45 Ogle architecture in Tbilisi, Georgia
Tbilisi is an architecturally striking city in either Europe or Asia, depending on who you ask. Persian domes, Byzantine arches, Soviet towers and futuristic bridges rub shoulders with cliff-clinging 19th-century wooden townhouses. Recently this urban hodgepodge has seen a blossoming of design-led bars, boutiques and accommodation, the most notable of which is Stamba (from £200;stambahotel.comhttp://stambahotel.com;). Fashioned in Brutalist style from a former publishing house, this 150-room hotel arguably has the world's most impressive lobby: above the five-storey atrium soars a glass-bottomed, rooftop pool. An onsite gallery and chocolatier add to its appeal. For the best views of the city's eclectic buildings, Stamba can arrange a helicopter tour or cable car up to the hilltop 4th-century Narikala Fortress. The five-hour flight to Tbilisi is longer than those to most European cities, but with the favourable Georgian lari exchange rate, your money will go further too.
ARRIVE Georgian Airways flies direct from London to Tbilisi (from £405;georglan-airways.comhttp://georglan-airways.com;).