Imereti lies at the very heart of Georgia. Here, history pulses through stone walls, while beneath the earth the secrets of an ancient kingdom rest. The flourishing of the fabled Colchian culture on these lands is traced back to the 15th–13th centuries BC, with its capital at Kutaisi, the legendary city of Aia, rising proudly on the banks of the Rioni. In the Middle Ages, this historic city wore the crown of Georgia’s capital: here King David the Builder was anointed, and Imereti became the heartbeat of the Georgian state. This land welcomes its guests with a thousand layers of history: from the footprints of dinosaurs to the crystal waterfalls of Okatse Canyon; from Bagrati Cathedral, symbol of united Georgia, to the Gelati Monastery complex, once hailed as the wellspring of the nation’s spirituality, culture, and learning. Amidst such immense heritage is shaped and unfolded everydayness of Imereti, one of its brightest expressions being the Imeretian oda. Wooden houses scattered against a backdrop of colorful, geometric fields, with four-sloped roofs clad in clay tiles, balconies draped in vines, wine presses and granaries heavy with corn — this scene looks and feels like a painting brought to life by Georgian artist David Kakabadze.  Imereti’s odas open their doors wide, offering nights by the fireplace in houses adorned with antique furniture, tastings of Tsitska and Tsolikouri in family wine cellars, the baking of the iconic Imeretian khachapuri alongside the host, shared tables laden with the region’s rich cuisine, explorations of ethnographic museums, and encounters with the stories of great writers, poets, and artists who gave breath and soul to Georgian culture. For lovers of adventure, the region promises exhilaration: canyoning through caves, climbing sheer cliffs, or rafting down wild rivers. The Imeretian oda is, a place where past and present pulse together. And if you catch its light, hopeful rhythm, you will find your own steps aligning with the beat of the future.