Western Georgia
This Unesco World Heritage–listed monastery complex, on a wooded hillside 8km northeast of Kutaisi, is an outstanding example of Golden Age architecture…
Western Georgia
Famous as the destination of Jason and the Argonauts in their search for the golden fleece, western Georgia is home to Georgia’s third-largest city, Kutaisi, and is full of easily accessible historical, architectural and natural riches. The region has always acted as a conduit for influences from the west, from the Ancient Greeks to St Nino to the Ottoman Turks. It was for long periods ruled separately from eastern Georgia, but was also where the great united Georgian kingdom of the 11th and 12th centuries made its start. Today the region attracts huge numbers of visitors, primarily as many of its sights are within a relatively short distance of each other, and their accessibility has been dramatically improved in recent years. However, it's not hard to get off the beaten track and discover areas as yet untouched by Georgia's tourism miracle.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
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Western Georgia
You'll need to use your imagination to get much out of this ancient city site, which was one of the main centres of Colchis, flourishing from the 8th to…
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Kutaisi
Kutaisi's cathedral was built in 1003 by Bagrat III, with a tall drum and pointed dome resting on four freestanding pillars. In 1692 a Turkish explosion…
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Western Georgia
The star features of the 3.3-sq-km reserve, 9km northwest of Kutaisi, are a couple of dozen 120-million-year-old, fossilised dinosaur footprints (well…
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Western Georgia
Little Motsameta sits on a spectacular clifftop promontory above a bend of the Tskhaltsitela River, 5km from Kutaisi, 1.8km off the Gelati road. The river…
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Western Georgia
An exciting 700m-long walkway projects from the edge of this 100m-deep canyon and culminates in a viewing platform that hangs right out over the middle…
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Western Georgia
This 1.4km-long cave at Kumistavi, 20km northwest of Kutaisi, is a succession of six large chambers followed by a 400m-long underground lake. Sections are…
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Western Georgia
Nokalakevi is an ancient Colchian fortress built on the banks of the Tekhuri River. It's been mooted as one of the (many) places to have housed the Golden…
