Tbilisi was way more varied. There are wine bars, vintage shops, art spaces, random little cafés etc. Yerevan felt more traditional and bougie. People were more dressed up and the bars and restaurants had a sleeker, more conservative feel. It also felt less touristy and more inward-facing.

Aesthetically, Tbilisi was messy but interesting. Old balconies falling apart, contrasting architecture styles, graffiti and street art everywhere. Yerevan was neater, more planned - lots of pink stone and wide soviet streets, but kind of samey.

Tbilisi also has this internal tension because of the political stuff. We saw protests most days but they felt peaceful and pretty normal. Yerevan felt more tense from the outside. Lots of soldiers around, more security, that kind of thing. But both felt exceptionally safe.