Tbilisi uncovered: Exploring history, wine and culture on foot

“Over the centuries, Tbilisi has been destroyed and rebuilt again and again,” said my guide Ia Gebrandze, as we stood beside the equestrian statue of King Vakhtang I Gorgasali, high above the Mtkvari River. Below us, the river curved through the city, while the Metekhi Church stood behind us on its rocky cliff. “And every time it was rebuilt, something new was added. That is why, when you walk through Tbilisi today, you see its past and present together.”

It was a fitting spot to begin the city walk. From here, I could see the ropeway climbing towards the hills, with the Mother of Georgia statue standing high above the city. Below, the winding lanes of Old Tbilisi unfolded alongside newer buildings, bringing the city’s past and present into the same frame.

We began walking through Old Tbilisi, where the city’s famous wooden balconies immediately caught my attention. They projected from old houses over the narrow streets, some elaborately carved and others softened by years of weathering. Several were tangled with grapevines, their leaves spilling over railings, traffic signals and address boards.

A few turns later, the architecture changed again. There were some buildings that date back to the time of the Soviet Union, but with their plain exterior walls and functional designs, they stood out against the ornate style of Old Tbilisi. An example is the Wedding Palace, constructed in 1984 on the banks of the river Mtkvari. The dramatic arched facade and geometric design make it an example of modernist theatre of the Soviet era, although Georgian styles were used in its design as well.

Along the way, I found colourful murals and street art tucked in alleys, drawn over electric boards, gates and cafe windows. They could be easily overlooked at first, but after I started noticing them, I found them all around me. And finally, there was Georgian street food – Churchkhela, that offered a taste of the country’s tradition. At first glance, the long strings of nuts coated in thickened grape juice looked almost like colourful decorations. I tried one and found a combination of chewy sweetness and crunchy nuts. It was an unexpectedly satisfying snack, that connected back to one of Georgia’s oldest cultural symbols – grapes.

Wine took that connection further. Georgia's winemaking is an 8,000 years old tradition, and wine here felt like a permanent spot on the table. It was served as a beverage with all meals and every convenience store, cafe and restaurant had enough options of red, white and amber wine as well as chacha (grape vodka). For a fun, social-media-friendly photo, we stopped to ring the bell at Atoneli Wine Window, where a tiny opening in the wall, served a glass of Georgian wine on the street. Then came wine ice cream, a playful contemporary interpretation of that same heritage. It was unexpected, and perhaps that was precisely why I enjoyed it.

With the ice cream in my hand, we continued towards Abanotubani, Tbilisi’s famous sulphur-bath district. The distinctive brick domes of the bathhouses rose from the street, their warm waters fed by the natural sulphur springs beneath the city. From Abanotubani, we followed the path into Leghvtakhevi Gorge with colourful old houses and wooden balconies peering down from above. At the end of the path, Leghvtakhevi Waterfall dropped 22 metres through the gorge, a surprising sight to find so close to the old city.

Back in the bustle of Meidani Square, I wandered into Meidan Bazaar to look for souvenirs. I browsed shelves of Georgian wines, jars of jams and honey, alongside handmade crafts, jewellery and locally-made art.

I ended my walk with a supra at a local’s home, sitting around one of just a few tables in an intimate, homely setting. Dish after dish of Georgian food filled the table – kachapuri, lobio, khinkali, and salads accompanied by generous pours of wine and easy conversation. After seeing Tbilisi through its streets, architecture and markets, this felt like the most personal way to understand the city – around a shared table laughing, airdropping photos, pouring more wine and wishing more such days ahead.