EXPLORE THE STREETS OF OLD TBILISI
Old Tbilisi is a rambling area that contains the city’s oldest
districts on both sides of the Mtkvari River. Wearing the fourth-century
Narikala Fortress as its stone crown, this area is a sequence of camera-
ready purlieus, each with its own quirky charm. There’s the Old Meidan,
once a hangout for Silk Road traders; the neatly gridded Sololaki
neighbourhood, with its time-worn mansions; and Metekhi, famed for
its cliff-hanging church. Frilled balconies and lively, shared courtyards
abound, while the most handsome facades of all can be found on
restored Gudiashvili Square, Atoneli Street and Agmashenebeli
Avenue — the latter lined with classic 19th-century architecture.SAVOUR GEORGIAN CUISINE
The Georgian table is abundant with comfort foods — soul-
nourishing fare first dreamed up in kitchens in the Caucasus
Mountains as fuel to help locals withstand winter’s hardships. As they
made their way down to the city, highland dishes such as khinkali
(doughy meat dumplings filled with a slurp-worthy broth) were given
an urban spin and perfumed with fresh herbs. Regional specialities
include lobio (a rich bean stew in a clay pot); shkmeruli (chicken in
garlic sauce); and adjaruli khachapuri, the most decadent member of
the ‘cheese bread’ family, loaded with molten butter and an egg yolk.RAISE A TOAST TO ANCIENT WINE-MAKING TRADITIONS
Georgia’s history of winemaking goes back to at least 6000
BC, when clay amphoras called qvevris were first used to ferment
grapes underground. You can draw a direct line between those
neolithic trailblazers and the winemakers of today, who use the same
techniques to produce skin-contact amber and red wines. This makes
qvevri wine one of the oldest continuously practiced traditions of its
kind. Tbilisi is full of trendy vinotecas, many of which dedicate their
top shelves to natural and organic bottles from the wine regions of
Kakheti, Kartli and Imereti. Ensconced in a snug underground cellar
bar, start with the essentials: Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Kisi and Tsolikouri.IMMERSE YOURSELF IN MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES
Rustaveli Avenue is Tbilisi’s de facto cultural precinct. Start at
the Georgian National Museum, where the same Colchian gold that
tempted Jason and his Argonauts to cross the Black Sea shimmers
under spotlights in the basement treasury. Don’t miss the Soviet
Occupation Hall, which recalls Georgia’s oppression under the USSR.
The National Gallery houses work by national painter, Niko Pirosmani,
while MoMA Tbilisi is home to a set of large-scale sculptures by Zurab
Tsereteli. Elsewhere, be sure to visit the State Silk Museum, Wine
Museum, Folk Art Museum and Open Air Museum of Ethnography.SHOP ARTISAN CRAFTS
Tbilisi has a heritage craft and contemporary design scene
befitting an old Silk Road trading post. Pop-up Christmas markets on
Rustaveli Avenue are a platform for traditional techniques including
cloisonné enamel, a jewellery making method learned from Byzantine
masters in the 12th century, felting and batik painting on silk. Ceramics,
hand-knitted chita slippers and block-printed lurji supra, Georgia’s
signature blue-and-white tablecloths, all make for timeless gifts.FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM
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