5 Reasons to Visit Batumi, Georgia’s Black Sea Gem

Batumi might just be Georgia’s best-kept secret. Nestled along the Black Sea, this lively city surprises visitors with its modern skyline, palm-lined promenade, and laid-back beach vibe.

With its local vibes yet bright and modern architecture, fine wine and traditional cuisine, beautiful sunset views and public spaces, awesome bars and a lively expat community, Batumi is an affordable and memorable place to visit for travellers and families alike!

We spent 5 months living in this vibrant European-esque city, the capital of the autonomous region of Adjara in the country of Georgia.

We know many people have not even heard of Georgia, the country, let alone Batumi.

So we just had to put together 5 BIG reasons why Batumi is one of those cities that you simply MUST put on your travel list!

Batumi, the GEM of Georgia

Batumi is a Black Sea resort city and is the capital of the Georgian autonomous republic of Adjara.

It has its own airport and is certainly up-and-coming with striking new buildings cropping up all over the city.

Mixing modern architecture with its European 19th-century cobbled street old town certainly offers a truly unique experience!

It also has a plethora of hotels, bars, casinos, restaurants, and an amazing expat community for world travellers.

Perhaps one of its most famous features is the wonderful Batumi Boulevard, a 7km long waterfront promenade of beautiful parks, fountains, and monuments. More on that later!

1) Food & Cuisine

If there is one thing for sure about Batumi, it is that you will not run out of food options.

There is everything from traditional local restaurants to fast food, and what's more, with the Bolt and Wolt food apps, you can order for home delivery from anywhere in the city.

There are many blog posts about traditional Georgian food, of which we certainly indulged!

So, rather than tell you about Khinkali, Khachapuri, Churchkhela, or Mtsvadi (which are all excellent, of course), we wanted to share with you our top thirteen places to eat.

We were in Batumi for 5 months and tried many options; these are just a few restaurants that we have picked out that you simply MUST try while you are there:

2) Modern Architecture & European Flair

If you like sightseeing and good photos, Batumi has opportunities in abundance!

We loved the city for this very reason, and were completely enamoured and honestly quite surprised by what it had to offer!

Batumi owes its name to the ancient Greeks, and there is evidence of settlement as far back as the 7th century BC.

It has been occupied by the Romans, Ottomans, and Russians, and it has a deep sense of history running through it.

We were enchanted by the mix of modern buildings and monuments, built amongst the throngs of old Russian residential buildings, palm trees, and the quaint, narrow cobbled streets of Batumi's old town.

Batumi is a pretty large city, yet somehow seems easy to walk around, and many of the key buildings and monuments you may want to visit are all easy to get to.

Here are just a few that we highly recommend you check out:

⪢ Consider Taking a Tour

One of the most popular ways to visit Batumi is by tour. Book walking and food tours, wine tastings, botanical garden tickets, and even day trips to other cities with Get Your Guide.

No matter where your travels take you, Get Your Guide offers the best way to connect with your destination.

🔗 Book your tickets here

3) Boardwalk & Sunsets

The Batumi Boardwalk Boulevard is the pride of the city and stretches for 7km along the black sea coast.

Its development stretches back to 1881, and it boasts a vast array of highlights, including the aforementioned Ali and Nino Statue, the Batumi Lighthouse, and the famous 'Octopus' café.

The boulevard is neatly separated for pedestrians and bikers and is very popular with fitness enthusiasts out for their morning runs.

It is also home to many beautiful themed gardens and grand monuments. If that doesn't tempt you, then head out after 6 pm and watch as it captures an epic sunset - more on that later!

One of the particular highlights is the Dancing Fountains, of which there are two in the city.

These beautiful fountains operate from 9 pm to 2 am and are water displays that are illuminated at night by colorful bulbs and lasers, accompanied by wonderfully sweet and epic music.

They are a great place to chill and another must-see attraction in the city!

One of perhaps Batumi's most charming features is its ability to capture a magnificent sunset... almost every day.

Even if it is cloudy, there is a strong chance that come 6 pm, the sun will dip below the clouds and drench the East of the city with a warm orange glow.

4) Affordability & Ease of Transport

A key factor for any city is being able to get around easily. We were impressed with the ease with which we could do this in Batumi.

The taxis are efficient and convenient - within a couple of taps of the excellent Bolt app, you can have a driver waiting in front of you within minutes.

It is super affordable too, with most journeys costing less than USD 3. To put that in context, a 20-minute ride from one side of the city to the other was less than USD 5.

There are two main taxi apps you can use, Yandex Taxi and Bolt. Both are very good, but we preferred to use Bolt.

It offers 4 car options for every ride - standard, eco-friendly, luxury, and XL. Plus, Bolt also has a food app (Bolt Food), where you can order anything from takeout to toothpaste!

If you would prefer to get around in the great outdoors, it is also worth noting that Batumi offers an excellent scooter service.

While we did not try them, it looked fun to take one on a trip along the boardwalk on a sunny day.

They are offered by the Georgian start-up company Scroll and are available to rent via the Bird App.

You will find them scattered all over the city, and on average, they cost around USD 4 for a 15-minute ride.

5) Accommodation

Batumi offers many different types of accommodation across the city.

Whether you are looking for a high rise with a view of the black sea or a cute apartment in Old Town, there will be no shortage of options.

We found that all of the places we stayed in were great and affordable. We arrived in Georgia in November and stayed for 5 months in total.

It is worth noting that we did stay in the 'off' season, but for a rough idea, we paid between USD 400 - USD 550 per month for the places you see in the photos.

Prices do spike significantly from May onwards for the summer months.

All of our hosts were excellent, and we had no issues during our stay.

We were really happy that we could find places with balconies and washing machines too; two essential things for long-term stays!

While we chose to stay in Airbnb's you will also find a plethora of hotels in the city. There truly is an option for everyone!

Easily Find Hotels in Batumi and Beyond

Looking for a place to stay nearby that is not an Airbnb? Browse Batumi hotel deals below to find great rates for an overnight stay or longer.

Our map offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to zoom in and out, providing a comprehensive view of the area and enabling you to identify the most convenient hotel options based on your current location or desired destination.

How to Get to Batumi, Georgia

Batumi is a vibrant seaside city on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, known for its modern architecture and lively atmosphere.

Tips for Visiting Batumi

● Visit during spring or autumn for pleasant weather and fewer tourists. Summers can be hot and busy, especially July and August.

● Stay close to the seaside boulevard to enjoy easy access to beaches, cafes, and nightlife.

● Try local Adjarian cuisine such as khachapuri (cheese-filled bread) and fresh seafood at seaside restaurants.

● Bring comfortable walking shoes—Batumi is best explored on foot, especially the Old Town and boulevard areas.

● Use public transport or walk to avoid traffic jams; Batumi’s city buses and taxis are affordable and plentiful.

Watch Our First Impressions of Batumi on YouTube

Take a look at our first impressions of Batumi for an extensive look at our 5 months of living in Batumi and other cities from our road trip across Georgia!

If you enjoy our video and want to follow more of our adventures, please like and subscribe!

Your support truly is invaluable to us, and we will always strive to produce the best content we can from around the world!

Our Experience Rating:

Batumi

Honestly, Batumi was not even close to being on our radar when we set off on our travels originally.

When we thought of Asia, we were thinking of Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, and cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo. No offense to Georgia, but we simply had not even heard of it.

We were in Mexico when COVID was starting to bite, and countries around the world were closing their borders.

With our 6-month stay up, we had to leave, and after stopping in Türkiye for 3 months, Georgia was one of the very few countries that were still allowing people in.

Not to mention the incredible 12-month visa-free stay option for foreigners! So off we went, and it genuinely turned out to be one of our best-ever travel choices.

Batumi is such an incredible city that is constantly changing and evolving. It has grown at a phenomenal pace in recent years, with its expansion showing no signs of slowing down.

It does have a bit of everything, is super affordable, and is a place where you can make friends and memories to last a lifetime.

We do hope this post has helped convince you to head over to this slice of city paradise! We miss it terribly, and we know we will be back at some point!

FAQ: Visiting Batumi, Georgia – Your Questions Answered

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