a hilltop above the meeting of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, built where St Nino is said to have raised a wooden cross. Then drive down to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the 11th-century cathedral in the old town, and walk the lanes around it.
Mtskheta takes half a day. You can fill the rest of the day with a wine tasting at Château Mukhrani, about 45 minutes from Tbilisi, or with a cooking class back in the city. Dress code for all the churches: shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair (wraps are usually available at the door).
Where to stay
For a short stay, sleep in or near the Old Town, Sololaki or around Rustaveli Avenue, so you can walk to most of the sights and come back to the hotel in the middle of the day. Tbilisi's hills are steep; if walking is hard for you, ask for a hotel on a flat street and use taxis between neighbourhoods.
If you only have one day
Do Day 1, and swap the evening bath for dinner if you'd rather eat. If you have a spare afternoon, the Dry Bridge market and Sololaki are the easiest additions, as both are close to the Old Town.
Practical tips
- Heat: July and August are hot in Tbilisi. Start walks early and keep the middle of the day for museums or a long lunch.
- Churches: services are held daily; visit quietly and don't photograph worshippers.
- Walking: the Old Town is hilly. The cable car and taxis are cheap ways to save your legs.
- Insurance: since 1 January 2026, health insurance with at least 30,000 GEL of cover is mandatory for visitors to Georgia.
- More time? With extra days, see our day trips from Tbilisi, such as Kazbegi and Kakheti.
Seeing Tbilisi with us
Our private Tbilisi Old Town walk covers Day 1 in about five hours with a local guide, and we can reserve a private bath room for afterwards. For Day 2's food stops, the Tbilisi food and wine walk starts at the Dezerter Bazaar and ends in a natural-wine bar, and the Georgian cooking class teaches you khachapuri and khinkali after a market visit. For Day 3, the Mtskheta and Mukhrani half day adds a wine tasting to Jvari and Svetitskhoveli. See each tour page for the current price, or plan your own days and we send you a price. Nothing to pay now.
Sources
- Georgia Travel (Georgian National Tourism Administration), "Historical Monuments of Mtskheta": georgia.travel
- Wander-Lush, "Coolest reclaimed spaces in Tbilisi" (Fabrika): wander-lush.org
- The Georgian Guide, "Tbilisi markets guide: Dezerter Bazaar, Dry Bridge": thegeorgianguide.com
- Georgian National Museum: museum.ge
- Sakhva Travel, "Tbilisi museums": sakhva-travel.com
Last checked: September 2026. Museum days and market hours can change; check before you go.
