Georgia
Plan your trip to Batumi
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Plan Batumi in a couple of minutes
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Day 1
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📍Batumi Boulevard
🍽Adjarian khachapuri
🌿Makhuntseti waterfall & Queen Tamar's bridge
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Batumi is the capital of Adjara on Georgia's Black Sea coast, and one of the fastest-rising destinations of recent years. It's a city of contrasts: a seven-kilometre seafront park beside a quiet old town, bold modern towers set against the green Adjara mountains, and one of the world's most interesting cuisines — including the famous Adjarian khachapuri, which was born right here. Prices are far below European levels, real nature sits half an hour from the centre, and that combination is exactly why Batumi works. Here's everything you need to plan the perfect trip to Batumi — and build it in a tap with Vagga.
Getting there
Batumi International (BUS) sits about 20 minutes south of the city, with direct seasonal flights from several countries in summer and connections via Tbilisi the rest of the year. A taxi from the terminal is the simplest transfer — agree the fare in advance or use a local ride-hailing app. You can also combine: fly into Tbilisi and continue by train or a short domestic flight. Driving between the two cities takes around five to six hours through fine scenery, but it is a long day.
Top sights
Batumi Boulevard
A seafront park running some seven kilometres along the coast, with fountains, bike hire and cafés. The city's beating heart in the evening.
Ali and Nino statue
An eight-metre moving sculpture of a man and a woman who approach, pass through each other and separate — performed every evening. The city's emblem.
Alphabet Tower
A tower shaped like a DNA helix, woven with the letters of Georgia's unique alphabet. There's a viewing deck at the top.
Piazza Square
An Italianate square with mosaics, stained glass and restaurants around the edges. Especially handsome under night lighting.
Europe Square & the Medea statue
A central old-town square with a statue of Medea from Greek mythology holding the Golden Fleece.
Batumi Botanical Garden
One of the largest in the region, spread across slopes above the sea about nine kilometres north. Allow two or three hours among subtropical planting and coastal views.
Gonio Fortress
An ancient Roman fort roughly 15 kilometres south, near the Turkish border. Impressive walls and views out to sea.
Argo cable car
A cable car up Anuria mountain above the city. The view over the Black Sea and the skyline is best towards sunset.
Batumi Old Town
Quiet streets of Ottoman- and Russian-era houses, carved wooden balconies and small cafés.
Chacha Tower
A clock tower on a city square, built as a tribute to chacha — the local Georgian grape brandy.
Things to do
Makhuntseti waterfall & Queen Tamar's bridge
A beautiful waterfall and a 12th-century arched stone bridge, about an hour from the city. The most popular day trip.
Mtirala National Park
Temperate rainforest with walking trails, waterfalls and natural pools. Green and humid, a total contrast to the coast.
Wine and chacha tasting in Adjara
Georgia has fermented wine in clay qvevri vessels for 8,000 years — a tradition inscribed on UNESCO's cultural heritage list.
A khachapuri workshop
Learn to shape and bake a real Adjarian khachapuri — the boat-shaped version with egg and butter that originated here.
A beach day in Kobuleti
A quieter resort town north of Batumi with a long stretch of shore. A pleasant alternative to the city crowds.
The casinos
Batumi is a well-known legal gaming hub for the region, and it's part of what draws a certain kind of tourism. Casinos cluster around the larger hotels.
Batumi market
A genuine local market of cheeses, spices, churchkhela and fruit. The best place to understand the regional kitchen.
Where to eat
Adjarian khachapuri
The dish born right here: a boat of bread filled with molten cheese, topped with an egg and a knob of butter you stir in. One serves two.
Khinkali
Juicy meat dumplings eaten by hand. Hold the knot, bite, drink the broth — and leave the knot on the plate.
Badrijani nigvzit
Aubergine rolls filled with a walnut-and-garlic paste. One of the best-loved dishes in Georgian cooking.
Lobio
A bean stew cooked in a clay pot with herbs and spices, served with cornbread (mchadi).
Churchkhela
Nuts on a string, dipped again and again in thickened grape juice. The classic Georgian roadside sweet.
Qvevri wine
Wine fermented in clay vessels buried in the ground. The local grapes taste unlike anything familiar — try an amber (orange) wine.
Chacha
A very strong Georgian grape brandy, offered at almost every meal. A small glass is plenty.
Where to stay
The new town & seafront
Hotel towers facing the sea, close to the Boulevard and Piazza Square. The most convenient base for a first visit and for nightlife.
The old town
Quieter, European in character, walking distance from everything. Guesthouses and small apartments at friendly prices.
Gonio & the southern coast
A calm area towards Gonio Fortress, good if you have a car and want less crowded beaches.
Kobuleti
About 30 kilometres north — a self-contained resort town with a long beach and lower prices. Suits longer family stays.
Best time to visit
June to September is the season: warm sea, a lively promenade and everything open. July and August are the peak — hottest, priciest and busiest. May and October are lovely for the mountains and gardens with far fewer people, though the sea is no longer reliably swimmable. One thing many visitors miss: Batumi is among the rainiest cities in the region, and short intense downpours happen even in midsummer. Pack a waterproof layer, even in July.
Sample itinerary
Day 1
The city — Batumi Boulevard, the Ali and Nino statue towards evening, Piazza Square and a first Adjarian khachapuri.
Day 2
Around the city — the Botanical Garden in the morning, the Argo cable car for the view, and an evening in the old town.
Day 3
Nature — Makhuntseti waterfall and Queen Tamar's bridge, with a chacha tasting stop on the way back.
Day 4
History and coast — Gonio Fortress in the morning, an afternoon on a quiet beach south of the city.
Day 5
Forest and food — Mtirala National Park, then Batumi market and a farewell khinkali dinner.
Before you go
Currency and payments
The Georgian lari (GEL). Cards work in city hotels and restaurants, but the market, taxis and villages need cash.
The beach is pebbles, not sand
Worth knowing in advance: Batumi's beaches are smooth stones rather than sand. Water shoes make the day far more comfortable.
Language
Georgian, with its own distinctive alphabet. Russian is understood almost everywhere; English less so — mainly among younger people and in hotels.
A rainy climate
Batumi is subtropical and humid, among the wettest cities in the region. A short downpour can arrive even in mid-August.
Getting around
The city is compact and walkable. For longer hops there are cheap marshrutkas (minibuses) and taxis; for mountain trips a driver or rental car is better.
Entering Georgia
Georgia maintains a welcoming entry policy for visitors from many countries. Check the current requirements before you travel — they change from time to time.
Good to know
How many days do you need in Batumi?
Three days for the city and its immediate surroundings. Four or five if you also want the waterfalls, the national park and some slow beach time.
How long is the flight from Tel Aviv?
About 2.5 hours direct, operating mainly in the summer season. Outside it, most routes connect through Tbilisi.
When is the best time to go?
June to September for the sea and the atmosphere. May and October are excellent for nature and mountains, with fewer people and better prices.
Are Batumi's beaches sandy?
No — they're pebble beaches. The water is clean and drops off fairly quickly, and water shoes are strongly recommended.
What's the currency and how do you pay?
The Georgian lari (GEL). Cards are accepted in most city venues, but keep cash for the market, taxis and villages.
Is Batumi cheap?
Relative to Europe, yes — food, lodging and transport are considerably lower. In peak summer, city prices do rise noticeably.
Is English spoken in Batumi?
Less than in Europe. Russian is understood almost everywhere; English is mostly found in hotels, tourist restaurants and among younger people.
What must you eat in Batumi?
Adjarian khachapuri — it was born here and this is the original version. Alongside it: khinkali, badrijani and churchkhela for dessert.
What is there to do in Batumi with children?
The Boulevard with its fountains and bike hire, the dolphinarium, the cable car, the Botanical Garden and the amusement parks along the seafront.
Should you combine Batumi with Tbilisi?
Definitely — the two cities are very different from each other. The road journey takes about five to six hours, and there are also trains and short domestic flights.
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