Tbilisi: Old & New City Guided Tour with 15 Tastings & Wine

Tbilisi’s best introduction may be one that lets you walk between old churches, modern bridges, and market stalls while eating your way through Georgia. This tour links the Old and New City with 15 tastings, from four kinds of khinkali to four styles of wine and a shot of chacha.

I like the practical route and the guides. You see major sights such as the Bridge of Peace, Rike Park, Anchiskhati Basilica, and the Old Town, while guides such as Camila, George, Giorgi, Irina, Mariam, and Nodar add useful local context. I also like the welcome provided by hotel pickup and drop-off.

The main consideration is that this is a walking and food tour combined, not a sit-down feast at 15 separate restaurants. Some stops are quick tastes, while the dumpling serving can be generous. Evening departures may also miss Dry Bridge Market after it closes, and the route is not suited to wheelchair users or people with mobility limits.

Key points to know before booking

• Four kinds of khinkali: Try beef, mushroom, potato-cheese, and potato dumplings, with guidance on Georgian eating customs.
• A full Georgian drinks lesson: The tasting list includes white wine, red dry wine, red semi-sweet wine, qvevri wine, and chacha.
• A strong first-day route: The walk covers Old Tbilisi and newer city sights, helping you get your bearings early in your stay.
• A local market and food angle: Dry Bridge Market, Meidan Bazar, churchkhela, gozinaki, tkemali, and ajika add more than the usual monument checklist.
• Pickup makes arrival easier: Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, useful when you are still learning Tbilisi’s streets.
• Best for active eaters: Expect moderate walking, generous food portions, and a 2 to 4 hour outing rather than a slow museum tour.

Why this Tbilisi tour works as a first-day introduction

The smart idea here is the combination. A standard city walk can leave you admiring buildings without knowing what to order later. A food tour can fill your stomach but leave the city itself as a blur. This route connects the two.

You begin in Tbilisi and visit a local café for welcome refreshments and an early taste. From there, the route moves through the newer city, along the river area, and into the older quarters. The stops are close enough in spirit to form a clear picture of Tbilisi, even though the city itself is a mix of steep streets, old stone buildings, modern architecture, courtyards, markets, and religious landmarks.

I would choose this for your first full day. Several guides, including Camila, Nodar, George, and Irina, have been especially praised for answering questions about food, culture, politics, language, and daily life. That matters in Georgia, where a short explanation can turn a plate of dumplings or a glass of wine into a window on the country.

The pace is not designed for a slow, scholarly inspection of every building. It is a moving overview with frequent stops. You get a useful map in your head, a list of foods to order later, and practical advice for the rest of your stay.

Café welcome and the first Georgian tastes

The local café is the gentle start. You receive welcome refreshments and a guided food tasting before the main walk gets underway. This gives your guide a chance to explain what you are eating and helps set the tone for the rest of the tour.

The tasting menu is broad. It includes local lemonade, four kinds of khinkali, two types of churchkhela, gozinaki, two versions of tkemali, ajika, wine, and chacha. That is a lot of variety for one short outing, so it helps to arrive hungry.

Khinkali is likely to be the most substantial part of the food program. The versions listed are beef, mushroom, potato-cheese, and potato. You get to compare a meat filling with several vegetarian choices, and the guide explains the customs surrounding these dumplings. One practical tip is to avoid eating a large meal before the tour. The portions can be bigger than the word tasting suggests.

The menu also makes the tour useful for vegetarians. It includes several non-meat dumpling options, plus sweets, sauces, and drinks. Still, dietary needs should be raised when booking because the activity information does not promise a fully customized menu.

Dry Bridge Market and Dedaena Park

Dry Bridge Market adds a local, everyday side of Tbilisi. You have time for photos, a walk, and some independent browsing rather than simply passing a famous building. The market is part sightseeing stop and part chance to see the city through objects and informal trade.

Timing matters here. If you book an evening departure, the market may already be closed. One outing that began later in the day had to pass it by. Check the starting time if this stop is important to you, since availability varies.

Dedaena Park follows with another open-air stretch and room for photos. The park gives the route a pause between the market and the denser historic center. You can expect a guided visit and free time, though the exact amount of time at each stop may change with the group, weather, or local conditions.

This section is not a grand monument visit, and that is part of its value. It shows how the route mixes regular city spaces with major sights. You are not simply moving from one postcard view to the next.

Presidential Palace and a flexible food stop

The Presidential Palace is mainly a photo and explanation stop. You may walk near it, hear about its place in modern Tbilisi, and continue without a long interior visit. The itinerary lists passing by, free time, and guided sightseeing rather than entry inside.

A secret stop then adds some flexibility. It includes a break, dessert, local snacks, and a food market visit. The precise food served here can vary, but the stop is intended to bring you closer to everyday Georgian treats rather than only formal restaurant dishes.

This is where the tour feels less rigid than a monument-by-monument schedule. Guides have added treats such as ice cream, and one guide even arranged a different sweet after a guest requested it. You should not assume every extra will appear, but the guides do seem to have room to adapt within the route.

The sweet tastings include churchkhela made with walnut and hazelnut, plus gozinaki made with walnut and honey. Churchkhela looks like a candle or a string of nuts coated in a thickened fruit mixture. Gozinaki is firmer and more brittle, with a honeyed nut flavor. These are small items, but they introduce the country’s habit of pairing nuts, fruit, and honey.

Gabriadze Theater, Anchiskhati Basilica, and Shavteli Street

The Rezo Gabriadze Theater is one of the more distinctive stops in the old center. You have time for photos, a guided visit, and a look around the surrounding streets. The route does not list a performance, so think of this as an architectural and cultural stop rather than theater tickets.

Anchiskhati Basilica provides a contrast. It is a historic religious site within the Old City, and the guide gives context as you visit. The stop is more than a quick exterior photo, although the amount of time inside can vary.

Ioane Shavteli Street connects these sights through one of the city’s atmospheric old lanes. Here, the pleasure is the walk itself: old façades, uneven streets, and changing views as the route moves toward the river. Wear shoes with a firm sole. The tour specifically calls for comfortable walking footwear, and this is not the place for slick dress shoes.

The guide is important in this section. The buildings do not always explain themselves to a first-time visitor. Camila has been praised for explaining Georgian culture and present-day issues clearly, while Giorgi and Nodar have been singled out for an easy sense of humor and useful stories. A good guide turns a short street stop into a lesson without making it feel like school.

Bridge of Peace, Rike Park, and Europe Square

The Bridge of Peace is the clearest symbol of Tbilisi’s modern side on this route. You get a photo stop, a walk across or near the bridge, and views toward the river and surrounding city. Its contemporary design looks very different from the older streets nearby, which is exactly why it works in a tour called Old and New City.

Rike Park gives you open space, views, and a break from the narrow lanes. It is a straightforward sightseeing stop with free time. If you are taking photos, this is one of the easier places to pause without blocking a crowded street.

Europe Square continues the modern city section. The guide may pass through or stop for photos, depending on timing. This part of the tour helps you understand Tbilisi as a city of layers rather than a preserved old quarter. Modern public spaces sit close to older churches, markets, and traditional restaurants.

The route is especially useful for a short stay. Several guides have shown guests enough of central Tbilisi to make independent exploring less confusing afterward. You will not see every district, but you will cover a solid central sweep in a few hours.

Meidan Bazar and the heart of Old Tbilisi

Meidan Bazar shifts the focus back to Georgian products, crafts, and food. The stop includes sightseeing, free time, arts and crafts, and a spirit tasting. It is a good place to ask your guide what is genuinely useful to buy and what is mainly made for visitors.

From there, the Old Town portion lets you slow down and take in the historic center. You can expect more photos, guided walking, and time to look around. The exact route can change. One guide altered the path because of nearby protests, choosing a safer alternative while still covering the city.

That flexibility is worth noting. Tbilisi’s central streets can be affected by demonstrations, weather, traffic, or a closed venue. A private or small-group format makes route changes easier than a large coach excursion.

The Old Town is also where the food and city themes meet most naturally. You have already heard about local customs, tasted Georgian flavors, and seen the newer parts of the capital. Now the older lanes give those stories a setting.

Five wines and one fiery finish

The final local bar stop is the drink highlight. You taste white wine, red dry wine, red semi-sweet wine, and qvevri wine, followed by local chacha. The selection gives you a useful comparison instead of treating Georgian wine as one single style.

Qvevri wine is particularly worth asking about. The name refers to the large clay vessels traditionally used in Georgian winemaking. You do not need to become a wine expert, but tasting it alongside other wines helps you notice the difference in color, texture, and character.

Chacha is the strong local spirit. It can be a lively end to the tasting, so take the portion seriously even if it looks small. You can finish the official activity at the bar, and you may be able to stay, mingle, and order more wine at your own cost.

This final stop gives the tour a relaxed finish. It is not simply transport back to your hotel after the last monument. You can ask what wines to look for during the rest of your trip, and guides often provide useful suggestions based on what you enjoyed.

What $62 gets you

At $62 per person, the price is reasonable if you use the whole package. You are paying for an English or Russian-speaking professional guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, a city walk through both old and newer areas, 15 listed tastings, and the convenience of a planned route.

The value depends on how you think about food portions. If you expect 15 full restaurant courses, you may be disappointed. This is a tasting route with some very filling stops, especially khinkali. If you see it as a guided city introduction with enough food for a meal, the price makes better sense.

Hotel transport adds value, especially if you have just arrived and do not yet know central Tbilisi. It also reduces the need to arrange a taxi at the end. Private and small-group options are available, though group size and the exact price for an upgrade should be checked at booking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity, and you can reserve now and pay later. The duration is listed as 2 to 4 hours, so check the starting time and expected length rather than assuming every departure follows the same schedule.

Who will enjoy this route most

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want history, food, and a clear overview in one outing. It is also a good fit for couples or friends with different interests, since one person can focus on sights while another concentrates on dumplings, sweets, and wine.

Food lovers will appreciate the range, especially the chance to compare khinkali fillings and Georgian sauces. Wine drinkers get more than a token glass. Culture-focused visitors benefit from guides willing to discuss Soviet-era experience, current politics, language, family life, and local customs.

It is less suitable if you want a quiet, slow meal or a specialized wine seminar. It is also a poor match for anyone unable to manage moderate walking. Wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments are specifically advised against booking. Bring comfortable shoes, sunscreen in hot weather, and a raincoat when the forecast calls for wet weather.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want to get oriented quickly and eat your way through Georgian culture. The strongest part is the balance: major central sights, a local café, markets, old streets, modern public spaces, dumplings, sweets, wine, and chacha.

I would schedule it near the start of your stay, ideally early enough to include Dry Bridge Market if that stop matters to you. Come hungry, expect a real walking route, and treat the 15 tastings as a mix of samples and generous food stops.

Skip it if you want a purely historical tour, a fully seated culinary experience, or an accessible route. For most active first-time visitors, though, $62 buys a useful introduction to Tbilisi and plenty of ideas for what to eat and drink next.

FAQ

How long does the Tbilisi Old and New City tour last?

The activity lasts between 2 and 4 hours. The exact duration depends on the selected departure and availability.

What is included in the $62 price?

The price includes hotel pickup and drop-off, an English or Russian-speaking professional guide, the guided city tour, and the 15 listed tastings.

Which foods are included?

The tastings include beef khinkali, mushroom khinkali, potato-cheese khinkali, potato khinkali, local lemonade, walnut and hazelnut churchkhela, walnut and honey gozinaki, two tkemali flavors, and ajika.

Which drinks are included?

You receive white wine, red dry wine, red semi-sweet wine, qvevri wine, and local chacha.

Is hotel pickup available?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Tbilisi are included.

What languages are offered?

The live guide is available in English and Russian.

Is this a private tour?

Private and small-group options are available. Check the selected option when booking.

Does the tour visit Dry Bridge Market?

Yes, Dry Bridge Market is part of the route. However, an evening departure may reach the area after the market has closed.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable walking shoes. Sunscreen or a raincoat may also be useful, depending on the weather.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments because it involves a moderate amount of walking.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The activity also offers reserve now and pay later booking.