10 Awesome places to check out in Batumi, Georgia (the country)
Updated: Apr 10
This sea side resort-style city really left an impression on us with its infusion of Georgian, Soviet, Turkish and European styles. It is packed full of places of interest including several monuments, towers, fountains, a Ferris wheel and truly fantastic boardwalk. This list is by no means exhaustive and is activity based; we will not even mention the plethora of great bars and restaurants we enjoyed here!
Batumi is a great spot for budget travel as much of what there is to see is free! It is also perfect for a leisurely vacation or indeed for adventurers and fast travellers who are just passing through. It has a little something for everyone but this list is our pick of the bunch - will you visit them all? Feel free to save this post as your Batumi itinerary / travel guide!
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1. Alphabetic Tower
The $65 million Alphabetic Tower is a 130 meter high monument symbolizing the unique Georgian alphabet and its people. 33 letters adorn the tower in the from of a double helix, promoting a language that dates back as far as the 5th century.
There is also a rotating observation deck and restaurant within the dome at the top affording a 360 degree view of the city and the Black Sea. You will be charged to take the elevator to the top and there is no additional cha (unless you want to buy food or drinks).
COST: 20 GEL / $7 USD / £6 GBP
OPENING TIMES: 10am - 12pm, 7 days per week
LOCATION: Tap here for directions
2. Ali & Nino Monument
Created by artist Tamara Kvesitadze, the Ali and Nino Monument is a moving piece that represents the story of love between a Christian princess and Muslim boy who were forced to separate during the Bolshevik Revolution.
The statues rotate on a 10 minute loop, with both eventually coming together seamlessly as one. Its inspiration came from a famous 1937 novel by Azerbaijani author Kurban Said and it is one of the most prominent attractions in the city.
COST: Free
OPENING TIMES: Anytime
LOCATION: Tap here for directions
3. European Square & The Medea Monument
Also known as Era Square, this is a beautiful and attractive plaza featuring some of Batumi's most historic buildings, a fountain, many restaurants and its star attraction, The Medea Monument. The square is in the centre of the city and is a hub of activity on most days, with live music and various fairs / carnivals featured throughout the year. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of Batumi with plenty of outdoor dining and café areas. We found some of the best places to eat in Batumi were at European Square!
The monument represents the Greek princess Medea holding the Golden Fleece. She is known for falling deeply in love with the explorer and adventurer Jason of the Argonauts and was said to have the power and gift of prophecy. It was unveiled in 2007 by the President of Georgia at the time, Mikheil Saakashvili.
COST: Free
OPENING TIMES: Anytime
LOCATION: Tap here for directions
4. Batumi Piazza
This stunning Italian renaissance style public square bears the hallmarks of places like Venice with its amazing bell laden clock tower and incredible main central floor mosaic. With various restaurant options too it is a fantastic place to enjoy the spirit of Batumi's European vibes and is generally quieter than European Square. It is located in old town, around 4-5 blocks from the Black Sea. There are also several boutique hotels here too and it is considered one of the city's most ornate areas.
The figurative mosaic itself is the largest of its kind in Europe and was painstakingly put together from over 88million cut marble pieces. Yes, 88 MILLION! It was created in 2010 by designer Natali (Natalia) de Pita Amirejibi and you can find out more information about what it depicts here.
COST: Free
OPENING TIMES: Anytime, restaurants close approx. 10pm
LOCATION: Tap here for directions
Five HUGE reasons why you need to plan your summer vacation in the up-and-coming beautiful black sea coastal city of Batumi, Georgia!
5. Astronomical Clock
There is a special plaque located opposite the Astronomical Clock which explains its purpose and operation. The Roman numeral clock shows not only real time but also astronomical positions of the sun, moon, planets and zodiac constellation.
It also records sunrises and sunsets, the age of the moon, and the actual motion of the moon around the earth. It was commissioned in Germany to the sum of 1.7million GEL and the building it is installed on is the restored former National Bank of Georgia.
COST: Free
OPENING TIMES: Anytime
LOCATION: Tap here for directions
6. Fountain of Neptune & Theatre Square
You will find the Fountain of Neptune in front of Batumi Drama Theater in Theatre Square. It was erected in 2010 and is a copy of the Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza del Nettuno in Bologna, Italy.
This square hosts an excellent view of the variety of architectural styles Batumi offers, with the marble statue a prominent feature amongst the backdrop of the Roman style Drama Theatre, fantastic modern gold wheel of the Ferris Tower, the old palm tree lined shop parade to the left and Soviet era tower blocks to the right. The fountain is not always on, but we did manage to catch it once or twice during our stay.
COST: Free
OPENING TIMES: Anytime
LOCATION: Tap here for directions
7. Chacha Clock Tower & Dancing Fountains
The Chacha Tower is located on the seafront promenade near to the main port of Batumi and Miracle Park in old town. It was originally built over 100 years ago and was restored by the government in 2012 after falling into disrepair. On its opening actual Chacha flowed from its four fountains. Chacha is a pomace brandy and a traditional (and very potent) Georgian alcoholic drink.
It is now non-functioning with its taps said to have been turned off since 2015. It is a replica of an Ottoman era building and has been heavily vandalised, perhaps seen as a symbol of Turkish oppression in the city.
One of our particular highlights are the Dancing Fountains, of which there are 2. These beautiful fountains operate from 7pm to 2am 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! The video shows the larger of the two, which are separated by a 20-25 minute walk along the boulevard.
COST: Free (both)
OPENING TIMES: Chacha Tower Anytime / Dancing Fountains from 9pm to 2am daily
8. Batumi Ferris Wheel & The Octopus Cafe
Perfectly positioned with great views of the Black Sea and the city skyline, this Ferris Wheel is well worth a visit, especially for the price. It is hard not to include this as a must see attraction given how prominent it is on the promenade!
The Soviet era 'Octopus' was built in 1975 and is a fascinating feature sitting just off of the main boardwalk at the centre of the brilliant Batumi Boulevard. It was originally a café although it has been closed for several years. Its colorful mosaics make it an interesting place to visit and no doubt it will continue to attract visitors due to its vibrant design.
COST: Ferris Wheel 3 GEL / $1 USD / 80p GBP. Café is not open and free to visit
OPENING TIMES: Ferris Wheel 9am to 10pm 7 days / Café anytime
9. Batumi Sea Port & Boardwalk
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 Batumi Colonnades. The active seaport at the start of the Boardwalk is a hub of activity at times and we were lucky enough to witness a docked warship while we were here!
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 6pm and watch as it captures an epic sunset! It runs the full length of the coast although be advised that it is a stone beach.
COST: Free
OPENING TIMES: Anytime
LOCATION: Tap here for directions
10. Monument of Ilia Chavchavadze
Known as the 'Father of Georgia', no trip to Batumi would be complete without a visit to this grand dedication statue overlooking the Georgian coast. It is located near Batumi Theatre and Miracle Park.
This is Prince Ilia Chavchavadze, a Georgian public figure, journalist, writer and poet who lead the revival of the Georgian national movement in the second half of the 19th century. He played a major role in the creation of Georgian civil society during time of Russian rule and led the contemporary youth intellectual movement named “tergdaleulebi”, who spread modern and European liberal ideals. He even founded 2 newspapers and played an important role in the first financial structure - Land Bank of Tbilisi. Other famous achievements include helping to spread literacy to maintain the Georgian language.
COST: Free
OPENING TIMES: Anytime
LOCATION: Tap here for directions
We explore this crumbling yet alluring collection of dilapidated spa resorts and bathhouses in our first ever urbex adventure in Georgia.
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