Rustaveli Avenue (Shota Rustaveli Avenue)

Shota Rustaveli Avenue is the main boulevard of central Tbilisi, Georgia, running from Freedom Square to Rustaveli Square and lined with 19th-century mansions, theatres, museums and cafes. Named after the medieval poet Shota Rustaveli, author of The Knight in the Panther's Skin, the avenue took its modern form in the 1800s under Russian imperial planning, and many of its facades mix neoclassical, Moorish revival and Art Nouveau elements. It has long been the stage for the city's major public events and demonstrations. Walking the full length takes 1 to 2 hours depending on stops. Starting at Freedom Square, visitors pass the Georgian National Museum, whose collection includes the Soviet occupation exhibit and the archaeological treasures, then the Parliament building, the Kashveti Church, the Rustaveli Theatre with its ornate facade and the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, a Moorish-style building with a lit exterior at night. Further along are the Academy of Sciences, the Marjanishvili-era shops, galleries, bookstores and several of the city's best-known cafes and bakeries. Side streets lead into Sololaki and Mtatsminda neighbourhoods, and a short detour reaches the Dry Bridge Market and the Mtatsminda funicular. The street is free and open 24 hours, though individual venues keep their own hours and ticket prices. Morning gives the calmest pavements and good shop-window browsing, while evening brings the best atmosphere as the Opera House, Rustaveli Theatre and street lamps are lit and cafes fill. Weekends and public holidays can be crowded around Freedom Square and Rustaveli Square. Pavements are wide and generally flat, though uneven in places, and there are many places to stop for coffee. Pickpockets are uncommon but standard city care applies near busy crossings. The two metro stations at either end, Freedom Square and Rustaveli, make it easy to walk one direction and ride back.