Kutaisi

What you actually see

Bagrati Cathedral stands on a hill above the town and Gelati Monastery is a few kilometres out, a medieval monastic complex whose mosaics and wall paintings are the reason it carries a UNESCO listing. Gelati was also an academy, and Georgians will tell you so within the first minute.

Underground

Prometheus Cave is a long walk-through system of chambers and formations, lit and paved, with a short boat section at the end. It is the most reliable wet-weather option in this part of the country, which matters here more than it does in the east.

Where it sits

Kutaisi is the natural stop between Tbilisi and the Black Sea. Coming this way turns a long transfer into a day with something in it, which is the whole argument for the overnight.

How long to give it

One night is enough for the monasteries and the caves. Two if you are continuing to Batumi.

When to go

Average daytime high, night-time low and rain days for Kutaisi, from five years of recorded observations rather than a forecast or a brochure.

Most workable months: Jan to Feb, Apr to May, Aug to Dec. Nowhere here rates as mild on our own scale, which is worth knowing before you book a single night for the view.