Tbilisi in 5 Days — Old Town, Mtskheta, Kakheti Wine, Stepantsminda Caucasus, Cave City

Activities

1. 10:00 TBS Airport → Old Town hotel (Bolt or bus #37) 30 min

   Bolt taxi 20-25 minutes ($8-11 / GEL 22-30). Cheaper bus #37 to Freedom Square 30 min for GEL 0.50 / $0.20 — covered, runs every 30 min.

   Cost: $0.20-11 TIP: Money changers in the arrival hall give worse rates than Old Town — change just $50 for cabs + lunch, more later at Liberty Square exchanges.
2. 11:30 Old Town walking loop (Meidan Square → Sioni Cathedral → Anchiskhati Basilica) 2 hours

   Start at Meidan Square (the carved 'I Love Tbilisi' sign in the small park). Walk to Sioni Cathedral (7th-century, holds Saint Nino's cross), then Anchiskhati Basilica (6th-century, Tbilisi's oldest church). Free entry to all churches.

   Cost: Free TIP: Women cover heads with a scarf at churches — free scarves at entrances. Skip the souvenir shops between churches; they're 30-40% pricier than the Dry Bridge Sunday market.
3. 14:00 Lunch at Salobie Bia (canonical lobio + mchadi) 1.5 hours

   The famous lobio (slow-cooked bean stew in clay pot) with hot mchadi (cornbread) and pickles. Order also a pkhali sampler (vegetable pâtés with walnut). $7-15 per person.

   Cost: $7-15 / GEL 20-40 TIP: Lunch peaks 13:00-15:00 — go 14:30 to avoid the worst wait. Cash gives a 5% discount.
4. 16:00 Abanotubani sulfur baths (private room) 1.5 hours

   The Persian-style brick-domed sulfur baths in the Abanotubani district — the city's namesake. Private room for 1 hour with hot sulfur water + optional kisi scrub.

   Cost: $11-22 private room / GEL 30-60 (kisi scrub +GEL 20) TIP: Chreli Abano and Bath №5 have the best-preserved Persian tilework. Bring own toiletries; towel rental GEL 3 / $1.
5. 18:30 Cable car to Narikala Fortress + Mother of Georgia statue 2 hours

   Cable car from Rike Park to Narikala Fortress (30-second ride, GEL 2.50 / $0.95). Walk along the ridge to Mother of Georgia (20m aluminum statue holding sword + wine cup). Sunset photos look down on Old Town toward Sameba Cathedral.

   Cost: $0.95 cable car / GEL 2.50 TIP: Cable car returns until 23:00. Walk down through Sololaki for the evening rather than taking the cable car back — neighborhood is full of 19th-century townhouses and quiet cafés.
6. 21:00 Dinner at Tsiskvili (Georgian supra feast) 2 hours

   Converted watermill on the city's western edge with live folk music. The canonical Georgian supra (feast) experience — long communal tables, toasts led by a tamada (toastmaster). Best for groups of 4+; solo or couples can do the smaller corner tables.

   Cost: $18-40 per person / GEL 50-110 TIP: Reserve 3-5 days ahead for weekend evenings. Bolt 15-20 minutes from Old Town ($4-6). Live music after 20:00.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:30 Bolt to Mtskheta (UNESCO ancient capital) 25-45 min

   Mtskheta is Georgia's ancient capital 20 km northwest. Bolt 25 minutes ($7-9 / GEL 18-25) or marshrutka from Didube Station (GEL 1, no schedule — leaves when full).

   Cost: $1-9 / GEL 1-25
2. 10:15 Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th-century UNESCO) 1.5 hours

   The cathedral where Christ's robe is held per tradition. Built 1010-1029 by King Bagrat III. Free entry; women cover heads.

   Cost: Free TIP: Most-photographed angle is from the riverbank across the bridge. Tour groups arrive 11:00-13:00 — earlier is quieter.
3. 12:00 Jvari Monastery (6th-century clifftop) 1 hour

   Clifftop monastery overlooking the confluence of Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers. Bolt from Svetitskhoveli ($4-6 / GEL 10-16) — the road is too steep for a comfortable walk.

   Cost: $4-6 / GEL 10-16 taxi TIP: Best photo is the view down to Svetitskhoveli and the river confluence — bring zoom. Strong wind at the top; bring a layer.
4. 14:00 Lunch at Salobie Original (Mtskheta riverbank) 1.5 hours

   The original Salobie restaurant (the Tbilisi branch is the sister location). Lobio in clay pots + freshly baked mchadi on a riverside terrace.

   Cost: $8-17 / GEL 22-45 TIP: Walk-in friendly. Cash and card both accepted. Bolt back to Tbilisi after lunch ($7-9).
5. 17:00 Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral 1.5 hours

   Largest Orthodox cathedral in the Caucasus at 87 meters, completed 2004. Sits on Elia Hill across the river from Old Town. Free entry; bring a scarf for women.

   Cost: Free TIP: Climb the hill behind the cathedral for the panoramic view of Tbilisi rooftops. Bolt back to Old Town ($2-4 / GEL 5-10).
6. 20:00 Vino Underground amber wine flight + small plates dinner 2 hours

   Cooperative cellar bar founded by eight natural-wine producers. A flight of five amber wines (qvevri-fermented skin-contact whites) with cheese plate + khachapuri slices.

   Cost: $13-27 per person / GEL 35-75 TIP: Ask staff to explain each producer's village + grape — the staff are the producers' kids. Walk-in 14:00-18:00 is quiet; 19:00-22:00 fills up.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Day tour pickup — Kakheti wine route Pickup 15 min

   Day tour from Tbilisi to Kakheti (Telavi + Sighnaghi + Pheasant's Tears + Bodbe Monastery + lunch). 12 hours total. Book via Viator, GetYourGuide, or local agencies — $60-80 per person.

   Cost: $60-80 / GEL 165-220 tour package
2. 11:30 Schuchmann Wines or Khareba tunnel cellar visit + tasting 2 hours

   Either Schuchmann (German-Georgian estate near Telavi — full vineyard tour walks you through oak + qvevri aging) or Khareba (8 km wine tunnel through a mountain, carved 1962 for KGB wine storage). Both include 4-5 wine tastings.

   Cost: Included in tour / standalone $13-22 / GEL 35-60 TIP: Confirm which winery your tour visits — most do Schuchmann or Khareba but not both. If self-driving, allow 30 min between.
3. 14:00 Lunch + tasting at Pheasant's Tears (Sighnaghi ridge) 2 hours

   American-Georgian winery + restaurant on the Sighnaghi ridge overlooking the Alazani Valley. Qvevri-aged amber + Saperavi flight with slow-cooked lamb + Sulguni-stuffed bread.

   Cost: $22-45 / GEL 60-120 typical lunch + flight TIP: Most-photographed angle: terrace shot looking down the valley. Order the qvevri amber + Saperavi side by side — the contrast tells you the qvevri story without explanation.
4. 16:30 Sighnaghi walled town + Bodbe Monastery 2 hours

   Sighnaghi is the 'city of love' — walled 18th-century town on a ridge. Walk the walls (free), see Saint Nino's burial place at Bodbe Monastery (10 min drive from Sighnaghi).

   Cost: Free walls + Free Bodbe entry TIP: Sighnaghi marriage hall is open 24/7 — locals come to wed any time. The wall walk is most-photographed at the southern stretch overlooking the Alazani Valley.
5. 19:30 Return to Tbilisi + Old Town stroll 2 hours drive

   Drive back to Tbilisi (~2 hours). Most tours drop at Liberty Square 19:00-20:00. Walk the Rustaveli Avenue if energy remains.

   Cost: Included in tour
6. 21:30 Farewell dinner at Cafe Littera (Writers' House garden) 2 hours

   Garden dining inside the 1905 Writers' House of Georgia. Chef Tekuna Gachechiladze's contemporary Georgian — beetroot pkhali, lamb with tarragon, qvevri wine pairing. The canonical Tbilisi honeymoon evening.

   Cost: $22-50 per person / GEL 60-135 (wine pairing +$20-30) TIP: Reserve 1-2 weeks ahead for May-September garden seating. Indoor winter dining is quieter but loses the magic. Walk back to Old Town hotels (10 min).

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:00 Day tour pickup — Stepantsminda route Pickup 15 min

   Day tour from Tbilisi via the Georgian Military Highway (the scenic Russia-bound road). Stops: Ananuri Fortress + Reservoir + Pasanauri (the village khinkali originated in) + Gudauri + Stepantsminda. 13 hours total. $50-70 per person.

   Cost: $50-70 / GEL 135-190 tour
2. 10:30 Ananuri Fortress (16th-century reservoir view) 30 min

   Stone fortress complex on the Jinvali Reservoir 1.5 hours north of Tbilisi. Free entry, 30-min walk-around.

   Cost: Free TIP: Most-photographed angle is the fortress with the turquoise reservoir below.
3. 12:30 Lunch at Pasanauri (khinkali origin village) 1 hour

   Pasanauri is the mountain village the canonical khinkali style is named after. Roadside taverns serve the original local version (more peppery + drier than Tbilisi).

   Cost: $5-12 / GEL 14-32 TIP: Order 5-7 khinkali per person. Hold by stem, suck broth first.
4. 14:30 Gudauri viewpoint + Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument 45 min

   Gudauri (Georgia's main ski resort in winter) and the 1983 Friendship Monument — a Soviet-era circular mosaic overlook with Caucasus panorama.

   Cost: Free TIP: Strong wind at the monument; bring layers even in summer.
5. 16:00 Stepantsminda + Gergeti Trinity Church 2 hours

   The canonical Caucasus image — 14th-century Gergeti Trinity Church on a 2,170m hill with Mt. Kazbek (5,054m) behind. From Stepantsminda village, a 4×4 shuttle takes you up the rough road to the church (10 min, GEL 30 / $11).

   Cost: $11 / GEL 30 shuttle TIP: Walk back down from the church through the meadow if weather is fine — 45 min descent with the best photo angles. Bring a scarf for church entry.
6. 21:00 Return to Tbilisi + light dinner at Khinkali House or Khachapuri & Wine 1 hour

   Tour drops at Liberty Square 21:00-22:00. Light dinner — most travelers are tired from the long mountain day.

   Cost: $5-15 / GEL 14-40

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Bolt or shared taxi to Uplistsikhe Cave City 1h20 min drive

   Uplistsikhe is 90 km west of Tbilisi — pre-Christian Iberian (Georgian) cave city carved into volcanic rock in the 1st millennium BCE. Bolt $25-37 / GEL 70-100 one-way or join a shared tour ($25-35).

   Cost: $25-37 Bolt / GEL 70-100 TIP: Most travelers combine with Gori (Stalin's birthplace, 15 min drive from Uplistsikhe). A tour package covers both for $35-50 including transport.
2. 10:30 Uplistsikhe Cave City walk-through 1.5 hours

   20+ caves carved into volcanic tuff — a queen's hall, a Christian church (added later), pagan altars, kitchens, wine cellars. Active settlement from the 6th century BCE to 13th century CE.

   Cost: $6 entry / GEL 15 TIP: Wear good shoes — the cave floor is uneven volcanic rock. The peak afternoon heat in summer is brutal; the caves themselves stay cool.
3. 13:00 Lunch + Gori (Stalin's birthplace + Stalin Museum) 2.5 hours (lunch + museum)

   Gori is 15 minutes from Uplistsikhe — Stalin's birth town. The Stalin Museum is historically informative and politically uncomfortable (the museum largely avoids the gulag history). Free to walk Gori's main square; museum entry $4-6.

   Cost: $4-6 museum / GEL 10-15 TIP: Most Tbilisi-bound day tours include Gori + the museum. If self-driving, the Stalin childhood home is preserved in a glass pavilion outside the museum (the most-photographed angle).
4. 16:00 Return to Tbilisi + free time 1.5 hours drive

   Bolt or shared van back. Free afternoon — last shopping at Dry Bridge market (Sat-Sun) or Rustaveli Avenue cafés.

   Cost: $25-37 / GEL 70-100
5. 19:30 Farewell dinner at Barbarestan (18th-century recipes) 2 hours

   8-course tasting menu of pre-Soviet Georgian dishes. Aubergine rolls with walnut + pomegranate, dolma with sour-plum sauce, family chef's tasting.

   Cost: $28-50 per person / GEL 75-135 (wine pairing +$20-30) TIP: Reserve 1 week ahead — chef's tasting fills first. Ground-floor wine cellar visit included.

Meal Recommendations