What is the Lisi Lake area?
Lisi Lake is a small lake at 624 metres above sea level, in a hollow of the Lisi ridge on Tbilisi's north-western edge. Around it has grown one of the city's most distinctive housing areas: gated villa communities, private houses on garden plots, three private international schools and, on the side towards the Nutsubidze Plateau, mid-rise blocks of flats. Few places inside the city limits combine houses with gardens, a lake and a pine forest in this way.
The area belongs to Saburtalo district. Tbilisi City Council's decision No 16-35 of 2014 does not name the lake at all; it uses the Tbilisi - Kvemo Lisi road as the line between Saburtalo's units and Vake's Nutsubidze microdistricts, and OpenStreetMap places the Lisi settlement in Saburtalo's unit 9, "Dighomi, Vashlijvari". That last point is our reading of the map, not a sentence in the decision. The village of Lisi, further west in Mtskheta municipality, is a different place. This page covers the lake itself, the land history, planning limits, prices of flats, houses and plots, projects, transport, schools and risks. For the district as a whole, see our Saburtalo guide.
Map and boundaries
Lisi Lake lies west of Vashlijvari and north-west of the Nutsubidze Plateau, with Leo Kvachadze Street along its south-western shore and the Lisi ring road around it.
Open the mapStreets you will meet in listings include Leo Kvachadze, Togo Gudava, Ioseb Kechakmadze, Tkhinvala, Amashukeli, Pirmtserta, Amberki Tabidze and Avto Varazi. Be careful with portal labels: the "Lisi lake" section of ss.ge also takes in Avto Varazi Street, which runs on the Nutsubidze Plateau side, so a flat filed under Lisi may stand on the plateau rather than by the water. Our separate guide covers the Nutsubidze Plateau.
Who the Lisi Lake area suits
Suits
- Families who want a house and garden and an international school within walking distance.
- Buyers who value a lake, a forest path and space more than a central address.
- Buyers of building plots who are ready to check zoning and permits carefully.
Does not suit
- Anyone without a car who commutes to the centre every day.
- Buyers who want city services, shops and cafes on every corner.
- Investors expecting a quick resale of a plot without a building permit.
The lake itself
Georgian Wikipedia, citing the city's environmental strategy for 2015 to 2020, gives the lake an area of 0.47 km², a catchment of 16 km² and a volume of 1.22 million m³; it is fed by rain, snow and groundwater. The Georgian Encyclopedia describes the Lisi ridge around it as built of gypsum-bearing clays and sands cut by dry gullies, with planted pine forest on its slopes. The lake is state property, and the national tourism portal lists a 3 km cycling and walking path, sports and play areas, bicycle, boat and water-bike hire, cafes, a beach and an open-air sulphur bath.
The water level is the lake's weak point. In the 1990s it fell to about 20 cm and was refilled with groundwater piped from the Nutsubidze Plateau. Radio Liberty's Georgian service reported in 2021 that by 2020 the level had dropped again by 1.5 to 2 metres, blaming silted inflow channels, a pumping station on land sold to a private company and climate change; a city official called the lake artificial and said it had once been filled mechanically. We found no measurement of the level, and no bathing-water test, published from 2022 to 2026.
Recreation, auctions and Green Lisi Town
Boating on the lake began in 1936 and about 1,400 trees and shrubs were planted on the shore from 1937, according to Georgian Wikipedia citing a newspaper of that year. Before the Tbilisi Sea was built in the 1950s, Lisi was the largest body of water near the city.
The modern story starts with land sales. In 2007 a venture organised by the banker Mamuka Khazaradze bid US$ 182 million for 354 hectares of recreational land around the lake, promising investment, sports grounds, a fresh-water supply for the lake and a cable car. OCCRP reported in 2015 that none of these conditions were met and the bid was never paid; companies linked to Khazaradze later bought the land directly from the state for about US$ 55 million. Lisi Development opened the first phase of Green Lisi Town in 2011 and markets an "80/20" concept of 80% green space and 20% buildings. On 18 September 2016 City Hall and the Tbilisi Development Fund opened the lit 3 km path around the lake, with 101 lamp posts, at a cost of more than GEL 1 million.
Planning limits and permits
Building around the lake has been stopped and restarted. On 28 March 2018 the mayor halted construction while each case was reviewed, and from 4 May 2018 the City Council banned new building permits, detailed plans and zone changes there for 6 months. When the general land-use plan was adopted in 2019, the Lisi surroundings were one of 11 recreational areas placed under a development restriction until studied. On 14 July 2020 the council lifted the restriction, although members of the study team told Publika their Lisi work had stopped at the vision stage and strict protection zones were never drawn.
The study's own figures show the scale: of 1,127.73 hectares examined around Lisi and Tkhinvala, 65% of the registered land was private, and 582 building permits covering 60.64 hectares had been issued from 2007 to March 2020. Its authors warned that building close to the lake could cut off its water sources and that missing sewerage threatened ground and surface water. In June 2025 City Hall announced that the municipal inspection would remove illegal fences and buildings from the pine forest by the lake. For a buyer the lesson is simple: check the plot's functional zone, any approved development regulation plan and the building permit before paying anything.
What flats, houses and plots cost
No analyst prices Lisi on its own. Galt & Taggart's nearest zone is Vashlijvari, which shares unit 9; that link is our inference, and the zone also covers cheaper streets well away from the lake.
| Indicator | Figure | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| New flats, Vashlijvari zone | USD 1,094 per m² | July 2026, range USD 815 to 1,440; USD 945 in December 2023 |
| Rent, Vashlijvari zone | USD 9.5 per m² a month | July 2026 |
| New flats, Saburtalo zone | USD 1,732 per m² | July 2026, for comparison |
| Flats listed on ss.ge | GEL 2,700 to 7,010 per m² | Sample of the first page, most between GEL 3,600 and 5,200 |
| Houses listed on ss.ge | GEL 468,000 to 2,208,000 | Houses of 180 to 455 m², one outlier excluded |
| Plots listed on ss.ge | GEL 312 to 919 per m² | Plots of 420 to 6,000 m², many recorded as agricultural land |
The ss.ge section held 1,874 flats, 652 houses and 792 plots for sale, and 2,626 flats for rent, on 21 October 2026, counts that include repeat ads and streets on the plateau side. Examples: a 65 m² flat on Tsakhvebi Street at GEL 247,000, about GEL 3,800 per m²; a 100 m² flat on Kvachadze Street at GEL 701,000, about GEL 7,010; a 180 m² house on 680 m² of land at GEL 649,000; and a 1,000 m² non-agricultural plot at GEL 351,000. Agricultural status matters, because it can limit what you may build, so read it on the registry extract.
Asking rents in the same section ran from GEL 1,820 to 2,260 a month for 51 to 56 m² flats on Pirmtserta Street and GEL 3,250 for 70 m² on Kvachadze Street. These are single asks, not an average. The Vashlijvari zone figure of USD 9.5 per m² is a fairer starting point for a block of flats; houses near the schools are a separate, thin market. Compare districts in our page on rents by district.
Projects around the lake
- Green Lisi Town (Lisi Development): the original gated community; a tower on Tiripebi Street was listed from GEL 5,544 per m² in June 2026.
- Lisi Topograph (Lisi Hills LLC): 244 house plots on 41.8 hectares about 500 m from the shore, with house designs to be agreed with the project architect; no prices published.
- The Lake (Placemakers): villas and houses with a shared "Lake House"; TBC Bank agreed in December 2025 to finance GEL 30 million of a GEL 47 million first phase.
- Metropol Lisi (Metropol): about 70 villa plots offered in April 2025 at USD 159 to 225 per m² of land.
- Lisi House (J5) at 19 Leo Kvachadze Street: 83 flats, from USD 1,500 per m² in October 2026, next delivery in the fourth quarter of 2026.
- Lisi Lakers (Apart) on Amberki Tabidze Street: 196 flats due in the third quarter of 2028; Deka Lisi (Deka) at 36 Avto Varazi Street: 546 flats in 3 blocks of 12 floors, due in the second quarter of 2027.
Several of these are at an early stage, and dates come from the developers. Check each one with our developer checklist.
Getting there and around
There is no metro near the lake. By our measurement on OpenStreetMap, Delisi and Vazha-Pshavela stations on Line 2 are each about 2.2 km in a straight line from the lake's centre and State University about 2.7 km. The Tbilisi Transport Company's planner shows bus 329 from Station Square to Tkhinvala through the Lisi Lake settlement, bus 363 from Tkhinvala to Tbilisi State University via Delisi metro, bus 389 between Didube and State University metro along Machavariani Street, bus 107 from Tsodoreti to Delisi metro and route 505 to Delisi metro.
Mukhran Machavariani Street, the road down to Vashlijvari, is on the National Environmental Agency's 2023 list of high-risk landslide sites. In 2019 the mayor inspected work on a new road of about 2 km from the lake to Marshal Gelovani Avenue, costing about GEL 15 million; we found no report of its completion. Large events bring closures: during the Tbilisi Open Air festival on 4 to 6 July 2026 the Lisi ring road ran one way and buses were diverted.
Schools and daily life
- Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy at 7a Leo Kvachadze Street: grades 8 to 12, 372 students, founded in 2001.
- British International School of Tbilisi at 17 Leo Kvachadze Street: British curriculum with IGCSE and A-levels.
- International Maarif Schools: a school directory lists its Tbilisi campus at 15 Leo Kvachadze Street.
- Public schools: we found none inside the settlement; School No 102 on the Nutsubidze Plateau is about 1.4 km from the lake's centre in a straight line.
We found no reliable list of shops and clinics in the settlement, so check what is within walking distance of the specific address; the larger malls are in Saburtalo.
Air, slopes and services
No official air monitor stands at Lisi; the nearest automatic station is on Kazbegi Avenue in Saburtalo, about 2.7 km away, so we quote no readings for the lake. The city's air plan attributes 59% of Tbilisi's fine-particle emissions to construction and demolition, worth remembering in an area with many building sites. The 2018 statement by the mayor that the area lacked roads, water and sewerage, and the later study's warning, mean a buyer should ask how a house is connected to water and sewage, not assume it.
Letting near the lake
The three private schools on Leo Kvachadze Street are an obvious draw for families, but we found no published survey of tenants and no short-stay data for Lisi. Treat any rent you are quoted as a single ask and test it against similar listings over several weeks. Our long-term tenants guide sets out what renters in Tbilisi compare.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lake, forest and a 3 km path on the doorstep | No metro, about 2.2 km to the nearest station |
| Three private schools on Leo Kvachadze Street | No reliable list of nearby shops and clinics |
| Houses and plots inside the city limits | Zoning reopened in 2020 without a finished plan |
| Several gated communities to choose from | Lake level has fallen, no recent measurement |
| Wide range of flat prices on the plateau side | Landslide-listed road down to Vashlijvari |
To be added by the team: photos for the team to take: the lake and its path, the beach and boat station, Green Lisi Town, houses on Leo Kvachadze Street, the school campuses from the street, the pine forest, the Lisi ring road and new blocks on Avto Varazi Street.
Checking a property at Lisi Lake step by step
Find the true location
Lake side or plateau side of the ss.ge label.
Read the functional zone
Residential, recreational or agricultural land.
Ask for the permit
Permit number and approved regulation plan.
Confirm water and sewage
Central network or septic tank.
Drive the school run
At 8 in the morning, both directions.
Look at the slope
Cracks, retaining walls and drainage.
Frequently asked questions
Which district is Lisi Lake in?
Saburtalo; OpenStreetMap places the Lisi settlement in its unit 9, "Dighomi, Vashlijvari".
How much does a flat near Lisi Lake cost?
Listings on 21 October 2026 asked mostly GEL 3,600 to 5,200 per m².
What do houses near Lisi Lake cost?
Houses of 180 to 455 m² were listed at about GEL 468,000 to 2,208,000.
Can I swim in Lisi Lake?
There is a beach, but we found no published bathing-water test for 2022 to 2026.
Is there a metro near Lisi Lake?
No. Delisi and Vazha-Pshavela are about 2.2 km away in a straight line.
Which international schools are at Lisi Lake?
The American Academy, the British International School and International Maarif Schools.
Can anyone build around the lake?
Only with a permit; the zone, plan and permit must be checked for each plot.
Who owns Lisi Lake?
The lake is state property; most surrounding land is private.
Sources
- Tbilisi City Council decision No 16-35 on territorial units, 5 December 2014, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Lisi ridge and Lisi village, Georgian Encyclopedia (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Lisi Lake, Georgian Wikipedia, citing the Tbilisi environmental strategy 2015-2020 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Lisi Lake, Georgian National Tourism Administration (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Report on the falling water level of Lisi Lake, Radio Tavisupleba, 17 September 2021 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Land grab penalties forgiven, OCCRP, 11 December 2015, and Lisi Development (accessed 21 October 2026)
- New path around Lisi Lake, Tbilisi City Hall, 18 September 2016 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Construction halted at Lisi Lake, 1TV, 28 March 2018, and 6-month building ban, Imedi, 9 May 2018 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Where is our general plan?, 13 October 2020, and Vision Lisi, 17 November 2020, Publika (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Illegal buildings and fences in the forest by Lisi Lake to be removed, PrimeTime, citing Tbilisi City Hall, 26 June 2025 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Tbilisi residential real estate reports by Galt & Taggart: 2025 and July 2026 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Flats for sale in the Lisi lake section, with the houses, land and rent sections, ss.ge (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Projects: Lisi Green Town and Deka Lisi, Avezor; Lisi Topograph; TBC Bank and Placemakers, Georgia Today, 8 December 2025; Metropol Lisi, Property Georgia, 11 April 2025; Lisi House and Lisi Lakers, korter.ge (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Journey planner, Tbilisi Transport Company, and new road to Lisi Lake, 1TV, 31 July 2019 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Tbilisi Open Air 2026 traffic restrictions, Georgia Today, July 2026, and most dangerous territories in Tbilisi, Sputnik Georgia, citing the National Environmental Agency, 18 June 2024 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- GZAAT; British International School of Tbilisi, Georgia Today; International Maarif Schools, Tbilisi campus, International Schools Database (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Air quality management plan for the Tbilisi agglomeration, 2024-2026, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, and mayor on the development of Lisi Lake, 1TV, 31 March 2018 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Lisi Lake, OpenStreetMap (accessed 21 October 2026)
Change log
- - Area guide published from the Tbilisi City Council decision on territorial units, the Georgian Encyclopedia, the national tourism portal, City Hall notices, OCCRP, Publika and Radio Tavisupleba reporting, Galt & Taggart reports, ss.ge listings, developer and school sources and the air quality management plan.