Duration: 4 hours

Old Tbilisi – One of the Must-Dos and probably the most distinctive pleasures of visiting Tbilisi is wandering through the Old City, with its old-style balconies, ancient churches, winding, narrow streets, and charming shops. Here one will notice a number of eclectic sights – sites ranging from churches to mosques and synagogues, as well as the art galleries lining along the way. The uniqueness of attractions and the cultural as well as architectural diversity widely presented at this spot starting from Sulfur Baths, Betlemi – housing two of the city’s oldest churches and the stunning views from the Narikala Fortress is simply overwhelming.  Metekhi Church – was built by the Georgian king Demetre II around 1278-1284 years. It is represented as an unusual example of domed Georgian Orthodox Church although it was damaged and restored multiple times. The church is situated at the top of the hill overlooking “Abanotubani” and the river Mtkvari. During the Soviet era the church lost its religious purposes, was demolished and later in 1819 was replaced by a new building that functioned as a jail. In the later part of Soviet period the church was used as a theatre. In the late 1980s Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia Ilia II launched a campaign of restoration of Metekhi Church which restarted functioning again in 1988. The equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali (the founder of the city of Tbilisi) by a famous Georgian sculptor Elguja Amashukeli was hoisted in front of the church in 1961. Opened in 2012, a cable car connects Rike Park on the left bank of the Mtkvari River with Narikala Fortress. For only 2 GEL you can gaze at the fantastic 360˚ views of the city from the large windows of the car as well as have an easy ride to the top of the hill. Narikala Fortress – is one of the most famous, oldest and most favoured historic sites of Tbilisi. It was established in the 4^th century and was considerably expended over subsequent centuries. Much of what remains today dates from the 16^th and 17^th centuries. The initial name of the fortress was “Shuris-Tsikhe” (Invidious Fortress) and was later renamed by Mongols as “Naria Qala” literary translated as a “Little Fortress”. Narikala is situated on a steep hill between the Sulphur Baths and the Botanical Gardens of Tbilisi overlooking the city and the Kura River. Most of the castle is in ruins and the steps that lead to the top are steep and narrow, thus may not be accessible to everyone, although the view from the battlements is quite spectacular and highly appreciated by visitors. The complex consists of two parts – upper and lower sections. At the lower part of the citadel is the recently restored St. Nicholas church (built in 1996-1997 years as a replacement of the original 13^th century church). Sulfur Baths – The bath district is called “Abanotubani” and is on the south side of the Metekhi Bridge. It catches one’s eye immediately with its small, brick domes on ground level. The sulfur waters are naturally warm and in a way represent the icon of the city since the well-known legend of how Tbilisi was founded is associated with the warm springs of the sulfur waters. There are several small baths offering different levels of comfort. The baths are relatively small, and you may have to wait for a pool to become available. Massages are also available; however, they are more like a washing, but well worth of the authentic experience. Lunch in Old Tbilisi Area. Clock tower – Gabriadze Theatre was founded by and named after Georgian artist as well as screenwriter, stage director, painter, sculptor and puppeteer, Revaz (Rezo) Gabriadze. Along with the theater, the City of Tbilisi received a gift of a magnificent tower with a clock and a golden-winged angel, built by Mr. Gabriadze. The clock-tower presented by the artist has height of nearly four-story building and is designed as a unique architectural object that creates a magic effect of a fairy tale and complements the scenery of old Tbilisi streets.

Return to the hotel.

End of the tour.