20 Magical Photos of Snow in Tbilisi

Visiting Tbilisi in winter and crossing your fingers for a snowy day?

Heavy snowfall in Tbilisi is relatively rare, but when it happens, the city is pure magic! Since moving to Georgia, I’ve been lucky enough to experience three snowy winters in the capital.

Here are my favourite photos of Tbilisi in the snow, along with tips for the best places to go if you’re lucky enough to catch snow during your visit.

If seeing snow is a priority, check out my guide to the best places to see snow in Georgia for more reliable options, including easy day trips from Tbilisi.

How often does it snow in Tbilisi?

Tbilisi is known for its relatively mild winters, with daytime temperatures rarely dropping below freezing. Snowfall is quite uncommon, and some winters pass with little more than a few light flurries.

When it does snow in Tbilisi, it often falls overnight and melts away within hours. It’s relatively rare to see the city’s rooftops and streets covered with a thick blanket of fluffy snow – which is what makes it so special when it happens!

Snow can fall in December or January, but heavier snowfall is more likely in late winter or early spring, particularly February and March. During my first two winters living in Tbilisi, we even had snow as late as April.

The higher parts of the city, especially Mtatsminda, tend to see snow first. The surrounding hills and nearby Kojori are also more likely to receive a dusting when the city centre remains snow-free.

My best photos of snow in Tbilisi

Winter 2021 saw unusually heavy Tbilisi snow – and I was lucky enough to be here to experience it. Many locals reported that the snow on February 17 was unlike anything they’d seen in Tbilisi in years (maybe even in a decade).

A week earlier, temperatures had been very warm (up to 16 or 17 degrees some days), and I had fully accepted that winter was over for another year and spring was on its way. Then out of the blue, we woke up to thick snow on the ground and large, fluffy flakes falling. This lasted for the better part of the entire day.

Like any self-respecting Queenslander, I was so excited to see snow that I ran out immediately and spent the entire morning walking around the city. I didn’t notice that the sludgy snow on the roads and footpaths was slowly seeping in through my boots. By lunchtime, my feet were frozen and I had to come home to warm up.

Later in the afternoon, the snow finally stopped falling and the sky cleared enough for me to get some good shots of the city from up high.

I don’t have the right equipment – and I have no real experience taking photos in the snow – but I still enjoyed taking my camera around to some of my favourite streets and viewpoints. This is the most snow I’ve seen since my winter trip to Bulgaria. I forgot how much I loved it!

Tbilisi looks and feels like a totally different city when it’s snowing. The Old Town was mostly silent, but in Rike Park and around Rustaveli Avenue families were out making snowballs and playing in the powder. I even spotted a kid being pulled in a sled over the Bridge of Peace!

Snow in Old Tbilisi

See how many of these Tbilisi landmarks and walking streets you recognise in the snow!

Snow at Narikala Fortress

I was hesitant to venture too far in the cold, but I’m glad I decided to brave the weather and hike up to Mother of Georgia and Narikala Fortress. The hillside path was completely snowed over and I only saw a few other people on the trail.

By the time I came down from the fortress in the late afternoon, a lot of the snow had already melted away. I noticed a few steep streets were running with water like rivers. Luckily it was a little too warm to refreeze so ice wasn’t a huge issue like it is in some cities.

The snow lingered on the trees and in the hills for another day or two, then it was gone as quick as it arrived. Weeks later when I was walking in the upper part of the National Botanical Garden I could still see traces of ice in the areas that don’t receive direct sunlight.

We had a few more snowy days that winter – but it was February 17 that really left an impression.

Have you experienced a winter in Tbilisi? Were you lucky enough to see some snow? If you’re used to visiting the city in summer I hope you found the contrast in these winter photos interesting!