Thu
17
September
From
Ludo's birthday icebreaker Very optional
Tsekhi Sasadilo
An easy first drink for everyone who was already in Tbilisi. Very optional, no pressure.
Open Tsekhi Sasadilo in Google MapsTbilisi 19–20 September 2026
Thank you for celebrating with us in Tbilisi.
We did the paperwork. Then we made it a party.
You came from all over the world, walked through an exhibition in an old substation, danced until late, climbed 144 stairs and watched the sun go down over the city with us. The weekend was everything we hoped for, and that is because of you. This page stays online as a keepsake of the program—and as our Tbilisi guide, for whenever you come back.
What this was
Not a traditional wedding. But much more.
There was no aisle, no seating chart and no need to dress formally. It was a vernissage celebrating our three years together in the city where our love sparked, which then turned into a party: a slightly quirky, very Tbilisian celebration of the journey, places, people and accidental connections that brought us here.
We met by chance under the sakura in Tokyo and made an exhibition together as friends. Years later, we started our relationship in Tbilisi and somehow ended up married in Rome. Tbilisi felt like the right place to celebrate our story and share it with all of you.
19–20 September 2026 Asia/Tbilisi
The weekend, as it happened.
Sat
19
September
–
The exhibition + celebration party
Mutant Radio
We began with an exhibition opening, art installations, drinks, food, friends and music: Wirescapes—our 2022 Tokyo collaboration—alongside photographs from Toto's forthcoming debut book, Scent of Time, and byLUDO's artistic pieces. Then the vernissage became the celebration party.
Open Mutant Radio in Google MapsThe atmosphere
Mutant Radio after dark.
This is the kind of place we gathered in: a former electrical substation with open-air courtyards, raw rooms, coloured light and music. A vernissage that turned into a party—not a formal wedding reception.
These photos show regular nights at Mutant Radio. Our evening had its own exhibition and setup.
Sat
19
Night
From
The afterparty
Dedaena Bar
When Mutant Radio wound down, we moved to Dedaena and carried on with whoever was still standing.
Open Dedaena Bar in Google Maps
Sun
20
Morning
From
The sulfur reset Optional
Abanotubani
An optional Tbilisi sulfur-bath reset for anyone awake, curious and ready for a warm-water recharge.
Sun
20
Sunset
–
Sunset aperitivo
144 Stairs
A long, late aperitivo on a terrace above old Tbilisi. The approach is from Betlemi Street and, yes, it really is 144 stairs to climb—but the view and the food are worth every step. We gathered just before sunset for amazing small plates and drinks, watched the light go down over the city, and stayed on for one last evening of good conversations with wonderful people. Sunset is always better with some bubbles!
Art + music
Wirescapes: Connected With the Urban Fabric
Before we became a couple, we made an exhibition together. Wirescapes began at a power plug and spread through UNTITLED SPACE, Toto's Tokyo studio, as a cable installation, urban photographs and salvaged technological materials. It explored the random connections that shape a city—and the ripple made by one small decision. If you know us, you can also see the fusion of our personalities in it: Toto's photography and Ludo's work with recycled materials, bringing two artistic souls together visually. Four years later, we brought Wirescapes to Tbilisi as part of the celebration of the connection that changed our lives.
See the original 2022 exhibition
Also on the walls
Scent of Time + byLUDO
Alongside Wirescapes, the exhibition included photographs from Scent of Time, Toto's forthcoming debut photobook.
Ludo also exhibited a selection of byLUDO recycled eco-tech pieces: wearable artworks made from electronic waste.
On the speakers
Tokyo to Tbilisi
The weekend was soundtracked by a few very dear DJ friends who came from Tokyo.
Dress code
Spicy, not too formal.
The brief was something with personality—colour, texture, sparkle, a strange accessory, whatever felt like you. A party, not a gala, with shoes that could handle cobblestones, stairs and dancing, and a light layer for Sunday evening. You delivered.
Chapter two The guide
Now, Tbilisi.
Everything we would tell a friend who has never been: how to arrive, where to sleep, what to order, and where we actually go. It stays here for your next visit.
Guide Arrive
Getting to Tbilisi.
Easiest arrival
Tbilisi International Airport TBS
Low-cost alternative
Kutaisi International Airport KUT
Kutaisi can be useful for low-cost European routes. The coach transfer to Tbilisi takes roughly three hours, but it is straightforward, comfortable and affordable—often around US$10. Book it in advance and check the current fare when purchasing. It can be a good option for guests coming from Rome and other European airports.
Before you fly
Entry
Most guests can enter Georgia visa-free for one full year. Check the official portal for your passport before flying.
Guide Basics
Good to know.
- Money + cards
- Georgian lari (GEL, ₾). Visa, Mastercard and American Express are widely accepted, including on public transport. Most places are card-based, but carry a little cash as backup.
- Time
- UTC+4, with no daylight-saving change.
- Getting around
- When in doubt, use Bolt. Taxis booked through the app are convenient and generally inexpensive across the city. Public transport is also good: buses benefit from dedicated lanes, and the metro is useful for longer central journeys.Download Bolt: iPhone · Android
- Mobile data
- Local SIMs and eSIMs are easy to obtain after customs. Magti and Silknet/Geocell are good local options, and Airalo works equally well for a travel eSIM. Use referral code TOTO9017 for US$3 off your first eSIM, or open Toto's referral link .
- Power
- 220V, Type C/F plugs. Guests from continental Europe are all set; visitors from the UK, Japan, US and other plug systems will need an adapter.
- Emergency
- Call 112 for police, ambulance or fire; free from any Georgian network.
Guide Heads-up
Tbilisi, as of September 2026.
Guide Stay
Hotels + weekend places.
Hotel suggestions are numbered to match the map.
1 Hotels
V Weekend venues
A Sulfur-bath area
Hotels to check out
- 1
Fabrika
Lively converted-factory hostel with private rooms, bars, food, creative shops and a sociable courtyard.
- 2
Stamba Hotel
Polished design stay in a converted publishing house, with a public courtyard, cafés, wine and cultural activity.
- 3
Rooms Hotel Tbilisi
Stylish design hotel next to Stamba and well placed for Vera's cafés and nightlife.
- 4
ibis Styles Tbilisi Center
Four-star option beside Freedom Square and well placed for walking around Old Tbilisi.
- 5
- 6
Magnolia Tbilisi
Small central property on Kirile Ukleba Street. If you hear loud laughter, that's Toshi ;)
- 7
Artizan Design Hotel
Locally owned five-star design hotel on Iakob Nikoladze Street.
- 8
ibis budget Tbilisi Center
Budget-oriented central option five minutes from Rustaveli metro.
Guide Eat + drink 19 places
Where we actually eat.
The map and matching lists gather our shared edit for the days around the party. Hours, programmes and door policies change—check the current listing before setting off.
E Eat + drink
S See + wander
N Nightlife
B Beyond Tbilisi · list only
- E1
- E2
Wine Factory N1
A cluster of restaurants and wine spots; Shushabandi and Veriko are our picks inside.
- E3
- E4
- E5
- E6
- E7
Tsekhi area
Friend-run food and social cluster. Sasadilo is the fusion-food pick; White Rabbit is an extreme-sports bar with an edge. Plenty of the other spots are good too.
- E8
- E9
Mafshalia
Chaotic, inexpensive Samegrelo basement diner—for guests who value character over polish.
- E10
- E11
Keto & Kote
Recently a little touristy, but still good food and a cosy backyard.
TipSit outside.
- E12
- E13
- E14
- E15
Coffee LAB · Saburtalo
The roomier remote-work pick. Tbilisi is very friendly to anyone crazy enough to work during the trip.
- E16
8000 Vintages
Library-like selection from small Georgian producers.
Toto's tipBook ahead for aperitivo.
- E17
Warehouse at Stamba
Natural wine from Georgia and elsewhere, suited to sharing a bottle; Stamba's public courtyard is also good for meeting people.
- E18
Fabrika
Public courtyard with food, drinks, creative shops and an easy place to meet people.
- E19
AgroHub Sanapiro
Ludo's favorite 24-hour supermarket. Upstairs, Tsiskvili Terrace is an amazing Georgian restaurant with panoramic city views.
Guide See + wander 12 places
Walk, look, wander.
The S pins on the map above.
- S1
Lower Old Tbilisi / Meidan + upper Sololaki
Pre-Soviet neighborhoods worth exploring on foot.
- S2
Narikala + Mother of Georgia
Classic hilltop route with strong city views and several ways to walk back down.
- S3
Turtle Lake–Mtatsminda trail
The full trail takes roughly three to four hours. Turtle Lake alone is easy to reach by cable car from Vake.
- S4
National Botanical Garden
Inexpensive ticketed garden and a quieter green route from Old Tbilisi.
- S5
Abanotubani + Chreli Abano + Leghvtakhevi
Sulfur-bath district and canyon walk—and the setting for our Sunday morning reset.
- S6
- S7
Tbilisi Free Walking Tours
A useful introduction for first-time visitors, meeting at Pushkin Park by Freedom Square.
- S8
Gabriadze Theater
Toto's favorite: a distinctive adult-oriented puppet theater.
Toto's tipTickets can be difficult, so book early.
- S9
- S10
- S11
- S12
Rustaveli Avenue
The main central avenue and a useful orientation point—although not one of our favorite parts of the city, and currently one long trench (see the roadworks heads-up).
Guide Nightlife 7 places
Dance and stay out.
The N pins on the map above.
- N1
Dedaena Bar
Part of the wedding weekend; the surrounding park is also good for a casual drink.
- N2
- N3
- N4
- N5
- N6
Left Bank
Event-dependent mix from electronic music to live bands, with younger DJs outside.
- N7
Guide What to order 14 dishes
Georgian food to try.
Georgian meals are built for sharing: dishes land in the middle of the table and everyone digs in, so order for the table, not per person. Three things run through almost everything—walnuts, fresh herbs and garlic—and the wine has been made here for about 8,000 years, often in buried clay vessels called qvevri.
A note for the allergic among you: traditional Georgian cooking uses practically no shellfish, anchovies or truffle (a few trendy spots add truffle oil to khinkali—ask first). Cheese is usually cow's or buffalo milk, though goat cheese does turn up—ask if it matters. Walnuts and fresh coriander are everywhere.
marks dishes that are vegetarian as served; marks dishes that are usually meat-based but commonly available in a vegetarian version—ask for it.
Khinkali
The famous dumplings. Hold the topknot, bite a small hole, slurp the broth—no cutlery, and nobody eats the doughy handle. The canonical filling is pork and beef (city-style adds coriander); vegetarian versions come with potato, mushrooms or cheese.
porkcoriandervegetarian version available
Khachapuri + lobiani
Cheese-filled and bean-filled breads. The boat-shaped Adjarian khachapuri with the egg on top is the photogenic one; Imeretian is the everyday round. Pork-avoiders: the Rachuli style of lobiani adds ham.
vegetariandairy
Georgian salad
Tomato, cucumber and onion; the western Georgian version blends in walnuts, and it often arrives under a handful of fresh coriander.
vegetarianwalnutscoriander
Mtsvadi
Grilled pork skewers, ideally over vine embers, served with raw onion and pomegranate. Veal and chicken versions exist at most places.
pork
Mchadi with sulguni + chvishtari
Cornbread with Georgian cheese; chvishtari bakes the cheese right in.
vegetariandairy
Pkhali
Vegetable and walnut pâtés—usually spinach or beetroot—bound with garlic and herbs, dotted with pomegranate seeds.
vegetarianwalnutscoriander
Gebjalia
Rolled fresh cheese in a cool mint-and-dairy sauce. A Samegrelo specialty, and blessedly coriander-free.
vegetariandairy
Shkmeruli
Chicken in a rich garlic-and-milk sauce, served volcanic in a clay pan. The bread is for the sauce.
chickendairy
Ajapsandali
Chunky eggplant, pepper and tomato stew, heavy on the herbs—Georgia's answer to ratatouille.
vegetariancoriander
Badrijani nigvzit
Fried eggplant rolls with walnut-garlic paste and pomegranate.
vegetarianwalnutscoriander
Lobio
Slow-cooked beans in a clay pot with herbs and spices; comes with mchadi and pickles. A vegetarian staple.
vegetariancoriander
Satsivi
Chicken in a cold, silky walnut sauce—a festive classic.
chickenwalnuts
Chakapuli
Lamb or beef stewed in white wine with heaps of tarragon and sour plums. The greenest stew you will ever meet.
coriander
Churchkhela
The candle-shaped “Georgian Snickers”: strings of walnuts dipped in thickened grape juice. Sold everywhere, and a great edible souvenir.
vegetarianwalnuts
Guide Beyond Tbilisi
If you stay a little longer.
- B1
- B2
- B3
- B4
- B5
Kakheti wine region + Sighnaghi
A full-day escape for vineyards, qvevri cellars, tastings and the hill town of Sighnaghi. A guided tour is the easiest option if everyone plans to drink.
Stay connected
The guest WhatsApp group stays open.
Share your photos and videos from the weekend there, and keep in touch with everyone you met.
Want to reach us directly?
You can always reach either of us by phone or WhatsApp.
Toto
Ludo
Rome 6 June 2026