Kutaisi

“Father City of Georgia”—this is the association you will hear from every Georgian when speaking about Kutaisi. Located in the region of Imereti, 230 km from Tbilisi, it is one of the oldest cities in the country. It is fifth among the oldest cities in Europe. The existence of a large settlement has been proven in the area of Kutaisi since the 15^th century. Kutaisi is connected with the famous legend of Jason and the Argonauts. According to this old Greek legend, the Argonauts came to the kingdom of Kolkheti in order to take the Golden Fleece from there. In the legend, Aya is the central town of the Kolkhetian kingdom. According to many scholars, Aya is an old name for Kutaisi.

In the Middle Ages, Kutaisi was the political center of the kingdom of Georgia. It is a place where the greatest monarch in the history of the country, King David the Builder, was born and from where he started the unification of the country. In the Middle Ages, for 124 years, Kutaisi was the political, economic, and academic center of the Georgian kingdom. Therefore, in Kutaisi, you can still see a lot of historical monuments. For example, the Gelati Academy and monastery complex is a unique and priceless monument of Georgian architecture. This is a place where King David the Builder is buried, and it goes on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There is the Bagrati Cathedral and the Motsameta monastery complex; however, seeing historical monuments is not the only reason people visit Kutaisi today.

What To Do

Travelers in Kutaisi enjoy the natural beauty and benefits of the place. Near Kutaisi there is the Balneological Resort Tskaltbo, which is being rehabilitated now and has a number of recreational facilities where one can get treatment for many diseases. Among them are diseases of the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, central and peripheral nervous systems, gynecological diseases, urological, skin, and endocrine system diseases. The water here is “magical”, as the locals say, and the same will be true of your holiday. The region of Imereti is very rich with Karst caves. Sataflia and Prometheus are the most famous among them. The caves are beautiful, with 13 types of different karst stones, especially stalactites and stalagmites, lighted in different colors. So prepare yourself, because in Kutaisi you cannot be bored.

What to See

• Bagrati Cathedral
• Uqimerioni Fortress
• Gelati Monastery and Academy Complex
• Geguti Fortress
• Food Market
• Theatre 
• Botanical Garden 
• Prometheus Cave
• Sataplia Cave
• Okatse Canyon