About

About Tbilisi Blog

Welcome to Tbilisi Blog — a practical, friendly guide to life in Georgia’s capital. This website was created to help newcomers, expats, travelers, and anyone curious about Tbilisi understand how the city works, where to go, and how to settle in with confidence.

Who I Am

My name is Ilya. I was born in Estonia, and over the years I’ve lived in Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Despite all the places I’ve called home, Tbilisi is the one that stayed with me.

My relationship with Georgia began back in 2011 — and my personal connection has only deepened since then. Tbilisi is not just a destination for me; it is part of my family, my history, and my everyday life.

My ties to Georgia are deeply personal:

  • I was married to a Georgian woman, which gave me close insight into Georgian family life, culture, and traditions.
  • My children attend a Georgian school, which keeps me involved daily in the local community and education system.
  • I’ve built friendships, habits, and routines here — from local markets and cafés to the quiet corners of Mtatsminda.
  • I’ve watched Tbilisi grow and change since the early 2010s and lived that experience alongside its people.

This long, personal connection gives me a perspective that many expat guides simply can’t offer.

Why I Created Tbilisi Blog

I built Tbilisi Blog for one purpose: to make life in Tbilisi clearer, easier, and more welcoming for people arriving here.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that:

  • Newcomers often arrive with only basic, superficial information.
  • Most websites repeat the same tourist clichés while missing the real-life details that matter.
  • There was no single resource combining local insights, practical tips, and lived experience in a helpful, simple format.

So I decided to create one.

Tbilisi Blog focuses on:

  • Everyday life in Tbilisi
  • Local news that matters
  • Neighborhood guides and city insights
  • Cultural traditions and background
  • Things to do and places to visit
  • Practical help for expats and newcomers

This isn’t a typical travel website. It’s a local, experience-based guide created by someone who lives here, raises kids here, and understands the city from the inside.

My Mission

My goal is to make Tbilisi Blog:

  • A trusted English-language resource on living in Tbilisi
  • Helpful for newcomers, expats, parents, travelers, and remote workers
  • A mix of practical guidance and real local insight
  • An expanding archive of useful information for anyone exploring Georgia

Why You Can Trust This Blog

Everything written here comes from real experience:

  • 14+ years of personal ties to Georgia
  • Years of everyday life in Tbilisi
  • A family strongly connected to Georgian culture
  • Children growing up in the Georgian school system
  • A long-term understanding of the city’s evolution since 2011

I write about the Tbilisi I live in — the one I walk through every day.

If you’re moving to Tbilisi, planning long-term life here, or simply curious about the city, I hope this blog becomes a helpful and trustworthy companion.

Welcome to Tbilisi Blog — and welcome to Tbilisi.

Contact

You can reach me anytime for questions, corrections, or collaborations: