The 8 Best Day Trips From Tbilisi

For every visitor, Mtskheta is the number one town to visit outside of Tbilisi. A former capital of Georgia, Mtskheta still hides the charm and glory in its buildings, architecture and marvellous Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. As the town is quite small, you’ll only need a maximum of an hour, or an hour and a half, to explore the centre. Afterwards, head towards Uplistsikhe, a small city carved into the rocks – then finish the tour in Gori, the birthplace of Josef Stalin and home to his memorial museum.

Ananuri is a medieval fortress by the Aragvi River, overlooking the Zhinvali water reservoir. Some parts of the fort date back to the 13th century. Stepantsminda is a small village situated right at the foot of Mount Kazbegi, along the Georgian Military Highway. But the main attraction for which people come to visit this village is the Holy Trinity Church in Gergeti.

Kutaisi, along with Mtskheta, is one of the oldest cities in Georgia and a former capital of the country. Kutaisi offers various attractions for its visitors – but the Gelati and Bagrati churches, both Unesco World Heritage Sites, are the most popular. Additionally, you can visit the city’s museums, Prometheus Cave or drive to Okatse Canyon.

Rabati Fortress, located in Akhaltsikhe, is a newly renovated complex featuring a mixture of different cultures and religions – for instance, you can find a mosque and an Orthodox church here. Vardzia is another cave town similar to Uplistsikhe, but bigger and more impressive. Queen Tamar ordered the construction of Vardzia in the 12th century – it has 13 levels and approximately 600 apartments, a throne room and a church with a bell tower. Borjomi is a balneological resort, known for its mineral spring water and breathtaking coniferous forests. It used to be a more popular destination for locals and citizens during the time of the Soviet Union, but it still tries to keep that splendour.

David Gareji Monastery, in the Kakheti region and bordering Azerbaijan, is another cave town you don’t want to miss. The site, founded by one of the 13 Assyrian Fathers – Saint David Gareji – includes 13 monasteries built on the hills. The complex is found within the unique climate of the Georgian Sahara, a semi-desert home to strips of mineral-rich sedimentary rock, which makes the landscape look like it’s been painted with brightly colored stripes. Combine a walk in the Rainbow Mountains with a visit to David Gareji for the ultimate day out.

Other must-visit places in the Kakheti region are Sighnaghi and Tsinandali. Sighnaghi is rich in history, offering gorgeous views over the Alazani Valley and featuring fortress wall remnants surrounding the town. Near Sighnaghi, there’s another site to visit: Bodbe Monastery, where Saint Nino – who brought Christianity to Georgia – is buried. Tsinandali village offers an impressive house of a famous Georgian family. Alexander Chavchavadze inherited this village from his father, Prince Garsevan. He renovated it, and in 1835 he built a new palace and a beautiful garden. Here, he received foreign guests and entertained them with music and wine made from his vineyards. As he was familiar with European winemaking, Chavchavadze built the oldest and largest winery in Georgia – combining European and Georgian winemaking traditions.

Barely two hours outside of Tbilisi is an epic gorge stretching 7km through the Georgian countryside. Dashbashi Canyon looks like something you’d find in Iceland, but imagine the icy white is replaced with luscious greenery smothering the landscape. The canyon is home to several spectacular waterfalls, which go from emerald in summer to their own version of icy white in winter. In 2022 the Georgian government unveiled a striking new glass bridge to show off the canyon, so you can make the 240m walk across the width of the canyon and, if your vertigo isn’t too strong, gaze down at the eye-watering 280m drop below. You can even try the unique Sky Bike ride, which is kind of like a bicycle zipline, because why not!? Recommended by Gethin Morgan.

Day trips from Tbilisi aren’t confined to the borders of Georgia itself. The neighbouring Caucasus nations of Azerbaijan and Armenia are both within driving distance of the capital, with Armenia a particularly day trip-able option. This is a fascinating way to see first hand the similarities and differences between the two bordering countries. Cross the border, discover the differences in everything from architecture to climate and cuisine, and visit marvellous Unesco-listed monasteries like Haghpat and Sanahin to learn more about Armenian history. Recommended by Gethin Morgan.