Tbilisi · SOVIET & BRUTALIST TBILISI
16 reviewed
Concrete ministries, mosaic bus stops and the vast Chronicle of Georgia tell the other side of the city. These Soviet and brutalist Tbilisi tours map the estates and monuments most visitors miss — how far each one ranges, whether a car and driver are included, and what they cost.
A private Armenia day trip from Tbilisi with Akhtala and UNESCO-era monasteries, a Soviet-era stop, and a true family lunch.
“Our tour guide Mariam was very energetic and actively told us about history along with important nuances of Georgian and Armenian culture :) Definitely will recommend this tour with her”
Private half-day Tbilisi tour with hotel pickup: Metekhi Church, Trinity Cathedral, Narikala tram, Old Town streets, markets, and views.
“Excellent tour and the tour guide even better! Made the visit to all main attractions and even gave us some local tips on food and local traditions. Worth booking!”
Small-group day trip from Tbilisi to Northern Armenia: UNESCO monasteries, Soviet-era views, and a family lunch in Alaverdi.
“We had a private tour with Zezva as our guide. I cannot speak highly enough of him, he was an outstanding driver, extremely knowledgeable on every question we had, and communicated in outstanding English. On top of all of that, he went out of his way to chat with us on numerous subjects and assist us at the border when we had some extra scrutiny because of the Azerbaijani stamps in our passports. We would gladly take another tour with him any day!”
Brutalist Tbilisi with a small-group guide, free museum-like stops, and eye-level Soviet landmarks, ending high above the city.
“I really enjoyed this tour. I had spent time in old Tbilisi and wanted to do something more unusual and saw this tour of the brutal architecture. My guide Aleksi was very good at explaining all the history and took me to some really interesting places. The pace of the tour was very good too. If you are looking for something a bit different and much less touristy then I would really recommend this tour.”
Private Soviet Tbilisi tour with hotel pickup: Stalin’s underground press, Chronicles of Georgia, Nutsubidze Skybridge, English guide.
“Love this trip. Tour guide was amazing. Knew the little things and was pleasant to chat with. He has a Masters degree which made for great academic conversations as well. He spoke English well like a native speaker. My husband and I enjoyed this tour very much.”
Private Soviet-history day trip from Tbilisi: Chiatura cableways, Katskhi pillar monastery, Mgvimevi cave church, and Chronicles monument.
“This tour is one of the more fascinating, adventurous day trips one could take from Tbilisi. The drive is scenic, the monasteries beautiful, and the town of Chiatura is something from an Andrei Tarkovsky film set. I found it riveting and endlessly fascinating. My guide Levan Leiashvili was excellent in every way. I walked away from it knowing that I had made a life-long friend in him. If you are considering taking this tour, do ask for him. He makes the experience something extraordinary.”
Ride Tbilisi’s Soviet-era highlights in a vintage car, meet a guide like David, and enjoy lunch while you learn the city’s modern story.
“We were curious about everything and our guide David was knowledgeable and patient to answer all of our questions. We learnt so much about both the history and current situation of this incredible city full of unique architectures.”
Ride an old cable car in Chiatura, learn Stalin’s story at a museum, then catch views from Katskhi Pillar on a full-day private trip.
“Ropeways and views in Chiatura are very nice. The town still has a Soviet feel while Tskaltubo is a special place as well with awesome abandoned buildings. I saw many of them and they are in very poor condition although very interesting. Thank you”
A one-day industrial-Georgia circuit to Chiatura, the Katskhi Pillar monk’s retreat, and Stalin-era cable cars from Tbilisi.
“We enjoyed the tour of Chiatura and its region. This is a much more local part of Georgia and quite different from the other more popular tours. We got the chance to see a monastery where the locals really go and no tourists. The old Soviet cable cars were really interesting to see. I would recommend this tour to people who want to see more off the beaten paths places.”
Private 2-day Kutaisi tour with Prometheus Cave boat option, Soviet Tskaltubo ruins, Bagrati Cathedral views, and Martvili Canyon.
“I can absolutely recommend a tour with Gigas 11regions. He was always on time, very flexible to our wishes and changes to the itineraries and everything worked out great. This was our last time of the trip to Georgia and we had a really good time. Book with Giga and you are in good hands, you won't regret it.”
A full-day private outing from Tbilisi to USSR-era Chiatura cable cars, Katskhi Pillar, and Mgvimevi Monastery, with snacks and pickup.
“I took this independent tour and had the privilege of having many interesting and stimulating conversations about Georgia's history with my guide, David. He was friendly, professional and extremely knowledgeable about his country's history. After visiting the geographical marvel that is Katskhi Pillar, we then went to the mining town of Chiatura where we got to view the now-abandoned cable car system. It was a privilege to be in David's company while we discussed the history behind these sights.”
Small-group Soviet history tour in Tbilisi: Soviet architecture, Chronicles, Stalin’s underground print shop, and included tickets for $99.
“Irakli was an incredible guide who answered all our questions and showed great knowledge about Georgian history and soviet times. We had fun seeing places we probably wouldn’t have gone to on our own, with striking soviet architecture examples. Loved the style of the tour and everything about it, really recommend!”
Tskaltubo ruins, Martvili Canyon walks, and Sataplia caves with dinosaur footprints in one long Georgian day trip.
“It is a long day but got to see lots of sights and experience the beautiful countryside of Georgia. Tskaltubo is an interesting place, the caves are spectacular, and the canyon/waterfalls quite beautiful. The meal at the farm/winery/hostel was wonderful as well. This trip is a great choice if there’s not enough time to plan a whole 2-3 day outing to the Kutaisi area, this is one of the only day trips I found and am very glad I did it! It turned into a private trip with my personable guide.”
A 1-hour political walking tour in Tbilisi linking USSR-era change, April 9, 1989, and the first female president across key landmarks.
“This is a great intro to Georgian politics and events that shaped the country. You have plenty of time to see the sights and ask questions in that 1 hour. Irakli is attentive and knowledgeable, and provides context to the sights. I think this walking tour is a must for anyone who wants to understand Georgia better.”
Rustavi USSR sights, UNESCO cave monasteries, and wine tasting with WiFi pickup from Tbilisi, plus off-road views.
“A beautiful tour to the monestary but also taking time to enjoy the wild natural beauty. Our guide took us on an amazing road back - awesome”
