Batumi is the only seaside city reachable from Baku by car in a day, and that makes it special for us. In summer the boulevard fills with our own people in the evenings and you hear Azerbaijani in the restaurants. But the city is not only casinos and the shore: in the mountains behind it there are waterfalls, tea plantations and cable cars. At the summer peak the queue on the road gets long, so booking a flight online sometimes works out both cheaper and easier than driving. Below I have written how to divide Batumi into three days.
Batumi in brief
| Country | Georgia, Adjara; the Black Sea coast |
| Visa | One year visa-free for citizens of Azerbaijan |
| Currency | Lari; cards accepted everywhere |
| Swimming season | June–September, water 24–26 degrees |
| Getting there | A day by car from Baku, five hours by train from Tbilisi |
| Beach | Pebbles, not sand |
| How many days | Three days: two for the city, one for the mountains |
The boulevard, the old town and the Alphabet Tower
The Batumi boulevard is seven kilometres long and is the heart of the city. Renting a bicycle and riding it end to end takes two hours. On the way there is a moving sculpture called “Ali and Nino”, where every evening the two figures pass through each other and people stop to watch. Beside it stand the Alphabet Tower and the ferris wheel.
The old town is around Europe Square: low buildings, cafés and music in the evening. The Piazza square, with its mosaics, is the most chosen spot for photographs. The dolphinarium and the botanical garden are a separate half day; the botanical garden is nine kilometres out of the city, on a hill facing the sea.
From Batumi to the mountains: Makhuntseti and Mahmudiye
Forty minutes from the city the mountain part of Adjara begins. Makhuntseti waterfall and the stone bridge beside it are the classic route, and on the way there are places offering wine tasting and village food. The Mahmudiye mosque and the cable car to the village of Khulo are further off but more interesting.
You can do this route by negotiating with a taxi, but the price comes out different every time. A guided day tour has a fixed price and combines several points; choosing the programme in advance guarantees your place in summer.
Food and prices in Batumi
Adjarian khachapuri comes from exactly here: boat-shaped, with an egg and butter on top. One is enough for two people. The seafood in the shore restaurants is fresh, with red mullet and grey mullet the most chosen. Khinkali, mtsvadi and pkhali are on every menu.
The restaurants on the boulevard are expensive; go one street in and the same dish is half the price. Lunch is 20–35 lari and a good dinner 50–80. For halal food there are many Turkish and Azerbaijani restaurants, and there is a mosque in the city too.
Read more: Do you need a visa for Georgia? One year visa-free, the land border, the train and the Abkhazia rule
Season and accommodation
July and August are the busiest and most expensive months, with 28–30 degrees and a warm sea. June and September are more comfortable, prices are lower, and the sea is still, and already, suitable. Know one thing: Batumi is the rainiest city in Georgia, and a sudden downpour can come even in summer, so take an umbrella. In winter the city quietens and hotels get much cheaper.
In the new hotels on the shore line a night in summer is 70–150 dollars, and one or two streets in from the centre 35–60. Renting an apartment works out well for a family. Compare hotels by their distance from the sea — two hundred metres changes the price twofold. Regional information is on the Georgia Travel portal.
Frequently asked questions about Batumi
What is the beach like?
It is pebbles, with no sand. Take water shoes. The water is clean and it gets deep quickly, so children need watching.
Is it comfortable to drive there?
Yes, the road is good. The queue at the border is long in the summer months, and crossing early in the morning is easier.
Can it be combined with Tbilisi?
Yes, it is five hours by train. Both cities fit comfortably into a week: three days in Batumi and three in Tbilisi.
Conclusion
Batumi is a close, cheap, visa-free seaside city, but anyone who gives one day to the mountains remembers it in an entirely different way. Step one street in from the boulevard and the prices change. If you are going as a family, the ready-made tour packages on the Granit AS site combine the travel and the accommodation in one price. For a trip plan, fill in the application form.
Note: the prices in this article are those at the time of publication and may change with the season.
