Sulfur baths and a glass bridge, Soviet mosaics and new towers, supra tables that run past midnight. Tbilisi mixes it all. Here are our team’s favorite things to do in Tbilisi, starting at our front door.
Vake, the district around the hotel, is where Tbilisi lives: tree-lined streets, embassies, universities, cafes and boutiques, with parks and green hills all around.
The hotel stands on Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue, named after the Georgian writer. The avenue runs about 2.5 km through Vake and continues toward Rustaveli Avenue and the center.
The district’s big green park, opened in 1946, for a morning walk or a run.
Directions →A small lake on the slope above Vake, with walking paths and cafes. The cable car up starts 6 minutes on foot from the hotel.
Directions →Traditional houses from across Georgia, set out on the hillside.
Directions →The Axis Towers Shopping Center is in the same towers as the hotel, one minute on foot. Step outside and Chavchavadze Avenue and the streets around it are lined with Vake’s boutiques and cafes.
Times from the hotel door are approximate.
Ride-hailing apps such as Bolt work across the city, and our front desk is happy to call a taxi for you.
The Old Town is best explored on foot. Expect hills and cobblestones.
Buses 337 and 388 run to Liberty Square, or we can book a private transfer. How to get here.
The currency is the Georgian lari (GEL). Cards are widely accepted in the city.
Walk through the sulfur bath district while it is still quiet. If you want a bath tonight, book a private room now.
Climb the lanes behind the baths to the fortress, or cross to Rike Park and take the cable car up (2.5 GEL one way). This is the view over the rooftops you have seen on every postcard.
Cross the Bridge of Peace, then walk up past Freedom Square to Rustaveli Avenue and the Opera. It is uphill most of the way, so a Bolt back is the easy option. Our cup’s route has every stop.
Private rooms are rented by the hour for the whole room. Prices differ between bathhouses, so ask when you book. A kisi scrub is paid separately.
The big green park five minutes on foot from the hotel, opened in 1946. Locals come here for a morning walk or a run.
It starts six minutes on foot from the hotel and costs 1 GEL one way. At the top, a path runs around the small lake, with cafes along the way.
Right next to the lake: traditional houses from across Georgia, set out on the hillside. The paths are steep in places, so wear shoes with a good grip.
If you are staying with us, the 25 m indoor pool is open every day until 11 pm and free for hotel guests.
Take the cable car up from Rike Park and watch the lights come on below.
Order a few dishes for the table and share them: khinkali by the piece, khachapuri, badrijani, and a glass of qvevri wine. How to order.
The Bridge of Peace and the embankment are lit up after dark, and a walk along the Mtkvari is the best way to see the old city at night. Or see it from the water: our front desk can help you book a boat trip on the river, or a guided tour of the city.
A former Soviet sewing factory turned into a courtyard of bars, cafes and street art, open late.
The Old Town is a short taxi ride from the hotel. Our Pullman cup walked it first: follow its route, stop by stop.
Every walk in Tbilisi starts with a coffee. From our hotel in Vake, Rustaveli Avenue is a short taxi ride away, and that is where the cup begins: under the striped Moorish facade of the Opera, then along the boulevard to Freedom Square and the golden St George.
From there the route drops into the Old Town. Mtatsminda and its TV tower watch from above as you walk down to Abanotubani, the bath district built over the warm sulfur springs that Tbilisi grew around. Wander over the brick domes, look up at Narikala and the Mother of Georgia on the ridge, and finish on the Bridge of Peace as the river turns gold.
If you only have one day in Tbilisi, this is a good first walk. Open any stop for the story behind it, or take the whole route with you in Google Maps.
Georgian food is generous, made for sharing and best with a glass of local wine. Three dishes and one very old wine not to miss:
Juicy dumplings, ordered by the piece. How to eat khinkali: hold the knot, take a small bite, sip the broth, and leave the knot on the plate.
A boat of bread filled with melted cheese, topped with an egg and butter. Stir it all together and tear off the crust to dip.
Fried eggplant rolled around a spiced walnut paste, finished with pomegranate seeds.
Georgia has made wine for around 8,000 years. The traditional qvevri clay-vessel method is on UNESCO’s list of intangible heritage.
Our rooms sit on floors 19 to 35 of the Axis Towers, with Tbilisi in the window. Our front desk knows the city and is here 24/7 for taxis, directions or a table for tonight.
