Kutaisi is Georgia’s second-largest city, but it feels a world away from the liveliness of Tbilisi. The centre is very small, with everything you could want to visit within easy walking distance. There are many sights in town, but Kutaisi is a great base for exploring a number of fantastic geological sites in the area. Beyond this, I would recommend a couple of days in Kutaisi to sample all of the fantastic food the city has to offer. In a country of great food, Kutaisi offered the best of the best!
Palaty
This restaurant was without a doubt my favourite in the whole of Georgia. And others must agree because it is usually full at dinner time, so either go before 5 or after 9.30 pm or make a reservation! There is often live music in the evenings if you do manage to get in at dinner time, a duo of a piano and cello playing a mixture of classical and contemporary arrangements. The best dish on the menu is pork with saperavi sauce, made from Georgia’s most popular wine grape. The veal with tarragon is another excellent choice, as is the chicken with blackberry sauce. Even a simple cheesy pasta is delicious here. Whatever you choose, you will not be disappointed, and will in fact probably return the very next day for more.
Bagrati Cathedral
One of the main landmarks of Kutaisi is Bagrati Cathedral, situated on the top of the hill overlooking the city. It is an easy walk from the centre and by far the best view in town. The cathedral sits in a large green space which is a perfect spot for relaxing and enjoying the stunning vantage point. Visit in the late afternoon and stay to watch the sunset. The cathedral was built in the 11th century, and the inscription on one of the stones giving the construction date is in fact the oldest example of the use of Arabic numerals in Georgia. At the end of the 17th century, the cathedral was blown up by the Ottomans during battle, and then completely pillaged. The renovation is particularly interesting in that industrial metals have been used instead of aiming to imitate the original structure. This restoration was controversial enough to see the building removed from the UNESCO World Heritage list. Despite this, it remains a stunning site, and the clash of old and new architecture gives Bagrati Cathedral a unique style.
Gelati Monastery
Gelati Monastery is a large complex of monastery buildings, chapels, a bell tower and the ruins of ancient buildings. Built in 1106, it was one of Georgia’s first monasteries and is considered a prime example of the country’s Golden Age of architecture. From its founding in the 12th century right up to the present day, the academy here has been a centre of Christian culture and philosophical learning, and the location where many important Georgian chronicles and translations have been written. It is now on the UNESCO world heritage list thanks to its historical importance. The interior of the main Cathedral of the Virgin is decorated with some of the most vivid frescoes you will see across the whole country, and across the complex you can find the burial sites of many medieval rulers.
Motsameta Monastery
This scenic monastery is perched right on the edge of a cliff face and offers fantastic views of the valley and river below. It is smaller and more peaceful than Gelati, and the scenery of the walk from the car park to the entrance is spectacular. While getting a Grab (the local equivalent of Uber) in the city is easy, getting one back from either of these monasteries is very difficult, so organise with your driver to visit both, wait for you, and return to Kutaisi. You can set this whole route in the Grab app, or discuss it with the driver directly. The whole trip should not cost you more than 30 GEL, but there is a toll that you are never made aware of until payment, so make sure this is included when you agree on a price!
El Depo
This diner situated across the White Bridge is popular for one thing: khinkali. This traditional Georgian dumpling can be found all over the country, but el depot does them best. It’s open late, and extremely popular after about 9 pm with people looking for a late-night snack before heading home. Be warned the service does get very slow at this time because of this! But head over at any other time of day and order a selection of khinkali to share between the table. Choose from meat, cheese, potato, mushroom, or the El Depo special (I honestly do not know what is inside these that differs from the normal meat one, but it is somehow so much juicier and way better). You have to get a minimum of 5 of each type that you want to order, and they are large, so either go with a group or on an empty stomach.
Kutaisi Cable Car
Georgia is full of cable cars – almost every town or city has at least one – and Kutaisi’s offering is perhaps the most rickety I experienced in the whole country. It is a very short ride, starting in Veriko Anjaparidze Square and running over the river to Besik Gabashvili Park. The upper station of the cable car is located within a small amusement park, with cheap rides and an old-fashioned Ferris wheel (again very rickety, but perfectly safe!). The cable car costs 1 lari each way ($0.40) and each ride in the amusement park costs about the same, so this is a cheap way to have a fun afternoon or evening!
Green Bazaar
Surprisingly, the Green Bazaar is named not for the grocers that set up shop inside, but for the colour of the outer walls. This large marketplace is jam-packed with vendors selling all kinds of delights, from cheeses to herbs to churchkhela (candied fruit) to chacha (homemade spirits). The fruits and veggies are large and colourful, and the maze of stalls is a joy to wander through.
Kutaisi Park
The park in the middle of Kutaisi is the only real outdoor space for relaxing in the city centre. The tree-lined promenades are shady with lots of benches, and you will find many statues and artworks throughout the greenery. At one end of the park is the famous Colchis Fountain, a traffic circle surrounding a huge monument depicting archaeological artefacts found across Georgia. Most of the statues are models of ancient jewellery discovered at a nearby site, while one particular figurine is a replica of a bronze statue dating back to the 7th century BC.
Bikentia’s Kebabery
This simple kebab joint in the centre of Kutaisi is truly a local experience. The space is narrow, with an order counter at the back and small bar tables jutting out from the walls on either side, with no chairs or stools. Frequented by workmen on lunch break or before heading home, the place has only one thing on the menu: two meat skewers, smothered in a spicy tomato sauce, with a chunk of bread. And I do mean a chunk of bread – it is half of a whole loaf, unsliced and tossed on the plate. The only choice you have is for a beer, a lemonade, or no drink. This makes it very easy to communicate with the old man running the place, you simply say how many plates you need and you’re good to go. Find a standing space and enjoy the unique experience.
Prometheus Cave Natural Monument
This large cave gets its name from the explorer of Greek myth, who supposedly discovered it on one of his epic adventures. To date, 22 caverns have been found spanning a length of 11km! Of this, 1800m of walkways, steps and platforms wind their way through the 6 chambers open to the public. You have to join a tour to walk through, and the groups are large, but it is fairly easy to hang back, take as many pictures as you want, and not feel rushed or crowded. For an extra fee, you can choose to take a boat ride out of the cave and back to the entrance. This boat ride is very short and a little on the pricey side, but you do get to experience the underground river and see a little more of the cave system that others do not. Tip: The explanation at the entrance suggests that the walking option includes a path alongside the river for a little while, which makes the boat ride seem much less worth it, but in reality, you exit the cave at the exact point the boat trip starts from.
Martvili Canyon
One of the most popular attractions in this region, Martvili Canyon has become quite touristy and overcrowded, particularly on weekends. However, it is truly stunning, so if you’re able to organise a weekday morning to visit to avoid the crowds, it’s well worth a visit. The water is bright turquoise, set against a backdrop of 50m high rock walls, with several waterfalls along the canyon. A walking track offers stunning views of the landscape, while a boat ride is the only way to get up close to some of the waterfalls and rock bridges. The boat ride is only possible if it has not rained too much over the past few days, meaning the end of summer and autumn are the best times to visit to experience this.
Okatse Canyon Viewpoint
Another slightly less visited canyon in the same region is Okatse Canyon. Here a metal walkway has been built above the treetops, allowing you to walk the edge of the canyon for 780m with epic, uninterrupted views. At the end, a platform juts out 50m over the canyon below. Vehicles cannot get right up to the walkway but instead must stop 2.5km down the road. ATVs park here offering rides for this last 2.5km, and a common tactic is for them to tell you the walk will take 3 hours. It won’t. By all means, get a ride, but you will have to wait for the vehicle to fill up, and the walk only takes around 40 minutes, meaning you may spend 15GEL per person only to save 10 minutes in total. The most popular day trip from Kutaisi includes a visit to this canyon, Martvili and Prometheus Cave for 80 GEL per person. This does not include any entrance fees, it is only the transport. However, organising the transport individually involves multiple local buses and ends up being extremely time-consuming, so a tour like this is the only way to see all three places in one day if you’re short on time.
“Don’t Skip Kutaisi, Georgia” was originally published on Wanderdash (follow me @rosroundtheworld)