Some Georgians say Tbilisi is most beautiful at night. I say Tbilisi is most beautiful from high up! There are several opportunities to combine a birds’ eye view with a short trip in or around the city.
OPTION 1: NARIKALA FORTRESS
Take the cable car from Europe Square up to the Narikala Fortress. From the mountain station, you get a stunning view over the city. After a short walk, you reach the statue of Mother of Georgia (Kartlis Deda). She is holding a bowl of wine for friends in her left hand and a sword for enemies in her right. Next, have a cup of pomegranate juice before setting off to clamber the walls the fortress, which was established in the 4th century and expanded continuously. The Mongols changed its name from Shuris-tsikhe (Invidious Fortress) to Narikala Fortress (Little fortress). The St. Nicholas church in the lower court was rebuilt in 1996-1997 after the original was destroyed in a fire.
OPTION 2: TABOR MONASTERY OF TRANSFIGURATION
You can walk up to the Tabor Monastery of Transfiguration from the Botanical Garden or the sulphur baths. The path is not well-marked but every now and then you’ll come across a sign with a cross. For me, the view on the way up was more spectacular than that from the top: overlooking the Botanical Garden, the Narikala Fortress and the Trinity Cathedral.
OPTION 3: THE BIG WHEEL ON MTATSMINDA MOUNTAIN
The most popular and most crowded viewpoint is Mtatsminda mountain and its observation wheel. A funicular brings you up the mountain, where you find restaurants and a theme park for all ages. From the observation terrace, you can look over the city and see the mountains in the distance. If Mtatsminda mountain is not high enough for you, there is the giant Ferris wheel that takes you to the skies (Note: the wheel is closed after sunset).
OPTION 4: FROM TURTLE LAKE TO MTATSMINDA
With the cable car from Vake park, you can go to Turtle Lake. Surrounded by beautiful cafés and restaurants and serenaded by numerous frogs hidden in the reeds, the walk around the small lake alone is worth the journey. But if you want to escape the bustle of city life a little longer, you can walk to Mtatsminada mountain. The trip opens a totally different perspective of Tbilisi, one which many locals don’t even know about. The 5km walk takes around 1.5 hours and is unmarked- a map with GPS tracker is advised.
By Manuela Kosch