Georgia Archives ⋆ Page 2 of 3 ⋆ The Passenger

October 2, 2023November 12, 2023

Sulphur baths

The legend says that თბილისი was founded exactly at its current location because of hot springs that existed in different places throughout the city. The water coming from these springs contains sulphur and iron and is therefore a bit smelly, but it is also said to be healthy. I cannot prove that, but at least it is relaxing to hang out in hot water. 😉 The hot springs of თბილისი are typically between 24 and 45 degrees Celsius warm and today you’ll find the spas using them only in one place: the spa quarter underneath the Nariqala fortress next to the old city center.

October 2, 2023November 11, 2023

Inside the gorge

The botanical garden of თბილისი is vast in size but unlike typical botanical gardens in western Europe packed with flowers and trees. It is more like a large park with different smaller sections of flowers, a Japanese garden, a waterfall and endless rows of cypress trees. What makes it so special is the location: it can be found within a gorge behind the mountain on which Kartlis deda monument and the Nariqala fortress are standing.

October 2, 2023November 11, 2023

Leghvtakhevi

It is one of the coziest places of თბილისი: the Leghvtakhevi canyon. From the Metechi church you can see the spa quarter on the opposite side of the Mtkwari river. A tiny stream runs through this quarter and you can follow it on narrow paths and by passing on several bridges. Atop the high rocks next to it houses are standing directly at the chasm and their balconies are also reaching out; a really nice view. At the end of the canyon you will find the small Leghvtakhevi waterfall.

October 2, 2023November 11, 2023

Chronicle of Georgia

It is one of the lesser visited sights at თბილისი, probably because it is located outside the city center on a hill and you need to travel by taxi to get there. You can also reach this place by metro and bus if you like to accept the challenge – it takes you to the suburbs of the capital city and shows you ordinary life. The Chronicle of Georgia is an impressive monument created by Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli in 1985, still during Soviet time. The massively high columns were never fully completed and show the history of Georgia at the top and the story of Christ at the bottom.

October 2, 2023November 8, 2023

ანალფაბეტი

When travelling throughout Georgia you might feel a little bit like a ანალფაბეტი (=analphabet). The Mkhedruli alphabet used most often looks really beautiful but is completely undecipherable for visitors from abroad. In the capital city most often English translations are available (except on and in buses) and this doesn’t cause any problem. The Georgian language belongs to the Kartvelian languages – together with Mingrelian, Svan (both spoken in northwest Georgia) and Laz (used in northern Turkey, south of the border to Georgia).

October 1, 2023November 7, 2023

Fabrika

Maybe the best place to stay and party at თბილისი is Fabrika. It was once a Soviet sewing factory but has been turned into a fantastic multi-functional space with a hostel, bars, restaurants, artist studios and a co-working space. At daytime the large shared living room invites you to hang out, read or work. In the evening hours the inner yard transforms into a party zone with many people enjoying the atmosphere and some drinks.

October 1, 2023November 12, 2023

Metromoney

At Georgia they seem to like rechargeable payment cards. Whether its for the Mtatsminda fun fair or public transport at თბილისი, you just need to lend a plastic card for a small deposit, top-up some money, pay as often as you wish and later return the card. Already when you reach the international airport you can go to a vending machine, buy a card and put money on it to use the bus bringing you to the city center.

October 1, 2023November 5, 2023

Fine arts

The Georgian Museum of Fine Arts is a modern art museum at თბილისი and it is probably the museum I like most in the capital city of Georgia. Privately owned and located on Rustaveli avenue it houses a massive collection of Georgian art – from artists you probably haven’t heard in western Europe or the rest of the world. That is mostly because these artists created their works mostly during Soviet times and the Iron Curtain prevented them getting known on the other side. A perfect chance to change this!

October 1, 2023November 5, 2023

Georgian national museum

If you like to visit museums at თბილისი there is one place to be: the Shota Rustaveli avenue starting north of Liberty square. A wide boulevard with historic buildings containing the national gallery, the national museum of fine arts and the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia, which is part of the Georgian national museum complex. It contains a vast collection of archeological and ethnographic artefacts giving insight into the development of the culture, the people and the state of Georgia.

October 1, 2023November 5, 2023

City history

The city history museum of თბილისი can be a nice place for visitors or a disappointment; that’s depending on your expectations. The building with an art nouveau facade dates back to the 19th century and copies the structures of an ancient caravanserai of the Silk Road. It contains the city history museum on the ground floor and a bar, a wine museum and some shops in the basement. I found the building itself to be really beautiful but the museum could really be extended. The city history museum is located on Sioni street next to the Sioni cathedral.