Where the Caucasus BeginsTbilisi.

Georgian is written in Mkhedruli — one of only 14 independent alphabets in the world (not derived from any other script). The script consists of 33 letters in a flowing, rounded style that has no vertical straight lines — organic curves that have been compared to grapevines. It was created in the 5th century (attributed to King Pharnavaz or King Vakhtang I) and has been used continuously since. The UNESCO intangible cultural heritage inscription (2016) recognises three forms of the Georgian script. Seeing Georgian written on shop signs, menus and walls is one of the most immediate signals that you have arrived somewhere genuinely different from anywhere else in Europe.

The largest and most chaotic market in Tbilisi — open daily, selling churchkhela (walnut-and-grape-juice candles, the Georgian energy bar), tkemali plum sauce, dried fruit, spices, matsoni (Georgian yogurt), tklapi (dried fruit leather), homemade chacha (grape pomace brandy, 50–70%), and the general abundance of Georgian food culture. The market has been called Dezerter Bazaar since WWII when deserters from the Soviet army sold their equipment here. The food section is at the back; the front is clothing and household goods. Buying churchkhela directly from the maker, who has strung the walnuts herself, is the most specifically Tbilisi food purchase available.

A former Soviet sewing factory converted in 2017 into Tbilisi's most creative public space — a courtyard complex of shipping container bars, restaurants, a hostel, independent shops, a skate park and event stages surrounding the original Soviet industrial building. Fabrika is where Tbilisi's creative class, digital nomads, and international visitors converge. The courtyard fills from late afternoon; the bars run until dawn; the restaurants span Georgian, Mexican, Japanese and the specific improvised cuisine of a city that is rapidly internationalising. The container architecture and the industrial backdrop represent the Tbilisi that has emerged since 2010.

The wine heartland of Georgia — the Alazani valley east of Tbilisi, where 70% of Georgian wine is produced in the qvevri tradition. The monastery of Alaverdi (11th century, the tallest medieval building in Georgia, producing wine in its basement since the 11th century) is the spiritual centre of Kakhetian wine culture. The town of Signagi (fully restored walled town on a hill above the valley, sometimes called the "city of love") is the most picturesque base. The wine cellar visits at family estates (marani) are free and always include tasting — Georgian hospitality means you cannot leave without wine being offered. The autumn grape harvest (rtsveli, September–October) is the most important time to visit.

The oldest surviving church in Tbilisi — built in the 6th century under King Dachi, rebuilt and restored many times, but standing on the same foundation for 1,500 years. The name derives from the Anchiskhati icon (the miraculous icon of Christ from the monastery of Ancha, brought here in 1664 — the original is in the Georgian National Museum). The church is small, unassuming, and almost always empty of tourists. It is an active parish church with daily services; the chanting of the Georgian Orthodox polyphonic choir (registered as UNESCO intangible heritage) can sometimes be heard here. The contrast with the monumental Sameba Cathedral 15 minutes' walk away is total.