10 things to do in Batumi

Batumi is one of the closest and cheapest alternatives to our Black Sea resorts. The same sea, the same beach, the same people, the same vacation, only another country. I already wrote about the pros and cons of Batumi as a beach resort and today I want to continue the topic.

Suppose you have chosen Batumi as your summer vacation destination. What to do there? What to watch? Where to go? What to try? Where to go for a walk? And anyway, what is there?

I offer a list of things that in my opinion must be done in Batumi! Especially if this is your first time in Georgia!

Sunbathe and swim!!!

Trite? Yes. But by and large, we are going to Batumi precisely for the sake of the sea. For if we don’t need the sea, then why then go to Batumi at all ???

If you are not afraid of pebble beaches and slippery jellyfish - in Batumi you will definitely like it! The beach here is long, there are many places, not crowded, and the sea, in comparison with some of our resorts, seemed a little cleaner.

Eat delicious khinkali, crunchy khachapuri and drink it all with tart Saperavi

Well, we are in Georgia, which means we need to enjoy its rather modest, but very tasty cuisine. I ate Georgian khinkali almost every day, and khachapuri - so this is generally a Georgian brand! By the way, the most delicious Adjarian khachapuri in Batumi is served in the Tseroden cafe located at 4 Melikishvili's address, to the left of the Park entrance on May 6. Be sure to try, you will not regret it !!!

Take a walk along the "European" streets of Batumi and have coffee in Piazza

Yes, being a fan of old Europe, Saakashvili built here a small decorative "Europe" in the Italian style, and the main attraction of this part of Batumi is, of course, Piazza, which is made in the Venetian style and is a smaller copy of St. Mark's Square. The place is very beautiful, but the restaurants here are not the cheapest, I would even say the most expensive (and rumored to be not the most delicious). But you always have to pay for beauty! Therefore, you can just drink coffee in a beautiful place.

Ride a bike along the promenade

I would call the Batumi embankment one of the main attractions of the city. Very long, very beautiful and very well maintained. There is always something to do here. In the evening this is the main place for walking and the city promenade, and in the morning and afternoon it is a great place for playing sports! A long bicycle and jogging track was built along the entire promenade. Great can be taken almost anywhere. There are special machines, as in Europe, with tourist attractions, but it’s better not to bother with a machine and rent a bicycle from one of the distributors who are at every step. And we ride ... The track is gorgeous: on the one hand the sea, on the other city ... No one bothers, cars do not drive, pedal and enjoy the walk !!!

Take a picture on the background of sculptures on the embankment

We are not leaving the embankment. There is still something to do. For example, take a picture against the backdrop of numerous sculptures that are installed throughout its entire length. Many sculptures are made just to be photographed with them. Sculptures of different styles - from classic to modern. I didn’t bother much, but during the bike ride I saw how many of them and how interesting they can be beaten. This is much better and more interesting than taking pictures against the background of trees, bushes and walls.

Play casino

In general, Saakashvili initially conceived Batumi not as a resort city for a beach holiday, but rather as a Las Vegas local spill. Luxury hotels were built here, each of which has a casino below! Misha hoped that oil rich from Baku, Turkey and other nearby regions would go to Batumi to spend their money. The wealthy weren’t particularly hit, but they built a casino. Big and beautiful! So, if this topic is close to you, Batumi is perfect for this) I don’t have extra money, so I saw them only outside) But one thing is for sure - there are a lot of them and they all work.

Climb the ruins of an old fortress

There is also a historical attraction in Batumi - the famous Gonio fortress.

It is located a little away from Batumi, but you can safely get to it by regular bus. The fortress is small, but it is! I think history buffs will like it here. Again, you need to somehow diversify the beach holiday. And in order to spend an hour or two in the afternoon somewhere during the sunshine itself, this fortress is a great place!

Visit the botanical garden

And for lovers of nature and greenery, a mandatory place is the Batumi Botanical Garden!

The garden is located north of Batumi near the village of Mtsvane. Unfortunately, I did not reach the garden, although I really wanted to. I only saw its outskirts when I was traveling from Svaneti to Batumi. According to all the reviews and photos, this is a wonderful green garden, which would be nice to walk around. In addition, the garden is located on a mountain and it offers gorgeous views. In general, you must definitely allocate half a day and go here!

Go to the theater

Now a little cultural rest. There is a beautiful and modern theater in Batumi, in which many famous troupes and groups come on tour. Especially during the tourist season. And since in the evening, in addition to the promenade and the casino in Batumi, there is nothing special to do, why not go to the theater? Spiritual food is always needed!

View a unique Orthodox church in the form of a Catholic cathedral

Yes, yes, there is such an attraction in Batumi - the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Batumi.

The Catholic church was built in 1903, then under Soviet rule it was half destroyed and used for various purposes, except for religious. Then they decided to restore it. The Catholics allocated money and began reconstruction, but when the temple was restored, the Georgians decided that, despite his appearance, he would still be Orthodox (!) And transferred it to the Georgian Orthodox Church. A very unusual building - on the outside a small copy of the French Notre Dame, and inside a classic Orthodox church with Catholic walls.