Imereti, western Georgia

Kutaisi

Monasteries, caves and canyons around the old capital of the west.

Best time: All year; spring and autumn are best for the canyons.
From Tbilisi: 3 h 15 min, 230 km

Kutaisi is Georgia's second-oldest city and the capital of Imereti, a green region of rivers, caves and limestone canyons. The UNESCO-listed Gelati Monastery and the rebuilt Bagrati Cathedral stand above the town, and the Prometheus Cave, the Okatse Canyon and the Martvili Canyon are all within an hour's drive.

The airport, where most low-cost flights land, is twenty minutes west of the city. It is also the natural stopover between Tbilisi and the Black Sea.

Don't miss

Gelati Monastery
The 12th-century academy and church with its mosaics and frescoes, on a hill above the city.
Prometheus Cave
Illuminated halls and an underground river, 25 minutes from Kutaisi.
Okatse and Martvili canyons
Walkways above a gorge and boat rides between green cliffs: the classic day out.
The market and the old town
Imeretian cheese, churchkhela and spices under the arcades of the central market.