Kutaisi is the best city to live in Georgia. There, I said it. Now that you know my stance on the issue, the rest of this love letter to Kutaisi should make more sense. I do not presume to know what every little Georgian city offers to its denizens, but among the “big three,” I would prefer to live in Kutaisi if I were given a chance, and now I will go over the reasons why whilst also trying to show what the city has to offer to its visitors.
First of all, the city, and by that, I mean both the old centre where most tourists visit and the “less old” Soviet-era neighbourhoods that surround it preserve their own architectural and cultural differences. The centre is exceptionally old, one of the oldest cities on Earth actually, and you feel that at every corner. The relatively newly built neighbourhoods around it were mostly founded during the last century, when the area had a population boom thanks to the heavy industries that were founded all around the town and its near vicinity. These massive mosaics and more can be seen in these newer parts of the city, often in a pretty good condition too. A walk along the wide streets of Kutaisi is a walk back in time, when one can feel how alive the city is, and how alive it always was.
Kutaisi is certainly a more conservative city, but not in a “regressive” way. People live in more close-knit societies, they have big families, they care about each other, Georgian is heard all around, and religion does play a more visible part in people’s lives. The Bagrati Cathedral watches over its city ever so gracefully, and a visit to this ancient temple is a must if you are in town.
Though everything inside the cathedral blew me away, the remains of some local Christian saints was what truly stole my heart. A bone or an actual skull of eleven saints are stored in this one wooden trunk, making it an exceptional religious treasure to say the least.
When I said it watches over the city, I meant it. If you go up to the Bagrati Cathedral, you too can enjoy this wonderful aerial view of the town and take it all in. We did this during our first day in the city, and that actually helped us put things into perspective, and plan a few of our upcoming days with more clarity.
This solitary tree in the yard that leads to the cathedral was the most popular spot of the town that I saw, even more so than the Colchis Fountain in its dead center. It was indeed a beautiful tree, and I would not have minded a photo of my own with it, but no matter the angle, one looks tiny if the intention is to have all the might of the tree in one shot.
Speaking of trees, and religion for that matter, Kutaisi is home to a super small but cute botanical garden, costing just a single GEL to enter. It is nothing compared to the one in Batumi, but then again it does not cost you 20 GEL as well. However, Kutaisi has a trick up its sleeve, this “church in a tree.” This just might be the best temple I have ever seen in my life; you go through a small gate and find yourself inside the trunk of a living tree, alongside a lot of wonderful religious imagery. This is a must see, perhaps being the most interesting thing to see in the whole city.
Speaking of the city, though the division that was most visible to my eyes was the one between its Soviet and “old Georgian” sides, a more physical and arguably more visible division occurs due to the Rioni river that cuts the city in two. There are many bridges that connect the two sides, so you never feel like anything keeps you from reaching the other side of the town, but it is well worth mentioning. Since we were there during a somewhat rainy season, the water was never clear due to floods from the mountains above muddying the waters consistently. Nevertheless, I could see how nice it would be to live in one of those houses by the river, constantly hearing the Rioni flowing near you, as you sip some of your home wine.
Despite its old age, and the overall seriousness of the city, Kutaisi is home to a very vibrant cultural life, likely thanks to the plethora of young people that call it home. You can find pieces of art like this everywhere, and in fact some can challenge even the cool Soviet mosaics that are also plentiful in this town. This babushka, for example, can probably beat all the Soviet mosaics everywhere, though some may consider her a Soviet relic as well…
There is a small amusement park atop a hill near the center of Kutasisi, called the Besik Gabashvili Amusement Park. You can reach it easily by taking the cable car on the other side of the river. Once there, make sure to ride the old Ferris wheel that seems to be functioning since the time Brezhnev was in charge. It gives you the best views of the city, and seems somewhat safe, though not completely, which only adds to the excitement!
For those who want an exercise, you can also go to and come back from this amusement park via using some of these stairs that seem to “lead to nowhere.” They take different routes but get you to where you are supposed to go at the end. It also adds to the charm of the town, and almost makes it a magical place with seemingly endless stairs that lead into the green, in the very heart of the town.
There is so much history in Kutaisi that it is almost a bit uncanny. Walk along a street and you come across some Russian poet’s family house, walk to the other side, you see some nice churches, move a few streets down, and you will be in this Jewish quarter. Pass that bridge over there, you are in an old Soviet industrial quarter. It is just a joy in itself to walk around this town, something not all cities can boast about.
All in all, I have nothing but the best to say about Kutaisi, and I truly mean it when I say that I would not be bothered in the slightest if I “had to” live here for a few years. It reminded me of Nizhny Novgorod in all the finest ways possible, and even surpassed it in some manners, mostly thanks to the nature that surrounds it and its much friendlier climate. English can get you around pretty easily, which is always a plus as well. That well connected airport and the ease of access to the rest of the country are all huge pluses too. Let us also not forget the cheaper prices despite a higher quality of food and service Kutaisi offers in comparison to Batumi, and likely to Tbilisi as well. It is simply an excellent little city to live in, and the day trips one can take using it as a base only elevate its status further. Keep following my adventures as starting from next week, I will be covering five unique day trips that I took when I was based in Kutaisi, and all five will leave you speechless in different ways.