2-Hour Tbilisi Old Town Walking Tour with Cable Car and Panoramas

The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is located in the ancient historic district on the left bank of the Mtkvari River in Old Tbilisi. Researchers confirm that this temple stands on the basement of an older one dating back to the 5th century. This is the place where the history of Tbilisi begins.

Here, you will enjoy a perfect panoramic view of both embankments, colourful carved balconies, and the natural Metekhi cliff. We stop to discuss two exciting monuments that reflect important facts of Georgian history and city culture, and then continue our walk to the cable car station.

The oldest part of the Old Town is the fortress and the houses gathered at its foot, with an ensemble of openwork balconies. Dominating Tbilisi, this fortress consists of two walled sections on a mountain ridge between the botanical garden and the oldest part of the city, called Kala. The fortress was built by the Arabs, and this guardian of the city stood here long before Tbilisi became the capital.

This is currently the only Muslim shrine in the Old City. The present building was rebuilt by an Italian architect in the middle of the 19th century and finally renovated at the end of the 19th century with investments from generous Azerbaijani philanthropists, significantly altering its eastern part. The brick building stands on a steep slope, and the windows of the longitudinal walls are decorated with arches. In its architecture, neo-Gothic and Islamic elements are harmoniously combined.

A natural canyon in the middle of the Old City forms the second stage of the cascading waterfall of the Tsavkisistskali River. Just ten years ago, this place was part of the territory of the botanical garden, and even earlier, it belonged to the royal gardens. On the slopes of the canyon, fig tree sprouts make their way upward, while large numbers of fig trees grow along the top of the canyon in the Batonian Garden itself.

This is a beautiful place in the heart of the Old City. In the past, this corner was called "Kharpukh" - the nose. Why? You will hear that on the spot, as the question requires closer consideration. The baths have long been, and remain, an important cultural and traditional part of public life in Tbilisi. They have stood on healing sulfur springs for centuries, and now you may also want to feel like a Tbilisi citizen and visit them.

This synagogue was built entirely through the contributions of Georgian Jews at the beginning of the 20th century. An interesting fact is that European or Russian Jews who were resettled in the Caucasus at the end of the 19th century had no connection with Georgian Jews. As a result, Jews in the Old City had two synagogues, and this one was used only by Georgian Jews.

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a monument of Georgian architecture and a cross-domed temple located on the lower right bank of the Mtkvari River. The Sioni Complex includes a fence, the Cathedral of the Assumption, and two bell towers. The greatest sanctuary of the Georgian Orthodox Church, St. Nino's Cross, is kept here. The temple also houses a miraculous stone of grace from Jerusalem brought by St. David of Gareja.

The Bridge of Peace is also known as the "Tbilisi Glass Bridge." At first, there were controversial opinions among Tbilisi residents about this bridge. Because it is situated in the historic district of Tbilisi, some people complained that it unduly dominated the Old Town and obscured the area's historic architectural landmarks. At the same time, it is hard to find anyone who has arrived in Tbilisi and not walked across the Bridge of Peace.

Rike Park is an attraction for both tourists and Tbilisi residents. Visitors can bring their children and enjoy the playground equipment, see water features such as dancing and singing fountains, climb the artificial climbing wall, run through the children's maze, or simply wander through the landscaped gardens and cosy, quiet corners. Even though Rike Park is considered the youngest recreational area in Tbilisi, it has already become highly accessible and popular.