Places to Visit in Kutaisi, Georgia, Europe

Places to Visit in Kutaisi, Georgia, Europe

Kutaisi is the 2^nd largest city and legislative capital of Georgia as well as the capital of Imereti region, situated about 225 km northwest of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Tourism is the backbone of Kutaisi’s economy. Kutaisi is situated on the banks of the Rioni River, covering an area of 82 sq. km. It coordinates with 42°15′0″ N latitude and 42°42′0″ E longitude and is located at an altitude between 125 and 300 meters. Kutaisi features a humid subtropical climate with hot and dry summers and wet and cool winters.

History of Kutaisi:

According to the historical sources, Kutaisi served as the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis in the second millennium BC. Kutaisi also served as the capital of the United Kingdom of Georgia (978 – 1122 CE) and the Imeretian Kingdom (1500s- 1810). The historical identities of Kutaisi include Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Monastery, Geguti Palace and Motsameta Church.

How to reach Kutaisi?

Kutaisi is served the David Builder Kutaisi International Airport, situated around 14 km away from the city centre and handles flights to Minsk, Moscow, Baghdad, Katowice, Warsaw, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kiev and Tbilisi.

Kutaisi has a good connectivity to Tbilisi by train. Generally train departs Tbilisi at 8:50AM and reaches Kutaisi at 3:00PM and charge would be 5 GEL.

Buses are also regular between Kutaisi and Tbilisi, departing Didube Bus Station in Tbilisi to Kutaisi. Marshrutkas (minibus) is an additional option for both short and long distance travel.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Kutaisi:

Kutaisi is the site of plenty of class museums related to the history, culture, tradition and sport of Kutaisi. Kutaisi is also home to many grand festivals.

Cotton clothes and traditional handicrafts are purchasable items in Kutaisi and the major food corners in Kutaisi include:

Cafe de Paris
Mirzaani brewery
Bar-Restaurant Palaty

Tourist Attractions in Kutaisi:

Kutaisi State Historical Museum:

Kutaisi State Historical Museum is an ideal place to know the complete and rich history of Georgia. Wide research library and laboratories in the museum have made it Georgia one of the major scientific-research institutions. It is home to around 16 0000 exhibits covering archaeological and paleographical tradition of Georgia.

David Kakabadze Fine Art Gallery:

Situated at 8 Shota Rustaveli Street in Kutaisi, the David Kakabadze Fine Art Gallery was founded in 1976, housing more than 2800 objects of many renowned artists such as Gigo Gabashvili, E. Akhvlediani, S.Kobuladze and Niko Pirosmani. The museum is spread over an area of 1048 m².

Bagrati Cathedral:

The Bagrati Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated few kilometers away from the heart of Kutaisi city. The king of Georgia, Bagrat III who was the founder of the cathedral, founded in the 11th century. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site of the city Gelati Monastery is situated near Bagrati Cathedral.

List of other places of interest in Kutaisi includes:

Kutaisi Museum of Sport
Kutaisi Museum of Martial Art
Museum of Zakaria Paliashvili
Kutaisi Meliton Balanchivadze State Opera House
Kutaisi State Historical Archive
Motsameta Church
Hermann-Wedekind-Jugendtheater
Kutaisi State Scientific-Universal Library
Sataplia Cave
Kutaisi Iakob Gogebashvili State Puppet Theatre
Geguti Palace
Kutaisi Lado Meskhishvili State Academic Theatre

Best time to visit Kutaisi:

The best time to visit historical Kutaisi is during the months between April and October.

Accommodation options in Kutaisi:

Kutaisi is a historical city rich in culture, tradition and infrastructure as well as hospitality industry with top class hotels with latest tourist favor facilities. The reputed hotels in Kutaisi are as follows: