Vake
Northwest of both Old Town and Central Tbilisi lies the leafy area of Vake, famous for its large park and every growing culinary scene. During the Soviet era, Vake was a popular residential neighborhood for politicians and scientists dedicated to the cause. After Georgian independence, Vake slowly transformed itself into the trendiest spot in town; the only time I ever felt underdressed in all of Tbilisi was when I went to a hip new restaurant in the area.
Vake Park
Vake Park, originally known as Victory Park, opened in 1946 to commemorate the Soviet Army defeating Nazi Germany in WWII. A series of fountains leads up the hill to the Statue of Victory; all of the fountains are still in working condition today, except of course for the fountain in front of the Soviet angel! At night, the water is brightly lit and children are free to run through the sprays of every-changing colors and hues. Vake park is where Tbilisi residents come to escape the traffic and go for a jog or walk the dog. (I met an adorable Bichon Frise named Latte who was ready to be showered with praise and affection in any language!)
The underground tunnels that connect the park to the bus stop above are filled with some fantastic street art. My friend Sasha and I went full-on tourist and took dozens of photos as the local Georgians chuckled at us freaking out over the musicians and Disney characters that decorated the walls.
You can climb the stairs up to the Statue of Victory and beyond for great views of the city. There is also a cable car that will supposedly take you to nearby Turtle Lake, but the ropeway was not working when I visited. (I asked several people about it and received conflicting information about whether it was permanently closed or merely temporarily out of service.)
Of the 400,000 Georgians who fought for the Red Army in WWII, nearly 300,000 lost their lives in battle. The Tomb of the Unknown Solider was placed in Vake Park and every year there is a wreath laying ceremony to remember those who died during the war.
I realize this is a photo-heavy post, but truly my favorite part of the park experience was watching the fountains change colors at night. The bright pinks and shocking blues made quite an impact against the night sky. Imagine you’re sitting on a park bench, ice cream cone in hand, watching contentedly as evening settles over Vake…
Mtatsminda
There are three ways to reach the top of Mtatsminda (Holy Mountain), the peak that overlooks Central Tbilisi; I tried all three methods and here’s the long and the short of it.
- The Funicular. This mode of transportation seems to be most popular with tourists and it’s easily the fastest way to get to reach the summit, but it’s also the most expensive and a bit overrated. The guidebooks rave about the views from the funicular, but the view is the same for everyone once you reach the top. You can really only snap nice pictures if you’re sitting in the front row of the funicular. Otherwise you’ll have a bunch of photos of other people holding up their phones and taking photos.
- The Bus. Both the 90 and 124 bus lines will take you (slowly) to the top, but winding up the twisting roads of the mountain will reveal areas of Tbilisi most visitors would never get a chance to see. You can catch the bus near the Rustaveli Metro station and it takes about 35 minutes to reach the last stop. I suggest riding the bus up and then choosing option number three to leave…
- Walking/Hiking. It’s not as strenuous as it sounds. Honestly! Narikala Fortress and Mother Georgia are actually connected to Mtatsminda via a 2.5 km path along the Sololaki Ridge. If you walk from Mtatsminda to Narikala around sunset, you’ll see the city bathed in pink light and then you can experience the fortress all lit up in the evening. Another perk of the path is that it goes underneath the eccentric estate of the richest man in Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Excuse the blurry photo, but I had to zoom in from Mtatsminda to capture the entire complex in one shot.)
Mtatsminda Amusement Park
The Amusement Park, which was blasting covers of American pop hits from the late 90’s/early 2000’s over its sound system, was pretty busy for a weekday afternoon when I visited. While most families seemed more interested in the log ride and the haunted house, my attention was wholly given over to the Soviet-era TV Tower that rises up 275 m (900 ft) over Mtatsminda. It was impossible for visitors to enter the tower when I was in Tbilisi, but someone must have taken note of my heartbreak because in late 2018 the government announced that renovations of the tower were set to commence. Plans include adding a revolving restaurant and viewing platforms; the project will cost a cool 10 million GEL.
If Narikala Fortress gives you the best views of Old Town, Mtatsminda captures the entire capital city better than any other place in Tbilisi. Taking a minute to soak in Tbilisi’s urban sprawl is a must. Afterward, don’t forget to check out the Mtatsminda Pantheon, a necropolis of famous Georgians, many whom were authors, historians, poets, playwrights, singers and actors, but there are also some Soviet dissidents, including the first democratically elected President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia.
Both Vake and Mtatsminda are two worthwhile areas to explore that often are overlooked by travelers content to remain in Old Town and Central Tbilisi, but don’t confine yourself solely to these neighborhoods. You’ve already traveled off the beaten path to get to Tbilisi- don’t abandon that adventurous spirit once you arrive.
