Summer whisks the streets of Tbilisi into an open-air sauna so for the past two years of calling Georgia home I’ve packed up my backpack, my books, and my little Georgian cat, and followed the rest of the city to the Black Sea resort town, Batumi.
Tbilisi stole my heart with its tumble of balconied and dilapidated residences, its artistic spirit, its mysterious courtyards, and flutters of laundry. While I gravitate towards nature spots over urban places, there is something utterly irresistible about Tbilisi and the thought of leaving the city for good sits heavy in my heart.
Batumi is an entirely different kettle of fish to Tbilisi. That’s not to say that Georgia’s leading beach destination lacks personality or isn’t ‘as good’ as Tbilisi. Whereas the Georgian capital was love at first sight, Batumi took a while longer to grow on me and required patience. If you ask me which is ‘best’ Batumi or Tbilisi then my answer is, without a doubt, to say visit both! Hopefully, this Batumi travel guide will help you navigate your way around the city and surrounding area.
Table of Contents
A Batumi Travel Guide
More so than any other city in the country, Batumi feels like a testament to Georgia’s slightly muddled identity caught between tradition and contemporary, as well as the crossroads of two continents.
Is Georgia in Asia or Europe? The architecture and food pulls influences from both. Every Georgian person I’ve posed this question to gives me an entirely different answer to the last (some are adamant that Georgia is it’s own continent which I struggle to argue against). Georgian and Russian jostle to be the lingua franca even 30 years since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Around half the population wants to join the EU, around half does not. Around somewhere in between half and half doesn’t know what they want. Without delving deeply into all this; onto to the Batumi travel guide.
Batumi is located on Georgia’s rocky Black Sea coastline, less than 20 kilometres from the Turkish border. It’s touted as the number one beach town in the country although the entire coastline is studded with seaside resorts to cater for the influx of Georgian, Russian, and Turkish tourists who flock to the city each summer. These towns are well connected via public transport so it’s possible to base yourself in Batumi and day trip your way up the coast or turn it into more of a road trip.
The original settlement of Batumi was a Greek colony in the ancient state of Colchis, the birthplace of Medea who later abandoned her home with her lover, Jason. Batumi derives from the Greek “Bathus” which translates into “deep harbour” and suggests how the city thrived as a port town. After its official founding during the medieval ages, Batumi was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and later absorbed by the Russian Empire. Batumi was declared the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara during the Soviet Union and it remains the same today. No need to panic, it’s still part of Georgia and doesn’t impact your visa.
Adjara benefits from a subtropical climate which means that once autumn washes away the fierce Tbilisi sun and the temperatures nosedive from 40°C to the minuses, Batumi remains relatively warm throughout the winter months. But those lush green trees need a helping hand to stay that way. It rains a lot in Batumi. It’s that heavy, thundering rain that you only find in the tropics. One of my favourite memories of Batumi is the whopping big storms which would whip up the Black Sea into a frenzy and clouds that would dab away the tips of the high rises. If you’re Batumi-bound, you’ll need a waterproof!
What to see in Batumi (besides the sea)
Batumi isn’t your bog-standard beach town. This is Georgia after all: nothing is standard here! There’s more than enough to do in and around the city whether you’re looking to fill a week or live long term in the city as an expat or nomad.
One thing that Batumi is famed for is casinos that even led to the city earning the nickname, “Las Vegas of the Black Sea.” While I didn’t step foot in a single casino (not my scene) there are a heck of a lot of them in town. If the casino image is putting you off visiting, rest assured that there is plenty of things to do in Batumi besides the casinos.
Batumi Old Town & Europe Square
Europe Square and its Old Town surroundings are the heart of Batumi. This is a warren of narrow streets, low slung pastel-hued buildings from the 19th century, and wrought iron balconies that are much like those you’ll spot in Tbilisi. The area is compact enough to explore on foot.
Ornate buildings flank the elegant Europe Square which are often occupied by continental style restaurants and bistros. The architecture looks older although the guides on my walking tour explained that a lot of the buildings were built fairly recently but following traditional styles. A statue of the Colchian princess, Medea, stands high above the courtyard brandishing the Golden Fleece that she acquired for Jason before fleeing with him to Corinth (and later massacring their kids, but no need to dwell). A magnificent astronomical clock stands in the southeast corner of the square, reminiscent of the one in Prague.
A scattering of churches, mosques, and a lone synagogue stand as testament to the diversity of the city population. Europe Square is where you will find a high concentration of places to eat and drink; I’ve included some of my favourites at the end of this Batumi travel guide. Without a doubt, the busiest restaurant in Europe Square is McDonald’s.
Batumi’s Central Park, the 6 May Park, sits slightly further south of Europe Park. It contains a small fairground for children with benches dotted around the banks of the small lake. This is one of my favourite spots to take a morning run or for winding down with some fresh air in the shade after work.
If you want to brush up on your knowledge of the city then I can highly recommend booking a walking tour with To. This is a boutique agency owned and operated by a young Georgian couple, Tornike and Tamar, who are the perfect choice if you want to learn about the city from a local Batumi travel guide. They speak excellent English as well as Georgian and Russian, and were excellent company.
Batumi Boulevard
Running in tandem with Batumi Beach, Batumi Boulevard is the epicentre of life in the city. Construction of the seven kilometres of boulevard began in 1881 and the promenade is now bursting with parks, sculptures, fountains, restaurants and bars, sports and recreation zones, fairground rides, and skyscrapers (that warrant a chapter of their own).
A moving statue (in more ways than one) depicting a pair of fictional lovers marks the northernmost point of the boulevard. Ali, a Muslim student from Azerbaijan, and Nino, a Christian Georgian princess, fall in love but their romance is blown apart by war. While the author the tale remains unknown, the statue is the work of Georgian artist Tamara Kvesitadze. The figures gradually move towards one another and everyday at 7pm they appear to embrace, yet, the metal never truly makes contact.
South of the statue sits an expansive park that features a magnificent fountain (usually full of kids), a bamboo grove, an eye-catching theatre embellished with wood carvings, and a monument of Greek colonnades. One of my favourite features are the ping pong tables where you can hire a bat and ball for hours of fun.
One of my favourite things to do in Batumi is to hire a bicycle and cycle down the boulevard, which is divided into a walkway for pedestrians with a designated cycle lane marked in red. However, this is Georgia, and you can expect to find just as many walkers in the cycle lane as you’ll find cyclists in the pedestrian strip. There are rental bicycles and tuk-tuks scattered along the entire length of the boulevard and the going rate for a bicycle rental is 5 GEL per 30 minutes. I spotted some electric scooters added for the 2021 summer season.
You can comfortably cycle from the northern point of the boulevard down to Lech and Maria Kachinsky Park in around two hours with time to factor in scenic stops. This park contains the bizarre “Flip-flops on Eggs” and the Labyrinth of Desires.
Batumi Skyline
The wacky skyscrapers of Batumi is where the city’s identity gets a little shaken up.
The most avant-garde buildings are clustered at the northern point of the boulevard and are the most creative. Modelled on the Clock Tower of Izmir, Turkey, the Ottoman style Chacha Tower was constructed with the daring intention that rather than classic water, the fountains would flow with chacha, Georgia’s traditional spirit which causes hundreds of travellers every year to miss trains, buses, and vow never again to sniff another drop. It didn’t take long for it to dawn on the powers that be that pumping out free chacha to beachgoers wasn’t the wisest move so the idea was scrapped. It’s quite a pretty tower though and less grandiose than its neighbours.
Embellished with the 26 characters that form the modern Georgian alphabet, the Alphabetic Tower is said to be modelled on the double helix of DNA sequencing. There is an observation deck and a revolving restaurant at the top of the building if you fancy a scenic supper.
Beside the Alphabetic Tower stands the most controversial skyscraper on the Batumi skyline. In another brave architectural move, the Batumi Technological University Tower was designed with a high altitude Ferris wheel slotted into the facade. Due to the city’s geographic location in a moderate seismic zone along with other structural challenges, the ride is nonfunctional.
More controversially, the purpose of the building was that it would serve as a university (hence the telling name). After a change in government, the new administration decided that the building would be far more suitable as a hotel. In a city that already houses hundreds of high rise hotels, this didn’t prove too popular with the resident Batumians whose initial objections to yet another gaudy skyscraper were mollified by its purpose to serve as an educational institution (because who can object to education).
While these skyscrapers are not unattractive, they do look quite peculiar. Having visited the bohemian Tbilisi and the romantic Kutaisi and even Gori, which offers so much more beyond the Stalin Museum, they feel a little at odds with the rest of the country. They remind me of those times that I’ve arrived at a party a little overdressed.
Pebbles, dolphins, & corn: Beaches of Batumi
Despite being the number one beach destination in Georgia, sandy beaches are few and far between in Batumi and the wider region. However, all of the beaches are well equipped with deckchairs for hire and the swimming conditions are pleasant. The water sits around 25°C (77 25°F) and once you get over the initial shock it is comfortable and refreshing.
If you would rather not splurge on a deckchair (when I say splurge, you’re looking at around 5 GEL for a day rental) then one of my Batumi travel guide tips is to pack a yoga mat with you to take down to the beach. I also recommend taking some kind of footwear to wear while swimming. It’ll make your waddle down to the water entrance far easier.
The other thing I love about the beaches of Batumi is the women and men who wander up and down selling corn on the cob, peanuts, and cold drinks. Carry some small change in case you get peckish and want to support these local vendors.
These are my preferred beaches in and around Batumi.
Batumi Beach
Reaching north to south in tandem with the boulevard, Batumi Beach is a long, wide, beach with heaps of deckchairs and patches where you can lay down with a towel.
The water drops off quickly and at times the current can be strong but most of the time it is placid, particularly on the sheltered patch near the Ali and Nino statue. Rumour has it that the water isn’t especially clean (which figures when you clock how much traffic the harbour sees on a daily basis) and while it hasn’t really bothered me I’ve made an effort not to guzzle too much of it when out having a splash around.
One thing I adore about Batumi Beach is the resident dolphin pod that is often sighted off the shore. My first encounter with the family was while swimming when they popped up right besides me, within touching distance. It was lovely once I’d established that they were not sharks. You’ve got a higher chance of sighting Flipper and co. further south of the harbour, around the Dancing Fountains area.
Gonio & Kvariati Beaches
12 kilometres south of Batumi, Gonio Beach is the closest and most easily accessible alternative beach from the city. Yes, it is another pebble beach, however, the water is cleaner and the town is far quieter with a less touristic atmosphere than Batumi.
If you need to top up your energy levels for all that swimming and sunbathing, there are a couple of restaurants on the beach where you can pick up Georgian classics, seafood, and pizzas. The ruins of the Gonio-Apsaros Fortress are worth a visit to see the exquisitely preserved Roman walls and the tropical plants and flowers that grow within the perimeters.
From here you can hike up to the Gonio Cross, a clifftop monument that grants a terrific view of the city. My boyfriend and I hiked up there this summer and had the trail to ourselves, bar a couple of cows and dogs. If you fancy tackling the walk then I recommend following the hiking guide by Wander-Lush. We would have ended up lost without Emily’s advice.
You can get to Gonio by riding city bus number 16 from Batumi. It departs frequently and runs along Chavchavadze Street. This bus actually continues all the way to Sarpi, the border town with Turkey which is open to land crossings.
Kvariati, the next beach town south, is the 2:0 of Gonio Beach: pebbles, peace, pristine water, but just a splash more of it all. I absolutely love Gonio but Kvariati is a touch quieter that makes it worth the extra five minutes of bus ride.
I recommend heading to either of these beaches for a couple of lazy days in the sun. Both towns have a selection of hotels but you can easily visit as a day trip due to the ease of public transport and affordable Bolt taxis.
If you do continue to the next beach, Sarpi, you can check out the Georgia-Turkey border crossing which features a stonking big ‘ole brutalist Soviet monument. My boyfriend and I were lost to our daydreams and missed the stop for Kvariati. As a consequence, we ended up at the border town and it was quite fun to have a closer look at the monument. I wouldn’t recommend Sarpi Beach though as the town is quite rowdy what with all the land traffic passing through and people shouting ‘taxi’ a lot.
Ureki & Shekvetili Beaches
Now you know what happens when you head south, how about the beaches north of Batumi? That’s where you will find the holy grail of beachgoers: sand. And the beaches of Adjara aren’t just your typical powdery white stuff, the sand is black and touted to possess magical healing properties much like the thermal baths of Tbilisi and the now abandoned spa town, Tskaltubo (not forgetting Georgian wine, as my doctor told me and essentially prescribed me a glass of red a day).
Both Ureki “Magnetiti” Beach and Shekvetili Beach feature the legendary black ‘magnetic’ sand which is enriched with iron ore and minerals that are said to tend a catalogue of ailments. I noticed on both beaches that bathers would roll around in the sand to give themselves a thorough coat of the black grains. It looked like fun and so my boyfriend and I tried it for ourselves and while I’m not sure if it cured all my health problems but it did feel good!
Ureki Beach is incredibly popular and every inch of the beach is swallowed up over summer. I visited in 2020 and practically had it almost to myself but when I went back in 2021 it was a whole other story. Ureki Beach is somewhere that I would recommend as an alternative to Batumi if you fancy a Black Sea/Georgian getaway. Sure it gets busy but you get sand and accommodation prices are realistic. My partner and I intended to spend a week or so at Ureki although we had to abandon the plan after he caught COVID-19. The town has a solid selection of hotels, restaurants, and markets.
As a quieter alternative, I can vouch for Shekvetili Beach. I wasn’t aware of this beach until this year when my friend told me about her stay at the Paragraph Resort & Spa (check this place out if you’re after a luxury stay in Georgia). When I visited on a glorious August Friday afternoon, it wasn’t particularly busy. The beach is flanked by trees and there are fewer accommodations so it has a more exclusive vibe going on. There are a couple of markets and places to eat and a smaller selection of hotels besides Paragraph.
You can coincide your visit to Shekvetili Beach with a quick wander around the Dendrological Park which is a short drive north. This is a landscaped park that wraps itself around a duck and flamingo-filled lake. It’s free to visit the park and takes around 45 minutes to complete a loop through the trees.
Connecting from the park to Shekvetili Beach requires either a 30 minute walk along the highway or a 5 minute taxi ride. We spotted a couple of drivers near the entrance but tried to charge us 30 GEL which was beyond our taxi budget. Instead we hailed a Bolt who was passing by for 10 GEL.
Things to do in & around Batumi
Besides rolling around in black sand and tilting your head at peculiar skyscrapers, Batumi is an excellent base for exploring the wider Adjara region and is has strong potential for outdoor and nature enthusiasts. This is a selection of local sights and day trips from Batumi that you can look forward to during your stay.
Holy Trinity (Sameba) Church
Georgia is famous for its precariously situated churches, nunneries, and monasteries, and Batumi has its own landmark to throw into the ring. Sameba Church sits on a hill shrouded with tropical foliage and provides one of my favourite views of the city. From the church, you can look out across the Black Sea and the entire Batumi skyline.
The road up to the church is steep, skinny, and snaky. Unless you’re mad-fit, it’s best to drive up there and then walk down so that you can enjoy the scenery and cooler climate minus the heart attack risk. I hailed a taxi on Yandex but the first driver apologetically asked me to cancel as his car wasn’t suitable for the route. My second attempt agreed and it cost 5 GEL from my apartment in north Batumi, plus a tip for the tough conditions. I could see why the original driver rejected the ride as his sporty vehicle would never have made it.
It is free to visit Sameba and the complex is open 10 am – 7 pm during summer and 10 am – 5 pm during winter. Outside of these hours, the grounds are locked. Actually, in our case, they were locked before the official closing time and we (plus a gaggle of other visitors) had to track down the priest to let us out. It is mandatory to cover your shoulders and knees while visiting Sameba. Long skirts are provided for both women and men; women are required to cover their hair with a scarf.
Batumi Botanical Garden
Another easily accessible complement of my Batumi travel guide is the botanical garden located on the evocatively named Green Cape (or the even more evocative ‘Mtsvane Kontskhi’ in the gorgeous Georgian language).
The gardens are a paradise of tropical trees and flora from all over the world. I’m a little obsessed with botanical gardens and these usually nab the top spot when I visit a new place (the Singapore Botanical Garden is just as fantastic as the Supertree Grove) and the Batumi Botanical Garden really impressed me. They occupy a patch of the headland on the Black Sea coast around 10 kilometres north of the city and during your wander, you’ll have sweeping views of the water.
As the gardens are situated on hilly terrain I advise donning decent footwear and visiting early in the day to beat the fierce afternoon heat. Carry a reusable water bottle as there are water fountains dotted throughout the gardens and take your swimming gear so that you can wrap up your visit with a trip to the (pebble) beach and a refreshing dip in the ocean.
You can reach the garden by taking marshrutka number 31 from Chavchavadze Street or city bus number 10 from Rustaveli Avenue. I took the city bus from outside the Dolphinarium. The ride is 50 tetri either way and you can pay with cash or swipe your MetroMoney card if you take the city bus.
The admission cost to the Botanical Garden is 15 GEL.
Kolkheti National Park
The wetlands and forestry that forms the Kolkheti National Park is often known as the ‘Amazon’ of Georgia and in summer 2021 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Of all the surrounding national parks, Kolkheti is the easiest to reach by public transport.
Visiting the park requires hopping aboard a boat and it requires a bit of forward planning as you need to book in advance.
I wrote a whole blog about how to visit Kolkheti National Park which is worth a skim if you fancy exploring the region.
Machakhela National Park
Machakhela National Park is located in the Khelvachauri Municipality around 30 kilometres southeast of Batumi and right on the Turkish border. Comprising temperate broadleaf and mixed Colchic forest, the reserve is characterised by dense swathes of greenery, pyramid-shaped hills and tumbling waterfalls.
My boyfriend and I explored Machakhela with a company called Tsitsaka Moto who organise guided tours around the park via moped. The route skirted around the hills and we stopped off to visit heritage landmarks including an archaic stone bridge from the 11th century, a gun slit, and a gun workshop where we had the opportunity to try our hands at blacksmithery. We pulled over at several scenic stops to appreciate the landscape and take a dip in the river.
The bikes were in mint condition: brand new and well maintained. After a few years’ charging creaky rentals around Southeast Asia, they provided an entirely different experience to what I’m used to handling. Even the breaks worked (if you’ve travelled in SEA, you’ll know). It is possible to drive your own bike if you have experience driving. The team will ask you to do a quick lap to check before leaving. If you are not experienced then you can hop on the back of one the Tsitsaka guide’s motorbikes.
You can find out more about the tour on the Tsitsaka Moto website and it’s possible to reserve your place via WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook, or old-fashioned phone call.
Alternatively, you can rent a car or hire a driver and explore the park this way.
Where to eat in Batumi
When in Georgia you soon fall into the habit of fantasising about where your next meal is going to be. The Adjara region is responsible for gifting us with the iconic boat-shaped khachapuri baked with cheese, topped with an egg and knob of butter. You can buy it anywhere in Georgia but there is something special about sinking your teeth into one at its place of origin.
Retro (two locations) is The Place to eat khachapuri in Batumi. There is more than enough praise online already but I just want to pipe up to recommend the mushroom with sulguni khachapuri which is a lighter alternative perfect for fellow champignon devotees.
I rarely remember to take photos of my food before I eat it (because, hungry) but the following are my tried and tested places to eat in Batumi.
Batumi Fish Market
If you want to feast on fish straight out of the sea, there’s no better place than the Batumi Fish Market which is as much an activity as it is a place to eat. You can stock up on fish to cook at home or toss your catch in a bag then pootle over to one of the restaurants right outside the market where a chef will fry or grill your chosen morsel.
The market is very small and it is usually packed. As a non-Georgian and non-Russian speaker who doesn’t know my bass from my bream, I did find my first visit fairly overwhelming as there were so many choices.
In the end, my boyfriend and I each seized a smallish fish from separate piles that looked identical to our untrained fish eyes. One fish cost 6 GEL, the other cost 20 GEL, both tasted more or less the same (delicious, naturally).
The market is a fun place to go to for the experience (and the fish) but do prepare for a lot of crowds especially during summer. We went there during pandemic times and the space was rammed. It might help to run a Google image search for some typical fish if you want to know what you’re eating.
Batumi Fish Market is situated right next to the port in the north part of the city. If you take a day trip north then you can always stop off on the way back home. Let the driver know and track your progress on Google Maps so you don’t miss it; the building is fairly unassuming.
Uolli Restaurant
If you’re hankering after a tasty meal in a lovely setting then Uolli is one of the prettiest restaurants with a jovial atmosphere. There is an elegant internal dining room that feels like a house and a large courtyard to choose from and the menu is a mix of Georgian and European. I enjoyed sharing the pkhali (Georgian pâtés made from vegetables, walnuts, and herbs) as an appetizer before diving into a dish of chashushuli (Georgian stew) with mussels.
Uolli Restaurant opens daily at 9am.
Blue Elephant
Blue Elephant is a fantastic choice for a healthy brunch, slightly posh lunch, or light dinner with one of their fabulous cocktails. The interior has a retro vibe with its blue booths and monochrome tiled floor and dishes are presented artistically.
On my first visit, I devoured a salmon and avocado sandwich and felt pleased with myself for choosing a side salad over a plate of chips. Midway through, I noticed that everyone around me was tucking into a tasty looking plate of French toast so I lured my boyfriend to join me so we could split one and it was one of the loveliest things I’ve ever had in my mouth.
Blue Elephant opens daily at 8am.
Free Space
Maybe the fact that the lovely waiting staff kept sneaking us free wine from a private event that we weren’t attending made some impact here, but even so, this is a lovely spot to while away an evening alongside arty young Georgians. The interiors are decorated with funky art from Georgian artists and the outside space is optimum for some people watching. The menu is Georgian and, being more of a bar than a restaurant, the drinks menu is double the size. It’s a nice spot to noodle down with a book or crack on with some work during the day.
Free Space opens daily from 12pm until late.
Restaurant Château Kvirike
My quest for mushroom khinkali brought me here and it is my recommended pick for all your khinkali (Georgian dumplings) needs while in Batumi. They serve mushroom, potato, cheese, and meat khinkali alongside all your classic Georgian dishes in a traditional tavern setting with a large covered patio. The prices are economical and the staff were very friendly.
Restaurant Château Kvirike opens daily at 10am.
How to get to Batumi
Budget-friendly marshrutka vans connect Batumi to most other cities in Georgia, including Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Borjomi. A more comfortable option if you’re travelling from the capital is the high-speed train that operates between Tbilisi and Batumi. The journey lasts 5 hours 20 minutes and a cost of 25 GEL in standard class. You can book tickets online at tkt.ge – advance booking is essential during the summer months.
Batumi International Airport is situated a 10-minute drive south of the city but flights are limited.
Where to stay in Batumi
Batumi is chocca with hotels and apartments. My recommendation is to choose accommodation in the northern end of town, around Europe Square or the 6 May Park, if you want to be close to the lively part of the city and the beach. The southern end of Batumi, between the Dancing Fountains and the Lech and Maria Kachinsky Park, is quieter if you fancy getting away from the busier areas. There are a number of modern apartment blocks and fewer hotels.
I have only stayed in apartments so I cannot recommend a particular hotel. Booking.com is the best starting point for a short term stay in Batumi and the rest of Georgia.
Airbnb apartments are readily available throughout the city and it is fairly easy to find a nice long term rental. Bear in mind that prices spike during the summer season (especially July and August) but during winter you can get something extremely comfortable for around 350 – 600 EUR. The Expats in Batumi Facebook group is a good place to start your search outside of Airbnb.
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