The Unexpected EscapeTbilisi
Georgia, Caucasus
Tbilisi is the city break that people come home talking about. It is old, cheap by European standards, wildly hospitable and slightly chaotic in a way that feels alive rather than stressful.
Three days in the city, then two in the mountains, is close to a perfect week.
Where to stay
- Sololaki and Vera for the balconied old apartments and easy walking.
- A boutique hotel in the Old Town if you want the sulphur baths on your doorstep.
- Kazbegi for a couple of nights of mountains at the end.
The atmosphere
Wine at lunch, long tables, a mix of Soviet concrete, Persian brickwork and new glass. Nothing is polished, everything is interesting.
Who it suits
Curious travellers, eaters, anyone bored of the usual weekend cities.
Why we picked it
- One of the great food and wine cultures, still underpriced
- Mountains three hours from the capital
- A city that genuinely does not look like anywhere else
Guides for this escape
Discover
Tbilisi, the Unexpected City Break
Sulphur baths, carved balconies, eight thousand years of wine and a city that surprises everyone.
Read the guide →
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Mexico City, Neighbourhood by Neighbourhood
One of the world's great food cities, best approached one colonia at a time rather than as a whole.
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