Kutaisi is Georgia's ancient western capital — the city of the Golden Fleece legend, the royal seat of Imereti and today a relaxed river town of plane trees, markets and university life. It is the gateway to a cluster of extraordinary sights: the UNESCO monasteries of Gelati and Bagrati, the caves of Prometheus and Sataplia, the canyons of Martvili and Okatse, and the haunting spa town of Tskaltubo.
The city itself is best enjoyed on foot: the covered market, the White Bridge over the Rioni, the Colchis fountain in the main square and the Bagrati cathedral on its hill above the town. Imeretian cooking — the region's own khachapuri, fresh cheese, herb-rich vegetable dishes — is at its best here.
With an international airport served by low-cost airlines, Kutaisi is often a traveller's first sight of Georgia. Two nights allow the caves and monasteries at an easy pace before continuing east to Tbilisi or west to the sea.
