24 Weird and Wonderful Things to Do in Batumi

Batumi, nicknamed Vegas of the Black Sea, didn’t particularly grab my attention while planning our trip. However, it is the city just over the border from Turkey, so we planned a stop here purely for the logistical advantage for our journey from Kars to Batumi by bus.

Are there things to do in Batumi beyond the seemingly weird (maybe even superficial), and wacky architecture, skyline of glass high rise apartment blocks, and vast array of casinos?

Yes! We were so wrong to disregard this city!

Delve into the real heart of the city and you will find that it really is beautiful and quirky. This guide will help you find all the best things to do in Batumi, and the city’s best restaurants.

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Where is Batumi?

Batumi is the capital of the Adjara region of Georgia, located on the east coast of the Black Sea. Adjara is a recognised autonomous republic within Georgia that lies to the south west of the country bordering Northern Turkey.

How to Get to Batumi

Batumi airport (BUS) connects the city with Istanbul, a couple of Eastern European cities, the Middle East and Central Asia.

Excluding flights, Batumi is well-connected around the country with trains and buses (marshrutkas), and Turkey by bus.

Buses/Trains we got in and out of Batumi:

Where to Stay in Batumi

A Brief History of Batumi and the Adjara Region

Batumi was founded on the site of ancient Greek Bathys Limen, literally meaning deep harbour.

In 1614, the kingdom of Georgia began to breakdown, and the Ottomans took control over Batumi and the Adjara region.

The Russian Empire then took the region in 1878, before the British for a short period of time in 1919.

In 1921, Batumi was again taken by Turkey, but ceded to the Soviet Union on the signing of the Treaty of Kars (a region in the very north of Turkey, near the borders with both Georgia and Armenia). The conditions of the treaty meant that Turkey would give up the Adjara region as long as it was declared autonomous to protect the Muslims and mix of ethnicities living here.

Adjara remained part of the territory of Georgia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, but still maintains its autonomy today.

Is Batumi Worth Visiting?

This is a very valid question and one that I asked myself. From what I understood online, Batumi was very much all about casinos, alcohol, a stony beach and weird architecture. And that’s not really my bag (excluding the crazy architecture!). We came to Batumi hesitant as to whether it was the right decision for us, and after five days had decided that we might need to return to explore more! 

There is a lot of weird here. Why is there a ferris wheel on the side of a skyscraper? Why is there a cafe in the shape of an octopus covered in mosaic tiles? Why is there a statue of flip flips on top of eggs?

It has to be one of the most interesting and bizarre places we have been to (Skopje in North Macedonia still holds that top spot, but Batumi is a close second!). And this is what makes this place so interesting; it’s different and quirky. The food is great (Adjaruli khachapuri is something special!), the people are friendly, and being by the coast is always a good thing.

How Many Days Should I Spend in Batumi?

I would recommend at least two days to see all Batumi has to offer, and maybe add on some time to relax by the beach or go to the casinos if that’s your thing.

Get Yourself a Batumi Travel Card

If you’re planning on getting buses around Batumi, you need a reloadable transport card which you tap on board as payment. We didn’t need to use this while we were in Batumi as it is a very walkable city. However, when we went from Batumi to Tbilisi by train, we had to get to the train station which is quite a walk out of town. And to get there, we wanted to get a bus, which meant that we needed to get a card just for this journey.

The Batumi card is free to get, and each tap costs 30 tetri (0.3 GEL). You will see white and orange machines that look like ATMs all around the city, which is where you can top up your card and supposedly obtain a card (though not all machines have this functionality).

We got our card from the official office. Go inside and ask for a card. They will request your passport and then give you a Batumi card. Getting the card is free, but you then have to head to the machine outside of the office to top it up. Tap your card to the machine, select the top up option and insert the money. Remember each tap on public transport is 30 tetri so you don’t need to add much money to your card. The machine accepts coins and notes, but not card payment.

One card can be used for multiple people in your group. There is no need to have one card each.

Things to Do in Batumi

Walk Batumi Boulevard along the Seafront

Batumi Boulevard stretches for seven kilometres along the Black Sea Coast, and is one of the most popular things to do in Batumi amongst locals and visitors alike. You’ll see cyclists, dog walkers, roller bladers, and plenty of people of walking, enjoying the fresh sea air.

There are many cafes, bars, beach clubs and fairground rides on the stony beach (many of which are closed in winter). There are parks and statues and quirky architecture for you to explore along the way. Our favourite points to stop along the way are:

Walk Right to the End of the Boulevard

At the end of the boulevard, you’ll find beautiful views over the water to land on the other side as well as some of the most bizarre structures that you will come across in Batumi. Keep an eye out for these:

Wacky Architecture

Some of the craziest buildings I have ever seen are right here in Batumi. And when I say crazy, that really is what I mean. Keep an eye out for our favourites listed below.

Go Street Art Searching

There is street art all over the city, so you will inevitably find a lot of it. There is a high concentration in the older part of the town, but you will also find murals across whole sides of apartment blocks.

Explore the Older Side of Batumi

This is the part of town with real character, less of the quirky architecture, more cobbled streets, mosaics, and Soviet influences. Explore some of these top spots:

Just wandering the back streets of this older side of the city, you will find some great opportunities for street photography, whether it be old doors, residential courtyards, palm tree-lined cobbled streets or street art.

Wander the Residential Area

Batumi is known for its high-rise buildings, some modern and wacky, but many are old Soviet-built flats. When the weather is even remotely sunny, you will see everyone stringing their washing out on lines that stretch between the residential towers. This makes for some great photos.

Eat All the Adjaruli Khachapuri

The richest and cheesiest of all the khachapuri is from right here in Adjara region, so you can guarantee that this is where you’ll find Georgia’s very best! It’s a large bread boat baked with a mountain of local cheeses in the middle until it goes all gooey and stretchy, and then an egg yolk and a pat of butter is placed on top.

Rip off the end of the bread and use to mix all the eggy, cheesy, buttery mixture together, and then rip off more of the bread to use it dunk into all that cheese! Careful not to break the dam too early or you’ll end up with a cheese flood all over your plate.

And if you’re anything like us, you’ll try the khachapuri and then want to try all of Georgia’s variations of the classic cheese bread! Yes, we know it’s a tough job to do, but we’ve spent our time in Georgia searching and tasting as many as we can find.

Where to Eat in Batumi

If you’re looking for something a little less cheesy as well, you can find some delicious food across Batumi: the restaurant scene here is great! Find local Georgian dishes, punchy Chinese flavours, even Uzbek samsa, all with vegetarian options.

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