Tbilisi is the capital and largest city of Georgia, a 1,500-year-old city strung along the Mtkvari River between steep hills in the South Caucasus. Its crooked Old Town of carved wooden balconies, sulfur bathhouses, Orthodox churches and hillside fortress sits beside Art Nouveau boulevards, Soviet-era landmarks and a fast-growing café, wine-bar and club scene. Visitors come for Georgian food and natural wine, easy day trips to monasteries and mountains, and some of the lowest prices of any European capital.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Mtskheta and Jvari Monastery
Kazbegi and Gergeti Trinity Church (Stepantsminda)
Kakheti Wine Country (Telavi, Tsinandali, Gremi)
Sighnaghi and Bodbe Monastery
Gori, Uplistsikhe Cave Town and Stalin Museum
David Gareja Monastery Complex
Borjomi and the Mineral Water Park
Kutaisi, Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery
Ananuri Fortress and Zhinvali Reservoir
Dmanisi and Bolnisi
Bakuriani Ski and Forest Resort
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Public
- Marshrutkas (shared minibuses) leave when full from Tbilisi's bus stations: Didube (north, west and Kazbegi routes: Mtskheta, Gori, Kazbegi, Borjomi, Kutaisi), Samgori (east and Kakheti routes: Telavi, Sighnaghi) and Ortachala (south and south-west: Bolnisi, Dmanisi, Tetritskaro, Manglisi). Fares are typically 2-25 GEL (under 1-10 USD). Georgian Railways (railway.ge) runs express trains from Tbilisi Central Station to Gori, Kutaisi and Batumi.
- Tours
- Organised day tours to Kazbegi, Kakheti or Mtskheta-Gori-Uplistsikhe cost about 100-200 GEL (38-76 USD) per person with transport; check reviews and group size before booking.
- Private
- A private driver is about 250-450 GEL (95-172 USD) per day within 150 km of Tbilisi; Bolt and Yandex Go work for short trips such as Mtskheta (about 25-35 GEL / 10-13 USD).
- Rental
- Self-drive hire starts at about 120 GEL (46 USD) per day; Georgian Military Road is paved but busy with trucks, and mountain weather can close the Jvari Pass on short notice.
Multi-day tours from Tbilisi
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from TbilisiWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Marshrutkas leave when full, not on a timetable: arrive at Didube, Samgori or Ortachala before 09:00 for the best choice and confirm the last return
Carry small GEL notes; drivers rarely have change for 50 or 100 GEL bills
Georgian Railways tickets and express timetables are at railway.ge; buy online for Kutaisi and Batumi
Mountain weather can close the Georgian Military Road: check conditions before leaving for Kazbegi (112 for emergencies)
Dress modestly for monasteries: shoulders and knees covered, headscarf for women, no shorts for men