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Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia, is the economic, cultural, political and touristic center of the country. Up until 1936, the name of the city in English and other languages ​​was "Tiflis" which in direct translation is "hot location". About 50% of Georgia's population lives in and around the city (about 1.8 million residents) while the rest of the population is scattered across the rest of the country. The city and its surroundings offer cultural and natural richness to all its visitors throughout the year as more and more attractions are built in the city and the government's investment in rehabilitating and restoring neighborhoods changes the city look so some places may resemble major European capital cities.

 

Legend has it that King Vakhtang of Iberia hunted in an area that was fully forested with his falcon. At some point the falcon caught a pheasant and the 2 birds fell into hot natural springs on the ground and died of burns. The king was so impressed by the hot springs that he decided to cut the forest down and establish a new city in its place. Due to its strategic location for trade, located in the center of the Caucasus and right between Europe and Asia, the city suffered from many attempts of conquest by the Romans, Persians, Arabs, Turks and more. As you walk in Tbilisi, you would definitely feel many influences from different cultures that in some point, were a part of this magical city.

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