Where to stay in Tbilisi
Tbilisi is compact at its heart and residential around it. The Old Town and Sololaki are for walking; Vera, Vake and Saburtalo are for living, and for a car.
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How the districts differ
The Old Town, around Meidan square and the Abanotubani bath district below the Narikala fortress, is the historic core. It suits a first visit on foot. Sololaki, a short walk above Freedom Square, has old houses and quieter streets, some from the 1890s, and suits a week or a month in the centre.
Vera is a residential district close to the centre, with its own park. Vake has Vake Park and the shops of Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue and suits families and long stays. Saburtalo is a large district of newer residential blocks, further out and suited to longer stays on a budget.
Tbilisi has no sea. The nearest shore is the Tbilisi Sea reservoir, about 13 to 17 km by road from these districts, and the Black Sea at Batumi is about 355 km away.
Staying with a rental car
Parking in Tbilisi is set by the city council's Decision 33-99, last amended in May 2026. Zonal parking costs 1 GEL an hour in zone A, 2 GEL in zone B and 3 GEL in zone C. The first 15 minutes are free at up to four zonal places a day. Passes cost 20 GEL a day, 100 GEL a week and 300 GEL a month. Payment is through the official Tbilisi Parking app, where a driver adds the car and starts and stops the count.
The penalties are real. The city parking portal lists a 50 GEL fine for breaking parking rules, 150 GEL for towing, and towing for a car left over 12 hours unpaid in a paid zone. Free parking near a home is a benefit for property owners, not for guests.
The only street list found is from 2021, when paid zones returned in parts of Saburtalo, Vake and the streets in and next to the Old Town. The current zone map, the hours when payment applies and how a visitor without a Georgian phone number registers in the app could not be verified as of September 2026. A booking with a private space, or a clear answer from the host, saves the guesswork.
For driving outside the city, GetCar's guide Driving in Georgia as a Tourist: Licence, Speed Limits, Alcohol and Police covers the licence, speed limits, the alcohol rules and police checks.
What the tourist tax and registration rules mean for a guest
There is no tourist tax. The Tax Code of Georgia lists property tax as the only local tax and says no tax outside the Code may be imposed, and the law on local fees lists no accommodation or tourist fee.
Georgia's Law on Tourism requires tour operators, travel agencies and guides to register, but not accommodation providers. No national rule requiring a registration number on a rental listing, and no duty on hosts to register guests, was found; both are unverified as of September 2026, since only the tourism, tax and fee laws were checked.
What the law does require of the guest is insurance. Health and accident insurance is mandatory for visitors under the Law on Tourism, and UK travel advice puts the minimum cover at 30,000 GEL for the whole stay, with proof possibly asked for by the airline or at the border.
When to book what
Arrange insurance before the flight, since proof can be asked for at the border. Book the district before the car, because the district decides whether a parking pass or a private space is needed. Bus 337 runs from the airport to the centre from 06:59 to 22:59 for 1 GEL.
Which district for which trip
A first visit on foot: the Old Town.
A central week or month in old houses: Sololaki.
Living near the centre, with a park: Vera.
Families and a residential month: Vake.
A longer stay on a tighter budget: Saburtalo.
Questions
Which area of Tbilisi is best for a first visit?
The Old Town, around Meidan and Abanotubani, for walking to the baths, Narikala and the river. Sololaki, just above Freedom Square, is a quieter central alternative.
How much is parking in Tbilisi?
1, 2 or 3 GEL an hour depending on the zone, with 15 minutes free. A day pass is 20 GEL, a week 100 GEL and a month 300 GEL.
What happens if the parking is not paid?
The city portal lists a 50 GEL fine for breaking parking rules, and a car left over 12 hours unpaid in a paid zone can be towed, at 150 GEL.
Is travel insurance required for Georgia?
Yes. Health and accident insurance is mandatory for visitors, and UK travel advice gives a minimum cover of 30,000 GEL for the whole stay.
Must a Tbilisi rental listing show a licence number?
No such rule was found. The Law on Tourism registers tour operators, agencies and guides, not accommodation, but this is unverified as of September 2026.