✈️ TLV to Batumi (BUS)
Georgia
Batumi
CityBUS
IATA1221.6 km
Distance2h 2m
Flight TimeCoordinates: 41.6103, 41.5997
Airlines:
About Batumi
Weather in Batumi
Understand
Expect to party on the beaches with Russians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Iranians, Turks, Dutch, Germans, and, of course, Georgians. Also, Batumi has an interesting architecture, mixing modern attempts with old architecture.
Climate
Batumi and its vicinity is one of the important tourism and resort zones on the Georgian Black Sea littoral. The climate is humid subtropical. The low annual range of temperature, with a mild winter and warm summer is a characteristic of the city and of the Georgian coast as well. The average annual temperature is 14.5°C. The average temperature in January, the coldest month, is 7.1°C and in August, the warmest month, 23.2°C. The annual precipitation is 2,560 mm. Showers are frequent. It rarely snows but when it does, the snow melts easily. The average annual temperature of the sea is 16.7°C at the shore.
Talk
The official and majority language is Georgian . Nonetheless, English, Russian , and Turkish are also commonly spoken. Russian is spoken by most older Georgians, while English is spoken by many (though hardly most) younger ones. In addition, because of the large number of Turkish tourists, it's not uncommon for locals to speak Turkish, or at least simple Turkish phrases.
See
Black Sea . Enjoy the waves and admire the beach, the port, and the Ottoman -era clock tower 41.65408 41.63527 1 Music fountain ( Dancing Fountains ). A nice spectacle at night where fountains are operated to the sound of and music. ( updated Aug 2019 ) 41.64763 41.62344 2 Dolphinarium . Shows start at 16:00, 19:00, 21:00 (except M) . 20-25 lari . ( updated Jul 2018 ) 41.6918 41.7073 3 Batumi Botanical Garden ( Minibus 31 does not seem to run anymore as the city bus 10 was extended to the botanical garden southern entrance, this bus runs every 30 minutes, payment can be done with Batumi card or international bank cards visa or Mastercard (the MIR card is not accepted). The bus runs from the airport, city center, then towards the botanical garden ). Daily 08:00-21:00 . Georgia has a remarkable tradition of (royal) botanical gardens. It is a quiet spot, next to the Black Sea on a high cliff and it both green and cool. Plan on a visit here to take a half day to nearly a full day as it is very large. Expensive by Georgian standards but definitely worth seeing. 20 lari . 41.651111 41.636889 4 Medea statue ( in the center of the city ). Statue of Medea and the Golden Fleece, near the Iranian/Azerbaijani joint consulate.
Do
Walk along the 'Bulvar' and watch the beach. During daytime families and youngsters play, during nighttime it is the favourite place for couples and party-goers. There are a number of restaurants and bars both on the beach and a little inland. The area is generally safe, but watch out for pick-pocketing. Batumi also has many casinos, for visitors so inclined. These tend to have an over-21 policy. Football: FC Dinamo Batumi play soccer in Erovnuli League, the top tier, with a split spring / autumn playing season. Their Adjarabet Arena (capacity 20,000) is on Gudiashvili, 1 km west of city centre. 41.6559 41.641 1 Panoramic Wheel ( At the end of the seaside Blv and beginning of the port. ). Attraction total time : 7min. 10 lari . ( updated Nov 2022 ) 41.64719 41.64599 2 Cable car . Summer 09:00-02:00, winter 11:00-18:00 . Goes directly to the small (about 250 m height) nearby hill with a nice restaurant on top of it. Stunning views, especially at night. 30 ₾ (round trip) . Aqua Park , 12, Khimshiashvili St. ( 3 km from the city centre ), ☏ +995 422 210101 . Olympic Swimming Pool , Batumi Plaza Hotel, 50 Chavchavadze str . M-F 07:00-23:00, Sa-Su 09:00-21:00 . Boat tour ( in front of Panoramic Wheel ). Lots of boats offering boat tours. Yacht can also be chartered. from 15 lari . 41.6477 41.627 3 6 May Park . Nice park with Nurigeli Lake in the middle of it. There is also a zoo corner in the northern part of it, but some animals (monkeys in particular) are kept in quite a tiny cages, so animal lovers might not enjoy it.
Theatres
41.65289 41.63841 4 Batumi Drama Theatre , 1 Rustaveli Ave , ☏ +995 555 36 63 99 . 41.64922 41.63336 5 Batumi Puppet and youth state Theatre , M.Abashidze Ave. 49 , ☏ +995 422 276234 , +995 422 270593 .
Buy
The main (open-air) food and clothes market in the city is on the Eastern side, near the sea on the main (Chavchavadze) street. In poor weather the sellers move down side streets under umbrellas and are harder to spot, but still there. Vegetables and grains are much cheaper here than at the smaller indoor 'markets' dotted around the city. As per usual in Georgia, prices are almost always slightly higher in the supermarkets than in the small family-run shops. This is counter to what most westerners will be used to. The difference is about 5–10%. Goodwill Supermarket , Chavchavadze Avenue . Many goods not available in smaller shops. Many of the products come from Germany. Carrefour , Tbel-Abuseridze St ( Bus #12 ), ☏ +995 422 20 03 74 . Supermarket at the Black Sea Mall ( updated Jun 2018 ) Metro City Forum , 1 Lech and Maria Kaczynski Street , ☏ +995 577 14 17 14 . Shopping mall ( updated Jun 2018 ) Nikora Supermarket . Georgian supermarket chain operating at several locations in Batumi. ( updated Jun 2018 )
Eat
Western Georgia has plenty of local flavours, and a local specialty is a type of khachapuri named acharuli khachapuri (Ajarian khachapuri) that resembles a Viking boat, with the cheese all mixed up with an egg in the centre. The (vegan) Georgian classic, lobiani (kidney bean paste in bread or pastry) is available at any small bakery around the city. Most are 1 lari but can be up to 1.50. Perhaps the best lobianis in the city are sold just north of the cross section of K. Gamsakhurdia and V. Gorgasali streets, in a nondescript bakery opposite Carpisa and Georgian Kitchen. Unlike other doughy lobianis in the city, they are triangular with flaky pastry. 1.20 lari (Mar 2019).
Drink
41.651444 41.638847 1 Sinner's Bar & Kitchen , 43 Baratashvili . Su–Th 15:00–01:00, F Sa 16:00–02:00 . Sinner's Bar has a unique menu with over 50 different shots, fire towers, drinking challenges, buckets of chicken wings and a great selection of draft & bottled beer in Batumi. ( updated Aug 2022 )
Sleep
Batumi increasingly attracts investors and well heeled visitors from Russia, Iran and Central Asia. The emphasis is on casinos and luxury hotels. Prices vary depending on proximity to the beach and level of service provided, but mostly depending on the season. For private accommodation, prices are from 40 lari for a double room including breakfast. But in winter you might get lucky and have one for 20 lari.
Stay safe
Batumi is generally quite safe. Drivers are more careful than in Tbilisi and the police are reliable for the high number of tourists coming through the city. However, more caution should be taken with street beggars than in Tbilisi. Very young children are often used as pickpockets, especially around the area just south of Batumi Piazza, and beggars are generally more aggressive than in the capital.
Go next
Khulo — village in the mountains of Ajara, 3 hr drive east of Batumi Kobuleti — sleepy nearby coastal town Sarpi — border village with Turkey, 15 km south of Batumi Tbilisi — the capital of Georgia Kutaisi — historically the capital of western Georgia, Kutaisi is a must visit for its two UNESCO World Heritage sites Zugdidi — stopping off point on the way to Mestia and Svaneti. Marshrutkas run from the bus station.