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Batumi

Batumi is Georgia's Black Sea resort, with a long seaside boulevard, a pretty old quarter and a skyline of new towers against green mountains. Summer is for the beach and evening walks by the sea; the rest of the year it is quiet, green and often rainy.

Safety: Avoid some areasupdated 15 September 2026Visa rules: Visa-free
Plan a trip to BatumiHotels in Batumi

Good for

  • Beach holidays
  • Families
  • Relaxed walks
  • Nature day trips
  • Older travellers

A good length: 4 days

Keep mornings for the beach or a day trip, rest in the heat of the afternoon, and walk the boulevard and old town in the evening when the city comes alive.

Best months

June, July, August, September

Per person per day

Budget
US$45
Mid-range
US$100
Comfort
US$230

Per person per day in summer: a bed (guesthouse, mid-range hotel or sea-view tower hotel), meals, buses or app taxis, and one paid sight. Hotel prices drop sharply outside June to September.

Where to stay and spend time

  • Old Batumi

    Stay or visit

    Flat streets of restored 19th century buildings around Europe Square and the Piazza, close to the sea, cafes, the mosque and the port.

    For: First-timers, couples, older travellers

    Watch out: Piazza restaurants charge tourist prices; eat a street or two away for better value.

    Open in map

  • Batumi Boulevard and Rustaveli Avenue

    Stay or visit

    Hotels face the long seaside park with beaches, bike lanes, playgrounds and the dolphinarium, all within walking distance.

    For: Families with children, beach lovers

    Watch out: Beaches are pebbles, not sand, so bring water shoes for children and older people.

    Open in map

  • New Boulevard

    Good base

    South of the centre, a strip of new tower hotels and apartments next to a wide promenade and the Ardagani Lake park with its fountain shows.

    For: Families who want an apartment with a sea view

    Watch out: Some towers are still building sites, and the old town is a taxi or bus ride away.

    Open in map

  • Gonio and Kvariati

    Good base

    Seaside villages south of the city with clearer water, the Roman fortress of Gonio and guesthouses run by local families.

    For: Beach holidays, quiet family stays

    Watch out: Evenings are quiet and you need a bus or taxi for restaurants and sights in Batumi.

    Open in map

  • Makhinjauri and Green Cape

    Good base

    Green hills north of the city near the Botanical Garden, with sea views and quieter beaches.

    For: Nature lovers, calm stays

    Watch out: Many hotels sit on steep slopes, which is hard for older travellers on foot.

    Open in map

Places worth your time

  • ParksFree

    Batumi Boulevard

    Batumi Boulevard and Rustaveli Avenue · 1 to 3 hours

    Several kilometres of seaside park with palm trees, cafes and a bike lane. Rent a city bike or a family bicycle and ride it end to end in the evening.

    Open in map
  • SightsFree

    Ali and Nino statue and Alphabet Tower

    Batumi Boulevard and Rustaveli Avenue · 30 minutes

    Two moving steel figures that slowly meet and part, based on a love story between a Muslim boy and a Georgian girl. Best after dark, when they are lit.

    Open in map
  • SightsFree

    Europe Square and the Piazza

    Old Batumi · 1 hour

    The heart of the old town, with the Medea statue, an astronomical clock and an Italian-style square with live music on summer evenings.

    Open in map
  • SightsFree

    Orta Jame Mosque

    Old Batumi · 30 minutes

    A 19th century mosque with a painted interior, still in use, in the middle of the old town. Visit outside prayer times and dress modestly.

    Open in map
  • Views

    Argo cable car

    Old Batumi · 1 to 2 hours

    A cable car from near the port up to Anuria hill, with a viewing deck and restaurant over the whole bay. Go at sunset on a clear day.

    Open in map
  • Parks

    Batumi Botanical Garden

    Makhinjauri and Green Cape · Half a day

    A huge garden on hills above the sea, with plants from many continents. It is big and hilly, so take the small electric bus inside if you have older people with you.

    Open in map
  • Sights

    Gonio Fortress

    Gonio and Kvariati · 1 to 2 hours

    Well-kept Roman and Byzantine fortress walls with a small museum, a short walk from the beach. Combine with a swim at Gonio or Kvariati.

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  • With children

    Batumi Dolphinarium

    Batumi Boulevard and Rustaveli Avenue · 1 to 2 hours

    Dolphin shows a few times a day, popular with children. Buy seats online or at the box office a day ahead in summer.

    Open in map
  • With childrenFree

    Ardagani Lake and dancing fountains

    New Boulevard · 1 to 2 hours

    A lakeside park with wide paths and cafes, where the big fountains dance to music and lights in the evening from about May to October.

    Open in map
  • Food

    Batumi fish market

    Near the port, north of Old Batumi · 1 to 2 hours

    Choose fresh Black Sea fish downstairs and have it fried in one of the simple restaurants upstairs. Agree the weight and price before they cook it.

    Open in map
  • Day tripsFree

    Makhuntseti waterfall

    Adjara mountains, about 30 km inland · Half a day

    A tall waterfall and the old stone Queen Tamar bridge over a mountain river. Minibuses and taxis go from Batumi; it makes an easy half-day out of the heat.

    Open in map

Getting around

From the airport

  • City bus 10about 20 min

    Municipal bus 10 runs between the airport and the city centre. City buses do not take cash, so pay with a Batumi Card or by tapping a contactless bank card; otherwise take a taxi.

    under 1 GEL with a Batumi Card, about 1 GEL more with a bank card (2026)

  • Bolt or airport taxiabout 15 min

    Taxis wait outside the terminal and the ride takes 10 to 15 minutes. Bolt shows a fixed price first; with a street taxi, agree the price before you get in.

    about 10 to 25 GEL (2026)

In the city

  • Batumi Card and city buses

    Buy a Batumi Card at a payment terminal, bank branch or tourist information centre, top it up with cash and tap when you board. It is the cheapest way to ride; a contactless bank card also works but costs about 1 GEL more per ride.

  • Minibuses (marshrutkas)

    Small minibuses go to Gonio, Kvariati, Makhinjauri and inland villages, and take cash. Tell the driver your stop when you get on.

  • City bikes

    Batumi's bike-share stations line the boulevard; register in the app or at a station terminal. Private stalls on the boulevard also rent bikes and family pedal cars for cash.

Taxis and ride apps

Bolt works well in Batumi and lets you pay cash; cars are fewer late at night and in winter. Street taxis have no meter, so agree the fare first. Expect higher prices around the casinos and seafront hotels at night.

On foot

Batumi is flat and easy on foot, with a long car-free seafront that suits children, strollers and older people. Only the botanical garden and the northern hills are steep.

Food

Halal food: Halal food is easier here than anywhere else in Georgia. Adjara has a large Muslim community, Turkey is next door, and Turkish and Adjarian restaurants serving halal meat are common in the old town around the mosque.

Persian food and community: Batumi is popular with Iranian holidaymakers in summer, and Iranian restaurants and Persian-speaking staff are found in the old town and along the seafront. Iran also has a consulate in the city.

  • Try Adjarian khachapuri, the boat-shaped cheese bread with an egg and butter in the middle; one is enough for two.
  • Order grilled Black Sea fish such as barabulka (red mullet) in season.
  • Turkish bakeries and kebab shops in the old town are good value for families.
  • Seafront cafes on the boulevard are pricier; walk inland one block for lower prices.
  • Check if a service charge is already on the bill before leaving a tip.

Money and phone

Cash: Georgia uses the lari (GEL). Bring clean US dollars or euros and change them at exchange booths in the old town and along the main streets; airport rates are weaker. Turkish lira can also be changed easily here.

Cards: Iranian bank cards do not work in Georgia. Carry cash for the whole stay plus a reserve. A Visa or Mastercard issued outside Iran, such as a relative's card, works in hotels, shops and the Bolt app.

SIM and internet: Magti, Silknet and Cellfie sell SIM cards at Batumi airport and in town. Bring your passport; tourist data packages cost about 15 to 35 GEL (2026). Magti usually has the best signal in the mountains.

What travellers say

Advice that travellers from many countries repeat, chosen for Iranian visitors.

  • Batumi is one of the rainiest places in the region; pack an umbrella even in summer.
  • The sea is warmest from July to September; June and October can be cool for swimming.
  • Bring water shoes, since the beaches are pebble.
  • Walk the boulevard and old town after sunset, when the lights and fountains come on.
  • Use Bolt for taxis and avoid unmarked cars that wait outside hotels.
  • Book summer hotels early; August weekends fill up and prices jump.
  • Trains to Tbilisi now take about four hours (2026) and are a comfortable way to combine both cities.

For Iranian travellers

  • For entry rules for Iranian passports, see the Georgia visa page on this site.
  • Iranian cards do not work: bring all your money in cash and keep some in the hotel safe.
  • Iran has a consulate in Batumi; keep a copy of your passport and your hotel address on your phone and on paper.
  • Casinos are heavily advertised to visitors; families can simply skip the casino streets in the evening.
  • Batumi is next to the Sarpi border with Turkey; check your visa status before planning a side trip to Turkey.
  • Dress on the beach is relaxed and mixed; families who prefer quieter beaches often choose Kvariati or Gonio.

Stay safe

  • Emergency number: 112.
  • Swim only at beaches with lifeguards; waves and currents can be strong after storms.
  • Watch your bags on the crowded boulevard and in the Piazza on summer nights.
  • Agree the price of fish by weight at the fish market before it is cooked.
  • Be careful of e-scooters and bikes on the boulevard, especially with small children.

Checked 7 November 2026