Tbilisi

The capital of Georgia is spread out on both sides of the Kura (Mtkvara) river, sandwiched between the hills of the Caucasus. According to tradition, the city was founded by King Vakhtang Gorgasali in the 5th century after coming across warm sulfur springs - hence the name (Georgian tbili means warm).

The old city with carved balconies, the Narikala fortress above the roofs, the Abanotubani sulfur bath quarter, the funicular to Mount Mtatsminda - Tbilisi knows how to be both cozy and noisy.

For a traveler, this is a convenient gateway to the Georgian Caucasus: it is from here that routes to Kazbek, Svaneti and Kakheti usually start.