Very Friendly Tbilisi Walking Tour (wine tasting & cable car)

Tbilisi reveals itself on foot. This four-hour walk links ancient churches, royal ruins, modern bridges, sulfur baths, and hilltop views, giving you a useful first look at Georgia’s capital without the fuss of arranging each stop yourself. I especially like the small-group format and the included ride on the Tbilisi cable car, which saves your legs for the Old Town’s uneven streets.

I also like the guide’s local focus. You move from the oldest parts of the city to places where modern Tbilisi meets its past, with time for landmarks such as Narikala Fortress, the Peace Bridge, and Abanotubani. One point to check before booking is the wine tasting: it is part of the tour’s title, but the published details do not clearly say when it takes place or whether drinks are included.

Key Points Before You Book

• Ancient and modern Tbilisi in four hours: See city wall ruins, Anchiskhati Basilica, the Peace Bridge, Narikala, sulfur baths, and more.
• Cable car included: Ride from Rike Park toward Narikala Fortress, a welcome break from walking uphill.
• Small-group promise: The tour highlights a maximum of 15 people, though the booking information also lists a possible maximum of 100, so confirm the group size.
• Friendly guide style: Anastasia de Fellini Travels is described as warm, personal, and enthusiastic about showing Georgia to newcomers.
• Central start and finish: Begin at Pushkin Square and finish near Orbeliani Bazaar, useful for continuing your own sightseeing.
• Good value at $27.24: The price includes a local guide, bottled water, and the cable car ride, but not food, drinks, or hotel transfers.

Why This Walk Works as a First Look at Tbilisi

Tbilisi can feel confusing at first. The Mtkvari River cuts through the city, the Old Town climbs toward Narikala Fortress, and grand churches sit close to bathhouses, cafés, markets, and modern public art. A walking tour helps you understand how these pieces fit together.

This route also avoids treating Tbilisi as one old quarter frozen in time. You see the 6th-century Anchiskhati Basilica, the restored-looking Peace Bridge, a royal monument, a Muslim mosque, a waterfall, and the sulfur baths that gave the city its name. That mix is the main reason I would consider this tour.

The four-hour length is enough to cover a lot without turning into an all-day march. Still, you should expect steady walking on old streets, steps, and slopes. The cable car helps, but the route after Narikala and around the bath district still calls for comfortable shoes.

The group size matters. A maximum of 15 people can make it easier to hear explanations and ask questions, especially inside busy parts of the Old Town. The same information also lists a maximum of 100 people, which does not match the small-group description. I would confirm the expected group size before paying if a quieter, more personal walk is important to you.

From Pushkin Square to Tbilisi’s Oldest Streets

The tour begins at Tbilisi Pushkin Square. This is a practical starting point for a central city walk, and the route soon moves into older parts of town.

The first stop is the remains of the 11th-century city wall and old customs gate. Only about 15 minutes are set aside here, so think of it as a short orientation stop rather than a full archaeological visit. It gives you a quick reminder that Tbilisi was once a fortified trading city, with movement through its gates controlled and watched.

From there, you reach the Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater on Shavteli Street. The theater began in 1981 under artist Rezo Gabriadze, and its unusual clock tower has become one of Tbilisi’s best-known sights. Once an hour, a golden angel appears from a painted doorway and rings a bell with a small hammer.

Your guide can help you time this stop around the hourly performance. Since only 15 minutes are scheduled, ask about the bell before the group moves on. The theater itself is not listed as an included interior visit, so the real value here is the architecture, the clock show, and the story behind one of the city’s most playful landmarks.

Anchiskhati Basilica and Georgia’s Church Tradition

Anchiskhati Basilica is one of the most important early stops. Built as a three-nave basilica in the 6th century, it is described as the oldest church building in Tbilisi. That gives the stop real weight, even though only 10 minutes are planned.

The church’s name comes from the Anchi icon, which arrived here from Anchi Monastery in southern Georgia in 1664. The icon is now kept in the Georgian National Museum, but its story helps explain how religious objects shaped the city’s cultural life.

You then pass the Georgian Patriarchate and its theological seminary on Erekle II Square. The building occupies the site of King Rostom’s former palace. Construction of the present structure began in 1809, and it later housed Russian Orthodox Church officials during the period of Russian imperial rule.

These two stops work well together. Anchiskhati takes you into medieval Georgia, while the Patriarchate points to later political and religious changes. The short time at each place means you will depend on the guide for context rather than detailed examination.

The Peace Bridge, Rike Park, and Metekhi

The Peace Bridge is Tbilisi’s sharpest change of mood. Opened in 2010, the glass-and-steel bridge crosses the Mtkvari River between Erekle II Street and Rike Park. Its modern design has made it one of the symbols of the city’s renewal.

I like this part of the walk because it shows that Tbilisi is not simply a collection of ancient monuments. The bridge links the historic center with Rike Park, a newer public space designed with pathways that form a large map of Georgia when viewed from above.

The route continues to Metekhi Cathedral on the river’s left bank. The church sits in one of Tbilisi’s oldest districts and is connected with the tomb of Saint Shushanik. Her remains were moved to Metekhi after the religious split between Armenian and Georgian churches in the early 7th century.

The nearby monument to King Vakhtang Gorgasali takes only five minutes. Vakhtang ruled Iberia, or Kartli, during the late 5th and early 6th centuries and is remembered for leading resistance against Sasanian Persian power. The statue is a quick stop, but its position helps connect the city’s founding stories with the river and the hilltop fortress above.

Taking the Cable Car to Kartlis Deda

The Tbilisi aerial tramway connects Rike Park, or Europe Square, with the Narikala Fortress area. The ride is included, and it is one of the strongest practical features of this tour.

You get a change of pace after the first section of walking, plus broad views over the Mtkvari River and the old city. The ride itself takes about 10 minutes in the scheduled itinerary. If you are not fond of steep streets, this makes the route much easier than walking all the way uphill.

At the top, you see Kartlis Deda, the Mother of Georgia. The monumental statue holds a wine glass in one hand for friends and a sword in the other for enemies. It is a simple image, but it neatly expresses the city’s idea of hospitality with a touch of caution.

The wine glass also fits the tour’s wine theme. Still, do not assume that seeing the statue means a tasting is included at this point. The published details name wine tasting in the tour title, but they do not identify the tasting location or confirm that drinks are covered in the price.

Narikala Fortress and the View Over Old Tbilisi

Narikala is the high point of the route, both literally and historically. The fortress dates to the 4th century and was expanded more than once, including work carried out under Arab rule in the 7th and 8th centuries. Its remaining walls show why this hill controlled access to the old city.

You have about 20 minutes here. That is enough for a look around and views over Tbilisi, though not enough for a slow exploration of every fragment. The site also contains the 12th-century Church of Saint Nicholas.

This is the place where comfortable footwear matters most. The tour information does not provide a detailed surface description, so you should be ready for old stone, uneven ground, and a downhill route afterward. Bring water, although a bottle is included.

The Mosque, Waterfall, and Sulfur Baths

The route then heads down toward Tbilisi Mosque, also called the Juma Mosque, below Narikala. It is described as the only Muslim shrine currently serving the city. The first Sunni mosque here was built by the Ottomans between 1723 and 1735, destroyed by the Persians in the 1740s, and rebuilt in the 19th century.

The mosque is an important reminder of Tbilisi’s mixed religious past. The tour does not list an interior visit, so treat this as an exterior and history stop unless your guide says otherwise.

Next comes Leghvtakhevi Waterfall, a 22-meter fall in the old city district of Abanotubani. Its name comes from the Georgian word for fig, since fig trees once grew around the gorge. The waterfall is a pleasant surprise in the middle of the city, and the scheduled 10 minutes should give you time for a quick look and photographs.

The route then spends about 30 minutes in Abanotubani, Tbilisi’s famous sulfur-bath district. Hot springs made this area a natural gathering place, and bathhouses were built at different times from roughly the 17th through the 19th centuries. The oldest is identified as Irakli Bath.

You will also see Chreli Abano, a sulfur bath whose colorful exterior can look like a mosque. It is a bathhouse, not a place of worship. The tour does not include a bath session, so you are learning about the tradition rather than taking part in it.

Meidan Bazaar, Shardeni Street, and Sioni Cathedral

Meidan Bazaar is a useful place to understand Tbilisi as a trading city. The square was mentioned by French traveler Jean Chardin in the 18th century and has carried several names over time. Today, it is a place to find Georgian wine, handmade items, souvenirs, and local foods.

This is likely the most natural place to ask about the wine tasting. The tour title includes one, and Meidan Bazaar sells traditional Georgian wine, but food and drinks are listed as not included. Ask the guide what is planned and budget separately for purchases.

Jan Shardeni Street follows. This pedestrian lane and its nearby streets are lined with galleries and cafés. It is more polished and social than some of the older lanes, showing the part of Tbilisi aimed at evening meals, shopping, and city life.

The final major stop is Sioni Cathedral. This cross-domed church sits on the lower right bank of the Mtkvari and served as Tbilisi’s cathedral from the 5th century. Since 1920, it has been the Patriarchal Cathedral.

Ten minutes is short for a church with this much importance. Dress and behave respectfully, and follow the guide’s instructions about entry. The tour ends near Orbeliani Bazaar, at Orbeliani Square, rather than returning to Pushkin Square. That is helpful if you want to continue exploring, but plan your route onward before the final stop.

What the $27.24 Price Really Buys

At $27.24 per person, this is a fair price for a four-hour guided introduction to central Tbilisi. You receive a local guide, bottled water, and the cable car ride. The tour also saves you the work of finding 16 separate sights and understanding how they relate to one another.

The value is best if you are staying in Tbilisi for a short time or want orientation at the beginning of your visit. You can mark places to revisit later, such as the sulfur baths, Meidan Bazaar, Sioni Cathedral, or Narikala.

The price does not cover food or drinks, and the published details also list hotel pickup and drop-off as not included. A pickup may be available in some form, but the stated meeting point is Pushkin Square. Confirm this before assuming someone will collect you at your hotel.

Free cancellation is available until 24 hours before the start time. The tour requires a minimum number of participants, and if that minimum is not reached, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Who Should Choose This Tbilisi Walk?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want the main Old Town sights in one organized outing. It also suits anyone who values stories and local context more than spending a long time inside one museum.

Families can join, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. Since the route involves walking through historic streets and visiting hilltop sights, ask the operator directly about any personal mobility concerns before booking.

This is less suitable if you want a slow photography tour, long church visits, a full Narikala exploration, or a guaranteed food-and-wine experience. The schedule covers many stops, so most visits are brief. You get range, not extended time at each site.

The guide can make a major difference. Anastasia de Fellini Travels is associated with a friendly, personal approach and clear enthusiasm for Georgia. Her warm response to a Spanish-speaking customer also suggests a welcoming manner across language and cultural lines, though you should confirm which guide will lead your date.

Should You Book It?

Book this tour if you want a well-priced introduction to Tbilisi that combines ancient churches, royal stories, modern architecture, the cable car, Narikala, and the sulfur-bath district. The route gives you a strong sense of how the city’s past and present sit side by side.

Before booking, confirm three things: the actual group size, the hotel pickup arrangements, and exactly what the wine tasting includes. If those details suit you, $27.24 is a sensible way to get your bearings quickly and leave the rest of your stay free for slower discoveries.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Tbilisi Pushkin Square in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Where does the tour end?

It ends near Orbeliani Bazaar, at Orbeliani Square.

How long does the walking tour last?

The tour lasts approximately four hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $27.24 per person.

Is the Tbilisi cable car included?

Yes. The aerial tramway ride to the Narikala Fortress area is included.

What is included in the tour price?

The price includes bottled water and a local guide. The cable car admission is also included in the itinerary.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks are listed as not included.

Is hotel pickup included?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are listed as not included. A pickup option is mentioned as available, so confirm the arrangements before booking.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour highlights a maximum of 15 people for a small-group experience. The additional booking information lists a maximum of 100 travelers, so confirm the expected group size.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded or accepted.