Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre

0.4 mi / 0.6 km from the hotel

A few minutes along Rustaveli from the hotel stands one of the avenue's most beautiful buildings: the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, a Moorish-revival confection of arches and patterned brick that looks as though it wandered in from somewhere further east. It first opened in the 1850s, burned and was rebuilt, and reopened most recently in 2016 after a long and careful restoration that returned its gilded, jewel-box interior to full splendour.

Georgia takes its opera and ballet seriously. The house carries the name of the composer Zakaria Paliashvili, whose work anchors the national repertoire, and its ballet company has long stood among the region's finest. A night here is a proper occasion — the kind of evening the building was made for.

The season runs through the cooler months, with a mix of the great operas, classical ballet, and Georgian work you will hear nowhere else. Even outside performance hours the exterior is worth pausing in front of, especially when it is lit.

If there is something on during your stay, it is well worth an evening. Ask the concierge to check the programme and arrange tickets, and dress for it — this is the one night in Tbilisi to leave the walking shoes at the hotel.