Top 5 Things to do in Tbilisi and Why Outlet Village Should One of Them
If you’re planning your trip to Tbilisi, you’re likely to start with the classics: the history, the food, maybe music and festivals, of which there are many (Georgians do love having fun). The best things to do in Tbilisi usually tend to revolve around sixth-century churches, sulfur baths under stone domes, cable cars — rarely though, does it include shopping.
There are a couple of destinations listicles tend to offer on this front: a dry bridge experience here, an old bazaar there… but on a more modern front, Tbilisi was considered a bit lacking. It seems though that in 2025 the retail scene finally caught up.
Here are five stops to include in the itinerary. And one of them is new enough that most travel guides haven't picked it up yet.
Walk Around the Picturesque Old Town
Old Town tops every list of Tbilisi tourist attractions, and it’s for a good reason. The moment you step into the streets you start feeling like you’ve suddenly fallen into a storybook. Narrow lanes. Carved balconies leaning at angles that probably violate physics. Persian arches sharing walls with European façades and Georgian red brick — sometimes next door to each other.
It’s also the home to the oldest church in the city. Anchiskhati is easy to walk past. It’s quiet and modest — hard to believe it was built around 6 century A.D, making it one of the 5 oldest Christian churches in the whole of Georgia. And there’s, of course, the famous multi-color leaning clock tower a few streets over — a postcard comes to life.
And just a 5-minute walk over, there’s the more modern Tbilisi, with the Rike Park and the massive modern Bridge of Peace all glass and steel, illuminated by colorful LED-lights at night. A sharp contrast against centuries of wood and stone. Old Town is deservedly the top spot in every Tbilisi travel guide, but by no way the only one.
Book a Room at One of the Famous Sulfur Baths
Abanotubani — directly translated to “Bath District” — has been running the same way for centuries. There’s naturally warm mineral water under the city. So it should be pumped straight from the ground into stone-domed bathhouses, where people can relax for an hour if not more. International visitors were coming to Abanotubani to enjoy the sulfur baths centuries ago and they’re still doing it now. If they weren’t worth it, their popularity would’ve long waned right now.
Though the “abanos” (baths) have been largely modernized and updated, they still maintain the unique local flair. Shared rooms are cheaper but if you want to have privacy to truly relax, it’s better to book a private room.
Visit the Narikala Fortress and Mother of Georgia for the Best Views of the City
The easiest way up is the aerial tramway from Rike Park. Takes ninety seconds, runs late into the evening, and the ride alone is worth the ticket — you float over the river, the old rooftops, and the bathhouse domes before you've had a chance to look away.
When you reach the top, head toward Kartlis Deda — Mother of Georgia — first. The 20-meters (66 feet) tall aluminum statue that holds a bowl of wine in one hand to welcome guests, and a sword in another to welcome enemies. Mother of Georgia is a pretty on the nose symbol for Georgian hospitality.
Once properly awed, walk around. The view is the biggest reason most people make the climb. Old Town below, the Mtkvari river cutting through, hills behind, and the newer districts spreading toward the edges. Definitely bring a camera and take a few photos before heading over to the Narikala Fortress to take some more from a different angle.
Enjoy the Best of Georgian Cuisine
Food is the simplest way to learn about a country. In Tbilisi you won't have to look far. Sololaki, Vera, Mtatsminda, Avlabari — historic districts offer a wide range of eateries, from plain family-run kitchens to fancy restaurants with terrace views. The mix is the point — you cannot truly know Georgian cuisine unless you’ve had it both ways: traditional recipes and new twists on them.
First-timers, start with the obvious ones. Khinkali — giant soup dumplings, eaten with hands, never with a fork. Khachapuri — cheese-stuffed bread, with each region of Georgia offering its own distinct version. Mtsvadi, pkhali, lobio, shkmeruli to round out the list.
And, of course, get a glass or two of wine to enjoy alongside the food. A glass of dry red Saperavi goes best with heavy meaty dishes; while white Rkatsiteli is a fantastic pairing for plant-based dishes or fish.
Visit Tbilisi Outlet Village: Enjoy the Microcosm of Tbilisi and Update Your Wardrobe for the Best Prices
This is a new addition. So new, in fact, that it didn’t exist on the map at all just a year ago. For travelers asking where to shop in Georgia, this one is for you. Tbilisi Outlet Village is the first outlet village in the entire Caucasus — not just Georgia.
The distinct architecture is part of why it works. Designed by Spanish firm L35 in collaboration with Georgian architect Dodoshka Chubinidze, the layout borrows directly from Old Tbilisi The narrow streets. The way buildings lean into each other. The delicate street lamps. If you’ve already visited the historic districts, you may even recognize the very buildings that inspired these streets.
The offer is nothing to sneeze at: Tbilisi Outlet Village offers visitors 30+ international and local brands Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Nike, Adidas, Lacoste, Guess, Furla, Levi's, etc. And runs exclusive offers year-round, with discounts ranging from 30% to 70%. But shopping is just a small part of the experience. The village was designed to be a daytrip destination — it’s not just stores, but cafes, restaurants, and entertainment that lures the people here.
The village is open from Monday to Sunday, 11:00 to 20:00. Easy for international visitors to slot in after a morning of sightseeing or as a slower afternoon once they’ve had enough of exploring the city’s history. If you’ve rented a car, there's free parking available on-site. If the car is electric, there are EV chargers to top up while you shop.
A good trip to Tbilisi should include it all — old streets, the food, the views, the slow hours at the baths, and the shopping. The outlet village is something the city didn't have a year ago — a new kind of slow shopping experience that rounds the itinerary out in a way the rest of the list can't.
