Samtredia: What to See in a Non-Touristy Georgian City
Samtredia is a town located in Imereti. The first documented mentions of Samtredia date back to the 18th century. Before the railway line was built in the area, the region was rich in swamps and forests.
Farming in such conditions was futile, and few people wanted to settle in Samtredia. With the advent of civilization, the swamps were drained, some of the forests were cleared, and Samtredia received city status in 1921. According to the 2014 census, the city's population is just over 25,000.
During Soviet times, Samtredia, despite its small size, was noted for its developed industry. It had a woodworking plant, a tea-packing equipment factory, and a cotton mill. In the post-Soviet era, most of these enterprises closed.

Agriculture is currently actively developing. Seasoned travelers to Georgia tend to classify Samtredia as a boring town when it comes to historical monuments. In terms of infrastructure, Samtredia is an important railway hub in the Transcaucasus. Kutaisi Airport, an international airport, is located 10 km from the town. It's also worth mentioning that the village of Baghdati, the birthplace of Vladimir Mayakovsky, the famous Soviet poet, is located 50 km from Samtredia.




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I could imagine sitting by the railway, watching the trains whisk by-each one carrying stories and lives, busy folks heading somewhere meaningful. And isn’t that what travel is about? Finding beauty where others see dullness. I wonder if the local cafes serve that lovely khachapuri everyone raves about? Or is there something typical about their eateries that I should keep an eye out for when I eventually visit?