White Bridge and Old Kutaisi

The White Bridge, Tetri Khidi in Georgian, spans the Rioni in the middle of Kutaisi, linking the busy streets around the central square with the older quarter on the opposite bank. It dates from the 19th century and has a light metal frame, and it is one of the city's favourite meeting points. Look for the small bronze figure of a boy holding his hat on the parapet, and for the glass panels set into the deck that let you watch the green river rushing over the rocks below. On warm evenings locals gather here to watch the light fade over the hills.

From the bridge, wander uphill through the old streets towards Bagrati Cathedral. Two-storey houses with carved wooden balconies, overgrown courtyards and small churches line lanes that few tourists explore. Kutaisi once had one of Georgia's largest Jewish communities, and its large 19th-century synagogue still stands in the old town. Allow a couple of hours to combine the bridge, the old quarter and the cathedral with a coffee by the river.

A crossing has linked the royal town on Ukimerioni Hill with the trading district on the other bank for centuries. The present White Bridge was built in the 1870s, in the Russian imperial period, when Kutaisi was the capital of a governorate and expanded quickly. It has been repaired several times since, most recently with new glass panels and lighting.