Excursion to Tbilisi: One-day city tour in Tbilisi

Excursion to Tbilisi will begin with a visit to one of the main attractions of Old Tbilisi - the temple of Metekhi (Temple of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin), picturesquely rising on the crest of a high rock, at the very edge of the stony shore of the Kura. We will go down to the Kura embankment and walk along the original pedestrian bridge opened in 2010 - the Peace Bridge, which became a new symbol of Tbilisi, connecting the two banks as two eras. On the one hand - Old Tbilisi with a fortress wall and architecture of the past, on the other - a modern city with its futuristic buildings. Crossing the Peace Bridge, you will find yourself in the Rike Park, which has completely transformed in recent years, which looks like a map of Georgia divided into regions if you look at it from above. In the park, everyone will find entertainment to their liking: a playground, giant chess and singing fountains, as well as a small amphitheater and recreation areas. Directly from the park on the new cable car we will climb to the fortress of Narikala, which rises above the Old Town. The trip from Rike Park to the walls of Narikal takes 2-3 minutes, goes up steeply, allowing you to admire postcard views of Tbilisi: from a bird's eye view, the city is visible as in the palm of your hand. Narikala is a visiting card of Tbilisi, one of the main symbols of the city. The exact date of the foundation of the fortress is unknown, but it is believed that it already existed in the IV century. Inside the fortress in 1996-1997 was restored the Church of St. Nicholas, which in the XIII century was on the territory of the fortress. In 1827, the fortress could not resist the forces of nature - a significant part was destroyed in an earthquake. But even the remaining walls, serpentine descending from the mountain to the Kura, today remind of the former greatness of Narikala. Going down, we will walk through the quarter of the famous sulfur baths - Abanotubani. Tbilisi is famous for its sulfur springs with healing properties. It is with these sources that the legend of the founding of the capital and its name are connected. King Vakhtang Gorgasali hunted in the dense forests, on the site of which the beautiful Tbilisi is now located. Before the first baths were built, the “wild” sulfur springs served as a bathing place for citizens. The first baths appeared here in the XVI-XVII centuries and were built of stone in the classical oriental style: squat, low buildings, covered with semicircular terracotta domes. Walk along the pedestrian street Chardeny, which is decorated in European, closer to French, style with open terraces, numerous restaurants and cafes, art galleries, boutiques and souvenir shops. Now it is difficult to imagine the modern appearance of Tbilisi without this fashionable street. After a short pause for a coffee break or a light lunch in one of the restaurants, we will continue our journey towards Sioni Street and visit the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady of Zion. The temple was built in the first half of the VII century and over the centuries was repeatedly destroyed, and then restored and rebuilt. We will visit the Basilica of Anchiskhati – the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi. Anchiskhati dates back to the sixth century. However, the basilica received its name much later - only in 1675 - thanks to the icon "Ancia Savior" - the image of the Savior not made by hands. Currently, the icon is kept in the gold fund of the State Museum of Arts of Georgia. End of tour.