Like a hidden wizard store opened to those that only seek it, Meidan Bazaar is tucked away into the underground of Tbilisi with an aura of the ancient and a sprinkle of fantasy. If we lived in a story of Vikings and witches, then this place is probably where you would find them buying items and picking things from the brown shelves.

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But in the real world, Meidan Bazaar is a lot more than just fantasy. This in an underground market with a network of tunnel shops that is said to have existed as far back as the 4th century. The market still retains its old charms and aesthetics with dark colors, dim lights and no modern equipment in sight.

With it’s history and its unique setting, this place is not only a must visit place in the city but is also a great souvenir shop in Tbilisi if you want to buy anything from hand-made jams and incense to simple fridge magnets or extravagant swords.

So while you’re in the old town, include this great Tbilisi bazaar in your sight-seeing or shopping activities and we guarantee that you won’t regret it.

An Ancient Trade Market

An underrated, not often spoken about spot in Tbilisi, the Meidan Bazaar is more than just a tourist market. This is one the most historical places in Tbilisi as it belonged to an ancient district called “Kala”. It was one of the central parts of the Great Silk Road and is the the oldest trade centers in the entire Caucasus region, dating back as early as the 4th and 5th century.

The market was where merchants (from the East and the West) of the ancient days would gather to sell their goods to the people. This tradition remains even today as sellers (both Georgian and otherwise) beckon visitors to buy items that interests them.

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A Fantasy-Style Place

Like an old marketplace you would find in a story like The Witcher or Harry Potter (minus the magical flying equipment of course), Meidan Bazaar takes you to a place where the modern world seems nonexistent while being surrounded by objects and settings that’s truly medieval.

The entrance to the market itself is fun as you’ll have to walk through Old Tbilisi with its charming side shops and cobblestone streets and finally make your way to the underground Meidani market. As you climb down the short set of stairs and enter the archways, you’ll be welcomed by a thousand souvenirs and objects in brown tones sitting on the shelves and hanging from the ceiling.

If witch and wizardry shops were real, Meidan Bazaar is what it would look like.

From Jams to Swords

A long stretch of an underground market, Meidan bazaar has everything from hand-made, natural jams and decorative bowls on the shelves to swords and shields hung on the ceiling. So if you’re wondering where to buy souvenirs in Tbilisi, then look nowhere than Meidani.

Not only would you be able to buy unique souvenirs but you’ll have a fun time walking through the market while taking in the sites of different things known to Georgia and the Caucasus region.

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A Coin For The Witcher?

While passing through the Meidan bazaar, don’t forget to look down. One of the fascinating sights while walking through the underground market is the amount of coins (fake and real mixed in) in mud pots placed on the gaps in the walkway and covered with a grill on top so no hands can slip and take the money.

These coin pots can be found in every interval and look like they were tossed there as a wish. When one looks down at the numerous mud pots loaded with coins in each of them, some even scattered around them, the lyrics “toss a coin for the witcher” would come into your head.

So look down to spot these coin pots and place your own silver in it if you wish.

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