Batumi

Georgia's pearl of the Black Sea, where the moving Ali and Nino sculpture and the Alphabet Tower light up the seafront boulevard at night, the Batumi Botanical Garden overlooks the sea, and boat-shaped Adjarian khachapuri is a must.

Batumi is the capital of Georgia's Autonomous Republic of Adjara and the largest resort city on the eastern Black Sea coast, about 17 km from the Turkish border. The city stretches along the shore: the old town in the north has Europe Square, Piazza Square and 19th-century churches and mosques; the roughly 7 km seafront boulevard links the Ali and Nino sculpture, the Alphabet Tower and the pebble beaches; and the new district in the south is packed with high-rises and casinos that glitter at night. Just outside the city, to the north are the Batumi Botanical Garden at Mtsvane Kontskhi (Green Cape) and Petra Fortress; to the south, the Roman-era Gonio Fortress and Sarpi Beach; and to the east, the mountains of Adjara offer Makhuntseti Waterfall, the Mtirala rainforest and homemade mountain wines. The climate is humid subtropical: June–September is beach season, May–October is best for the botanical garden and the mountains, and winters are mild but rainy. Batumi International Airport is about 5 km from the centre, and the train from Tbilisi takes about 5–6 hours. Don't miss the boat-shaped cheese bread, Adjarian khachapuri. Chinese citizens with ordinary passports can enter Georgia visa-free (check the latest rules). Plan on 2–4 days.

Top sights

• Batumi Boulevard – A seaside boulevard stretching about 7 km along the Black Sea, lined with palm trees, cycling lanes, pebble beaches and city sculptures. It…
• Ali and Nino Statue – Two 8-meter-tall steel-plate figures slowly approach each other, pass through one another and part again every night, telling a tragic love…
• Batumi Botanical Garden – A large botanical garden on Green Cape, built on a mountainside overlooking the sea. Its nine geographic zones collect subtropical plants f…
• Gonio Fortress – A Roman-era fortress south of Batumi with well-preserved square walls. Tradition holds that the Apostle Matthias is buried here, and there…
• Alphabetic Tower – A steel double-helix tower about 130 meters tall, inlaid with all 33 Georgian letters, lit up at night and a landmark of the Batumi skyline.
• Europe Square – A European-style square in the center of the old town, surrounded by ornate buildings and watched over by a statue of Medea holding the Gol…
• Argo Cable Car – A sightseeing cable car that climbs from near the old town harbor to Mt. Anuria, where the hilltop restaurant offers panoramic views of Bat…
• Makhuntseti Waterfall & Queen Tamar Bridge – A waterfall of more than 20 meters in the Adjara mountains, right beside the road, with a 12th-century Queen Tamar stone arch bridge spanni…
• Piazza Batumi – An enclosed square in Italian style, with mosaic flooring and colorful stained glass, surrounded by cafés and restaurants, with live bands…
• Batumi Dolphinarium – A dolphinarium opened in 1975, where Black Sea bottlenose dolphin shows are popular with families, located beside May 6th Park.
• Nuri Lake & 6 May Park – A lakeside park in the city center with boating, fountains, a small zoo, and amusement rides, where locals come to stroll.
• Cathedral of the Mother of God – A neo-Gothic church completed in 1903, originally a Catholic church and now the Georgian Orthodox cathedral of Batumi, with elegant white s…
• St. Nicholas Church – The oldest church in Batumi, built in 1865 by the local Greek community, with a small stone building that preserves Byzantine-style icons.
• Orta Jame Mosque – A mosque built in 1866 during the Ottoman period, the only mosque in Batumi still in use, with finely painted interiors.
• Mtirala National Park – One of the wettest areas of Georgia, with waterfalls, streams, and trails through the Colchic rainforest, about 30 km from Batumi.
• Petra Fortress – The ruins of a sixth-century promontory fortress from the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian, on a hill by the sea overlooking the Black…
• Adjara State Art Museum – A regional art museum displaying modern and contemporary Georgian paintings, including works in the Pirosmani style and by local Adjarian a…
• Batumi Archaeological Museum – A museum showing finds from the ancient Kingdom of Colchis and the ancient city of Pichvnari, including gold jewelry, pottery, and Greek am…
• Sarpi Beach – A seaside village of the Laz people on the border between Georgia and Turkey, with clear water, and the Karendela rocks as a hotspot for di…
• Batumi Drama Theatre & Theatre Square – A neoclassical theatre completed in 1952, with an elegant colonnaded facade. The Neptune Fountain in front, modeled on the original in Bolo…
• Ardagani Lake & New Boulevard – A man-made lakeside park at the southern end of Seaside Avenue, with musical light-and-fountain shows on summer nights. Surrounded by high-…
• Batumi Fish Market – A seafood market in the northern port area, where you pick out a Black Sea fish and hand it to a neighboring restaurant to cook, the way lo…

Where to eat

• Laguna – An old basement restaurant opened in 1997, a popular local choice for budget-friendly Adjarian Khachapuri with generous…
• Retro (Batumi) – A well-known Khachapuri restaurant near the Seaside Boulevard, featuring a dedicated Khachapuri section on the menu and…
• Heart of Batumi – A cozy and welcoming Georgian restaurant in the Old Town with terrace seating, known as a consistently highly-rated spo…
• Black Sea Fish Restaurant – A two-story seafood restaurant right next to the Batumi Fish Market, featuring a sea-view terrace and offering cooking…
• Tavaduri – A large, multi-hall Georgian restaurant famous for its giant "Mother Khinkali" and lively local gathering atmosphere, p…

Itineraries

• Classic East-West Georgia Route – Depart from Tbilisi, travel through Kakheti, Kazbegi, and Kutaisi, and end at the Black Sea in Batumi.
• Grand Loop Road Trip of Georgia – A two-week self-drive route linking wine country, snow-capped mountains, cave cities, Svaneti stone towers, and the Bla…
• Black Sea Highlands to Batumi Cross-Border Journey – Explore Sümela Monastery, Uzungöl, and Ayder Plateau, then cross the Sarp border crossing into Batumi, Georgia.