Tbilisi in Autumn: Rtveli, Wine, and Golden Colors

September: 22-28C, warm and sunny. You can swim in the Tbilisi Sea (the reservoir north of the city). Rtveli peaks in the second half of September when the Kakheti harvest begins.

October: 14-20C, golden foliage. Ideal for walking through the hills. Late October brings the first rains, usually brief.

November: 8-14C, cloudy. No longer the season for open terraces, but good for museums, wine bars and home cooking. November has the fewest tourists.

Rtveli is not just a harvest, it's a ritual with thousands of years of history. All of September and part of October, winemakers, farmers and their families gather grapes - by hand, no machines. Guests are welcomed: many estates organize tastings and grape pressing (barefoot in a stone trough, and yes, this works).

How to join: head to Sighnaghi, Telavi or Mtskheta. You can take a day tour from Tbilisi (from 30-50 EUR), but it's better to rent a car yourself and stop at small wineries along the way. Google Maps shows dozens of family wineries with good reviews.

Important: during Rtveli, Kakheti roads are overloaded, and seats at good Sighnaghi restaurants are taken. Book 1-2 weeks ahead.

Botanical Garden - 161 hectares behind Narikala walls. In October golden and red trees, almost no tourists, silence. Entry - 2 lari. You can exit through gates straight to the sulfur baths.

Mtatsminda - mountain above the city with a park and viewing platform. In autumn the forest around the TV tower turns red-gold. Take the funicular (2 lari) or walk the trail (45 minutes).

Vake Park - large park in a residential area where locals stroll. Especially beautiful in autumn. Good place to feel the city's real life rather than the tourist wrapper.

Sololaki district - historic mansions with wooden balconies covered in autumn ivy. The best Tbilisi photos come from here in October.

Autumn is lobiani (khachapuri with beans), hot chakhokhbili (chicken in tomato sauce with cilantro), pilaf with chestnuts. In September markets fill with mountain mushrooms, blackberries and cornelian cherries. A good lokanta (mtavari sasadilo) offers a full autumn menu for 20-30 lari.

Young wine (chacha and first bottlings) appears in October. October also brings the Tbilisi Wine Festival - several hundred wineries gather in one venue. Entry - 20-30 lari, includes a glass and tastings.

Dezertirka market in autumn: figs, persimmons, pomegranate, walnuts. Everything several times cheaper than European prices and several times tastier.

Transport: taxis in Tbilisi are very cheap - a center ride costs 5-8 lari (1.50-3 EUR). Use Yandex Go or Bolt. Metro - 1 lari, convenient for main routes.

Accommodation: Sololaki and the Old Town have many apartments in historic houses with wooden balconies. On Booking and Airbnb you can find them for 25-50 EUR/night. In September book ahead.

Money: local currency is lari (GEL). 1 EUR is about 2.9-3.0 lari. ATMs everywhere, cards accepted in most places. Markets - cash only.