Welcome to a new segment of my blog, ‘24 hours in…’! I’ve been so lucky since returning from 6 months of travelling last year to continue exploring the world, thanks to my fab job. While visiting for work, I’ve done my best to get some exploring in around my work commitments and this has led on to the idea of ‘24 hours in…’! While these may not be the most detailed blogs, I’m hoping it’ll spark your interest into exploring somewhere new & starting your itinerary off with some ideas.

The country of Georgia is beautiful country and the capital has some of the best parts. Winery’s located on the edge of the city, busy streets with hidden coffee spots, independent shops and an underground market.

So here’s what we got up to & what I’d recommend for 24 hours in Georgia!

Khinkali Bar – An amazing spot to try some traditional local food. I loved this restaurant so much, we ended up going twice because it was just so good. We found it by complete accident and it worked out so well. The khinkali is freshly cooked & there’s plenty of options. The meat one comes fried whilst the potato and cheese ones are softer because they’re boiled. The homemade lemonade was so delicious too and the bill was so cheap!

Chateau Mukhrani – If you’re a wine lover, a trip to Chateau Mukhrani is definitely worth the trip. Situated just outside the city, the winery produces a variety of different white and red wines. If you don’t get a chance to visit the chateau itself, there is a shop in Tbilisi centre where you can purchase and also try the wine.

Cable Car to Narikala Fortress – Standing in Freedom Square, you can see Narikala Fortress looming over the city. Take the cable car up, it’s a quick ride up and gives you great views across the city, or brave the steps and walk to the top. We decided to do the cable car up and tackle the steps going down. It’s a great view from the top, you can really see the city nestled into the valley. There is the option to visit Tbilisi Botanical Gardens from the top of the fortress, but as it wasn’t free, we decided to keep going! On the way down, we stopped at the smallest coffee shop hidden almost in the steps. It was a really lovely spot to sit and cool off for a while.

Exploring the Streets – Some of the streets are really narrow and windy, with shops tucked away in different cobblestoned squares. Others are steep and slope down the hills, taking you round the small street markets. It’s always nice to explore a new city but Tbilisi was particularly pretty. Previous Persian and Russian ruling has influenced the style of the buildings, so they really vary throughout the city making every area just a little bit unique.

Anchiskhati Basilica – A unique and famous market of Tbilisi is the Anchiskhati Basilica which is located underground. The market is full of unique gifts, spices, wine and more. Wandering the market, you can walk all the way round, trying wine-infused ice cream and more before finding the perfect souvenir. It is common to bargain over the price at Tbilisi markets, but this one had set prices.

Souvenir Shopping in the Old Town – Staying on the souvenir hunt, the Old Town has plenty of street sellers where you can politely bargain out a deal. Spices, knitted booties, rugs and more are sold by these locals. Take your time in the Old Town, it’s a great place to get take a seat at a restaurant and enjoy some local wine!

Tbilisi wasn’t a direct flight from the UK, we had a layover in Istanbul but it absolutely worth taking on the longer travel route to explore somewhere a little bit different to the usual european city breaks.