The monstrous residence of Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia's richest man, former prime minister and éminence grise on the political scene, looms over the city from the west end of the Sololaki ridge. You can't see much of the palatial private residence up close (the road discreetly passes beneath it) but from a distance the complex looks a bit like a regional airport terminal, which is fitting given its heliport.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
11.37 MILES
This extraordinary (and for its time, enormous) building dates from the 11th century, early in the golden age of Georgian church architecture. It has an…
0.62 MILES
Dominating the Old Town skyline, Narikala dates right back to the 4th century, when it was a Persian citadel. Most of the walls were built in the 8th…
0.72 MILES
For most visitors the highlight here is the hall of wonderful canvases by Georgia’s best-known painter Pirosmani (Niko Pirosmanashvili, 1862–1918),…
0.69 MILES
Tbilisi's most exhilarating ride is its massively popular cable car, which swings from the south end of Rike Park high over the Mtkvari River and the Old…
10.9 MILES
Visible for kilometres around on its hilltop overlooking Mtskheta from the east, Jvari is, to many Georgians, the holiest of holies. It stands where King…
0.59 MILES
The major highlight of the impressive national museum is the basement Archaeological Treasury, displaying a wealth of pre-Christian gold, silver and…
0.74 MILES
The landmark Metekhi Church, and the 1960s equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali beside it, occupy the strategic rocky outcrop above the Metekhi…
0.59 MILES
The ride up Mt Mtatsminda on the city's funicular is spectacular, as are the views from the top – and there are a couple of great places to eat or drink,…
Nearby Tbilisi attractions
0.21 MILES
The ruined Shahtakht Fortress on the Sololaki Ridge once housed an Arab observatory.
0.33 MILES
This 20m-tall aluminium symbol of Tbilisi holds a sword in one hand and a cup of wine in the other – a classic metaphor for the Georgian character, warmly…
0.44 MILES
This busy traffic nexus was Lenin Sq in Soviet times. Georgia’s last Lenin statue, toppled in 1990, stood where the golden St George (a gift to the city…
0.47 MILES
This gallery is Georgia's leading contemporary art space, nurturing local talent and giving shows to up-and-coming artists. Pop in to see what's currently…
0.52 MILES
It’s easy to wander for a couple of hours in these tree-filled and waterfall-dotted gardens, which stretch more than a kilometre up the valley behind the…
0.52 MILES
Little Jvaris Mama stands on a site where a church has stood since the 5th century. The current incarnation dates from the 16th century and its interior…
0.53 MILES
The large Armenian Norasheni Church, dating from 1793, has been long disused but tentative (and still incomplete) renovations began in 2015.
8. Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Art
0.55 MILES
This museum contains a vast wealth of icons, crosses and jewellery from all over Georgia. Sadly, it can only be entered with a guide (English available,…