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Today I'm exploring what could be
one of the most underrated capitals –
Tbilisi, the beating heart of Georgia.
The city combines 19th century
wooden buildings, Soviet high rises,
amazing food and beautiful views.
I'll visit one of the legendary sulfur baths,
taste Georgian dumplings
and descent to a secret underground area of the city.
We'll also check out some nightlife.
Tbilisi is located in the center of
Georgia and is the largest city in
the country by far.
I'm starting my day
at Tbilisi's cable car,
a pretty efficient way
to reach our first
highlight of the town.
Join me for some
amazing views!
The cable car takes me
over the river and the old town,
offering fantastic 360° views.
The ride only takes a few minutes.
And even better views await me.
Pretty, isn't it?
At the top are the ruins of
the 4th century Narikala Fortress
and the 20 meters high
"Mother of Georgia" monument.
She looks out over the city from above,
holding a bowl of wine in one hand for friends
and a sword on the other for enemies.
A leisurely stroll downhill will take you to the old town
with its charming alleyways
and famous balconies.
Most houses have those wooden
carved balconies and are often
built around courtyards.
Let's find out what this has to
do with typical Georgian lifestyle.
Baia Dzagnidze is a travel blogger
who grew up in Tbilisi,
so she knows her way around here well.
She shows me one of the most
famous courtyards in the old town.
The balconies here don't only look good,
they are the heart of social life.
It's very easy to gossip between
each other or also know what your
neighbor is doing or what
kind of guests they are getting.
Or what their daily routine
is pretty much every day.
Another thing I notice in Tbilisi is
that there are often renovated houses
next to those that are in need of work.
This is what I call a "Soviet mentality".
Because when we became part of the Soviet Union,
everything started to be cared for you.
The government was doing
everything for the people.
They were giving flats for free
and there were services for free, as well.
So a lot of people even today think
that the government should do it.
We continue to the Clock Tower,
one of Tbilisi's landmarks.
But there's something unusual about it—
it's leaning.
A few steps later, I reach
the 1500-year-old Sioni Church.
Religion is very important
in Georgia and the Orthodox Church
has a lot of influence.
I think it's about time to relax.
The area surrounding me is
the perfect place for that.
Why?
Let's find out.
This is a thermal bath with
sulphur water from a hot spring.
Georgians love to bathe in
this water, which is around 35°C.
Smells a bit like rotten eggs,
but it's apparently good for your health.
The sulfur water is said to be good
for the skin and respiratory system
and helps promote blood circulation.
And also, of course, what we really
need, the neurological system
to calm us down and to really feel
the ease and relaxation.
The rooms are rented out individually.
Interestingly, these springs
once gave the city its name.
Tbilisi translates to "warm place".
The history of these baths spans centuries.
I'm hungry now and I really
want to try some Georgian food.
Georgian's love to order lots of
different dishes like beetroot and
spinach spreads as starters,
salad
and the national dish Khinkali,
which are basically soup dumplings.
There's a special way to eat them.
You grab them by the tail.
Turn them around,
bite a little hole in it,
and sip out the soup.
Delicious.
Georgia was part of the Soviet Union until 1991.
This also left its mark on the architecture.
Take these brutalist style buildings
for example, with their exposed
concrete and geometric shape.
The bridge that connects
these residential buildings
is also open to tourists.
Traces of the Soviet Union
can also be found underground.
Tinatin Goguadze loves
exploring the city's underground system
of former bunkers, tunnels and torture chambers.
This was the control panel room.
She shows me the largest
command bunker in the country.
This is where the KGB, the Soviet
Secret Service, was based until the
fall of the Iron Curtain.
With the control panel for
communication with the outside and
tubes for measuring radiation in case
of a nuclear attack, you quickly feel
transported back to the Cold War period.
It's very interesting to imagine how it was before.
And that is very interesting for me.
That's the main reason why I like
to look for this kind of locations.
Tinatin Goguadze now also guides tourists
through these underground areas.
She first had to clear trash from the
bunkers, but she felt that should
be done anyway.
And then we started to renovate
and clean these kind of places.
Because in case of something
happens, we think we must be ready.
These places are very useful and
people can survive in some way,
like if something happens.
Do you think you might need those again?
I think you should always be ready.
I end my day in Tbilisi here: in Fabrika.
This former sewing factory
is a thriving cultural center
with a hostel, artist studios, cafés and bars
where people can enjoy the nightlife.
It's time to try some Georgian wine.
Cheers.
Or, as Georgians would say, Gaumarjos!
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