8 Interesting Things to Do inside Kutaisi, Georgia
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Kutaisi has a pretty original mix of landmarks:
- An impressive cathedral and numerous churches spiritually guarding the city.
- Authentic local markets with fresh produce and Georgian food.
- Bizarre museums of ages past.
- A river.
- A cable car over the river.
- A well-preserved quaint Old Town.
Compared to the other 2 big cities in Georgia – Tbilisi and Batumi – Kutaisi is so different. Laid back, charming, humble but historic.
Kutaisi has this smaller medieval town vibe. It hides many interesting things and offbeat encounters. Here’s my selection of the most interesting places in Kutaisi to make your trip unique!
1. The Green Bazaar (eat, shop, or just look and loiter)
While in the city center, make sure to visit the Green Bazaar, located between Shota Rustavelli Avenue and Michael Lermontov Street.
There you can browse all kinds of different clothes for the unreliable Imeretian weather or go through all the produce that people from Kutaisi and the region bring to sell: churkchella, cheese, fruits and veggies, meat, etc.
While there, find the fresh bread stand and get a Shoti bread (or Shotis Puri)- it’s the best thing EVER! Soft, warm, chewy inside, crispy outside. Given its price of literal pennies, it’s just… *Chef’s Kiss*!
2. Kutaisi Park (Central Garden)
Right in the heart of the city, you will find Kutaisi’s central park.
Also sometimes called the Royal Garden because it was a gift for Princess Darejan by King Solomon I of Imereti.
Locals, however, call it The Boulevard, because of the big streets on both sides of the park and the colonnaded entrance.
Look for the statue of Sisters Ishkhneli. They were a folk quartet born in Kutaisi that got incredibly famous in Georgia in the 1940s.
On the north side of the garden is a small square with a peculiar fountain/statue. This is the Colchis Fountain – the symbol of Kutaisi and a tribute to Kutaisi’s history as a capital of the Kolchis Kingdom between 13th-1st centuries BC.
3. White Bridge
The history of the White Bridge is quite interesting. It was originally built in 1852 but was soon after destroyed in 1860. It was reconstructed most recently in 2010.
Today, it stands as a symbol of Kutaisi’s resilience and innovation, a bridge between the city’s past and future.
The bridge’s design is a blend of traditional Georgian engineering and sleek modernity. As you cross the White Bridge, take a moment to appreciate the statue of a boy holding a hat, a tribute to the children who used to play in the river below.
Some of the bridge’s floor panels have been replaced with transparent glass. It’s quite cool to be able to look down and see the river below.
4. National Museum of Military Glory
Whereas the State Historical Museum was a major letdown for me and I don’t recommend it for its lack of information, proper curation, and general snoozefest that the exhibits are, the National Museum of Military Glory is a much more intriguing place to visit.
It’s named ‘National’, but there are similarly named museums in many Georgian cities, including Gori and Tbilisi.
The museum exhibits photos and items of significance related to WW2 (or The Great Patriotic War, as it was called in the USSR) and the more recent war with Russia from 2008.
It’s free to enter, although I wouldn’t mind spending a few Lari to fund better lighting inside.
5. Kutaisi Museum of Sport
Another museum? Wait, hear me out! This one is quite cool!
During the Cold War, Soviet states and countries of the Warsaw Pact invested a lot in all sports. Sport was seen as an arena of competition with the ‘capitalist West’ and medals from the Olympics were as good as war trophies.
Sport has always been a way to foster patriotic spirit and propagate ideas (look at Nazi Germany at the 1936 Olympics, or the so-called “sportswashing” that Russia and Saudi Arabia have done in recent years) and it was in overdrive during the Cold War.
The Kutaisi Museum of Sport is a blast from the past. It feels old, smells old, and displays trophies from at least 30 years ago with absolutely no context – not a single info panel. Countless medals, cups, attributes, tools, balls, etc are arranged in the dusty glass cabinets, a memory of a bygone sports glory.
It’s free to enter and is worth it for its bizarre look and feel.
6. Bagrati Cathedral
A short walk up on cobblestone, almost Medieval streets (without the filthy gutters) from the city center and you get to the Bagrati Cathedral, one of the great cathedrals of Georgian Christianity.
It was built in 1003 during the reign of King Bagrat III, hence the name.
I have bad news for you though. Even though the cathedral looks very nice today, it was extensively renovated in the past 20 or so years changing its authentic look drastically.
There was even public backlash – I mean, can you imagine if the pious Georgians object to anything Christian-related, then it must really be striking a nerve!
This even meant the cathedral lost its UNESCO status!
Nevertheless, it’s an important piece of architecture and a religious center of faith. If you’re not so convinced, well, the views from the Bagrati Cathedral’s hill are quite remarkable and give you a full view of Kutaisi.
7. The Jewish Quarter
Kutaisi’s Jewish Quarter is everything north of Meskhishvili Theatre but south of the Rioni River. There are many cute guesthouses in this area and not one, not two, but whole 3 synagogues serving the Jewish population!
That’s a bit misleading because even though the Jews in Kutaisi date back up to the 6th century BC, not that many still live there.
The main one is the Kutaisi Synagogue is the second-largest in Georgia after the one in Tbilisi. It was built in 1861 and is open for visitors for two hours in the morning (8-10 AM) and two more in the evening (8-10 PM).
It kind of looks a bit like a Communist building with the symmetry and the sharp edges but inside you will find a marvelous and extravagant design. A bit like opening a present wrapped in ordinary paper.
The other two synagogues are much smaller and easy to miss. Search for them on Boris Gaponov Street.
8. Take a cable car to Gabashvili Park
From where the Old Town hugs the Rioni River is a cable car station. It looks a bit wonky and has been in operation since 1961.
It’s a single cabin carrying no more than 5 people if even that is possible. It’s really small and cutesy!
For 1 GEL you can take it to get across the river and on top of the hill overlooking Kutaisi (Gabashvili Park) for some nice views.
The walk back is about 15 minutes if you decide to skip the cable car. The park itself resembles a fair, so unless you’re 13 or you fancy some ice cream, there really isn’t much to do there apart from the views towards Kutaisi.
Where to stay in Kutaisi
Kutaisi has experienced a boom in tourism owing to the start of cheap flights to Europe, Georgia’s eminence as a digital nomad destination (the 1 year visa-free certainly helps!), and just how nice the city and the Imereti region are.
And a boom in tourism comes with an increase in accommodation options.
I can recommend Dingo Backpackers Hostel with both hands.
It’s located in an old Georgian house, they have a gazillion cats, run special events for guests like cooking classes and family dinners, and organize day trips around Kutaisi.
A cute guesthouse is the way to go if you can’t splurge on an expensive hotel but want comfort, privacy, and to feel a little pampered.
Pick Makos Guesthouse close to the Botanical Gardens. Get an awesome breakfast, free bike rental, and a swimming pool.
Have an awesome and relaxing stay in the upscale Newport Hotel Kutaisi. It’s right next to the Colchis Fountain, so you know the location is superb.
And they can help with any query you might have under the sun.
How to get to Kutaisi
Kutaisi has a rather central location within Georgia and is well connected to the rest of the country. One could even say it’s something of a transportation hub too!
Tbilisi to Kutaisi
There are direct marshrutkas from Didube Station going towards Kutaisi. There are at least 10 of these daily and you will have no problems finding the next one as you leave the subway station at Didube.
The same can be said about marshrutkas going from Kutaisi to Tbilisi. They run around the clock departing from Kutaisi Bus Station, right next to Kutaisi II train station (a bit out of the city).
There are also trains linking Georgia’s two largest cities which are notoriously slow. Check timetables and book online on the official website.
Travel time between Kutaisi and Tbilisi is around 5 hours. If you want to break up the journey, consider stopping at Gori and exploring Stalin’s Museum and Uplistsikhe Cave Town.
Batumi to Kutaisi
Much the same way as Tbilisi, there are direct marshrutkas between Batumi and Kutaisi. They depart Batumi from the Batumi Intercity Bus Station right beside the Train Station.
The journey time is around 5 hours.
How to get from Kutaisi to Kutaisi Bus Station
Kutaisi is a small city and you won’t need to take its public transport to visit any of the places on this list.
However, the Kutaisi Bus Station is around 5 km from the Old Town. Yes, walking is a plausible mode of transport but it’s through boring residential districts and uneventful.
As you leave the bus station, look for marshrutka #1 which will take you directly to the city center. It stops at Central Square at Tsereteli St. (among other places) where you can catch it to go back to the bus station.
Payment is to the driver as you go in, cash only.
What day trips to take from Kutaisi?
The reason Kutaisi is quickly becoming a very popular destination is that on top of everything interesting in the city, there are also many fascinating destinations less than 2 hours away.
Some of the best ones include:
- Tskaltubo Resort and its abandoned bathhouses and spa centers;
- Prometheus Cave;
- Tetra Cave;
- Sataplia Nature Reserve;
- Gelati and Motsameta Monasteries;
- Chiatura and its awesome lifts used as public transport;
- Many other caves, monasteries, museums, geysers, nature reserves, and fortresses.
I visited a few of these as day trips and I have compiled the best day trips from Kutaisi including tips and first-hand experience on how to organize transport and what’s worth it.
