If you only have a few hours in Tbilisi, taking the cable car up to the Georgian Mother and the Narikala Fortress is an excellent introduction to the city.
The cable car or Rika-Narika Ropeway as it is called is cheap (only 2.5 GEL for one way) and you use your MetroMoney card to access it. There is a ticket office inside where you can buy one before you get on. The MetroMoney card can also be used for the trains and buses so it worth having.
Once the cable car gets up the mountain, enjoy the view! You can see the funky Friendship Bridge, the golden tops of the Holy Trinity Church and the beautiful Kura River that wends its way through the city.
On the right, make the trek to the Kartulis Deda, otherwise known as the Georgian Mother, a gigantic statue of a busty warrior woman holding a sword. She faces Tbilisi city so actually she is hard to photograph but you can sit at her base and look up at her. When your neck gets sore, sit down on the seat that is so thoughtfully provided and enjoy the view below.
There a cluster of stalls on the way to her. You can buy ice cream, fairy floss, cups of fruit, drinks and churchkhela, a traditional Georgian candy (see a half eaten one below) sometimes dubbed the 'Georgian Snickers'.
Then if you make your way back to the cable car and go left you will get to Narikala Fortress. On the way we were surprised to discover a zip line on the right for those who want the thrill of speeding all the way to the bottom. Don't miss the Fortress though!
Stay on the cobbled walkway, the track up the mountain leads to a dead end. A nice surprise is a white portable toilet boasting two stalls on the way.
The highlight of Narikala is climbing up the remains of the fortress walls and the continuing up the mountain past a cave you can peek in. My five year old daughter made it a good way up the mountain with help from her father. It was rocky in places and I was only wearing thongs so I didn't attempt it. The actual building there was locked and has been every time I have been. Apparently it is open 11-6pm.
From the Fortress it is an easy walk down the cobbled street (with cobbled stairs at the side of the road if you prefer) to the quaint city streets below. Again, my five year old daughter managed it with ease until she slipped right at the bottom. Oops.
Tips:
Wear sneakers if you want to fully explore Narikala Fortress.
Bring your MetroMoney card if you have one for the cable car (and hang onto it if you buy one).
If you are driving in, there is an underground car park off the roundabout next to the cable car. It only cost us 3 GEL for over two hours.
You don't have to use the cable car, you can walk both ways if you like.
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