Where to Run in Tbilisi: Routes, Parks, and Trails

Let me start with the honest part: you can run almost anywhere in Tbilisi, but not everywhere is comfortable.

People often write that running on Georgian streets is basically impossible — narrow sidewalks, cars that don't yield, crosswalks that exist more in theory than in practice. That's partly true, but the conclusion is overblown. People run in the city center, in Saburtalo, and plenty of other places. It's a matter of neighborhood, time of day, and how willing you are to weave through traffic.

There are simply places where you run, and places where you survive. This is about the former.

The second thing to know is the terrain. Tbilisi sits among low mountains, and that shapes everything. Flat routes are scarce, trail routes are everywhere. If you're training for a flat marathon, you'll have to search a bit. If you love elevation gain — you're in the right place.

When I first arrived, I found a running club at Lake Lisi and have mostly run there ever since — Saturday parkruns and midweek runs alike. I take a taxi there and always walk back down to Saburtalo afterward, about three kilometers. So this piece will be uneven: detailed on Lisi, and for everything else, just what I actually know for sure.

Lake Lisi

My home turf, and it never gets old. The sky is different every time, which means the reflection in the lake is different every time too. Beautiful scenery all around, with a tree-lined path.

The lake covers 0.47 km², with a depth of up to 4 meters. It's about a thirty-minute drive from the center; marshrutkas 29 and 89 leave from Bakhtrioni Street.

The surface is perfectly smooth pavement — a gift for running. No potholes, no mud after rain.

The key thing for runners: there's a path circling the lake, and above it, hills with trail paths. So in one spot you get both flat terrain and elevation gain, depending on your mood.

Lake Run — the Saturday parkrun

Every Saturday there's a Lake Run here — a free 5K, starting at 9:00. It's the classic parkrun format: you show up, you run, you scan your barcode at the finish. Registration takes a minute.

Anywhere from 10 to 20 people show up. The pace range is wide — beginners come along with really fast guys who break 20 minutes. So there's nothing to worry about — nobody's judging your pace.

After the finish, we take photos and head to a local café for breakfast — club members get a 20% discount. That's where the socializing happens. Some of the regulars are close enough to travel to paid races together as families, run trails, and take part in orienteering events.

If you're in Tbilisi and don't know where to start — start here. It's the easiest entry point into the local running community.

Trails above Lisi

If 5K around the lake isn't enough, trails head up into the hills. The classic route is Lisi → hills → Lisi. A longer one: Lisi → Tsodoreti → Didgori Monument and back. Part of this route overlaps with the course of the Lisi Trail Race.

Honestly, I haven't run it myself yet. I know another club, TRC, trains there regularly. Once I get to know them better, I'll write more.

Vake Park

The most "urban" option. A loop through the park is about 2.5 km, with asphalt and rubberized surfaces, plus an outdoor gym area. The park is shady, with century-old trees, and the lawns get watered — so even in the heat it's bearable.

I've walked there, but running isn't especially comfortable for me — the route has an incline, and there are a lot of people out for a stroll. Fine for an easy cross-training run, not so great for tempo work.

Turtle Lake (Kus Tba)

Located above Vake Park, on the slope of Mtatsminda, at an altitude of 687 m. A loop around the lake is just under a kilometer, paved, almost entirely shaded. In summer, it's a lifesaver.

The most interesting part is how you get there — and that's part of the workout itself:

• Via trail from Vake Park — uphill paths, roughly 300 m of elevation gain.
• Along the paved road past the Ethnographic Museum — not busy with traffic.
• By cable car (if you want to save your legs) — the lower station is in Vake Park, a 6–7 minute ride, 1 lari via MetroMoney.

The logic: run up, do laps around the lake, run back down. You can go up by trail and down by road, or the other way around.

Trails around the city

Tbilisi is surrounded by mountains, so there are plenty of trail options. I haven't run these myself yet, so I'll just list what local trail runners recommend, without personal ratings. I'll check them out and update this later.

• Lisi → Tsodoreti → Didgori Monument. The monument is a composition of giant swords set on a hilltop. From there you get a panoramic view of the Caucasus and Trialeti ranges. Reachable from Lisi or from Delisi metro station.
• Krtsanisi → Shavnabada Monastery. From a residential district up along the ridge to Mount Tsetsi (Teleti). Tbilisi Hills golf club is nearby — you can grab a bite and head back.
• From Turtle Lake along the ridge to Vake Park. About 7 km one way, along the crest, with city views.
• Tbilisi Sea (the reservoir, ~10 km from the center) — mostly used by people who live nearby or are training for triathlons. Haven't been, so I can't say much.

Running clubs in Tbilisi

• Lake Run — Saturday 5K at Lisi, free, parkrun-style. The best entry point for beginners.
• Tbilisi Running Club (TRC) — English-speaking, lots of expats. Runs the trails above Lisi regularly.
• TrailLab — for trail runners. They also organize most of Georgia's races: Kazbegi Marathon, Lisi Trail Festival, Mestia Ultra.
• Mikkeller Running Club Tbilisi — running and beer, casual format.
• There's also a Georgian-speaking club.

The list isn't complete — I haven't met everyone yet. If you run with a club that's not here, let me know and I'll add it.

Practical tips to know in advance

When to run. Tbilisi gets around 300 sunny days a year, but summer is brutal. I only run in the morning, before 8:00. The one exception is the Saturday parkrun, starting at 9:00.

Dogs. There are a lot of them — usually the first thing newcomers ask about. But at Lisi they're already familiar faces, used to runners; they come up and basically demand to be petted. I wouldn't call it a problem.

Water. Available in some places, not in others. If you're running long or heading onto the trails, bring your own — don't count on finding fountains.

Surface. At Lisi it's smooth pavement, ideal. Elsewhere it's hit or miss.

Where to go from here

If you want more than just running solo — if you want to race — the Caucasus has plenty to offer: from the Lisi parkrun to the Kazbegi Marathon (a UTMB qualifier) and ultras in Svaneti.

I keep a calendar of races across Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey here on caucasus.run.

I'll keep updating this piece — for now it's just what I know for certain. Once I've run the trails and met more clubs, I'll come back and add more.