Last Updated on 20/05/2024 by kami
If you ask in Poland a generation of my parents about Batumi, Georgia they will all tell you about famous and somehow mythical tea fields. But that’s most likely all they know about the place.
You see, back in the 1960s the famous then Polish band Filipinki recorded a hit song about the most famous Georgian seaside resort – Batumi (the rumors say the members haven’t even visited the place!).
That’s how the city got its permanent place in the Polish pop culture. Even these days when many people hear the name “Georgia” they immediately think of Batumi, thanks to the song.
I must confess I also fell under the charm of the song and made Batumi one of the must-visit places in Georgia during my first trip to Georgia in 2011.
And I was slightly disappointed…
It was mid-October and even if the weather was gorgeous the city (and especially the Batumi beach and the seaside boulevard) were terribly empty.
Most of the city was under construction, fancy and weird modern buildings were being built next to the crumbling old town.
This mix made me rather confused, I couldn’t make up my mind and decide what I really think of the city.
That’s why when I got a chance to visit Batumi again, 5 years later, in the peak of the summer season I didn’t hesitate much.
I was more than curious to see how the city has changed and I couldn’t wait to check all the things to do in Batumi!
Since then I’ve visited Batumi a few more times and enjoyed it more and more every single time. Below you will find all the reasons why you should visit Batumi too!
Batumi essentials
- Airport transfer: Pre-book the airport transfer from Batumi airport to your accommodation in Batumi here.
- Where to stay in Batumi: Boulevard Hotel Batumi (9.1/10) / Hotel Monarch (9.3/10)
- Best Batumi tour: Batumi City highlights- private Walking City Tour
- Best day trip from Batumi: GETAWAY From Batumi
- Get insured for your trip to Georgia with SafetyWing
History of Batumi, Georgia
The history of Batumi is long and troublesome.
The area was inhabited already in the ancient times and played an important harbor role back then. Due to its strategic position, the city has changed its authorities over the years.
The biggest development, however, was in the 19th century when Russians ruled the city.
That’s when the industry was introduced and Batumi was connected by rail with Baku, Azerbaijan. Even now you can find many remnants of that time, mostly the eclectic old houses.
These days Batumi tries to redefine itself – everyone has his or her own opinion about the way the city is changing, you can love it or hate it, but one thing is for sure – Batumi leaves no one indifferent.
Arriving to Batumi
Getting to Georgia during my first trip was pretty challenging and pricey but since Wizzair opened flights to Kutaisi things improved big time.
As this airport is located more or less in the center of the country it is pretty convenient for most of the destinations across Georgia.
My Wizzair flight landed in Kutaisi in the middle of the night and already some 2 hours later I found myself in Batumi.
The day was about to be gorgeous and I was faced with the dilemma – catching up on sleep or setting off to explore what Batumi has to offer. Of course, I went for the second option.
My hotel and the center of Batumi were some 4 kms apart but the promenade along the Black Sea is such a lovely place that walking there was a pure pleasure.
The day was just waking up, first people were heading to the beach or jogging along.
At this early hour, it still didn’t feel like Batumi is a bustling seaside resort, the biggest one in Georgia and one of the most popular on the Black Sea coast.
But this was about to change very soon!
Reasons to visit Batumi
Interesting architecture of Batumi, Georgia
If you’re interested in architecture, especially the modern one, Batumi will be a treat for you.
The city is going through the huge development and after 5 years I barely could recognize it.
The area along the beaches in Batumi is booming with brand new hotels of world-famous chains and not only.
The most interesting building, however, is the tower of the Technical University, with a little ferris wheel incorporated up high.
Walking along the beach promenade and admiring the quirky architecture or numerous random sculptures along the way is the best way to get familiar with the feel of the resort.
That’s where the majority of the events and the city’s life is happening in the summertime.
It’s especially busy in the evenings when all the tourists seem to wander along the beach and enjoy warm summer nights or head to one of the numerous night clubs.
Batumi old town
But Batumi is so much more than the beachside.
The nearby old town is rather compact but recently it has gone through a major restoration and now is so very charming. Walking around the beautiful lanes is a pure pleasure and a must when you visit Batumi.
But even if they were renewed it’s not difficult to find the real atmosphere of old Batumi.
Just choose less popular lanes or step into the courtyards with laundry hanging up above. You will see local people killing time sitting on the benches and observing the life around or numerous small grocery shops where everyone knows each other.
In the evening the main square of the area – Piazza in Batumi – fills up with people.
Even if this part of the city is changing fast too and there’re more and fancier hotels and restaurants opening it is still very quiet and authentic in the old town.
Quirks of Batumi
One of the reasons why I enjoyed Batumi so much were all the little quirks I found about the city.
There is a surprisingly good street art scene with couple of decent murals (like the one at the side wall of the main university building) or colorful pianos strewn around (you can play on them!).
Since 2013 the annual street art festival has been one of an important cultural event in the city (one of many) so the future of Batumi street art looks very bright.
But that’s not all!
Have you ever paid attention to McDonald’s buildings? Me neither.
But McDonalds Batumi is outstanding, it was even named one of the 10 most beautiful modern buildings in the world showing the future of the architecture! It’s modern, in the funky shape, surrounded by the pond and with flowers growing on the roof.
So very cool! It’s among my favorite McDonald’s restaurants I’ve seen (together with Subotica or Porto).
Another quirky place I found was Kemal Turmanidze Art Salon – museum made by one person, Kemal Turmanidze, who carved all the exhibits portraying how the live in rural Georgia used to be.
Amazing local market in Batumi
Do you remember the famous video when the train is passing through the market somewhere in Asia? You can witness a similar scene in Batumi! I did!
The local market was among my favorite places to visit in Batumi.
It was busy with people who were selling home made products, watermelons twice the size of the head, cheese, spices or local goodies.
Everything was so fresh and so aromatic my head was about to explode from all these incentives!
Georgian food is the best one in the world, and I really meant it! The secret why it’s so good is hidden in the fresh products, not spoiled with any fertilizers or chemistry, and this kind of local market is the best place to see and try it all!
I always buy so many things when I visit one and Batumi was no exception! I supplied myself with local Georgian tea, churchkelas and spices (Svanetian salt or ajika just to name few).
I’ve heard that somewhere in Batumi you can also find a fish market where they can prepare you a delicious fish dish from the products you’ve just purchased – everyone was raving about it but since I’m a vegetarian I’m not the one to judge.
Batumi botanical garden – a perfect nature getaway
If you’re tired with the hustle and bustle of the city it’s very easy to get away to the relaxing green oasis (and Georgia is known from its outstanding nature!).
Since the city is located in the subtropical climate zone it’s very easy to grow all kinds of vegetation there. And you can find them all in Batumi botanical garden!
Batumi has strong botanical gardens traditions and the one we currently can visit, located in the outskirts of the city in Makhinjauri, is truly divine.
It’s divided into upper, lower and seaside part and even if you can move around using small electric trains I definitely suggest you walking as this is the best way to admire all the amazing plants, trees and flowers growing in the garden.
They come from all over the world and are simply beautiful! Being surrounded by this outstanding nature is a perfect way to spend an afternoon and recharge your batteries!
Getaway to Adjara – region with outstanding views
Botanical garden is just a prelude to even more amazing places around Batumi.
The nearby Mtirala National Park or Mountainous Region Keda are breathtaking with pristine mountains, lush forests, wild rivers, hidden waterfalls and stone bridges built centuries ago.
This is a completely different world than Batumi yet it’s located just a short ride away.
Even if the weather wasn’t very good on the day I was there my breath was taken away by the beauty around me so many times!
This seems like such a remote and forgotten part of the world, the mass tourism from Batumi didn’t get here yet but if you decided to head here I bet it will be the highlight of your stay in this seaside resort!
Best view of Batumi
In the early evening, before the sunset, take the cable car to the nearby Anuria Mountain where you can admire the stunning Batumi view and the nearby mountains. The orange sky bathes Batumi with surroundings in the soft sunlight and everything looks just the prettiest!
The whole cable car journey takes some 10 minutes and all the way the views are really amazing! There’s even a restaurant at the upper station if you would like to have a dinner with the view.
But this is not the only good eating option in the city!
In the center you will find lots of restaurants serving the best specialties of Georgian and Adjarian (local) cuisine.
Since the food there is so delicious no matter where you go you will be in heaven! My mouth gets water only at the thought of it!
Is Batumi worth visiting?
I can see why some people didn’t really like Batumi, I had troubles falling for it the first time as well.
The city is eccentric in a way, with the contrasts everywhere.
It is also known as Georgian Las Vegas with casino on every second step but the reason behind it is very simple – the Turkish border is located just 15 kms away and gambling is forbidden in Turkey.
But once you come to Batumi with the open mind, ready to be surprised and you won’t limit yourself only to the beach and sea you will really enjoy your stay.
It is definitely so much more than just another seaside resort on the Black Sea coast.
There are just so many great things about the city: the architecture, the nature, the food, the culture that everyone will find something interesting for him or herself.
Just don’t listen to others’ opinions, see Batumi yourself!
Further reading
I published many articles about Georgia that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:
- 22 Wonderful and Unique Places to Visit in Georgia
- 15 reasons to visit Georgia – the amazing emerging destination
- 49 Awesome Things to Do in Tbilisi, Georgia
- 10 Beautiful Day Trips from Tbilisi, Georgia
- How to get from Tbilisi to Yerevan (or Yerevan to Tbilisi) – a complete guide
- Is it worth to visit Kutaisi? Best things to do in Kutaisi, Georgia
- 10 Amazing Places You Can Visit As Day Trips From Kutaisi, Georgia
- 20 Cool Things to do in Batumi, Georgia
- Visit Tskaltubo, Georgia – an abandoned playground
- and more!
If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in the Caucasus and ask your questions there.
Travel Resources
You can find the best accommodation options at Booking. They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Batumi
Never travel without travel insurance, you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for Georgia here.
I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here.
Make sure to have the offline map always installed on your phone, they can save you so many troubles. I always use the free app Maps.Me.
For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:
- If you don’t want to miss new posts and news from me click here to sign to my newsletter! You can also follow me on Bloglovin!
- Join my Facebook group about Eastern Europe, the Balkans and former USSR and connect with fellow travellers and enthusiasts of these regions – just click here!
- I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Batumi too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. If you like what you are reading and seeing here and would like to support me and my blog please consider using those links. It would be like getting me a virtual drink that you don’t have to pay for! Thanks!
My trip to Georgia was in collaboration with Wizzair and Batumi, Adjara. All opinions, as always, remain my own.
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46 Comments
Itchy Feet
11/09/2016 at 18:56Nam sie w Batumi bardzo podobalo!
Kami and the rest of the world
11/09/2016 at 18:57super, że nie jestem jedyna :D
Natalia Kocur
11/09/2016 at 20:30Będziemy tam za niecałe 3 tygodnie i sprawdzimy sami :-) Dzięki za ten post!
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:43polecam się :) bardzo jestem ciekawa jak Wam sie spodoba
Irena Konieczna
11/09/2016 at 20:32Fajne zdjęcia! Mnie Batumi z całym swoim architektonicznym szaleństwem zauroczyło! :) A lokalny bazar…poezja! kolory i zapachy, panie skubiące kurczaki (“kupcie,diewoczki, świeże”), towarowy pociąg jadący przez środek…Cudo! :)
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:36prawda??? zupełnie się nie spodziewałam takiego fantastycznego bazaru!
Maria Glukhovska
12/09/2016 at 06:51I was there for a week, explored everything, including market, rope way and botanical garden. This is one of the worst of all 200 cities I visited so far, same its one of the worst countries of 40 which I visited. Even Kosovo lives better. Will never understand people who say its a lovely city! Whyy? Why don’t you say truth so that others won’t be disappointed?
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:42did you even consider that I might have really enjoyed it there? What I wrote is all truth how I saw the place even if during my first visit in Batumi I was rather disappointed, which I’ve also mentioned. I have no problems with writing bad about the places I didn’t like, you can find these posts on my blog as well. Just not everyone have the same opinion about visited places and while you didn’t like Batumi remember that there are people who did.
FANNY
27/05/2017 at 18:25Hello,
I´ve been to Batumi too. I only stayed for a day and I´m glad I didn´t stay longer because it would have gotten boring (unless you are into going to the beach). But I was really impressed by the crazy architecture and so on. I enjoyed my time there. Maybe you spend too much time there, Maria. An in my opinion, Georgia is an awesome country, still not destroyed by mass tourism (I´ve been to 25 countries)
Kinga Madro
12/09/2016 at 06:51a wiesz, że coś w tym jest? Kiedy byłam w Gruzji celowo ominęłam Batumi właśnie przez złe opinie. :P ale to było dawno temu, teraz już nie kieruję się takimi opiniami. :)
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:42człowiek z wiekiem mądrzeje ;)
Tomek Luks
12/09/2016 at 06:59Dopiero się wybieram :)
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:47zdecydowanie polecam!
Maria Magdalena Krychowska
12/09/2016 at 07:14Tyle Gruzji wokół, że muszę wreszcie pomysleć o tym kierunku. :)
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:43koniecznie!
Paolo Piazza
12/09/2016 at 08:41Going there on 2th October! Any tips?
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:48nice! eat as much food as you can, you won’t regret it ;) where in Georgie are you going to?
Paolo Piazza
12/09/2016 at 21:073 days in Batumi and 3 in Kutaisi
Kinga Bielejec
12/09/2016 at 08:56Batumi to takie gruzińskie Vegas :D Czy mi się podobało? Ciężko powiedzieć, na pewno jest tam inaczej niż w pozostałych częściach Gruzji.
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:42pisałam o tym Vegas w poście ;)
Joanna Ejsmont Lisowska
12/09/2016 at 09:55wow, bardzo nowoczesne to Batumi. fajne
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:43od czapy trochę, ale daje radę ;)
Joanna Ejsmont Lisowska
13/09/2016 at 07:01na zdjęciach nie wygląda od czapy:)
Pola Henderson
12/09/2016 at 09:55Haven’t been, would like to go. :)
Kami and the rest of the world
12/09/2016 at 20:43and you definitely should!
Mark
12/09/2016 at 12:35I recognise so a many of your photos, we have almost identical ones!. We were also taken aback with the charms of Batumi and having recently visited Odessa, couldn’t help but make a comparison between the two cities. In the end Batumi won out for us but it was a close call. If you do a similar trip again, I can recommend a night or two in Kutaisi – Bagrati Cathedral and the outlying monasteries are very nice indeed.
kami
14/09/2016 at 11:34I’m actually flying to Kutaisi again in November so I might stay there for couple of nights, haven’t decided on my itinerary yet.
I actually really like Odessa, was there again this year and it’s still great :) Batumi surprised me this time, it was nothing that I remembered but so much better. Wouldn’t mind returning there one day again :)
Ewa
16/09/2016 at 18:05Byłam, była jesień i bardzo mi się tam spodobało :)
kami
21/09/2016 at 20:16doskonale! nie jestem sama :)
Jasilyn
17/09/2016 at 09:09That city looks so beautiful. I wish it was cheaper to travel (or I made more money). For now I’ll live vicariously through your blog. :)
kami
21/09/2016 at 20:21I will do my best to make it interesting for you :) Now flying to Georgia is so much cheaper than 5 years ago, so good low cost airlines are there! I really hope you will visit the Caucasus soon as this is such an amazing place, one of my favorites!
Pelangsing
19/09/2016 at 19:11Wonderfull place. I wish I could go there. Maybe someday.
kami
21/09/2016 at 20:27hopefully!
Johan H.
22/09/2016 at 09:34I had no idea that it was possible to go with Wizzair to Georgia, so thanks for alert! Even though it would mean a layover in Warzaw, Budapest or Vilnius when flying from Copenhagen or Malmö, it is way cheaper than the Turkisk Airlines flight via Istanbul! I just wish more European low cost airlines had flights to the Caucasus region…
By the way, how did you get from Kutaisi Airport to Batumi? According to the Rome2Rio website, the buses and trains only seem to run once or twice daily. Is that correct?
kami
22/09/2016 at 20:42Did you see Wizzair also flies from Berlin (and some other Germany cities) to Kutaisi? Maybe that will be even easier for you! They also fly from Budapest to Baku, Azerbaijan. Now I’m just waiting for some low cost airline to open the route to Yerevan, that would be like a dream coming true! Wizzair made Caucasus so much easier to get to, I couldn’t be happier!
There are buses from Kutaisi Airport to Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and some other destinations in Georgia and they are connected with the flights. Here’s the website: https://www.georgianbus.com/
niesmigielska
28/09/2016 at 16:47tak myslałam, że będę z tych, co będą bronić batumi, ale czasu nam nie starczyło :(
kami
04/10/2016 at 21:46i tak pewnie jeszcze wrócicie do Gruzji, wtedy obowiązkowo do Batumi! Tak bardzo jest od czapy, że powinno Wam się spodobać!
Batumi in March: old and confused - Lost With Purpose
16/12/2016 at 04:50[…] is a beach town, and in the summer Batumi is quite popular. Luckily for us, we visited in winter time (sarcasm). The beach was very rocky and thus not very […]
Gezilecekyerler.com
27/04/2019 at 06:47It’s a great city. I wish I could see it.
kami
01/05/2019 at 10:39Fingers crossed you can make it there one day!
Rebecca
21/07/2019 at 22:28Hi Kami,
Another blogger friend recommended your site to me because I may have the opportunity to visit Batumi and surrounds. So imagine my joy when your site was recommended and I read this post!
Thanks so much – I feel well prepared now.
What’s the currency in Georgia?
kami
24/07/2019 at 06:33I’m glad you liked the post Rebecca! Batumi is such an interesting city and the surroundings are beautiful. You should definitely go, you would love it there! And the food is to die for! The currency in Georgia is lari but you can easily exchange dollars or euro, there’re also plenty of ATMs around.
Michał
27/07/2019 at 07:13Jak z Batumi dostać się do Mtirala National Park lub Mountainous Region Keda? Da się to zrobić na jednodniowym wypadzie?
kami
31/07/2019 at 12:01powinny być jakies marszrutki, ale to najlepiej na miejscu już chyba się dowiadywać. W ostateczności pozostaje wynajęcie auta, ale to może być kosztowna opcja…
Nathan Cludts
25/03/2023 at 09:11Do you remember where this market took place? Because everyone i spoke to seems to think that Batumi market is the most organised and modern in the whole of Georgia, something wildly different from your portrayal of a deliciously chaotic open air market. Maybe it changed since you visited Georgia before its “tourist-and-every-building-needs-renovation/modernization”-boom.
kami
02/04/2023 at 11:11It was this place: https://goo.gl/maps/tQ9uFUVXSjtPUpDu5 It was organized in a way but also chaotic, which is typical for Georgia. But it could have changed in the past few years, just like the rest of Batumi is changing so fast