Batumi: vacation tips
We live in the Georgian city for half a year and are ready to tell you everything we know about vacationing in Batumi. Find out why so many holidaymakers come here and what the prices are in 2022.
Content:
Impressions of the resort
Batumi conquers hearts at first sight! As soon as we arrived in the capital of Adjara, we felt the incredibly clean air and were struck by the calm, friendly atmosphere. Batumi is a Georgian-style hospitable, international and tolerant city.
It is very pleasant to walk around the historical districts, the green boulevard and the promenade. Getting to know Batumi is like reading an interesting book. You turn over page after page and can’t stop!
Look what tourists write in their reviews about Batumi:
zayats: “Beautiful streets, boulevard, promenade, especially when it gets dark. Amazing singing fountains. So many stores, cafes and restaurants to count. Good shopping, the stores are mostly Turkish things, the prices are ridiculous. There are a lot of dogs, but they live their lives, do not touch anyone. We were with children and the children got on the dogs more often than the dogs got on us. In Batumi, street dogs sometimes look better than some of our pets in Minsk”.
Vadim: “Almost every year I go to Batumi to rest. I like the fact that the prices are low here and there are a lot of entertainments. Also the weather here, in my opinion, is perfect for a beach vacation.
View of Batumi from the Botanical Garden. Photo by the author.
The sea and the beaches
Batumi is Georgia’s largest resort and a bustling port city. Because of the port and the mouth of the Chorokhi River, the Black Sea in Batumi is inferior to small coastal villages in terms of purity. The sea water is sometimes completely clear, but after the rains it becomes muddy for a day or two.
The wide beaches of Batumi stretch for a few kilometers along the city. The shore is covered with medium and coarse pebbles, so it is more convenient to swim in aqua suits. The water entry is shallow, and the depth starts 5-8 meters from the shore.
You can easily find sun beds, umbrellas, changing rooms and showers in Batumi. There are bars and discos on the beaches. Closer to the port tourists are offered walks on boats and yachts, parasailing and sea fishing.
Jenya09: “In Batumi itself the beaches are pebbly. There are wooden paths to the shore – it’s convenient for those with a stroller to get closer to the sea. If you want to have a sandy beach, you should go to Ureki or Shekvetili. There are black magnetic sands and pine trees there”.
Batumi has a beautiful city beach. Photo: nika9447 / unsplash.com.
Prices for hotels and private sector in Batumi
The cost of a double standard room at the height of the holiday season in luxury hotels 4* and 5* ranges from 5 to 17 thousand rubles per night. For example, at the Radisson Blu Hotel Batumi and Hilton Batumi – 12 thousand rubles, at the Divan Suites Batumi – 14 thousand rubles. More modest 4 * hotels (Istanbul Hotel Batumi, Light House Batumi) and decent “triple” (Antika Hotel, Premier Hotel Batumi, Sky-G) offer a similar accommodation for 4-4,5 thousand rubles per night. Search for hotels in Batumi on Hotelluk.
For tourists who prefer economical vacation in Batumi, there is a budget option – accommodation in the private sector and numerous guest houses, good prices are not too high. The atmosphere in guest houses and apartments is modest, sometimes even too much, but the Internet is everywhere. You can rent a room at George Dom guest house not far from the sea for 1300-2500 rubles per day. Apartments FLAT MIRANDA – for 2500-4000 rubles per day. Look for guest houses on Hotelluk, apartments and apartments on Supra.ru.
Look how much hotels in Batumi cost in the summer of 2022:
| Type | Price per day for two people | Example |
| Budget Hostel | From 700 ₽ | Nana’s House |
| Hotel 2* | from 2500 ₽ | Hotel Riva Batumi |
| Hotel 3* by the sea | from ₽ 1700 | Cozy Corner Hotel |
| 3* Hotel with pool | from 3000 ₽ | Mardi Plaza Hotel |
| 5* Hotel | from 5,000 ₽ | Best Western Premier |
| Apartment with sea view (double occupancy) | from 2,300 ₽ | Sea View Apartment |
| Apartment by the Sea (for four persons) | From 2,600 ₽ | IOANE HOME |
“All Inclusive in Batumi
While the Russian border is closed, tours to Georgia are not sold. But the situation may change, so we will tell you about all-inclusive vacations in Batumi. Recently, all-inclusive tours are in great demand. According to tourist reviews, Batumi all-inclusive hotels accept Rcheuli villa, Iberia 3*, Irise 3*, Legacy 4*, Corner Inn 4*, Sanapiro 4* and Leogrand Batumi 5*. Look for tours on Travelata and Level.Travel services.
Usually tours for 7 days cost from 60,000 rubles. The price includes a transfer to the hotel, accommodation in a double room, free access to swimming pool, fitness center and sauna, three meals a day and tasting of local wines.
Three meals a day, full board is offered at the Aisi Hotel 4* in Batumi, as well as in the resort villages around Batumi. In Chakvi – hotel Dreamland Oasis, in Tsikhisdziri – Diana – Castello Mare, and in Kvariati – Kvariati Grand Guest House.
Food Prices
Food in Georgia is inexpensive. The average bill in a cafe for two people is 10 GEL. For a hearty dinner at a restaurant you’ll pay 20-25 GEL. No matter how many times we ordered, we couldn’t pay more than 22 GEL! We advise you to try famous khachapuri boat, khinkali, nourishing roast odzhakhuri and tender soup with matsoni.
The prices on the markets, in large and small stores are almost the same. While vacationing in Batumi in 2022 you can buy tap wine at 6-15 lari per 1 liter, fresh Imereti cheese – 8-10 lari per 1 kg, ripe tomatoes – 1,5-2,5 lari per 1 kg, peaches – 2-2,5 lari per 1 kg. Wine and Chacha is sold everywhere in Batumi. We recommend Kindzmarauli marani store, located near the May 6th city park, at 45 Memed Abashidze Street.
If you want to enjoy the national coloring and have a delicious Georgian meal we suggest visiting “Laguna” khachapur restaurant at 18, Gorgiladze St. and the Sachashnike restaurant at 78, Gorgiladze St.
Ajari khachapuri.
Things to see and do
People come to Batumi to relax and have fun. Turks and Arabs play in casinos, and nightlife lovers spend their evenings in local clubs and bars. Parents with children enjoy having fun at the water park and feeding birds at the Batumi Boulevard Zoo.
Take a walk through the Old Town and see the dancing fountain show! The ticket to the ethnographic museum “Borjgalo” costs 20 lari, the Adjara Museum costs 3 lari, the Botanical Garden of Batumi costs 15 lari and the Dolphinarium 15-20 lari.
To see the whole city and the bay, take the Argo cable car up a green hill 250 meters high. The round trip costs 25 GEL. The price includes a drink at the cafe at the top station of the cable car. Another viewing platform is on the mountain near the temple of the Holy Trinity – Sameba. The trip there and back by cab will cost 20 GEL. We advise you to download “Maxim” cab app.
AlexV1974: “Batumi Archaeological Museum is a good place to get acquainted with the history of the Colchis region. I really liked the hall with gold decorations. Special thanks for the Russian in the captions to the exhibits. Sincerely recommend a visit.
Boris M: “The temple of the Holy Trinity is on the mountain. It is very beautiful to get there by the narrow winding road. Women are only allowed into the temple in scarves and men in pants. If you come in shorts, you have to wrap your legs with a women’s scarf. The view from the mountain to Batumi is amazing.
An azalea tree in Batumi Botanical Garden. Photo by author.
Excursions from Batumi
In 2022, prices for excursions in Batumi average 50-100€. Look for excursions on Tripster. According to tourist reviews, tours from Batumi are popular:
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– €150 for 1-4 people. – €55 for 1-2 people. – € 38 for 1-6 people. – € 50 for 1 pax. – € 45 for 1-6 people.
For 30-50 € locals offer tourists much cheaper rides in their cars to the picturesque surroundings of Batumi.
Many interesting places near the resort you can easily reach on your own, without spending money on excursions. The Botanical Garden and the Gonio Fortress are accessible by city buses and shuttle buses.
elenaregion66: “It is very comfortable to walk around the Botanical Garden, the trees cast shade, there are benches everywhere, you can feel the humid air. Despite the paths that go up and down, you can enjoy yourself.”
The seafront in Batumi. Photo: Svetlbel / pixabay.com.
Holidays with children
We see many parents with children on the streets of Batumi. Rest at the Georgian resort with a child is comfortable! You can choose any hotel or stay in apartments with a kitchen. In Batumi, convenient and cheap public transport, many pharmacies, stores with baby food, clothing and toys. A lot of entertainment – playgrounds around the city, water park, dolphinarium, circus, the rides on the boulevard and the park on May 6.
The disadvantages of vacationing in Batumi, too. The streets of the resort are busy – you need to cross the road carefully. The beaches are pebbly. If you want sand you should choose Ureki or Shekvetili!
Marina: Boutique-hotel Plaza was on the top level. There were wonderful pools for kids and animators with such an interesting program that parents often envied the kids. There is a small, fully safe water park. And children have fun under supervision, and parents relax.
Dolphinarium in Batumi. Photo: W0zny / wikimedia.org / CC BY-SA 3.0.
When best to go
Batumi is a year-round resort. In summer, lovers of the warm sea and the southern sun come to vacation. Beach season in Georgia begins in late May – early July and lasts until the end of October. The hottest months are July and August.
Rest in Batumi in the off-season is also good. You can’t swim in the sea, but thanks to the subtropical climate, the coast is relatively warm. The air temperature rarely drops below +5 ° C. There are many evergreens in Batumi. Camellias bloom in winter, so you will feel like you’re in paradise.
Inna: “Our vacation was in June, but we didn’t notice the heat. It was about +32 ° C during the day and +24 ° C at night. I think that for the southern region is quite tolerable. During 10 days of stay, it rained once, but after half an hour, there was no trace of it. Night walks on the beach – it’s cool, quiet and the starry sky is beautiful.
Bamboo forest in Batumi Garden. Photo by the author.
Is it worth the trip
We started our acquaintance with Georgia from Batumi and we have not regretted it at all! Take your word for it, the colorful city on the Black Sea can surprise even those who have extensive travel experience. It is pleasant to rest in Batumi. Adjarians are warm and kind people who love and know how to welcome guests. Come to Batumi at any time of year, you will love it!
Should you go on vacation in Batumi, and how much does it cost?
Is it worth it to go on vacation to Batumi and how much will it cost? How much does it cost to eat in a Batumi cafe or restaurant and what are the food prices? What to see and where to go and how much do excursions cost? We are talking in details about personal experience of holidaymakers!
- Air tickets, hotels, all in one place. Cheapest prices on Yandex.Travel
- Have an interesting vacation. Local excursions on Tripster.
- Flights from 1045₽ on Aviasales.ru
- Compare tours from different tour operators on Travelate
There are many opinions about Batumi, and they are very different. Someone calls it “A modern oasis in the midst of devastation,” someone writes “I want to stay here to live,” while others describe it as “More like a spoon of tar.” So where is the truth? Let’s try to find out!
Where is Batumi?
Batumi is located on the east coast of the Black Sea, not far from the border with Turkey. From other seaside Georgian resorts, which are more like villages and villages, Batumi differs in its modernity and well-maintained.
Batumi is on the right in the eastern part of the Black Sea (indicated with a red arrow) Photo: advise-where-to-go-holiday.rf
Why is Batumi so popular?
Batumi used to be quite an ordinary resort town, but recently there has been a lot of investment, mostly from Turkish companies, but also from Azerbaijani and Western companies.
That is why the city is noticeably transforming before our eyes and is becoming more and more popular.
In 2019 the city of Batumi was recognized by the World Travel Awards as the most dynamically developing destination in all of Europe.
Batumi attracts tourists not only with good service, gentle sunshine and beaches with clear water. Also of interest is the rich history of these places and fascinating attractions. In addition, in the city and the surrounding area you will find everything for active recreation – from diving to water sports.
Video: What is the resort of Batumi? The best things in short
A well-maintained, beautiful city!
Batumi is a very beautiful city. I didn’t even expect that. There are bicycle lanes everywhere, a lot of bike rental points, everything is very cozy, clean. A lot of greenery, palm trees, well-groomed parks and squares, a long clean embankment. Surprising architecture around, everything is very modern and nice!
Who likes it and who doesn’t?
If you’re looking for a traditional Georgian flavor and hospitality, in our opinion, Batumi is not the right city to go to. Locals here are not as sympathetic as in other regions of Georgia, besides, often you’ll have to communicate not with Georgians, and the Turks or Ukrainians (not to say that this is a minus, just a feature).
During the tourist season, money is made here, and prices in the city center cannot be called low. There is a commercial atmosphere and you don’t want to just sit on the terrace and watch the local life.
If you go a little further inland, however, you’ll see the usual picture for Georgia: ramshackle buildings, laundry hung all over the street, and all the glitz of the metropolis disappears somewhere.
A Modern Oasis in the Middle of Ruins
Batumi is like a breath of fresh air in the midst of general devastation. It’s worth realizing that this city is a cosmopolitan, a business center meant for business and tourists, and is not at all like typical Georgian cities, so you shouldn’t judge Georgia by it. Batumi is like a separate state. Also, I liked Batumi overall. BUT, it is not a place I want to go back to again. Yes, it’s beautiful, and well maintained. But for me it’s not a nice place to live.
The best time to relax.
In Batumi you can have a vacation at any time of year and each time period will have its advantages and disadvantages. In our opinion optimum time for a beach holiday is second half of June and first half of September (it’s not too hot, the prices are lower, there are less holidaymakers), while for the excursion program is more suitable early autumn (September-October) and late spring (April-May).
The weather in Batumi in summer
Upon arrival in June Batumi curls began to curl, i.e. very high humidity! At first it was difficult to move, but soon all passed, we got used to it, but this climate is not suitable for everyone. Also the scorching sun! Rains happened sometimes in the evenings (3-4 times), but quickly pass!
Is it worth to go on beach rest
Batumi is a big port city, which can’t but affect the purity of sea water, and in the neighborhood on the coast there is trash. Of course, in smaller towns and villages, such as Kobuleti, the sea is much cleaner.
The beaches in Batumi are municipal, free of charge. The coast stretches for 15 kilometers, the beaches are wide, but covered with large pebbles. Please note, that there are no front line hotels in Batumi, because the sea is lined with promenade. So first you’ll have to walk along the road or even the residential blocks and only then you’ll reach the sea.
What is a beach holiday in Batumi
The pebbles on the local beaches are more like boulders)). Therefore, special shoes will come in handy. It seems to me that it would be rather difficult for children to swim. In terms of purity and transparency, it is inferior to the Aegean or Mediterranean). At sea, especially there were no storms, but the waves occur, but it’s the Black Sea and it waves from time to time. I can’t say, that Batumi is ideal beach resort for me – it’s too humid and sea water is not very clean here.
What to see, prices for excursions
Batumi is a city with a modern face, and there are almost more business centers and first-class hotels of world networks than in the capital Tbilisi. And it is not surprising, because the city is turning into the financial capital of Georgia, like Moscow in Russia, or New York in the U.S. But for all its glitz and glamour, Batumi’s old quarters have yet to lose their coziness and charm, and the new squares and buildings only add to its charm.
Batumi has many interesting sights and the most interesting of them are the 7 km long Seaside Boulevard, Musical Fountains Square and the Botanical Garden of Batumi.
One of the main attractions of Batumi is considered to be the ropeway “Argo”, which is the longest not only in Georgia, but also in the whole of Europe.
The Ferris wheel in Batumi is one of the highlights of the Wonderland Park, where it is located (Photo © Jelger Groeneveld / flickr.com)
You can also see religious monuments – the Church of the Holy Trinity (Sameba) or the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Some of the most colorful places in the city are the local markets, the most famous among them the Central Market of Batumi “Parekhi”, located near the port and bus station. Fish market” with a variety of live, dried and smoked fish is also very popular.
How we went on excursions
Excursions of course are offered everywhere, and each local has a kind of a friend, which conducts tours (probably the same person :), but I still recommend to look for excursions on the Internet, to compare prices, call and make an appointment in person. We thus visited four excursions in six days, all liked it! We went to the Botanical Garden by ourselves, but we went to Makhunseti Falls and Tsaritza Tamara Bridge by cab, because the excursions were unreasonably expensive. We went to Martvili Canyon and Prometheus Cave with a full excursion (bus + guide). In Sataplia (cave and nature reserve) we also took a cab.
With the current prices of excursions we recommend to read on one of the specialized sites, such as tripster.ru, where you can compare the price of different guides and read reviews about each of them.
Where to stay: hotels or private sector
The cost of a 2-bed standard room during the high season in luxury 4* and 5* star hotels ranges from 5,000 to 17,000 rubles per night. For example, in Hilton Batumi or Radisson Blu Hotel Batumi – 12000 rubles, in Divan Suites Batumi – 14000 rubles. More modest 4* hotels like Istanbul Hotel Batumi or Light House Batumi, but also the decent “three” Antika Hotel, Sky-G, Premier Hotel Batumi offer a similar accommodation for 4000-4500 Rubles per night. You can check the prices for hotels in Batumi on Hotelluk, for flight tickets see Travelate.
For those who prefer a more economical vacation can offer accommodation in the private sector of Batumi and numerous guest houses. The atmosphere in such accommodation is modest, but usually there is internet everywhere. Such a room, for example, in the guest house George Dom is not far from the sea you can rent for 1300-2500 rubles, apartments FLAT MIRANDA – for 2500-4000 rubles. You can also find accommodation in guest houses at Hotelluk.
- Nana’s House – Budget guesthouse from 700 ₽
- Hotel Riva Batumi – Hotel 2 stars from 2500 ₽
- Cozy Corner Hotel – 3 Star Hotel by the Sea from ₽1700
- Mardi Plaza Hotel – 3 star hotel with pool from 3,000 ₽
- Best Western Premier – 5 star hotel from 5,000 ₽
- Sea View Apartment (double occupancy) from 2,300 ₽
- IOANE HOME – Apartment by the Sea (for four) from 2,600 ₽
All Inclusive Holidays
All-inclusive vacations in Batumi are in increasing demand lately. According to reviews of vacationers in Batumi all inclusive provides the following hotels: Rcheuli villa, Irise 3*, Iberia 3*, Legacy 4*, Sanapiro 4*, Corner Inn 4* and Leogrand Batumi 5*. Look for tours on Level.Travel and Travelate.
Usually tours to Batumi for 7 days cost from 60,000 rubles, which includes transfer to the hotel, accommodation in a double room, free use of fitness center, swimming pool, sauna, 3 meals a day and sometimes a tasting of local wines.
3 meals a day (full board) are offered at Aisi Hotel 4*, as well as in hotels located near Batumi in Tsikhisdziri villages – Diana – Castello Mare, in Chakvi – hotel Dreamland Oasis, and in Kvariati – Kvariati Grand Guest House.
Prices for food
The Georgian national cuisine is very hearty, delicious, varied and natural. Prices for ready-made meals and food are quite affordable, except that in Batumi may be slightly higher than in other cities.
In Georgia only lari (₾) = 23 ruble You’ll need to exchange your money for the local currency one way or another. It’s more profitable to change dollars and euros. If you want, you can do the same with our rubles, but the exchange rate is usually very unprofitable.
Let’s look at the prices in more detail. So, how much will it cost for dinner in one of the prestigious restaurants of Batumi:
- 20 ₾ – assorted pkhali and eggplant rolls
- 21 ₾ – cheese appetizer with mint-yogurt sauce
- 12 ₾ – pickles
- 40 ₾ – an assortment of Ajarian cheeses
- 50 ₾ – beef ribs in adjika
As you can see, the cost of food in cafes, especially those frequented by Batumi residents, is noticeably lower than in a restaurant.
It’s impossible to resist Georgian cuisine!
During our vacation we often went to restaurants and cafes, and Georgian cuisine is something out of this world! Even now when I remember it my mouth watering!) The most famous khinkali were in “Old Batumi” on the seafront, Khachapuri is cooked well almost everywhere, and most of all we liked the cuisine in the restaurant near the May 9 Park. We used to spend about $20 to $50 per day on food. That said, I sometimes cooked in the apartment we rented, which had a kitchen. We did not miss the opportunity to go to the local fish market and buy mullet, trout, there is also sturgeon, flounder, crayfish.
Holidays with children
You can often meet families with children in the streets of Batumi, and in our opinion it is quite comfortable to have a rest here with a child. You can choose a good hotel or stay in apartments with a kitchen.
Batumi has good public transport, a lot of stores with baby food, pharmacies, clothes and toys. There are also entertainment for children – water park, dolphinarium, circus, playgrounds, rides in the park on May 6 and the boulevard.
The disadvantages of a vacation in Batumi, too, of course, are. First of all the sea – it’s not perfectly clean, after all it’s a port city. In addition, the beaches are pebbly, sandy ones are in Ureki or Shekvetili.
Video: Batumi with children. Review about first impression
Our opinion
If you are looking for Georgian color and national identity of this country, then you are better to go to the ancient capital of Georgia Tbilisi, to the popular romantic town of Sighnaghi or to the picturesque city-museum Mtskheta.
If you want to vacation in Georgia by the sea, it is better to go to smaller towns, where the sea water is usually cleaner. Popular among beachgoers is Kobuleti – a kind of mix of a typical Soviet health resort. The resort is 30 km from Batumi and is famous for its large 10 km long beach with coarse and medium pebbles, there are areas with black magnetic sand.
Another popular place is Ureki, which is a small resort village north of Batumi. It is famous for the healing properties of the magnetic sand. Pay attention to the villages of Gonio and Kvariati, located to the south of Batumi. They have a common beach and in fact they don’t differ much from each other. The sea here is cleaner than in Batumi, and the mountains come right up to the sea, so the surroundings are beautiful. These resorts are great for a relaxing beach vacation closer to nature.
In Batumi go to combine everything at once: swimming in the sea, acquaintance with the culture of Georgia and its attractions, as well as maximum comfort and service that can provide a relatively large and rapidly growing city.
What are the prices for vacations in Batumi?
Find the current prices for vacations in Batumi on leading sites to choose the best tours, excursions and airline tickets.
Remember you can buy tours to Batumi cheaper on Travelata.ru – searching tours of hundreds of tour operators! Use our promotional codes AF2000turcalendar for additional discount of 2000 rubles (tours from 100r), AF1500turcalendar 1500 rubles (from 80r), and AF1000turcalendar 1000 rubles (from 60r)!
