Kutaisi travel guide

Kutaisi, Georgia

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Kutaisi

Introduction

Kutaisi sits in the Imereti region of Georgia, on the Rioni River, roughly 221 kilometres west of Tbilisi. It is the capital of Imereti and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Among Georgia's cities it ranks behind Tbilisi and Batumi in size, which gives it a quieter, more manageable feel than the capital while still offering the amenities of a major regional centre.

Before you go

Kutaisi is the traditional rival of Tbilisi for capital status and has long been considered the capital of Western Georgia, then Ancient Colchis, since the days of the Golden Fleece. It is Georgia's third largest city, but it does not come close to Tbilisi's present size and wealth. Locals are proud of their city, and since the Georgian Parliament moved here in 2012 there has been a lot of work restoring streets, buildings, parks and monuments, and the city has become much safer. Expect a bit more variety in the materials, facades and designs of buildings along the streets; as in Tbilisi, a look up to the second floor can reveal balconies of elaborate ironwork.

Kutaisi is more respectful of pedestrians than Tbilisi. Its sidewalks are generally even and flat with very few cars parked on them, and drivers generally stop in front of crosswalks to let pedestrians cross. The central park is a nice and safe place to sit and watch people. For local information, the Kutaisi City Hall website is worth checking before you go.

Getting there

Most visitors arrive by air at King David the Builder International Airport, out in Kopitnari about 14 km west of the city on the main S1 highway. Wizz Air runs no-frills flights from a long list of European cities including Budapest, Berlin, London Luton, Warsaw, Athens, Rome, Milan, Riga, Vilnius, Prague, Paris, Copenhagen and Vienna; Ural Airlines connects Moscow Domodedovo, and Iraqi Airways has occasional flights from Baghdad. The terminal is small, with a money exchange counter, ATMs that dispense small notes, a couple of cafes and convenience stores, and a stretch of floor beneath the inclined windows near the arrival exit where you can lie down if your flight lands or leaves at an awkward hour.

From the airport, a shuttle bus runs around the clock to the tourist information office beside the Red Bridge in the centre, departing every two hours and taking about 40 minutes; pay by card on boarding. Marshrutkas also pass along the highway about 100 m from the terminal, heading east towards Tbilisi via Kutaisi or west to Zugdidi, Batumi, Poti and Samtredia, and you can hail one there. Georgian Bus and Omnibus Express run intercity coaches timed to flight arrivals, serving the city centre, Tbilisi and Batumi, with tickets bought online or at the counter near the exit. A separate airport train station, reached by a free shuttle timed to the trains, is served by long-distance trains from Tbilisi, Ozurgeti, Batumi, Zugdidi and Poti, though not by trains to or from the downtown Kutaisi station.

By rail, Rioni station south of the city is the better bet, since all trains crossing the country between east and west stop there, giving you far more day and night departures than Kutaisi I; marshrutka #3 links it to the centre. Kutaisi I, a 10–15 minute walk from the centre along Tamar the Queen street, serves Tbilisi plus the regional destinations of Tkibuli and Sachkhere. The Tbilisi train is slow, with long stops including one at Rioni, and has bathrooms but no dining car, so bring water and snacks. Marshrutkas to Tbilisi leave from Didube bus station and are quicker than the train but cramped, and the driver may not depart until the vehicle is full; services also run to Batumi, Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe, Kharagauli and Zugdidi. Within the city, the central bus station, the forecourt of Kutaisi I and the Red Bridge area are the places to pick up regional marshrutkas.

Getting around

Kutaisi has no metro or tram, so getting around means walking, minibuses, buses and taxis. The interesting parts of town are genuinely walkable: the pedestrian core between the White Bridge, Kolkha Square, the old town bazaar lanes and the riverside promenade holds most of the cafés, guesthouses and restaurants, and the flat riverside walk along the Rioni is a short stroll from the centre. Bear in mind the terrain is hilly, so a walk that looks short on a map can turn into a steep climb up uneven staircases. Bagrati Cathedral involves a steep uphill climb from the centre, while Gelati Monastery is far enough that a taxi is the realistic option. Cycling is not practical, as there is little infrastructure and traffic makes riding on city roads difficult.

Marshrutkas are the main way residents move around and will likely be yours too. They have no fixed stops: flag one down at the roadside and tell the driver where you want to get off. Fares are low and paid in cash, often to a fare collector, and exact change is preferred, so keep small notes on you. Route maps are rarely posted and hard for visitors to find, so ask your accommodation host, a taxi driver or a local which number you need. The Central Market is the main hub, with its eastern entrance on Chavchavadze Street acting as the de facto gathering point, and services along the David Agmashenebeli corridor and up toward Bagrati Cathedral and the upper old town are especially useful. City buses run on fixed routes with designated stops but are a backup rather than a primary option, and a reloadable transport card bought at bus stations or kiosks saves you needing exact change. Ride-hailing apps are the simplest taxi option, with upfront prices and no negotiation; street-hail taxis cluster around the central market and main bus station, so agree the fare before getting in, and have your destination written in Georgian script. A cable car links the centre near the White Bridge to a parking area on the hill above for panoramic views, especially good at sunset.

Where to stay

Kutaisi's budget beds cluster around the main square and along Tbilisi Street, which runs southeast from the fountain. Hostel Kutaisi sits right next to the square in the historical part of town, with English-speaking staff and free Wi-Fi, internet, linen, towels, coffee, tea, cable TV, maps and guidebooks. Hostel Bavaria occupies a spacious, quiet house in a residential area near a park and a shop, run by a small family and reachable on foot from the main square, with minibus 34 passing close by. Hostel FORREST lies about a kilometre southeast of the plaza, near the centre and the coloured bridges, roughly a 25-minute walk to Bagrati Cathedral. Temi Hostel is a small, social place on the main street near the station, with a balcony for relaxing and meeting other guests; it is popular, so book ahead. Bao Hostel on Tsereteli Street is also close to the city centre.

For a homestay feel, Medico & Suliko Guest House sits in an alley off Tbilisi Street, run by a retired couple: a large room serves as a dorm and two smaller private rooms are available, with a new bathroom, free Wi-Fi and a computer for guests. The hospitality is generous, with homemade food and the husband's homemade wine and chacha. Several guesthouses lie along 26 May Street and Debi Ishkhnelebi Street, including Gelati Guest House, Guesthouse Zelimkhani, Guesthouse Beka and Guesthouse Gora, most with breakfast included. Mid-range hotels include Hotel Oazis, a small central place behind the large round theatre with clean, cozy rooms, wifi, A/C and heating; Hotel Tirifiholiday between McDonald's and the patrol police, with air-conditioned rooms, 24-hour room service, complimentary breakfast, multilingual staff, laundry and free parking; and larger options such as Hotel Rcheuli Palace, Hotel Imperiali, Hotel Aieti's Sasakhle, Hotel Dzveli Kalaki and Hotel Bagrati, several of which include breakfast.

Food & drink

You'll find Kutaisi's restaurants mostly in the city centre, though they're spread out enough that it pays to simply walk around until something appeals. For a quick, cheap meal, Bikentia's Kebabery on Tsisperi Kantselebi Street keeps things simple: one set meal with a beer or soft drink, eaten standing at small wooden tables, and it's popular with locals. Best Shwarma on Grishashvilis is a good bet for tasty spicy shawarma with friendly service, while Kartuli on Pushkini Street serves authentic Georgian food that tastes homemade — ask for the domestic wine. Tea House Foe-Foe on Rustaveli Street, across from the opera building, offers speciality teas alongside Georgian, European and Mediterranean dishes, with multi-tier seating in a wide lobby and floor-to-ceiling windows for watching the street go by. There's also a Wendy's in the centre, a fast-food chain you won't come across often elsewhere.

For something more substantial, Fleur just south of the plaza is an excellent Georgian restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with English-speaking staff. El Paso at the plaza specialises in khinkali but serves other Georgian dishes too, and El Depo feels more like a pub for the evening. If you want a genuinely local experience, Khvicha near Kutaisi I Railway Station is a dukkan with no menu where you can order a tasty soup or khachapuri in really big portions — just note they speak only Georgian and Russian. Kutaisi doesn't have Tbilisi's bar and club culture, but Mary's Irish Pub on Galaktion Tabidze Street pours draft beers including Guinness, keeps a good whiskey selection and hosts live music and sports; Old Galeon at the Red Bridge leans towards rock, and Reflector, which associates itself with Bassiani, opens on Saturdays.

What to see and do

Start with Bagrati Cathedral, the 11th-century church built by King Bagrat III and long a symbol of a unified Georgia. Blown up in the 18th century and restored over the last hundred years, it shows a clear seam between original stone and replacement work, and its reconstruction has stirred debate among preservation bodies. Women will find headscarves by the entrance. The Uqimerioni Fortress sits just behind it. To reach the cathedral on foot, cross the river from the Central Garden on the Nino Street bridge, turn right, cross the street, and take the stairs up the hill, then follow Bagrati Street to the right. Elsewhere in town you can see the Synagogue on Boris Gaponov Street, several historic churches, the White Bridge over the Rioni, and the striking modern Parliament building on the road to Tskaltubo.

For indoor browsing, the Kutaisi State Historical Museum spreads its collection over two floors and ten rooms, with QR codes on some displays linking to extra information, while the David Kakabadze Fine Art Gallery holds 19th- and 20th-century works on Shota Rustaveli Street. Further afield, Gelati Monastery lies northeast of the city and is reachable by minibus, and Motsameta Monastery, an 11th-century foundation rich in frescoes, sits on a ridge in the mountains and sees fewer visitors. The Sataplia Nature Reserve combines dinosaur footprints, a karst cave and a glass observation balcony, though guiding is uneven. In the city, the Botanical Garden "Kolchuri" is small but pleasant, with English labels on some trees and a chapel built inside a tree, and the Central Garden is a handy place to rest and plan. For sport, FC Torpedo Kutaisi play at the Ramaz Shengelia Stadium southwest of the centre, and the Lado Meskhisvili Theater and a puppet theater offer evening performances.

When to go

Kutaisi has a humid subtropical climate, so plan for rain whenever you visit — wet weather is possible in every season. Summers are generally hot, with August the hottest month, and powerful easterly winds descend from the nearby mountains during this season. Autumn brings the on-shore, monsoonal flow characteristic of the Colchis Plain, so expect wet weather if you travel then.

Winters are wet and cool, and January is the coldest month. Heavy, wet snowstorms of 30 cm or more are not uncommon, though snow cover usually does not last more than a week. Spring visits can also meet wet weather, so pack for rain whatever time of year you choose.

Three days in Kutaisi

Day one: Start in Kutaisi itself, the capital of Imereti in Western Georgia, and get your bearings along the Rioni River, which runs through the city. The centre holds the Kutaisi City Hall, and the city's long history reaches back to Ancient Colchis and the legend of the Golden Fleece. Locals are the best source for where to eat and what to see, so ask them as you walk.

Day two: Use Kutaisi as your base for exploring the wider region of Imereti and Western Georgia. The city's past is bound up with King David, and the Georgian Parliament sits in Kutaisi, so the city has a political as well as a historical character. Expect to spend the day moving between the city and the surrounding countryside.

Day three: If you are flying out, Kutaisi is served by King David the Builder International Airport at Kopitnari, with Wizz Air among the carriers linking it to European cities such as Budapest, Berlin, London Luton, Warsaw, Athens, Rome, Milan, Riga, Vilnius, Prague, Paris, Copenhagen and Vienna, as well as Ural Airlines from Moscow Domodedovo and Iraqi Airways. Tbilisi and Batumi are the other Georgian cities you may have passed through. Among Georgia's cities, Kutaisi makes a practical starting point for a trip through the country.

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