Tbilisi's Hidden Gem: Rike Park

Georgia - what a fantastic country, and when you consider how much I love the Caucasus, you can imagine that the impressions from our weekend in Tbilisi are still with me to this day.

I know that in March, nature is just starting to come alive, and it's not yet those bright colors that will charm you in May, but we were still dealing with snow in March!

We wandered around the city, which was our first time visiting. I love that feeling of being a pioneer, when you've never been to the city before, you've just read about all the cool things to see, and then you just walk around and stumble upon one thing after another. That's what happened to us with Rike Park. We walked down from the botanical garden and just started walking in a random direction.

Along the way, we stumbled upon this amazing sight: a steep slope where water droplets were falling with a soothing sound. How cool is that?!

We even spotted one of the cable car cabins, which we wanted to check out to get a view of Tbilisi from the top.And in the distance, we could see the Peace Bridge. We definitely need to check that out too! We headed in the direction where people were walking up the hill.

In the park, we found this incredible tree - a modern art piece made from all sorts of metal scraps that the sculptors had found: old oven doors, weird birds, and all sorts of birdhouses. And right next to it, there was a living, blooming tree. I mean, who needs just metal to admire in the spring?!

This pink cloud of flowers was a sight to behold. Some bushes were already starting to green up, so the park wasn't too vibrant, but it was definitely colorful.

The wall at the foot of the mountain seems to serve as a barrier, providing protection in case of landslides. By the way, Rike means 'rock', so maybe it's saving us from rockfalls.

I love how spacious it is, especially during the off-season. No crowds, no lines for the gondola, or at restaurants. For me, it's all about new experiences, and March delivered. No tourist groups swarming everywhere.

You can take in the architectural details, walk up to the Mirzaani Bridge without any hassle.

And not just walk up, but actually walk across it.

Then we finally made it to the gondola and, as we rode up, got to see the whole area from above.

Our path led us upwards, towards Mother Georgia.

And down below, the theater building, the bridge, and the park were all still there. It was cool to see it all from a bird's-eye view.

When we made it back down, it was already getting dark, the streetlights were turning on, and the TV tower on the mountain was shining. The evening city lights - another favorite moment for me in this new place.

It's crazy how fast time flies - we were just standing in front of Narikebetsu Castle, but now the sun's setting in the south and we're gazing out at the castle from the park, all lit up by the lamps.

We weren't expecting much from the park itself, but the real magic happens when you take the cable car up to Narikebetsu Castle. There's the World Peace Bridge, the theatre in those futuristic pipes, the fantastical metal tree, and the natural hot spring just a short walk away. Of course, I'd highly recommend checking this place out - try to get here as soon as you can!