White Bridge

Across the river in the heart of the old town stretches a slender pedestrian bridge, painted white, with a small statue of a boy in a hat perched on its rail. This is the White Bridge, one of the best-loved landmarks of Kutaisi and the natural centre of a walk through the old quarter.

The bridge crosses the river that runs through the city, linking the two halves of the old town, and it has long been a favourite spot for locals to meet, stroll, and pause over the water. Its simple white span is a quiet emblem of the city.

Its most charming feature is a small bronze figure of a boy wearing a hat, sitting on the bridge, a playful local landmark drawn from the city's character and a favourite for photographs. Small touches like this give the bridge its affection.

From the bridge you look up and down the river, at the old balconied houses leaning over the banks, the green slopes, and the other crossings, one of the best views of the old town and its setting on the water.

The river itself, fast and clear as it runs down from the mountains, is part of the scene, and the banks and riverside paths around the bridge are pleasant to walk, especially in the cool of the day.

The bridge sits at the heart of the historic centre, near the central square with its gilded fountain and the market, so it falls naturally into any wander through the old town and makes an easy landmark to navigate by.

Like much of Kutaisi, the bridge has a relaxed, everyday feel, used by ordinary people going about their day rather than thronged by tourists, which is part of the city's unhurried charm.

It is at its prettiest in the soft light of morning or evening, when the white span and the old houses catch the low sun and the river runs gold beneath, a favourite hour for a slow crossing.

The bridge connects easily to the rest of the old town's sights, the square, the market, the churches, and the climb up toward the great cathedral on its hill, so it works as the hinge of a walk through the centre.

There is little to do at the bridge beyond cross it, pause, and take in the river and the old town around it, but that simple pleasure, in a calm and ancient city, is exactly the point.

A few practical notes. The bridge is free and open, a short walk from the central square; come in the gentler light of morning or evening, and use it as the centre of an unhurried stroll through the old town along the river.

Stop in the middle of the white span, beside the little bronze boy, with the river running below and the old houses leaning over the banks, and the quiet charm of Kutaisi gathers around you. When you walk on into the old town, the bridge stays as the point you keep coming back to.