Kutaisi

Capital of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis, home to UNESCO-listed Gelati Monastery and surrounded by Prometheus Cave, the Martvili and Okatse canyons, the Katskhi Pillar church and the cable cars of Chiatura.

Kutaisi is Georgia's third-largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti, straddling the Rioni River. In ancient times it was the capital of the Kingdom of Colchis, the legendary destination of Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece. The city itself has a relaxed pace, and Bagrati Cathedral, the White Bridge, the Colchis Fountain and the Central Market are all within walking distance of one another. East of the city, Gelati Monastery is a World Heritage Site and is often combined with the clifftop Motsameta Monastery in a half-day trip. Kutaisi's bigger draw is the nature around it: to the northwest, Prometheus Cave, the Sataplia dinosaur footprints and the Soviet-era spa town of Tskaltubo make a day trip; further out, Martvili Canyon, Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha Waterfall form another classic day route; and to the east are the church atop the solitary Katskhi Pillar and Chiatura, the "city of cable cars". Getting there: David the Builder Kutaisi International Airport is about 20 km west of the city, with low-cost flights to many European destinations; from Tbilisi it's about 3–4 hours by train or minibus, and Batumi on the Black Sea is about 2.5 hours away. Public transport to the surrounding sights is limited, so hire a car with driver or join a local day tour; most canyons and caves are closed on Mondays. The best season is April–October; summers are hot and humid, and in winter the canyon boat rides and suspended walkways may be suspended. Plan on 2–3 days.

Top sights

• Gelati Monastery – A medieval monastery and academy founded in 1106 by King David the Builder. It is a World Heritage Site famous for its gold mosaics and fre…
• Bagrati Cathedral – Built in the early 11th century by King Bagrat III, this cathedral stands on Ukimerioni Hill and is the landmark of Kutaisi.
• Prometheus Cave – Georgia's most famous cave, with dazzling stalactites, stalagmites and an underground river lit by colored lights, where you can take a boa…
• Martvili Canyon – Emerald river water winds through limestone canyons, and you can take a raft deep into the gorge to its waterfalls. It is one of the most p…
• Motsameta Monastery – A small monastery built on a cliff promontory above the Tskhenistskali River gorge, dedicated to the martyred brothers David and Constantin…
• Sataplia Nature Reserve – A nature reserve that preserves dinosaur footprint fossils, with caves, a glass cantilever viewpoint, and autumn forest. It suits families.
• Okatse Canyon – A steel walkway suspended from the canyon walls, with a gorge tens of meters deep below your feet. It is thrilling and offers breathtaking…
• Kinchkha Waterfall – A mountain waterfall about 70 meters high that cascades in tiers down a cliff. A trail leads to its base, and it is not far from Okatse Can…
• Katskhi Pillar – A small chapel at the top of a natural limestone monolith about 40 meters tall, where a pillar hermit once lived in seclusion. It is known…
• Colchis Fountain – A fountain in the central square of the city center, decorated with more than thirty golden animal sculptures from ancient Colchian gold ar…
• White Bridge – A 19th-century bridge over the Rioni River with glass viewing panels and a statue of the boy who leapt into the river, it is the most photo…
• Kutaisi Cable Car & Gabashvili Park – A Soviet-era cable car, now renovated, rises from the Rioni riverside to Gabashvili Park, where you'll find a retro Ferris wheel and panora…
• Kutaisi Green Bazaar (Central Market) – One of the liveliest farmers' markets in western Georgia, overflowing with Imereti cheese, churchkhela, spices, and fruit.
• Kutaisi State Historical Museum – One of Georgia's oldest regional museums, housing Colchian gold, medieval icons, manuscripts, and coins.
• Kutaisi Botanical Garden – A historic botanical garden on the Rioni riverbank, best known for a small chapel built inside the hollow trunk of a centuries-old oak tree.
• Martvili Monastery (Chkondidi) – The most important monastery in the Samegrelo region, built on the site of an ancient sacred oak on a hilltop, founded in the 7th century…
• Tskaltubo – A famous Soviet-era spa town, where many abandoned grand sanatoriums now draw photographers, and you can still take radon spa baths.
• Chiatura – A manganese mining town in a gorge, known as the 'cable car city' for the aerial ropeways built throughout the Soviet era, where new and ol…
• Geguti Palace – The ruins of a medieval Georgian royal winter palace and hunting lodge, where Queen Tamar is said to have lived. Today it is a large expans…
• Ubisa Monastery – A 9th-century monastery famous for its 14th-century frescoes by Damiane and a four-story stone defensive tower, located beside the E60 high…
• Nokalakevi – The ruins of the capital of the ancient Lazica Kingdom (known in antiquity as Archaeopolis), with city walls, gates, and early churches pre…
• Vani Archaeological Museum – The excavated ruins of an ancient Colchian city and its museum, which holds many exquisite gold ornaments that attest to the wealth of the…
• Balda Canyon – A lesser-known canyon near Martvili where a chain of blue-green pools and waterfalls can be explored on foot or enjoyed in the water, with…
• Nikortsminda Cathedral – A masterpiece of 11th-century Georgian medieval architecture, its exterior covered in exquisite stone carvings, and the most important chur…

Where to eat

• Palati Restaurant – A popular long-running restaurant beside the White Bridge in Kutaisi's old town, with a two-story building, flower-deck…
• Toma's Wine Cellar – Seasonal home-style feasts with homemade wine in the host's house. There is no menu, and it has consistently ranked No…
• Sisters Restaurant – An artsy restaurant in a pink historic building beside Central Park, run by three sisters, with frequent piano and Geor…
• Kutaisi “At Home” Restaurant – A small restaurant styled like a brick wine cellar, known for Georgian small plates and an extensive wine list. The fla…
• Baraqa Restaurant – A long-established, affordable Georgian restaurant in the city centre, with a huge menu and generous portions, suited t…

Itineraries

• Classic East-West Georgia Route – Depart from Tbilisi, travel through Kakheti, Kazbegi, and Kutaisi, and end at the Black Sea in Batumi.
• Grand Loop Road Trip of Georgia – A two-week self-drive route linking wine country, snow-capped mountains, cave cities, Svaneti stone towers, and the Bla…