Better Istanbul or Tbilisi
Better Istanbul or Tbilisi? Many travelers ask which city to choose for their trip. Of course, every destination has its own sights and everyone chooses a city according to their taste and interest. Istanbul, as you know, is a city that separates the continents of Europe and Asia, and therefore it is one of the most important areas in terms of strategy.
Of course, Tbilisi is an Eurasian city that adds to its tourist attractions every day to attract more travelers. In this article, Manolya Tour talks about the tourist sites of Tbilisi and Istanbul for you, the traveling audience. To make a more informed decision, let’s go to each.
Geographical location of Istanbul and Tbilisi
Where are the two cities of Istanbul and Tbilisi located geographically? It must be said that the city of Istanbul is located in the northwest of the Marble region of Turkey, the population of this city was about 16,000,000 people according to the census data conducted in 2023.
Tbilisi, which is the capital of Georgia, is located 120 km from the Caucasus Mountains and near the Black Sea. The area of the city of Tbilisi in Georgia is about 246 square kilometers and its population is estimated to be about one million people according to the 2014 census.
Weather conditions of Istanbul and Tbilisi
Istanbul
Due to the geographical location of Istanbul, the weather of this city has many changes. In Istanbul, you can experience Mediterranean, tropical and oceanic weather. The hottest month of the year in this city is 35 degrees Celsius and the coldest month is February, the average temperature in this month is 6 degrees Celsius. The rainfall in Istanbul in January is 100 mm.
Tbilisi
The city of Tbilisi has relatively hot summers and very cold winters due to its proximity to the mountains and the wind blowing from these mountains. The climatic conditions of this city are relatively subtropical and humid, and the average annual temperature is about 2 degrees Celsius. The average rainfall in Tbilisi is about 500 mm, of which only 30 mm falls during the hot season.
According to the things mentioned above, the best time to travel to Istanbul is in almost all seasons, but spring and autumn are the best time to travel to this city, of course, it goes without saying that summer is also a very good time if you are busy in other seasons. If you want to reduce your travel expenses, winter can be a good option, but you must wear warm clothes.
As for the city of Tbilisi, we also have to say that the best time to travel to Tbilisi, this Georgian city, is between the seasons of spring and summer, especially in August and September, so you can fully enjoy the beach activities of this city.
But if you want your trip to Tbilisi to be less expensive, try to travel to this city in the winter season when the number of tourists to Tbilisi decreases, of course, if you don’t mind the cold weather. So, if you want to go to Tbilisi in the cold season, you should pay attention to take warm and suitable clothes with you.
Tourist attractions in the two tourist cities of Istanbul and Tbilisi
The beautiful and lively city of Istanbul
Istanbul is formed in two parts, west and east, and is in the west of Turkey. It is a city that is separated into two Asian and European parts by the Bosphorus strait, and this city has been important in terms of location since it was a passage between the continent of Europe and Asia.
Among the cities of the ancient Roman Eastern Empire, it was the famous city of the time of the Abbasid and Umayyad caliphs. It is considered one of the important cities in the Ottoman Empire and such a city has countless historical monuments that you should spend hours to see its attractions.
Among the sightseeing places in Istanbul are the Hagia Sophia Mosque, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the historic Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Delmabahce Palace from the Ottoman era, Rumeli Hisar, one of the famous fortresses of the Bosphorus Strait, Galata Tower, which is 700 years old, Prince’s Islands, Chora Church and dozens of other historical monuments are among the attractions of Istanbul.
Regarding historical monuments, Istanbul is better than Tbilisi. We must say that the number of historical monuments is more in Istanbul. If you are interested in historical and ancient travel style, you can choose Istanbul.
Tbilisi, a European city
Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia and is located on the banks of the Kura River. The presence of various parks, hot springs and historical monuments has made countless tourists travel to this city. The country of Georgia, which is located between Russia and Turkey, increases the quality of its tourism services every day in order to attract more travelers.
It is good to know that Georgia is bordered by Azerbaijan from the east, Black Sea from the west, Turkey from the southwest, and Armenia from the south. The people of Tbilisi are Georgian and speak Georgian. Most people in Tbilisi are Orthodox Christians and you can see Orthodox churches.
This city also has medieval castles and the ancient Narikala castle is one of the unique attractions of this city. The Trinity Cathedral is one of the old churches of Tbilisi and the National Museum of Georgia has ancient artifacts of Georgia. Apart from historical monuments, it also has natural and modern attractions. Tbilisi Morning Bridge is one of the most beautiful bridges in Eurasian countries.
Gabriadze Theater is one of the most famous theaters in Tbilisi, which is one of the attractions of this city apart from the theater. The National Botanical Garden of Georgia is one of the other places. Tbilisi is a beautiful city that you can see. The city of Tbilisi is very famous for its hot springs and traditional baths, which is also considered a pleasant destination for European and Russian travelers.
Popular foods in Istanbul
Stuffed potatoes (Kumpir): One of the most popular dishes in Istanbul or Turkey in general is kumpir. This dish, which is a stuffed potato, has peas, beans, mayonnaise, sausage and grains inside.
Lahmacun: Lahmacun or Turkish pizza is made of minced meat, onion, and red pepper, to improve its flavor, they usually add a little parsley and lemon juice to it. Be sure to eat Turkish pizza with a glass of buttermilk.
Iskender Kebap: This is a Turkish dish where thin slices of meat flavored with beef fat, local herbs and spices are skewered and grilled vertically.
Borek: Borek actually consists of cheese and vegetables between thin layers of dough, which is called yufka.
Popular dishes in Tbilisi
Khachapuri: One of the traditional dishes that are very popular among Georgians is Khachapuri, which is a combination of bread and cheese.
Khinkali: To prepare khinkali, a type of dough is used along with meat and various spices.
Churchkhela: If you like to eat sweets, you must try Churchkhela in Georgia; The way to prepare this sweet, which looks like a candle, is made from flour, grape juice or puree, and all kinds of nuts.
Lobio: Another traditional and local food of this country is Lobio, which is prepared from beans, onions, walnuts, coriander, parsley and garlic. This food is one of the best traditional foods that attracts the most attention of vegetarians.
Satsivi: This dish, which is usually a winter dish in Georgia, is a delicious dish made from chicken or turkey and served with a delicious sauce.
Shopping malls in Istanbul or Tbilisi
If you are traveling to a city with the intention of shopping or shopping is a priority for you, it is good to know the shopping centers. The city of Tbilisi has a large shopping center where you can buy brand clothes for women, men, and children. Tbilisi Mall, East Point, Merani, Tbilisi Central, Karvasela Shopping Center, Lilo Shopping Center, Megalin, etc. are among the famous shopping centers in Tbilisi. Fortunately, in the city of Tbilisi, you can easily choose and prepare a high-quality souvenir and European goods.
There are countless shopping centers in Istanbul. He mentioned the big shopping malls of Istanbul, Istinye Park, Kanyon, Cavaher, Forum Istanbul, Metro City, Viaport, Palladium and Emar. These shopping centers in Istanbul are very large and are not the only shopping center and have facilities such as cinema, food court, restaurant, bowling, billiard hall and fitness club.
Regarding the dating centers of both cities, we cannot say which city is better Istanbul or Tbilisi. Because both cities are equipped with very large shopping centers and this comes back to the audience’s taste. In Istanbul, you can also go to the water market for shopping, which is one of the attractions of this city.
Tbilisi and Istanbul entertainment
Although Tbilisi is smaller than Istanbul, there are good entertainments in the city. From swimming in the pool of Gino Paradise water park or Euro water park, taking a hot bath in Kogurdi baths, playing bowling in Lebuski complex, hot air ballooning in Tbilisi, using the zip line and cable car above the botanical garden, near Narikala Castle, playing paintball, driving a car on the karting track are some of the unique pastimes in the great city of Tbilisi.
Tbilisi is not a coastal city and naturally has fewer water activities than Istanbul. Istanbul has unique islands due to access to the seaIf nature and beach tourism are important to you, you can choose Istanbul. Because you can also use the beautiful beaches. Around Istanbul, the unique islands such as Princes island, Heybeli island, Burgaz island Kinali islands are among the most beautiful areas of Istanbul where you can create a dream trip with water sports activities in this city.
Hotels in Istanbul and Tbilisi
Both Istanbul and Tbilisi have good facilities in terms of hotels and hostels, and there are 5-star to one-star hotels in these two cities. But the number of hotels in Istanbul is more and you have a wide range of hotels to choose from. The number of hotels in Tbilisi is limited and it is a bit difficult for travelers. The currency of Georgia is Lari and the currency of Turkey is Lira.
In this article, we tried to introduce a general part of the cities of Tbilisi and Istanbul with their urban facilities and tourist services and attractions, so that if you plan to visit, you can easily choose one. If you are looking for a cheaper destination, you can choose Tbilisi, but if you want to use pristine and beautiful islands, choosing Istanbul is a good option.
If you are planning to travel to Istanbul, just enter the Manolya Tour website and check the Istanbul tour packages and choose the one you like. If you want a travel plan in the city of Istanbul, you can get advice from the Manolya Tour tourism team.
As a Manolya Tour, we would love to help you enjoy your trip while you are in Istanbul. We also have tours like Bosphorus tours by Boat, Bosphorus Lunch Cruise, Dolmabahce Palace Morning Tour, Canoeing in Istanbul, Istanbul Private Tour, Private Yacht Tour in İstanbul, Istanbul Old City Tour, Turkish Dinner Cruise, Cappadocia Horse Riding Tour, Hot Air Balloon Tour, Airport Transfer , Istanbul Tours, Cappadocia Tours, Bursa Tours, Pamukkale Tours, Antalya Tour and more.
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