Most of our rentals start in Tbilisi, either at the airport or at our city-centre pickup point (landing at TBS? read our comparison of taxi, bus and car rental at Tbilisi Airport first). This guide to Tbilisi sightseeing by car covers the first and last days of your trip: what is worth seeing within an hour of the car, how to get out of the city without stress, and which day trips fit before a flight. Driving times are real-world estimates for a normal day; Tbilisi traffic between 17:00 and 20:00 can add 30 to 45 minutes to anything.
Picking up at Tbilisi Airport (TBS)
The airport is 17 km east of the centre along Kakheti Highway, about 25 to 35 minutes by car. Airport delivery costs $30 per end and the car is waiting for you when you land, so you skip the taxi negotiation and the queue. Two practical notes: the road into town is a wide dual carriageway with speed cameras (the limit drops from 90 to 60 km/h as you enter the city), and if your flight lands after midnight, tell us the flight number so we can track it.
Sights near the airport: the airport sits on the road to Kakheti, so if you land in the morning you can head straight east to Sighnaghi (1.5 hours) without entering the city at all. The Tbilisi Sea and the giant Chronicle of Georgia monument are 20 minutes north of the airport on the Tbilisi bypass, a good first stop with a view over the whole city.
Picking up in the city centre
City pickup is free. Old Tbilisi itself is best on foot: the streets around Abanotubani (the sulphur bath district), Narikala fortress and the Bridge of Peace are narrow, one-way and often closed to cars. Park the car and walk, or take the cable car from Rike Park up to Narikala. The Mtatsminda funicular, the Dry Bridge flea market, Rustaveli Avenue and the Fabrika district in Chugureti are all within a 10-minute drive of each other.
Parking in the centre is paid on-street (Tbilisi Parking, zone-based, paid through the app or with a card at kiosks) and free in most residential streets a few blocks out. Underground parking at the big malls (East Point, Tbilisi Mall, Galleria) is the easiest option if you are shopping anyway.
Tbilisi sightseeing by car: half-day trips 20 to 40 minutes away
| Place | Distance from centre | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Mtskheta | 20 km, 25 min | Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and the old capital's cobbled centre. UNESCO listed. |
| Jvari Monastery | 25 km, 30 min | 6th-century church on a hilltop above the meeting of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. The classic Georgia photo. |
| Shio-Mgvime Monastery | 30 km, 40 min | Cave monastery in a limestone canyon past Mtskheta; quiet, few tourists. |
| Tbilisi Sea and Chronicle of Georgia | 12 km, 20 min | Reservoir with beaches and the 30-metre monument on the hill above it. |
| Sabaduri forest | 40 km, 1 hour | Fairy-tale beech forest on the road to Tianeti. Best in autumn and after snowfall; the road is paved. |
| Lisi Lake and Turtle Lake | 7 to 10 km, 15 min | Walks, cafes and the open-air Ethnographic Museum next to Turtle Lake. |
Full-day sightseeing trips from Tbilisi by car
- Kazbegi and the Georgian Military Highway, 150 km, 3 hours each way. The most popular drive in Georgia; do it as an overnight if you can. Full route guide.
- Kakheti wine region, Sighnaghi 110 km (2 hours) or Telavi 95 km via the Gombori pass (2 hours). Our Kakheti article.
- Gori and Uplistsikhe, 85 km west on the highway, 1.5 hours. The rock town plus the Stalin Museum, then back the same day.
- Davit Gareja, 70 km south-east, 1.5 to 2 hours. Desert monastery on the Azerbaijani border; the last 20 km are rough, take an SUV.
- Borjomi, 160 km, 2.5 hours. Possible as a long day trip, better as the first stop on a drive west. Borjomi, Bakuriani and Vardzia.
Leaving Tbilisi: which road to take
- West (Kutaisi, Batumi): the E60 / S1 highway from the Didube side of town. New motorway sections keep opening between Tbilisi and Kutaisi; the Rikoti pass tunnels have removed most of the old mountain switchbacks.
- North (Kazbegi, Russia border): the Georgian Military Highway (S3) from the Mtskheta junction. Trucks queue for the Larsi border for many kilometres in summer; stay in the left lane where the police allow it and be patient.
- East (Kakheti): Kakheti Highway past the airport for Sighnaghi, or the Gombori road from Vaziani for Telavi.
- South (Armenia): the S7 via Marneuli to the Sadakhlo border. Cross-border only with our permission, arranged in advance. How it works.
Dropping off in Tbilisi
You can return the car at the airport (also $30) even if you picked it up in the city, or the other way round. If you are coming back from Kazbegi or Kakheti for an evening flight, allow an extra hour for traffic on the bypass. Tbilisi is one of our three cities, so one-way rentals from Batumi or Kutaisi that end in Tbilisi are common; the drop-off fee for the other city is shown separately when you book.
Going somewhere else? Not every trip starts and ends in Tbilisi, and not everyone wants the usual loop. If your route is different, or you want to combine several regions, message us on WhatsApp (+995 591 89 60 60) and we will plan a custom route with you: the right car for the roads, pickup and drop-off in different cities, and honest advice on driving times.
Quick facts for sightseeing in Tbilisi by car
- Speed limits: 60 km/h in the city unless signed otherwise, 90 on the highways, 110 on motorway sections. Cameras are everywhere and fines are sent to us as the registered owner, so we pass them on.
- Fuel: Gulf, Wissol, Lukoil, Socar and Rompetrol stations all take cards. Fill up before Kazbegi or Davit Gareja; stations get sparse.
- Roundabouts and lane discipline are loose. Drive predictably, use the horn lightly, and you will be fine.
- Emergency number 112 (English spoken). Our WhatsApp is answered every day.