A city I absolutely fell in love with was Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. It’s a metropolis brimming with a mix of old-world charm and modern know-how. I fancied the Cold War memorabilia peddled throughout the Dry Bridge Flea Market just as much as I lusted after contemporary fashion found at the Tbilisi Mall. Windy, cobbled streets led me to fashionable boutiques as well as centuries-old Orthodox Christian churches. The prevalence of en vogue cafes competed with the many traditional Georgian restaurants still jutting out from this city. Tbilisi still clings passionately to its roots but welcomes the new, the fresh and the sexy.

Marjanishvili Street in particular greatly depicts the city’s dichotomy of old and new. This exuberant part of town offers an endless array of retail options: outlet shops, thrift stores, cheese mongers, dollar kiosks, used books, shoes galore, fabric boutiques and naturally, a McDonald’s. And with the neighborhood’s large Turkish population, you’ll stumble upon vendors doling out doner kebabs and bakeries churning out Turkish delight. Here’s an eye-opening slide show of Marjanishvili Street’s colorful assets:

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