What to see in Kutaisi in one or two days

Bagrati Cathedral

The cathedral stands on Ukimerioni Hill above the Rioni, inside the city. It was built under King Bagrat III, and an inscription on the north wall dates the floor to 1003. In 1692 Ottoman troops wrecked it, and the dome and vaults fell in. Restoration went on for decades, and in 2012 the cathedral got a dome and roof again.

UNESCO found that the rebuilding harmed the monument's authenticity, and in 2017 Bagrati was taken off the World Heritage list. Gelati stayed on it. Entry is free. The terrace by the cathedral looks out over the whole city, and it is about a 20-minute walk uphill from the centre.

Transfer

Kutaisi Airport → Tbilisi

≈ 3 h 30 min250 kmfrom $200from €180from ₾525

Gelati Monastery

David the Builder founded Gelati in 1106. It had an academy, one of the main schools of medieval Georgia. The monastery stands on a hill 11 km northeast of the centre, a 15 to 20 minute drive. Gelati has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994.

The main Church of the Virgin was finished in 1130 under David's son, Demetre I. Its apse has a 12th-century mosaic of the Virgin and Child. The smaller churches of St George and St Nicholas date from the 13th century. David the Builder is buried under the south gate. Tradition says he wanted everyone who came in to step on his grave. Next to it lies the iron gate of Ganja, which Demetre I brought back as a war trophy.

The main church has been under conservation for several years, and since 2025 it has stood under a large protective shelter. It is not always open inside, so you may not see the mosaic. At times the whole monastery has closed for a few weeks, so check before you go. Entry is free. Cover your shoulders and knees, and women should cover their heads. Bring a scarf.

Motsameta

Motsameta stands on a cliff above the Tskaltsitela river, 6 km from the centre. Gelati is only 2 km away, but each monastery has its own turn-off from the road, so they are easy to see together. The church keeps the relics of the brothers David and Constantine, rulers of Argveti. In the 8th century they refused to convert to Islam, and the Arab commander Marwan the Deaf had them killed. Tskaltsitela means "red water". Legend says the river ran red with their blood.

The relics lie in a reliquary inside the church. Locals say that if you crawl under it three times and make a wish, the wish comes true. The monastery is small, and 30 to 40 minutes is enough.

Prometheus Cave

The cave is by the village of Kumistavi near Tskaltubo, about 20 km from Kutaisi. The drive takes 30 to 40 minutes. It was found in the 1980s and opened to visitors in 2011. There are 22 halls, and six of them are on the tour. You walk past stalactites, stalagmites and an underground river, all lit in different colours. It is about 14 °C inside all year, so bring a jumper.

A guided tour is included in the ticket and takes about an hour. At the end you can take a boat along the underground river for about 15 minutes. Buy the boat ticket at the ticket office together with your entry. After heavy rain, when the water is high, the boats do not run.

• Entry for foreigners is 40 GEL, and the boat is another 30 GEL. Prices went up in 2026.
• Georgian citizens and residents pay 16 GEL for entry and 14 GEL for the boat. Children under 6 go free.
• The cave is open every day from 10:00 to 17:00, a little longer in summer.
• The path is wet in places, so wear shoes that grip.

The centre of Kutaisi

The centre is small. You can walk around it in 2 to 3 hours.

• The Green Bazaar is the city's central market, a few minutes from the river. It sells Imeretian cheese, churchkhela, tklapi fruit leather, spices and local tea. Come in the morning, when the stalls are full.
• The White Bridge crosses the Rioni. In 1872 an iron bridge with a frame brought from France replaced the old wooden one. Since the 2019 renovation, part of the deck is glass. On the bridge there is a bronze boy holding two hats, a character from Eldar Shengelaia's film An Unusual Exhibition.
• The Colchis Fountain stands on the central square. It is decorated with large gilded copies of ancient Colchian gold figures.

A plan for one day

The sights lie on different sides of the city. Prometheus Cave is to the northwest, Gelati and Motsameta to the northeast. By car you can see them all in a day, roughly in this order.

• Be at Prometheus Cave when it opens at 10:00, when there are fewer people. With tickets and the boat it takes about two hours.
• Come back to the centre for lunch, then walk through the Green Bazaar and over the White Bridge.
• After lunch, go up to Bagrati Cathedral.
• In the late afternoon, drive out to Motsameta and Gelati. They are on the same road, and two hours is enough for both.
• With a second day, go to the Martvili and Okatse canyons, about an hour from Kutaisi. Sataplia, with its dinosaur footprints, is closer, 10 km from the city.

Getting there

Kutaisi Airport is 30 to 40 minutes from the centre. The shuttle, Bolt and buses are covered in our guide on getting from Kutaisi Airport. If your flight lands in the morning, you can see Gelati or the cave the same day and go on to Tbilisi or Batumi in the evening. Prices for a car with a driver are on the Kutaisi Airport transfer page. The price is fixed, and you pay the driver at the end of the trip.

Tbilisi is about 220 km from Kutaisi. Since the new Rikoti highway opened at the end of 2025, the drive takes about 3 hours. Minibuses leave Didube bus station in Tbilisi all day and take 3 to 3.5 hours. A day trip from Tbilisi is possible, but you will spend about 6 hours on the road. It is easier to stay a night in Kutaisi or stop here on the way to the sea. See the Tbilisi to Batumi transfer.