I bet that arriving to Tbilisi you have no clue what is waiting for you. The city is an implausible mixture of new and old, modern and ancient, West and East. Centuries old history lives here in every house and every street – and with one turn of your head you instantly jump from Persians to Byzantines, from Ottomans to Soviets. Tbilisi – one of those rare cases when capital perfectly matches the spirit of the whole country: complex, multifaceted, welcoming, romantic and – persistently stunning.

1. Formerly known as Tiflis, today Tbilisi is the largest city in Georgia, and home to around 1.5 million inhabitants. Technically located in Asia, Tbilisi feels much more like a European city – although with certain Orient elements.

2. In the course of its history Tbilisi has been destroyed and rebuilt some 29 times. Regardless – the city stubbornly protects the bits and pieces of its diverse history, even today preserving its medieval charm.

 

3. Tbilisi has an unparalleled scenery. Old fortress, narrow alleys, delicate balconies, ancient churches and old houses clung to the cliffs above the river.

4. The little streets of Tbilisi can make you forget about Amsterdam or Venice. Equally charming they have one distinct benefit over the popular competitors – lack of tourists and an opportunity to experience a completely genuine, and unchanged local lifestyle.

5. Big crooked houses are built around spacious courtyards – and are great to explore on the afternoon walk.

6. In the middle of Tbilisi – sulfur baths, where, according to the legend, Georgian King Vakhtang I decided to build the city. These cannot be missed – locals say this special smell cannot be found anywhere else, and – having been there – we agree.

7. Charming churches can be found across the whole city, and – as usual in Tbilisi – they stay just next to majestic cathedrals.

8. It is not only the city that amazes – the people here will conquer your heart. Always hospitable, they live by the famous Georgian proverb: “A guest is a gift from God”.