While we would not usually deal with subjects as frivolous as the “best bar in Gori” we do make an exception when both the locale and bar are something special.
And boy do you get that with Gori, which not only has a big fortress and a cave city, but is also the birthplace of a certain Joseph Stalin. It really does not get much bigger than that for a YPT nerd.
Oh then what is the best bar in Gori? It is Old Marani, for a slew of reasons we shall get into here!
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What the Gori?
Gori is a city of around 45,000 people located about 85 km west of Tbilisi in the Shida Kartli region of Georgia. While many simply pass through on the way to somewhere else, there is actually plenty to keep you here. The city is dominated by the impressive Gori Fortress, while just outside town lies the ancient cave city of Uplistsikhe, one of the oldest settlements in the Caucasus.
Yet the real draw is that Gori is the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, with his childhood home and the excellent Stalin Museum making this a true Mecca for Red Tourists and Stalinistas alike!
What the Old Marani Bar?
The Old Marani Bar is a newly opened, but old school pub in downtown Gori, not far from Stalin Avenue and museum. According to the owner he set up the place to be a welcoming to all drinking spot that was good fun. On my night in there he had surely achieved that as there were people from all over Europe and indeed locals knocking back beers, and boy did they knock them back.
This was particularly evidenced by the inertnatonal challenge they had of downing 1.5 liter beer in under 90 seconds. This may sound easy but few at all succeeded and most that did took at least one minute. Be grateful to know that at least one English scamp of a Pioneer did it in under 30 seconds.
Underneath the well laid out pub is a well knotted out cellar, perfect as the word Marani actually means an old Georgian wine cellar, in Georgian of course. Here after some big persuasion they put the England vs Norway match in, something that kept the people partying until 5 am.
While there might not be mocha a nightlife here, particularly in comparison with Tbilisi, they at least now have the Old Marani Pub and it is the best bar in Gori!
Click to read about the best Red Tourist sites in the world.
Location of Old Marani Pub
The location of Old Marani is one of the big draws here as it is right by downtown. This means it is near the best restaurant, anomaly – Black Stars, as well as the worst, namely KE&RA. This also means that it is walking distance from Georgia Gold Hotel, as well as most importantly the Stalin Museum.
Address: 78 Stalin Avenue, Gori 1400, Georgia
Telephone: +995 557 74 84 44
Facebook: Old Marani Gori
Instagram: @oldmarani.gori
Click to see our Georgia Tours.
