Rustavi

Understand

The local steel mill is working at a fraction of its former Soviet production capacity. However, a big income comes from the local car market, which is the biggest one for used cars in the southern Caucasus. It is on the western side of the Tbilisi-Baku highway.

Get around

Rustavi is easily explored on foot. Rustavi has many marshrutka routes covering the length and breadth of the city. A marshrutka ride has the flat rate of 50 tetri. The #1 and #14 marshrutkas run the main road connecting Old Rustavi and New Rustavi. Make sure there is a sign in the windshield saying "pirdapir" (პირდაპირ, "direct"), lest you take the super scenic routes.

See

The town square is quite nice, there's a river, and plenty of crumbling apartment buildings to wander past. They are lit up at night, which looks quite nice. Nothing like a paint job. There's a beautiful theatre as well.

Do

For a Western traveller, the most striking thing about Rustavi is its purely Soviet aesthetic. That said, many Westerners find that the best thing to do is to simply walk around. Rustavi is largely untouched by tourism, so the observer can see Georgian city life in a very pure form. The Motorpark in the west of the city also contains a training centre. In addition, you can rent motor cross bikes for exploring the surrounding steppe. Go to the cinema, the theatre, check out a cafe, drink some beer.

Buy

Rustavi has two bazaars in town. There is the old bazaar, located incidentally in Old Rustavi, and there is the new bazaar, located in New Rustavi.

Drink

Georgian wine and chacha can be found at almost every restaurant and convenience store around town.

Cafe Askili also features a nice café and bar, open until 01:00—see above.

Sleep

Rustavi is close enough to Tbilisi that you might find more scenic and comfortable digs there.

Go next

David Gareja Monastery Complex – A 6th century cave monastery clinging onto a rocky hillside lying meters away from Azerbaijan, with beautiful frescos. Can be reached by taxis or organized tours, no public transport available from Sighnaghi (only Tbilisi). 50 km from Sighnaghi, a detour along the way to/from Tbilisi. Azerbaijan – with Ganja being the first and one of the largest cities after the border. Though, the daily Ganja-Tbilisi marshrutka does not go through Rustavi, but Marneuli. Best to catch a ride to the border and another one into Azerbaijan after crossing. Tbilisi – Getting back to Tbilisi is easy. There are Tbilisi-bound marshrutkas passing down the main street constantly. To catch one of these marshrutkas, simply stand anywhere along Megobroba Street (Rustavi's main road) and flag one down. Any marshrutka going to Tbilisi will say თბილისი (Tbilisi) on the top on its windshield sign. The best places to catch marshrutkas is from a bus stop, because the marshrutka will slow down significantly, giving you a chance to read the windshield sign. However, all of these constantly-passing Tbilisi-bound marshrutkas are going to different places in Tbilisi. To know where each Tbilisi-bound marshrutka is going specifically, the details will be listed underneath the word თბილისი (Tbilisi). The marshrutka going to Politeknikuri (metro) will have a blue and white windshield sign. Underneath the word თბილისი (Tbilisi), it will say აჭარა (Achara). The marshrutk…