Batumi Travel Guide

Batumi, the second largest city in Georgia, is known for its long coastline, clean beaches, lush nature and hospitable people. Wide streets with magnolia trees and large squares decorated with sculptures make the city look like a modern European city. Thanks to wide range of accommodation, vibrant nightlife and natural geography, Batumi is one of the most popular holiday destinations on the Black Sea.

General Information

Location

Located on the shores of the Black Sea, Batumi is only 20 km from the Turkish border. Batumi, the administrative center of the Autonomous Republic of Acara, is the second largest city in Georgia.

Best Time to Visit Batumi

The period between May and September is one of the best times to visit Batumi. The city gets much more lively in the summer season. Especially the seaside restaurants and hotels host a lot of visitors. This period is quite ideal for sea vacation. Summer is also perfect time to get into the sea because of the warm and temperate climate. On the other hand, the visitors who want to have a holiday in calm months may come to the city in autumn. In spring, nature tourism is very popular in the Batumi. Camping and outdoor sports are highly preferred in these months. If you go to Batumi in winter, you can also visit Goderdzi Ski Center.

How Many Days are Enough for the Visit?

Two days is enough for visiting attractions in Batumi. During this time, you can visit the casinos, museums, villages, parks, beaches and taste local foods.

Travel to Batumi

The distance between Istanbul and Batumi is 1,060 kilometers by plane and 1,270 kilometers by car. Batumi flight is one of the most sensible and fastest transportation options. Istanbul-Batumi flights take approximately 2 hours. You may follow campaigns for Georgia flights and travel between two cities at attractive prices.

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Transportation in Batumi

Public transportation is not generally required for urban transportation. Batumi city tour can be toured on foot in maximum 2 hours. But if you need, you may also get a taxi, bus and minibus (Marshrutka). You can get your ticket from the driver when you get on the bus or minibus.

Transportation to Batumi Airports

Batumi International Airport (TAV) is 7 km from the city center. You can get to the city center by taxis, services and bus 9 or bus 10 from the Batumi Airport.

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Places to Visit in Batumi

Advertising boards with casino promotions welcome domestic and foreign tourists in Batumi. Small hotels and beaches are lined up along the entire coastal road. Historical buildings, huge parks, museums, churches and towers are definitely worth seeing.

The Statue of Ali and Nino

The Statue of Ali and Nino is one of the structures worth seeing in Batumi. The statue, also known as the Love Statue, symbolizes two young people who cannot meet. The figures, which have a special design, complete their movement by passing through each other. The design of the giant figures with a length of 8 meters belongs to Tamar Kvesitadzade. The story of Ali, a Muslim Azerbaijani teenager, and Nino, a Christian Georgian girl, inspires the statue. The beauty of the statue, which is decorated with red and blue lights, is doubled in the evening hours.

Batumi Theater

Completed in 1952, Batumi Theater Building is a very good example of the old Batumi architecture. The building, which hosts the Ilia Chavchavadze State Theater, takes its name from a pioneer in the fields of literature and politics. Batumi Theater has also great importance for Georgian literature. The walls of the theater are fully equipped with important works of literature.

Theater Square

Theater Square, also known as Neptune or Poseidon Square, is located right next to Batumi Theater. In the middle of the square, there is a Neptune Statue and fountain made with gold plating. The Neptune sculpture is very important for Batumi which has been making its living from the sea and the port for centuries. Of course, it should be noted that there is an Italian breeze just like the Piazza Square. After all, the original Neptune Statue is located in Nettuno Square, Bologna, Italy.

Piazza Square

The Piazza Square is one of the most popular meeting points of the city. This square, where the people come together to watch concerts and performing arts on special days, is also an important part of the daily routine. You can spend quite a long time in restaurants and cafes around the Square. In this way, you may create a calm time to see Georgia's way of living and try the local tastes.

Batumi Harbor and Lighthouse Tower

You should visit the harbor that is a main source of income for the city and an important tourist attraction point. The port also has an interesting lighthouse, built in 1882 by French engineers. When you move towards the Hotel Kempinski, you can see Batumi Lighthouse Tower.

Panoramic Wheel

The Ferris wheel, located in the Miracle Park, is waiting for those who want to see the city from above. The huge Ferris wheel has a capacity of 250 visitors. Located close to the Alphabet Tower, this large Ferris wheel is definitely worth a visit. You have the opportunity to see the panoramic view of all Batumi in a slow journey that takes about 15 minutes. The amusing tour with a 55-meter high Ferris wheel can be an experience you will never forget in Batumi.

Virgin Mary Church

Virgin Mary Church is a magnificent building with three domes from the 19th century. The church is within walking distance from the city center. Therefore, it is possible to reach this wonderful Neogothic style church easily. Especially in the evening, the light games reflected on the church walls are watched with pleasure. Virgin Mary Church gets more and more gigantic with the effect of lighting.

Batumi Botanical Garden

Founded in 1912, Batumi Botanical Garden is one of the largest botanical gardens in the world. The garden has thousands of plants and hundreds of trees within its borders. Batumi Botanical Garden can be visited every day of the week between 08:00 and 21:00. You can not only find the plant species specific to Georgia but also special trees and flowers brought from all over the world. Plants from different lands of the world, from the Himalayas to Australia, add a color to this magical garden.

Where to Stay in Batumi?

There are too many accommodation options for every budget in Batumi. Visitors who come here for business purposes mostly prefer business hotels. Pensions and city motels appeal to those who are looking for mid-range places for the weekend. There are also low-budget accommodation options for students and travelers.

In addition, instead of staying in a hotel in Batumi, it is a very common option to rent apartments equivalent to hotels in the same price range. Hotels are lined up on the right side of 6 May Park in Batumi city center. There are many luxury and resort hotels in Batumi with the effect of the gambling culture. JRW Welmond Hotel & Casino, Hilton Batumi, Radisson Blu Hotel and Wyndham Batumi are some of them.

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What to Eat in Batumi?

The Georgian cuisine, is influenced by the European and Middle Eastern cuisines, offers its own tastes with regional differences. Georgian food, which is not very bitter or spicy, consists of meat, pastries, meatballs, cheese and vegetables. Foods such as walnuts, pomegranates, onions, garlic, fresh coriander, beans, nuts, eggplants, spinach and plums are used in the recipes. Fruits, such as peach, plum, pear, grape and citrus, obtained from the fertile Georgian soil are frequently consumed. In addition, Georgian wines attract attention with their unique taste and aroma.

Batumi Cuisine

Do not return without tasting these flavors in Batumi;

• Khinkali
• Sulguni
• Khachapuri
• Chakhokhbili
• Chicken Chkmeruli
• Churchkhela
• Mtsvadi

Batumi Restaurants

• Laguna
• Retro
• Heart of Batumi
• Ukrainochka
• Spectrum Rooftop Restaurant

Shopping in Batumi: Best Souvenirs to Buy

There are many things you can buy as a souvenir in Batumi. Electronic devices, perfumes, local clothes and hand made products are often preferred. You can also buy mugs made with wood carving as a gift. These are handcrafted and are pretty nice products as a gift for your loved ones.

Nightlife in Batumi 

The city attracts a lot of tourists with its casinos. Batumi, where larger luxury hotels are built and more sparkling casinos are opened every year, is called the Las Vegas of Black Sea. Piazza Square and the seaside locations have also vibrant nightlife in summer.

Things to Know Before Visiting Batumi

• Although some cars have a steering wheel on the right, traffic flows from right side across the country.
• There is fast Wi-Fi at almost every point in Batumi. It is also possible to take advantage of mobile Internet by getting a SIM card at an affordable price.
• Do not return from Batumi without having a coffee in the Piazza Square.

What are the emergency numbers in Batumi?

Ambulance/Police/Fire: 112