“It’s an ordinary neighborhood with ordinary architecture, and I appreciate that familiarity.” I live in Sanzone

Sanzona is a residential area in the north of Tbilisi, located along Guramishvili Avenue. The name of the area comes from the phrase “sanitary zone” - before construction, there were two reservoirs here that supplied the city with water, and the territory was protected.

Kiev resident Silas has been living here with his wife for more than two years. He told Paper Kartuli why Sanzona is an ideal area for homebodies.

Moving

— We have been living in Sanzone since January 2024. We decided to settle here because the area of ​​Guramishvili Avenue is very pleasant: good transport accessibility, everything you need is nearby: shops, shopping centers, fitness. Plus, housing prices here are quite affordable.

Before Sanzona, we lived in Chugureti, about 10–15 minutes walk from the Marjanishvili metro station. The old town is beautiful, but Italian courtyards, where everyone knows and hears each other, are not for us. My wife is a native Muscovite, I was born in Kyiv, then lived in Moscow for a long time. We are accustomed to an urban atmosphere and value privacy.

Pros of Sanzone

— My wife and I are homebodies, and the area completely covers all household needs. Shops, fitness are within walking distance.

A separate plus is that they rarely turn off anything here. You read the news and everywhere they write: in some area there was no water or electricity for a week, somewhere the gas was cut off. In Sanzone it’s easier: if anything is turned off, it’s for a maximum of half a day. No global stories. Maybe the infrastructure is just newer here.

Guramishvili Avenue is very green. After Moscow, it’s like a balm for the soul. I spent 25 years in Kyiv - and Kyiv is a very green city. Moscow loses in this regard: there is a lot of concrete, asphalt, and buildings. There is plenty of greenery here, it’s fresh and beautiful. True, I am allergic to plane trees, and the entire avenue is planted with them. I have to take an antihistamine. It’s ironic - in Kyiv there was a poplar alley under my house, and I’m also allergic to poplar fluff. What can I do?

An additional advantage of the area: there are several universities here, including a European one, so extroverts will always find an English-speaking interlocutor. And there is a pizzeria Paragone - in addition to pizza, they have amazing baked goods: khachapuri, khichina, baked goods, croissants.

Cons of Sanzone

— On the downside: if you like clubs, theaters and public events, you will have to go to the center for this. If we need a theater, we go, for example, to Griboyedov. Large shopping center - "Gallery" or East Point Mall. But this is rare.

Another feature of all of Tbilisi, not just Sanzona, is stray dogs. Some bark, and there are clashes between them on the avenue. But this is a citywide story.

Prices

— I don’t monitor the real estate market, but our apartment in Sanzone is clearly cheaper than similar options in Saburtalo. We rent a two-room apartment for $500 a month. Products are the same as everywhere else: Carrefour, Spar, Magnit. It seems to me that they are the same in price in any area.

Not far from the Grmagele metro station there is a good flower shop - a large selection, pleasant sellers and prices are much lower than in deliveries through Bolt or Glovo, and even more so lower than on marketplaces, where a bouquet can cost 500 GEL.

A perfect day in Sanzone

— This is probably not the most exciting answer, but our ideal day looks like this: wake up slowly, go to the gym, stop at Spar or Carrefour on the way home, relax. In the evening, buy flowers in the same store, sit in the park, swing on a swing. My favorite place in Sanzone is the park with swings near the Grmagele metro station. It's almost always calm there. And then return home - and at the same time know for sure that there is water, electricity and the Internet.

Experience

“Life here has taught me that in every city you can find your own place—where you feel comfortable and cozy. Sanzona is an ordinary area with ordinary architecture, and I appreciate this familiarity. It gives a feeling of anchoring and peace.