20 Fun Things to Do in Autumn in Tbilisi for 2025 + Tips

As the summer heat decreases, Tbilisi’s streets come alive with autumn hues, with golden and crimson leaves adorn the parks, gardens, and trees lining the wide avenues. With cooler temperatures, plenty of seasonal cultural events, and beautiful foliage, autumn in Tbilisi is magical.

The season is one of the best times to visit Georgia to explore its charming little towns and mountain regions, some of which get their first frost in mid-October, enjoy Tbilisi without summer tourist crowds, and savor many seasonal fruits that load the markets.

From participating in the grape harvest to attending Tbilisoba (the city celebration), from taking day hikes around Tbilisi hills to sipping coffee or wine at cozy cafes and wine bars, from learning more about the country through its interesting museums to warming up in its sulfur baths, there’s something for everyone to enjoy during this time of year.

Autumn in Tbilisi has a laid-back vibe, yet plenty of events are scheduled during the season, so your Tbilisi itinerary can be quite packed. The weather is mild, with pretty warm, sunny days and occasional rain.

This detailed guide to autumn in Tbilisi provides seasonal activities that only happen at this time of the year but also includes some general experiences to enjoy during these months. It also dives deep into monthly weather temperatures, what to pack, where to stay, and day trips to take.

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Essential travel tips for autumn in Tbilisi

Knowing a few things, especially the weather, temperatures, and what to pack, is essential when planning a trip. This section goes deep into which month is the best to visit Tbilisi in autumn, what to expect in terms of weather and temperatures. Find my tips on what to wear in Tbilisi in autumn at the end of the post.

Best time to visit Tbilisi in Autumn

The weather in Tbilisi in September is predominantly sunny, with very little rainfall. Mostly, it feels like an extended August, but with lower temperatures than in summer; therefore, walks around the city are much more pleasant. On average, temperatures range from 16.9C (62.4F) to 23.5C (74.3F). Thus, wearing shorts, dresses, and T-shirts throughout September in Tbilisi is common.

For Batumi and the Black Sea Coast, September is a “velvet season,” meaning it is still warm to sunbathe and swim on the coast.

September is also the month for Rtveli, the harvest season in Kakheti. It is when winemakers pick grapes from their vineyards, stomp them, and place them in qveveri clay vessels to ferment wine, which will be opened in spring for the first time and exhibited at the New Wine Festival in Tbilisi. I explain more about Rtveli below.

The weather in Tbilisi in October changes, bringing more heavy rains. However, the days are still warm, especially in the first half of the month, with temperatures ranging from 13.4C (56.1F) to 20.3C (68.5F). The second half of the month is the best time to enjoy Tbilisi’s autumn colors.

At the beginning of October (dates vary), Tbilisi hosts its annual city celebration of Tbilisoba, where the capital transforms into a festival of fall colors, produce, food, music, and ethnography. More details below.

It also brings many events and festivals in the capital and beyond city limits. The Gurjaani wine festival happens every second weekend of October in Kakheti’s Gurjaani. However, Tbilisi also hosts a few wine-themed markets.

November in Tbilisi gets colder, bringing more gloomy weather and cloudy skies. Temperatures range from 9C (48.2F) to 15.8C (60.44F). Surprisingly, November sees less rain than October, although precipitation is still common.

The social calendar gets quieter in November, and fewer outdoor events happen in the city.

Public holidays in autumn in Georgia

Unlike spring and winter, autumn has only two public holidays – Svetitskhovloba on October 14 (a day honoring Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta) and St. George’s Day on November 23.

On these days, public or governmental institutions and businesses are on holiday. This means that museums, galleries, and banks are closed. Private entities are open, including shops, grocery stores, cafes, restaurants, and bars.

Things to do in autumn in Tbilisi

Although Georgia’s capital is steeped with history and culture, offering plenty of attractions to visitors, in this post, I concentrate more on the experiences and activities that are best enjoyed in autumn and are unique to the season. It also includes a few other general attractions that can be appreciated year-round. I have a separate detailed post on more broad things to do in Tbilisi.

Celebrate Tbilisoba – the day of Georgia’s capital

Tbilisoba is the biggest event that honors the city’s culture, history, and heritage with various activities. Mostly held on the first weekend of October, the date of Tbilisoba changes and is announced only a few weeks ahead.

During the two-day festival, the capital becomes a massive celebration with local produce from the villages sold at pop-up markets, folk and art performances, autumn-themed decorations, and the smell of smoke from grilling Mtsvadi.

The main festival grounds are Orbeliani Square, Rike Park, and Abanotubani for concerts, dances, stalls of wine and regional food specialties, and handicrafts. Moreover, a few restaurants and hotels also offer Tbilisoba decorations and mini-performances.

Tbilisi Open Air Museum of Ethnography invites representatives of different regions to showcase their customs, food, and heritage. 

From baking Svanetian Kubdari to making mountain Khinkali, from polyphonic singing to regional dances, the museum is the best place to experience Tbilisoba, with fewer crowds and more diversity than its prime locations. In addition, ethnographic items, carpets, paintings, and a few handicraft stalls are on display.

In the evening, after it gets dark, at around 8:30 pm, there’s a short fireward show over the old town.  

Help winemakers with grape harvest

One of the best things to do in Tbilisi in September is to roll up your sleeves and participate in the Rtveli grape harvest in Kakheti.

The Rtveli season is highly weather-dependent but typically starts in September and lasts until November, with most of the vineyards finishing it by mid-October. In 2024, some wineries started the season even in late August.

Profoundly rooted in Georgian culture, attending Rtveli gives you a hands-on experience, knowledge, and understanding of the country’s 8000 years of winemaking history and traditions, from picking the grapes to stomping them (it’s more of a simulation as many use presses nowadays) and maturing the wine in qvevri clay vessels or stainless tanks.

Since Georgia is the birthplace of wine, with more than 500 grape varieties endemic to the country, each region and each village has its own particular type of grapes and customs of Rtveli.

Many small and big wineries offer Rtveli experience and are primarily open for groups rather than individual participants. Consider booking an organized tour that also provides transportation, and if you can’t make it to Rtveli, I have a dedicated post on choosing the best wine tours in Kakheti.

Here’s a list of recommended companies and vineyards that are open to the public for Rtveli events:

• Simulation or a real harvest experience with Eat This! Tours. Use code RFD5 for a 5% discount. Read my review of their Sighnaghi Wine Day tour to understand what to expect from the company.
• WT Georgia occasionally hosts authentic Rtveli tours in a small winery in Kakheti. Message them RedFedora for 10% off.
• Wine Yard N1 in Kvareli is open to individual participants upon booking your spot via WhatsApp at +995 577 110 652. More info on their Facebook page.
• Schuchmann Wines Chateau, Villas & SPA in Kisiskhevi near Telavi. More info on their Facebook page.
• Vakirelebi winery in Vakiri village, near Sighnaghi. More info on their Facebook page.

These Rtveli tours and events typically include dinner of homemade food and might even have a short cooking class workshop of making Khinkali or dipping a string of walnuts in grape juice to make Churchkhela.

Wander aimlessly across the city

Tbilisi transforms into a canvas of warm colors during autumn. Take a leisurely walk along the Mtkvari River and admire the fall foliage with iconic landmarks like the Metekhi Church, Bridge of Peace, Holy Trinity Cathedral, and the Public Service Hall, a.k.a mushroom house in the backdrop.

Various parks, such as Rike Park, the Botanical Garden, Vake, Mziuri, and Lisi Lake, are draped in vibrant colors. Mtatsminda Park, Narikala (closed for renovation until 2025), and Betlemi Rise offer splendid panoramic views of the city wrapped in warm autumn hues.  

Rustaveli Avenue, lined with trees, is also quite beautiful at this time of the year. Walk from the Rustaveli metro to Freedom/Liberty Square or the opposite way to admire some of the most iconic landmarks of Soviet and Art-Nouveu architecture, and combine them with a visit to a few of the most important galleries and museums in the capital.

Get cozy at atmospheric cafes and coffee shops

Nothing beats spending a morning or an afternoon at cozy cafes and specialty coffee shops on a gloomy day or when it rains in Tbilisi.

The cafe culture here blends old-world charm and modern vibes, offering diverse spots whether you want a quaint nook with vintage decor, a lively coffee shop, or a place that serves all-day breakfast to curl up with a book, people-watch or take a break from sightseeing.

Do a Georgian wine tasting

Tbilisi is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the world of Georgian wine, home to one of the oldest winemaking traditions enlisted as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Several wine bars offer tasting sessions explaining Georgian wine history and the wines you are trying out. However, if you are already knowledgeable, all such bars have a section where they offer wines by glass.

My preferred place for wine tasting is the 8000 Vintages by professional sommeliers, where you drink four types of wines and get a snack platter included in the price.

Attend Svetitskhovloba in Mtskheta

On October 14, Mtskheta hosts its annual Svetiskhovloba to honor the old capital and its religious monuments, particularly the 11th-century Svetistkhoveli, the perfect example of Georgian medieval architecture. 

About 24km from Tbilisi, Mtskheta comes alive with mass service, traditional folk performances, and local produce and handcrafts market outside the cathedral.  

Note that traffic can be heavy and parking limited. Some other monasteries might be closed for the day. Frequent marshrutkas run the Tbilisi-Mtskheta route from Didube Bus Station.

Warm up at sulfur baths

One of my favorite activities at this time of the year is to hit the sulfur baths and get a good body scrub. The baths are open during the day, but I prefer mornings or evenings, especially when it’s breezy and gloomy outside.

Abanotubani’s Chreli Abano, also known as Orbeliani Bath, is my go-to place, followed by Gulo’s.

Go on a self-guided art walk

If you are a street art and mural lover, Tbilisi has become a canvas for local and international artists over the past few years, thanks to Tbilisi Mural Fest and Niko Movement projects.

These beautiful and big murals are scattered in various neighborhoods across the city, with Chughureti, Varketili, and Saburtalo being some of the best areas for more concentrated pieces. I personally scout them out as soon as they appear in the city’s skyline and frequently update my street art and murals guide with exact locations.

Enjoy open-air pop-up markets

Autumn also brings a few pop-up markets to the city, both indoors and outdoors. Stall Market in front of the National Youth Palace just off the Liberty Metro station on Rustaveli Avenue happens every weekend.

Local artisans bring out their handmade products. This is also one of the good places to get your Georgian souvenirs.

Attend the Gurjaani wine festival

Although it’s not within the city’s borders, I still include it here as it’s one of the best wine festivals I have attended in Georgia thus far. You can easily make a day trip using the transport provided by the organizers.

Gurjaani wine festival is an annual event in the city of Gurjaani in Kakheti, a 1:30-hour drive from Tbilisi, held the second weekend of October. This one-day event brings local wine producers and artisans to a beautifully decorated Akhtala Park with an autumn theme.

With over 400 participants, the festival grounds are massive, the atmosphere is great, the music is excellent, and the layout of stalls is well-thought-of and sectioned.

There are plenty of food and snack options and seating areas, from local homemade products such as cheese, honey, sunflower seed oil, and pickles to modernized Georgian street food, a few tone bakeries that bake bread in front of you, and several places that boil pelamishi (the grape juice pudding) on the spot. Therefore, the queues move fast and have minimal waiting time.

Moreover, I was impressed by the clean WCs with air fresheners and water containers in front to wash your hands. Soap and paper tissues were refilled quite often, too.

The organizers are active on their Facebook page and announce the exact date quite far ahead, around mid-summer. Moreover, they organize transport from Tbilisi and Telavi if you need one, so make sure you keep an eye out.

Celebrate local culture at festivals around town

Many events are scheduled in Tbilisi during this time of the year, especially in September and October, and several even coincide. So, hard decisions should be made regarding which to attend and what dates you’ll be here.

Many organizers announce these events a few weeks before and not far ahead, making it slightly hard to schedule your travels. Your go-to place for such events should be Facebook.

Mtatsminda Park and its Underwheel Club host various events in autumn, including the Tbilisi Coffee Festival, Georgian Honey Fair, and Cheese Festival (Georgia has 60 officially registered types of cheeses). You can find local produce at the agro market at Deda Ena Park and try a variety of Georgian bread at the Botanical Garden, to name a few.

For an extensive artisanal fair featuring handmade crafts and design items, check out Tbilisi Ethno Fest at Expo Georgia.

Here’s a curated list of the events to attend:

• Unique Georgian Taste Agromarket at Deda Ena Park | September and October | More info
• Autumn Cheese Festival at Mtatsminda Park | September | More info
• Tbilisi Coffee Festival at Underwheel Club (Mtatsminda Park) | second last Friday in September | More info
• Georgian Honey Festival at Mtatsminda Park | date varies | More info
• Georgian Bread Festival at Botanical Garden | end of September | More info
• Tbilisi Ethno Fest at Expo Georgia | mid-October | More info
• Georgian Wine Festival at Sioni Str. (Old Town) | beginning of October | More info
• New small wineries event at Underwheel Club (Mtatsminda Park) | late October | More info
• Tbilisi book days at Expo Georgia | Nov 15-17 | More info
• Cheese and warm drinks festival at Mtatsminda Park | Nov 17 | More info
• Agro, Food, Drink, and Tech Expo at Expo Georgia | Nov 29-Dec 1 | More info

Note that some of these events might change for the following year. And even though I’ll update the post closer to the season for 2025 and as soon as the event dates are announced, I recommend keeping an eye on their Facebook pages, too.

Watch over the city from its best viewpoints

Tbilisi’s autumn coverage is best enjoyed from its hills and viewpoints. My top favorite is the one from the walls of Narikala Fortress, overlooking parts of the Old Town, Rike Park, and Avlabari.

Unfortunately, the fortress is closed for renovation until 2025, but you can still enjoy the same view from a slightly different angle from the Mother of Georgia statue.

My second favorite for that area is the view from Tabori Monastery, offering spectacular views of the Narikala Fortress with colorful Georgian houses beneath it, Rike Park, Mtakvari River, and the Avlabari area.

Mtatsminda Park is a go-to place for a panoramic 360 view of the city’s skyline. It’s lovely at sunset or after dark when the city lights turn on. From here, you can see the city’s iconic landmarks like the towering Holy Trinity Cathedral, the eclectic Public Service Hall, or the mushroom house, as locals call it, and the ultra-modern Bridge of Peace and Rike Park with its abandoned tube-looking buildings, to name a few.

Savor seasonal produce

Seasonal produce plays a big part in Georgian cuisine, and autumn is one of the best times to enjoy them sold at the bazaars or prepped at Tbilisi restaurants.  

Although we only make a few meals with pumpkins, local bazaars like Deserter and Navtlughi are flooded with them in different colors, sizes, and shapes. You’ll also find loads of persimmons, pomegranates, autumn pears, quince, and feijoa, followed by tangerines, lemons, grapefruits, and oranges as the season progresses.

Caesar’s mushrooms and chanterelles are often offered on seasonal menus of many restaurants. After the Rtveli harvest, Churchkhela, a sweet snack of nuts and grape juice, becomes plentiful, and my father starts prepping them for Christmas and New Year so they have enough time to dry naturally.

It is also the season when many Georgians, not so much in Tbilisi anymore, prepare for winter by making pickles, preserves, and compote (sweet fruit juice).

Join a short cooking class

Cooking classes are a fantastic hands-on experience to learn local cuisine and get some information about the country’s culture and history. 

Depending on your availability and commitment, there are several options – from a few hours of experience where you cook a few meals and dine with your hosts to a short one where you spend an hour or two preparing only Khinkali and Khachapuri with enough time to enjoy those meals.

Get spooky at the first legal Soviet bunker

Did you know that Tbilisi alone allegedly has around 450 Soviet-era bunkers underneath its streets? Crazy, right?!

While most of them are abandoned, sealed, or dangerous to visit, there’s one you can tour legally with an authorized guide, Tornike. This is an ideal experience if you are into quirky things, Soviet nuclear bunkers, and slightly dark tourism of the past era. Read my dedicated post on this tour detailing the “bunker rush” of that time Soviet government and what to expect inside.

Admire Tbilisi’s Art-Nouveu architecture

Besides typical Georgian architecture, charming courtyards, and Soviet brutalist buildings, Tbilisi hides stunning Art-Nouveau buildings and handpainted staircases in its backstreets that many people miss noticing.

Sololaki, Chughureti, and part of Mtatsminda neighborhoods are my favorite places to admire these gorgeous buildings, the majority of which require immediate renovation as they are crumbling as the days go by.

Aghmashenebeli Avenue, lined with beautiful buildings on both sides, has a fresh look due to the recent government renovations under the New Tiflis project. On the contrary, Sololaki and Mtatsminda have decaying structures and are in some of the worst conditions you can imagine. However, their beauty is still noticeable if you look closely.  

You can walk in these areas and admire them from the outside. If you see the door open and decide to explore the entryways and staircases, please remember that they are residential houses and respect their privacy.

If you want to learn more about this part of Tbilisi’s history, why we have these European-style mansions, enter a few lavish entryways, and hear stories about the residents that can’t be read in any guidebook, I host Tbilisi architectural walking tours for a while now as a passion project of mine.

You can check the tours here, choose which one you’d like, and use code RFD20 to get 20% off on any tour at checkout.

Hike Tbilisi’s surrounding hills

Tbilisi has several hiking trails around its hills that are accessible year-round; however, with red, orange, and gold hues, the landscape transforms into an autumn wonderland, and with perfect temperatures, it’s much more pleasant to hike.

Mtatsminda Park has several trails leading to the neighborhood via Mamadaviti Church and the Pantheon of Georgian writers and public figures, Narikala Fortress, Kus Tba (Turtle Lake), and Kojori town.

Kojori is another excellent spot for various hikes. You can only do a Kojori fortress or continue to Asureti, the former German village outside Tbilisi, hike to Kiketi or return to Tbilisi via Mtatsminda Park.

Catch a performance

After the summer holidays, the cultural calendar and performance season in theaters and opera open in September, bringing many performances to the capital. Sadly, only a few theaters offer English subtitles, so your theatrical outing can be limited to adult puppet shows at Gabriadze Theater.

However, you can catch a ballet or opera performance at the State Opera House on Rustaveli Avenue or attend the Sukhishvili Georgian National Ballet shows. I highly recommend grabbing your ticket for Sukhishvili shows as fast as possible, as they sell out quite often.

Many concerts, live shows, and other events are scheduled throughout the season, so it should be easy to find something of interest to you. I use Tkt.ge or Biletebi.ge to browse options and purchase tickets.

Take a day trip to the Rainbow Mountains

If you are up for an adventurous day trip from Tbilisi, early autumn is the ideal time for the Rainbow Mountains, located in Georgia’s semi-desert, about 1:30-2 hours away from Tbilisi.

While they might not be as colorful and famous as the ones in Peru or China, they are still spectacular natural wonders that you can see not far from the city.

As I explain in its detailed post, you can DIY your trip here, join an organized tour (typically including a visit to David Gareji Monastery), or get an affordable private transfer via GoTrip to have flexibility in your time.

My friends and partners at WT Georgia occasionally host David Gareji Monastery & Rainbow Hills Day Tour. Message them RedFedora to get 10% off. Alternatively, check out this tour on GetYourGuide, which also offers a winery visit.

Have a picnic at Sabaduri forest

The moment leaves change color, Tbilisi locals flock to Sabaduri forest for a picnic and charming scenery for those Insta-worthy photos. It truly is a magical place for the fall foliage.

Technically being part of the Tbilisi National Park but located in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, Sabaduri is only 20 km away from the capital and spans 5,125 hectares of deep forest of beech and oak trees.

There are designated fire pits, picnic tables, and camping spots. If you decide to stay overnight, there are a few hotels in Tskvarichamia, including Sabaduri Hills, Home at Sabaduri Forest, and Cottages in the Shade.

Unfortunately, no public transport runs on the Tbilisi-Sabaturi route, and the one to Tskvarichamia can be scarce. The best is renting a car at LocalRent at affordable prices or getting a reasonably priced private transfer with GoTrip. The latter gives you flexibility with your time, making a few photo spots along the way, and brings you back to Tbilisi.

Other places to go to enjoy autumn near Tbilisi

Autumn in Tbilisi’s surrounding areas is best explored via a road trip, as the days are still long enough to fit a few places on your itinerary, the prices for car rentals decrease, and roads are quieter as students return to school and universities.

Therefore, renting a car and going outside of Tbilisi to chase the warm colors is the best way to experience this colorful season in the country. Since Georgia is predominantly hilly with dense forest covers, driving through or along such terrain makes up the perfect scenery. Gombori Pass, the zigzagy shortcut from Tbilisi to Telavi, is one of my favorites in autumn.

Birtvisi and Tsalka, with its Dashbashi canyon and diamond-shaped bridge, are another great place to enjoy fall scenery within 2hrs drive from Tbilisi. On the way, you can stop at the former German village of Asureti and admire old, typical German timber houses, a church, a cemetery, and a restaurant called Bahnhof Station, serving a mixture of German and Georgia’s Racha cuisine.

A few years back, I hiked Lagokehi National Park at the end of October, and it was spectacular with its gorgeous scenery and warm days.

What to wear in Tbilisi in Autumn

When packing for the season, layering is key. Despite the warm and sunny days of the first half of autumn, be prepared for the colder and rainy days.

I use the Yr.no app and website to check the weather forecast before traveling. It gives the most accurate estimates, and you can see predicted temperature and weather conditions for the next 10 days.

Light layers: Mornings and evenings can be breezy despite the sun and clear skies during the day, so pack various light layers that you can easily layer over depending on the temperature, or warmer tops such as this simple sweater or striped checkered sweater both in various colors. Long-sleeved shirts, T-shirts, lightweight jackets, and cardigans are good options.

Comfortable walking shoes: Tbilisi is a very walkable city and best explored on foot, wandering through its cobblestone streets. It’s also slightly hilly, so bring comfortable walking shoes or sneakers with good support. If you plan on taking day hikes in Tbilisi’s surrounding hills, consider packing sturdy shoes and a warm jacket.

Jeans: As much as I love wearing dresses, I bring out my jeans when September hits. Apart from September and the first week of October, it could be late for bare-leg skirts and dresses, so throw in a pair of light tights and jeans.

Rain gear: Tbilisi autumn weather changes from day to day, and as mentioned above, it could rain continuously for the entire day and last for the next few days. Bring a lightweight, packable raincoat or an umbrella.

Accessories: A scarf or hat can also help keep you warm on cooler mornings and evenings. Women must cover their heads when entering churches and monasteries, so a scarf is essential.

Adapter: Pack the universal adapter if you come from a country with non-European electrical outlets.

Water bottle: Tap water is drinkable in Georgia. Bring your water bottle to refill at your hotel, apartment, and even public springs. I usually travel with my Stojo collapsable water bottle, which saves lots of space in my backpack. 

Tripod: Tbilisi in autumn is particularly beautiful, and if you travel solo, you’d want to take lovely photos of yourself. Thus, I recommend bringing a tripod. I usually travel with my Joby small tripod for a camera and smartphone. I also have an Ulanzi phone mount for the Joby tripod.

Daypack: A small daypack or backpack to carry a few items, such as water or snacks. During my city explorations, I have a CITYC 2 in 1 Backpack from Driibe. Read my detailed review of why I love that backpack, and once you decide, get 15% off with code: FEDORA15.