🎡 From a quiet park to a Ferris wheel: Kutaisi parks by cable car

🎡 Two parks connected by a cable car · ⏱️ half a day · 📍 Kutaisi, Imereti

📜 Two parks, one cable car

Central Park and Besarion Gabashvili Park are physically separated by a hill, but connected by a single engineering structure: the Kutaisi Cable Car, built in 1961 and virtually unchanged since.

The lower station is located in the historic center, near the White Bridge, while the upper station leads directly to the amusement park at the top of the hill.

This creates a rare format for a small city: a tranquil city stroll below, and a completely different atmosphere, a Ferris wheel and views of all of Kutaisi at the top, just a few minutes' flight above the Rioni River.

🌳 Kutaisi Central Park

📍 Shota Rustaveli Avenue, Kutaisi

Despite its name, this is more of a spacious public garden than a large landscaped park: tall trees, benches, a colonnade, and sculptures create shade and tranquility just steps from the tourist center. The layout is rather strict and symmetrical, typical of Soviet cultural parks, but this is precisely what makes it convenient for a leisurely stroll without a specific destination.

The park has a fountain, especially pleasant in the summer heat. An important detail for those who have already heard of "Georgia's most expensive fountain": this is not it; we are talking about the Colchis Fountain with gilded Bronze Age animal figures, which is located not here, but in the neighboring main square of the city.

The park is located near the lower cable car station, so it's a logical place to start your journey up to Gabashvili Park. It's a good place for a short break between exploring the historic center and the cable car ride, especially on a hot day.

🎡 Besarion Gabashvili Park

📍 Vazha Pshavela Street, Kutaisi

The park stands on a hilltop and is named after Besarion Gabashvili, known by his pen name Besiki, an 18th-century Georgian poet and diplomat who led the Imeretian mission to the Russian Empire. The pen name stuck so strongly that many guidebooks and signs use it rather than his full name.

This is a classic Soviet park of culture and recreation: a Ferris wheel, carousels with horses, a children's train, and even a sculpture model of the Eiffel Tower for photos. From the top, one of the best panoramic views of Kutaisi, the Rioni River, and the surrounding mountains opens up, no less impressive than the Bagrati Cathedral on the opposite bank.

Let's be honest: the rides here aren't the most modern; they offer more of the nostalgic charm of a Soviet-era park than the glitz of a modern amusement park. But the prices are also reasonable: carousel tickets start at 50 tetri, admission to the park itself is free, and there's a Georgian restaurant on site if you fancy a full meal with a view of the city after your ride.

🚡 Cable Car: How to travel between parks

The cable car connects the left and right banks of Kutaisi and has been in operation since 1961, remaining one of the few surviving Soviet cable cars of its kind in Georgia. For over six decades, the design has remained virtually unchanged, which in itself is part of the experience; it feels more like an attraction from the past than a modern means of transport.

The lower station is located in a small park on Rustaveli Avenue, next to the White Bridge, while the upper station leads directly into Gabashvili Park, which features amusement park rides. The ride lasts only a few minutes, but the cabin passes over the turbulent Rioni River, and the ascent alone is worth the ride, even if you don't plan to stay long in the park.

It's best to purchase round-trip tickets if you plan to return the same way: this will save you unnecessary waiting at the bottom or top, especially on weekends when there are more passengers.

🏁 Why go to these two parks

Central Park and Besarion Gabashvili Park showcase two different sides of Kutaisi recreation: a tranquil city square below and a bustling, nostalgic amusement park on the hill, connected by a rare Soviet cable car in the region.

Such a contrast is rare to find in one city, just a few minutes' flight away.

If you only have a couple of hours in Kutaisi, this combination offers a quiet stroll, an active getaway, and one of the best panoramic views of the city.

ℹ️ Information on prices and operating hours is current at the time of publication. Please check the cable car and attraction hours on site.

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