The 13 Best Soviet & Brutalist Tours in Tbilisi

1.1 Day Private Armenia: UNESCO, Soviet & Curated Family Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 106 reviews · 9 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $135Our pick

Spend 9 to 11 hours crossing from Tbilisi into northern Armenia with a private English-speaking guide such as Temo, Zezva, or George. Visit Akhtala, Haghpat, and Sanahin, pause at the Mikoyan brothers museum, and share a generous homemade lunch with a local family. Border delays are possible.

“Tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Sights were amazing. Really well organised tour over all. We loved it and can’t recommend it enough.”

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2.Tbilisi old town & soviet heritage – Private driver-guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 83 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $77

See Tbilisi with a private driver-guide, hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, WiFi, and bottled water. Visit Metekhi Church, Holy Trinity Cathedral, the Chronicle of Georgia, Narikala Fortress, sulfur baths, Dry Bridge Market, and more. Guides associated with the service include Giga, Timo, Makho, and Goga, with the itinerary adjusted to your group.

“Excellent tour to explore Tbilisi & have an illustrative overview about the main attractions of the city with high services level in term of transportation, guide service & information, tour itinerary & time management, etc., I highly recommend their services to anyone looking to explore Tbilisi with ease and style, thanks to elevenregions company, namely Mr.Giga for all the support, special thanks for the great guide Mr.Timo for the nice day”

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3.Armenia: 1 Day Soviet gems, UNESCO + Family lunch (Small group)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 9 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $49

Cross from Tbilisi into northern Armenia with an English-speaking guide such as Giorgi, Zezva, Mariam, or Irakli. Visit Akhtala, UNESCO-listed Haghpat, and Sanahin, then share a generous Armenian lunch with a local family. Expect a 9 to 11-hour day, border formalities, and considerable time on mountain roads.

“Giorgi was an amazing guide for our trip to Armenia! Very knowledgeable about all the sites we visited! Beautiful lunch setting with a local family was provided. It is a full day trip but with enough stops to make it not seem so long. Definitely recommend!”

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4.Soviet Tbilisi Tour – Off the beaten path

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $49

Spend about five hours exploring Tbilisi’s Soviet past with a private English-speaking guide such as George, David, Temo, or Irakli. Visit Stalin’s underground printing house, the Chronicles of Georgia monument, and the Nutsubidze Skybridge, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.

“Outstanding tour full of history, current affairs, architecture, culture, all told in a clear and creative way. David knows his stuff! This tour exceeded all expectations and was the perfect way to spend an afternoon—if you’re at all curious about Soviet influence in Georgia this tour does not disappoint.”

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5.Soviet past – Private day tour to Chiatura, Katskhi pillar and Chronicles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 9 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $149

Travel from Tbilisi with a private English-speaking guide to Chiatura’s abandoned cable-car stations, Katskhi Pillar, cave-built Mgvimevi Monastery, and the Chronicles of Georgia. Guides named in guest feedback include Zurab, Revan, Irakli, Levan, and Maria. Expect a long, photo-filled day with pickup, water, WiFi, and lunch suggestions.

“Our trip to Chiatura was excellent. Irakli, our tourguide was relaxed, friendly and informative and the places he selected for stops for food were just what we wanted. It felt as if we were on a tour with an old friend.The town is really picturesque in its own way and the other stops, Katskhi pillar and the Mgvimevi monastery are an excellent contrast to the town.We recommend this tour to anyone who likes to see something different.”

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6.Soviet Story – Private day trip to Chiatura, Stalin’s museum and Katskhi pillar

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · 8 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $20Best value

Leave Tbilisi at 9:00 am for a private English-language day trip through Gori and Chiatura. Visit Stalin’s birthplace and railway wagon, ride an old Chiatura cable car, tour the local mining museum, see Katskhi Pillar, walk through abandoned Soviet sites, and eat at a family-run restaurant. Pickup is available anywhere in Tbilisi.

“Ropeways and views in Chiatura are very nice. The town still has a Soviet feel while Tskaltubo is a special place as well with awesome abandoned buildings. I saw many of them and they are in very poor condition although very interesting. Thank you”

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7.Tskhaltubo Old Soviet Spa Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $78

From Kutaisi, guide Akaki takes you to Tskhaltubo, the former Soviet spa resort once served by trains from Moscow. Over about three and a half hours, you’ll learn how its mineral springs shaped the town, visit several abandoned sanatorium complexes, and see strong photo angles. Pickup is offered, and the tour is conducted in English.

“The tour was informative and the sanatoriums visited were interesting. We were well looked after by our guide Akaki.”

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8.2-Day Kutaisi Tour: Caves, Canyons & Soviet Sanatoriums

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $163

Travel from Tbilisi to western Georgia with a private guide, visiting Kutaisi, Prometheus Cave, Tskaltubo’s abandoned Soviet sanatoriums, Bagrati Cathedral, and Martvili Canyon. Giga, the guide named in the tour details, can adjust the schedule to your group. Cave and canyon fees, boat rides, meals, and gratuities cost extra.

“I can absolutely recommend a tour with Gigas 11regions. He was always on time, very flexible to our wishes and changes to the itineraries and everything worked out great. This was our last time of the trip to Georgia and we had a really good time. Book with Giga and you are in good hands, you won't regret it.”

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9.Chiatura. Soviet Past in the present. + Katskhi pillar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 8 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $150

Travel from Tbilisi with an English-speaking guide such as David or Irakli to Chiatura, a former mining town with Soviet cable cars and factory ruins. Add Katskhi Pillar and Mgvimevi Monastery, with private transport, hotel pickup, water, snacks, WiFi, and air conditioning included. Plan on 8 to 10 hours.

“I took this independent tour and had the privilege of having many interesting and stimulating conversations about Georgia's history with my guide, David. He was friendly, professional and extremely knowledgeable about his country's history. After visiting the geographical marvel that is Katskhi Pillar, we then went to the mining town of Chiatura where we got to view the now-abandoned cable car system. It was a privilege to be in David's company while we discussed the history behind these sights.”

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10.Soviet Tour – Hidden Tbilisi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $99

Spend about 3 to 4 hours with a local guide such as Giorgi, Irakli, David, or George, visiting Soviet-era architecture, the Chronicles of Georgia, and Stalin’s underground printing house. Groups are capped at six, with an air-conditioned vehicle, included admissions, and a return to Rose Revolution Square.

“Irakli was an incredible guide who answered all our questions and showed great knowledge about Georgian history and soviet times. We had fun seeing places we probably wouldn’t have gone to on our own, with striking soviet architecture examples. Loved the style of the tour and everything about it, really recommend!”

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11.Sataplia, Martvili & Tskaltubo. Prehistoric to Soviet in a day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 10 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $110

Leave Tbilisi at 8:00 am with guide Irakli for a long but varied day in western Georgia. Visit an abandoned Tskaltubo sanatorium, walk through Martvili Canyon, and explore Sataplia’s cave, forest, viewpoints, and dinosaur footprints. Transport, water, and onboard WiFi are included. Entry fees and lunch are extra.

“It is a long day but got to see lots of sights and experience the beautiful countryside of Georgia. Tskaltubo is an interesting place, the caves are spectacular, and the canyon/waterfalls quite beautiful. The meal at the farm/winery/hostel was wonderful as well. This trip is a great choice if there’s not enough time to plan a whole 2-3 day outing to the Kutaisi area, this is one of the only day trips I found and am very glad I did it! It turned into a private trip with my personable guide.”

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12.Day Tour to Georgian sky venice, Soviet city Chiatura

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $80

Travel privately from Kutaisi to Chiatura with a guide such as Shota or Tornike. See the 40-meter Katskhi Pillar, visit Chiaturi’s local museum, and enter Mghvimevi Monastery, partly carved into rock. The six-to-seven-hour tour includes pickup from Kutaisi hotels and airports, English guidance, and restaurant tips for your return.

“It was interesting travel, we had amazing guide Shota. He showed a lot of beautiful places, told stories, about Georgian life. We are so lucky, to meet Shota!!! Highly recomend, 10/10👍”

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13.Soviet tour of Georgia – Gori, Tskaltubo, Chiatura, Enguri Dam.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $850

Travel privately from Tbilisi through Georgia’s Soviet-era landmarks, including Stalin’s museum in Gori, Chiatura’s mining town, abandoned Tskaltubo sanatoriums, and Enguri Dam. Driver service is included, while an English-speaking guide can be arranged on request. Confirm the exact duration before booking, as the published details conflict.

“Trip to Tskaltubo is one of the most memorable tours for those people having interest in Soviet past and architectural history. Those Soviet time abandoned hotels are must see places where time and nature have taken over. I definitely recommend this tour.”

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