Living In Batumi – The Ultimate Guide & FAQs

Georgia’s second largest city, Batumi, (also referred to as the “Barcelona of the Black Sea” or the “Vegas of the Caucasus”) is located in the southwestern corner of the country, very close to the Turkish border.

If you are considering moving to Batumi, like many others, and wondering what everyday life is like in this coastal city, then this article will give you an overview of all the essential aspects of living here.

Living In Batumi, Georgia

Batumi is much smaller compared to Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. There are not as many districts, and the living options for expats are more limited, due to how the city has developed over the years. The population is increasing rapidly, and at the time of writing there are more than 155,000 inhabitants.

The cost of living in Batumi is low, perhaps even lower than that of Tbilisi. Of course, since Batumi is a resort-town, the prices fluctuate from the on-season to the off-season. Because it is a highly popular tourist destination in summer, the cost of lodging, dining out, and even the prices for basic goods will tend to increase during the busy season. However, if you live in Batumi year-round, the relative decrease during the rest of the year will even out your expenditures and still have you spending less than in other major cities.  

If you’d like to find out more about the overall cost of living in Georgia, you can read our other article here. 

Living Conditions: Batumi VS Tbilisi

So, you are considering choosing Batumi as your place of residence over Tbilisi or some other exotic place. What should you expect when you arrive? How different is it from living in Tbilisi? Well, there are many aspects to consider, such as language, infrastructure, healthcare, safety, entertainment, and various other services.

Language Barrier

Given the size and population of Tbilisi and its importance as the capital city, it is far more welcoming to expats in terms of the language barrier than Batumi is. Most shops, restaurants, clinics, & governmental institutions in Tbilisi have English speaking staff. However, in Batumi the situation is a little different. Here the second most spoken language is Russian, due to the large Russian-expat community living here for almost a century. Even in government institutions, such as the Public Service Hall (also known as the Justice House) or City Hall, barely anyone speaks English, so you will need to get a translator if you want to get some official business done. While the situation is slightly improving with the influx of European tourists and growing demand for the English language, you should not expect staff everywhere to speak English, even if you will occasionally hear it in some hotels, cafes, and restaurants.

Transportation

The infrastructure in Batumi is well-developed. Public transport is available in the form of buses, various “marshrutka” transport vans, and taxis, which are even more affordable than in Tbilisi. There is also efficient and cheap inter-city transport along the Black Sea coastline, enabling you to easily visit other beach towns for an afternoon. 

What may be the most noticeable in terms of infrastructure here is the difference in quality of road pavement, which can vary widely from district to district. Touristy coastal areas are far more developed than either inner city residential neighborhoods or suburbs on the outskirts of the city, which sometimes have very worn down roads. For this reason, before committing to an apartment, it’s always good to check out the conditions of the surrounding roads and make sure they’re something you’d be comfortable using regularly.  

However, if you don’t plan on regularly using a car or public transportation, there is also another option in Batumi: cycling! There is a dedicated bike path throughout the city (although, in some places cyclists will find themselves biking in traffic as the bike path occasionally stops and starts, and in other areas pedestrians tend to crowd the bike path). Even so, many locals prefer using bikes for commuting, as the city is relatively small, and the traffic can get quite messy sometimes, making bikes more efficient. In general, Batumi is a very walkable & bikeable city, as there are far fewer hills than in Tbilisi. 

Healthcare

When it comes to health and safety, Batumi is as safe as any other major city in Georgia. If you need a specialized procedure, it may be better to visit the capital (learn more about hospitals in Tbilisi here). However, there are still several good options available in Batumi. 

Evex, the biggest hospital chain in Georgia, has a facility in Batumi. This hospital opened in 2013 and offers almost all basic services. International University Hospital is one more option in Batumi which offers a variety of procedures. Customers on Google describe them as highly professional, although sometimes lacking advanced English, which is a common issue in general in Batumi. 

For dental care, there are also a lot of options. One popular expat recommendation is My Dent, which is highly rated and somewhat expensive. Although their website is available in three languages, they are most proficient in Russian, as their clientele is mostly Russian-speaking. Another highly recommended dental clinic is Rogo, located on V. Gorgasali Street. Rogo is a very modern clinic and highly rated by customers. In addition to these two options, there are also lots of highly recommended private dentists, such as David Dent. To find a good private dentist, asking for recommendations in expat forums online is a common solution. 

Shopping

In terms of shopping places for groceries, clothes, home goods, electronics, and more, Batumi is not as rich in choices as Tbilisi. There are 3 large shopping malls in Batumi: Metro City (located close to the airport), Carrefour mall, and Batumi mall (both of which are located around the Justice House). All major Georgian electronic chains have shops in the city, but their inventory is not as large as the Tbilisi branches, and the same is true of clothing shops and home goods stores. As for grocery shopping, the standard chains of supermarkets are available throughout the city, such as Spar, Nikora, and 2 Nabiji. In the malls you will find both Goodwill and Carrefour hypermarkets. 

Entertainment

Entertainment-wise, the options available in Batumi vary dramatically from peak tourist season to the quiet season. During the busy season, when the city transforms into a bustling seaside paradise, the influx of tourists increases the demand for a variety of entertainment options. Every day there are concerts taking place somewhere in the city, especially near the Boulevard area, including the famous yearly summer Batumi Jazz Festival. Moreover, there are entertainment fairs spread around the seaside boulevard area, such as amusement park rides (like the ferris wheel), go-karts, paintball & shooting galleries, tennis courts & ping pong tables, the aquarium, indoor ice-skating rinks, and more. During summer people also frequently rent bikes, scooters, and 4-wheelers to get around the city.

When it comes to big summer blockbusters, the cinema in Batumi sometimes enjoys earlier releases than many other countries, although one thing to keep in mind is that movies may be shown with Georgian subtitles. You can find a current listing of all the movies & showtimes here. There is also a drive-in cinema in Batumi! It is behind the new football stadium located on Gudiashvili street, near the Justice house and the Arch. While it was mainly designed to allow spectators to watch football games from their cars if the stadium was already full, sometimes you can also watch some classic movies from the comfort of your car.

Food & Drinks

Finally, most of Batumi’s gastronomy scene is located alongside the coastal boulevard, which stretches over 7 kilometers, starting from the seaport and running all the way to the International airport at the other end of the city. (In the future it may become even longer, as there are plans to stretch it all the way to Sarpi, a coastal village located at the Turkish border crossing.) Within the city, especially around the Old Town area, there are many cafes and restaurants popular with both locals and foreigners alike. Batumi offers unique Adjarian style cuisine, as well as more authentic Turkish food than can be found in the rest of Georgia. 

Batumi is also very well known for its brewery, which is very popular with locals and tourists alike. It has been active for around a century. You can get a pint of Batumian beer here straight from the tank! Located on 24 Tbel Abuseridze Street, the place is usually full of locals, so it’s a great place to experience an authentic Georgian hangout. However, if it’s too far for you to travel, there are also numerous beer stalls dotted around the main boulevard where you can enjoy a fresh pint while out on a walk.

During the off-season, most of the cafes and restaurants located around the main boulevard close down. Those that do remain open are not as lively as during the summer season. However, there are still plenty of places where expats like to gather and socialize, as many spots in the Old Town are open year round. Certainly, the busy season offers more activities, but the off-season means that you might have your favorite cafe or restaurant all to yourself. 

Additionally, because Batumi is located so close to Turkey, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can always hop across the border for a short trip. Many locals frequently visit Turkey for shopping, tourism, or other activities at any time of the year.

Where To Live In Batumi

Batumi is almost 11x smaller than Tbilisi, so you won’t find as many neighborhoods here as in the capital. In theory, you could divide Batumi into two main sections: the developed coastal areas, and the inner city where everything else is.

However, locals would argue that it’s slightly more complicated than this. To make it easier to understand, we will discuss the neighborhoods in the following manner: the Old Town area, the Coastal Strip (divided into the Old Boulevard and New Boulevard regions), the Inner City (by its major streets), and the Suburbs.

Old Town

Perhaps the most popular place in all of Batumi is the Old Town. It is rich with history, and a vibrant diverse community lives here, including Turkish, Russian, and Greek diasporas. Filled with narrow streets and old Italian style neighborhoods (2-3 story houses surrounding a large yard) as well as popular cafes and restaurants, the Old Town combines history with modern city life.

The most popular place in Old Town is Piazza Square, an Italian style open air public square, which features a large clock tower, and is surrounded by restaurants, pubs, hotels, and souvenir shops. A unique feature of Piazza Square is a 106 sq m. central mosaic, which is the largest figurative marble mosaic in Europe. The artist is a Swiss-Georgian designer, Natali (Natalia) de Pita Amirejibi.

During the summer season, the Old Town is bustling with activity as tourists roam the narrow streets, restaurants spill out onto the sidewalks, and various street musicians perform their acts. At night some streets remain lit up by various pubs, though most of the area is relatively peaceful at night. Most of the popular expat gathering spots are located in the Old Town area.

Another interesting area in Old Town is Kutaisi street, or as locals call it, “little Turkey”. This is the place where the majority of the Turkish diaspora lives. The street has many restaurants which offer authentic Turkish food, various massage parlours, and shisha (also known as “chili” or “hookah”) bars. There is also a functional mosque located in this area, which plays the call to prayer throughout the day.

Pros of living in the Batumi Old Town area:

• Cultural center of Batumi
• Central area for nightlife/restaurants
• Very close to the beach and boulevard
• Great sense of community
• Many small markets for grocery shopping

Cons:

• Aging architecture might need repairs
• Certain streets can be loud at night 
• Parking is often a nightmare on the tight streets
• Finding a decent, well equipped condo can be quite difficult 

Coastal Area

The Jewel of Batumi is its beach and the coastal boulevard spanning the full length of the city, which is over 7 kilometers. It is the most developed area of the city due to its proximity to the sea. There are 4 main streets running parallel to the beach. These are Gogebashvili street, Rustaveli Avenue, Khimshiashvili Street, and Lech & Maria Kaczynski Street.

For easier navigation and understanding, these areas can be divided into two distinct parts: the Old Boulevard (Gogebashvili Street, Rustaveli Ave, and part of Khimshiashvili Street) and the New Boulevard (Khimshiashvili Street and Lech & Maria Kaczynski Street). As these streets, which span the entire length of the city, run parallel to the seaside, living here is very advantageous due to the fact that you can get easy access to most of Batumi. 

Old Boulevard

This part of the city is always full of life, as it contains most of what the city has to offer in terms of entertainment. The area contains many popular hangout spots for locals and expats alike, including restaurants, pubs, cafes, and casinos. During the summer months, it is usually crawling with tourists at every corner. 

The Old Boulevard area is the most prestigious place to live in the whole city, and it has well-developed infrastructure to ensure comfort and convenience. There are many newly finished premium apartment towers right on the edge of the boulevard, just a few dozen meters away from the sea, so getting some fresh air or going for walks anytime of the day is never a problem when you live in this area. Notable attractions for this part of the boulevard include Miracle Park, Calisthenics Park, Alphabet tower, Octopus cafe, Batumi pier, and the Japanese garden, all of which are located along the boulevard, reachable by a few minutes of walking. 

The Old Boulevard is separated from the Old Town district by only one street, which means you have somewhat easy access to all the services in this other central region of the city, including banks, shopping centers, and grocery shops. The majority of the Batumi expat community lives here, most notably in the Porta towers, located at the intersection of Gogebashvili Street and Rustaveli Avenue, as well as at Alliance Privilege complex at the other end of the Old Boulevard, close to Pioneer Park. This park, which has a rich history and features a fishing lake, is another central location for gathering and relaxation. 

Pros of living in the Old Boulevard area:

• Very close to the beach
• Also a central area for nightlife, going out, or sightseeing
• Central location with easy access to rest of the city
• New architecture
• Most developed part of the city
• Large expat community

Cons:

• Can get quite noisy during summer months
• Parking may be an issue

New Boulevard

This is the part of the coastal area that has seen the most transformation and development in recent years. Wherever you look, there are massive towering highrises all newly built or in the process of being constructed, very close to the beach and awaiting new tenants.

Starting near the dancing fountains on Khimshiashvili Street, this district stretches all the way to the Airport area, where the New Boulevard currently ends. This district is also the second most expat-populated place in the city.

Everything about this part of the city screams luxury. Many of the most prestigious restaurants and hotels are located here. Unlike the Old Boulevard district, which harmoniously incorporates old and new architecture, the New Boulevard region is completely fresh. There is an aquapark and many extravagant structures that will catch your eye, including a restaurant that looks like the White House turned upside down, an imitation Acropolis that serves as a restaurant, and a hotel that resembles the Colosseum. Strolling down Khimshiashvili Street may remind one of walking along Miami or Long Beach, with the beautiful seashore on one side and magnificent highrises on the other.

The New Boulevard area is very well-developed for living, with a vast amount of new apartment buildings being built. Most of them are populated by foreigners who have either moved here or own a place for seasonal holidays. At present, the development tends to decrease as the New Boulevard nears the airport. However, due to the attractiveness of this area for investors and developers, it is unlikely to stay that way for long. 

When it comes to available services in this district, there is Metrocity forum, a massive mall with various shops and restaurants; Batumi mall, another large mall located just outside of the district; and a Carrefour hypermarket. 

Pros of living in the New Boulevard area:

• Extremely luxurious district
• Many different options for entertainment
• Brand new architecture
• Constant development and exciting future prospects
• Close to the beach and the boulevard
• Close to major shopping malls
• Easy access to the city

Cons:

• Can get quite desolate toward the far end, as buildings are under-occupied
• May be noisy due to ongoing construction works
• Fair distance away from the city center

Inner City

(Including the Bagrationi, Chavchavadze, Gorgiladze, Baratashvili streets)

The heart, or the “inner” part of the city, contains 4 major streets that act as arteries connecting it to the rest of Batumi. This core area is where most of the city’s business is conducted, including finance, real estate, and so on. It is also the area where most of the everyday working population lives. It is well-developed with an equal mix of new and old private houses and apartment highrises. These inner streets could be further divided into three sections: the seaside part, or Baratashvili and Gorgiladze streets; the middle, or Chavchavadze street; and the outer edge, or Bagrationi street.

Baratashvili & Gogebashvili streets are very similar in a sense that they both run parallel to each other, just like Gorgiladze & Rustaveli Avenue, which are just a couple of blocks away. Here you can find many different boutique clothing shops, travel agencies, phone network provider offices, Batumi City Hall, and even a circus. The buildings in this area are mostly old, though there are some new ones under construction. There are also several small squares and stadiums, and a large park (Pioneer Park) with a lake for recreation.

Chavchavadze is a central street running smack dab through the middle of the whole city. There are many newly built apartments on both sides of this main street, as well as many small markets, including Spar, Nikora, and others. This neighborhood is also home to many major electronics companies, including Alta, Elit Electronics, TechnoBoom, and Metromart. The most notable area on this street is the TBC Bank head office, which is located in the beautiful building of an old train station. There are also several small parks and squares in this region, though if you’re looking for an ideal place to take longer walks surrounded by greenery, the main boulevard is still the best option.

Bagrationi street has seen major renovations and revitalization in recent years. It acts as a divider between the center of the city and the suburbs/outskirts of Batumi. It is still undergoing extensive development, and there are many highrises under construction here. It also serves as one of the major commercial hubs of the city, as there are many hardware stores and farmer’s markets located along the street. There are also many gas stations located on this street, helping to fuel access to the rest of the city.

All together, these major streets composing the Inner City district have a lot to offer for expats hoping to relocate to Batumi. 

Pros of living in the inner city area:

• Most central location for all your shopping needs
• A fun mix of old and new architecture
• Easy access to the whole city
• Relatively close to the beach
• Lively and authentic Georgian experience

Cons:

• Busiest part of the city
• Parking may be an issue
• Need to be careful when renting, as some apartments can be quite old
• Language barrier issues may be most prevalent in this area

Suburbs/Outskirts

Boni-Gorodoki (Benze): This is the first district you see when you come into Batumi from Makhinjauri by train or car. The central train station and bus terminal are located here, but it’s an otherwise industrial, relatively underdeveloped area. Though it is located close to the sea, it is less popular due to how far it is from the city center. However, there is one unique attraction this area has to offer: the famous fish market, where fishermen bring their fresh catch straight from the Black Sea every day! Here you can select a fish and have it cooked right on the spot, and enjoy it with some beer or wine. 

There are a couple modern hotels and restaurants near the sea. Here you will also find the Noble Brothers museum and the Batumi Art & Musical Center, a truly unique looking building. Expat activity here is minimal due to how far it is from the city center, though you may occasionally see some foreign students living here with local families. However, this district’s popularity with expats is likely to increase in the future, as there are various development projects in the works.

Peria: Located to the south of the Boni district, Peria sits on the slopes of a nearby small mountain. It is also an underdeveloped area of the city. The main cemetery is located on the hillside. From Gogebashvili Street in the city center you can ride the aerial tram (a 10-15 minute ride) over the whole city to the top of the mountain, from which you will see a magnificent view of the entire city all the way to the Black Sea. 

There are a couple modern hotels located up on the mountain: Hotel Sputnik and Hilltop Batumi. However, expat activity here is minimal due to the distance to the city center (unless you use the aerial tram) and the general absence of amenities and various activities that expats tend to enjoy. Although the hilltop is a popular tourist destination during the busy season, the nice views are about all that Peria really has to offer. However, like the Boni district, Peria may also see revitalization in the future, as plots of land are being sold for future development projects. 

Urekhi: Located on the southeastern edge of the city, Urekhi is more of an outskirt area of Batumi. It’s relatively underdeveloped and is mostly filled with private houses and several cheap guest houses. Its distance from the city center and the beach mean that it’s not a very attractive place for expats to live. There are no notable sightseeing places in Urekhi, nor are there any extremely popular restaurants. However, if you are looking for a quiet and comfortable place to live, and do not mind the distance to the beach and the main attraction areas, Urekhi is a nice area with a relaxing ambience. This is especially true given that Batumi is a relatively small city and getting from one end to the other doesn’t take as long- especially when compared to Tbilisi traffic!

Hopa: Named after the town of Hopa in Turkey, this district is located on the southwestern edge of the city and is known for its Hopa bazaar (Batumi’s version of Lilo Mall). There are a staggering amount of flea markets and second hand shops in this area where you can find almost anything, including food, clothes, electronics, building materials, and more. The infrastructure here is below average; the streets are messy, often partially dug up, and hard to navigate. As a result, traffic can be a problem here.

If you’re interested in buying property in Batumi, check out our Batumi Real Estate Investment: Buyers Guide.

FAQs

• How do I get from Tbilisi to Batumi?

There are several ways to travel from Tbilisi to Batumi. 

The easiest way is by using the train, as it takes around approx. 6 hours and costs only 35 GEL, one way (75 GEL for the first class and 125 GEL for business class). The train has wifi (although it can be a bit spotty in some regions) and offers lovely views of the country. It’s also easy to reserve your ticket, as the website (tkt.ge) has a modern multilingual interface which is easy to navigate. It’s available in both website and app form (on Android and iOS).

Another option is by private car, which takes approx. 6 hours. (Check out our other article on how to rent a car or private driver in Georgia.) 

If you travel by bus, it can take up to 7 hours. The most popular company is Metrogeorgia, which costs 35 GEL per person (one way) and offers a convenient app for booking tickets.

• Is Batumi safe?

Georgia, in general, is a very safe country, and Batumi is no exception. (Of course, if you ask about safety in expat forums online, you will likely hear some horror stories; but as long as you exercise a reasonable amount of caution, you should be fine.) If statistics are what you prefer, then you can simply take a look on Numbeo and compare Batumi to, for example, Copenhagen. The data will show that Batumi (and Tbilisi, as well) have even lower crime indexes than the capital of Denmark. 

• How is the weather in Batumi?

Batumi is extremely humid due to its proximity to the sea. Because of this, the weather here is chaotic and sometimes very unpredictable. One minute it can be sunny and people will flock to the beach, and the next, there is a massive rainstorm that lasts for a week. Spring is mostly pleasant, and summers can get extremely hot & humid, but autumn is when things start to change rapidly. Batumi is among the places which receive the most rainfall in all of Europe and Central Asia – standing at 2,435mm (almost 96 inches) yearly.

We have a lot written about the weather in Batumi, and in the various regions of Georgia in general, in another article – weather in Georgia.

• What are some good taxi apps/companies in Batumi?

 Generally, taxis are the best option for expats to get around, as they are both convenient and cheap, and Bolt and Yandex are the best options for taxis in Batumi. When using the standard or economy options, the quality of cars may vary (such as lacking rear seatbelts, AC, or the overall quality of the vehicle leaving something to be desired), so we recommend using the premium service option at a slight extra charge to get a reliably comfortable ride every time. 

Anecdotally, Bolt seems to be a marginally better option as their drivers are on time and also use GPS for navigation. Yandex, on the other hand, is cheaper, but the drivers may ignore the navigation instructions and ask you for directions instead, causing unnecessary hassle. Therefore, if you want a hassle-free experience and to save time while traveling in comfort, Bolt is your best bet.

• What are the best grocery stores and supermarkets in Batumi?

There is a massive Carrefour hypermarket in Batumi. You can buy almost everything imaginable there and the prices are also cheaper compared to many other stores. If you’re looking to do your monthly shopping in one trip, Carrefour is probably the right choice for you. If you want to buy some local farm produce, there is a bazaar with many small farmer stalls near the central bus station on Mayakovsky Street, though keep in mind that you may need a translator. 

There are also Spar, Nikora, Yalcin, and 2 Nabiji supermarkets dotted around the city to satisfy your everyday needs. There is also a large AgroHub hypermarket located in the city, which, in addition to selling all kinds of groceries, offers exotic fruits which are rare and hard to find anywhere else. You can also buy ready made foods in Agrohub. Prices are slightly higher compared to Carrefour or the bazaar, but everything is still cheap when compared to the US or EU prices for similar products.

• Are there co-working spaces in Batumi?

Coworking is not as developed in Batumi as it currently is in Tbilisi. At the time of writing, there is only one official coworking space in Batumi: “Batumi Coworking”. It is small but cozy, with prices starting from 20 GEL per day to 250 GEL per month, with 440 GEL securing a monthly reserved workspace. Batumi Coworking is located slightly outside the city center, but like many places in Batumi, it is still quite easily accessible by foot, public transport, or taxi. However, navigating their website may be an issue if you do not know Russian, as some sections are only in Russian. 

As a result, the preferred “coworking” space choice for expats tends to be cafes! One of the most popular ones where you frequently see working people with their laptops is the Blue Elephant Cafe. 

• How good is the internet in Batumi?

The Internet in Georgia is heavily monopolized by 2 major competitors: Silknet-Geocell and Magticom. They are also not too different from each other as their offered packages are almost identical. Both companies also offer TV and mobile packages that can be combined with home internet as well. Internet speeds can go up to 100mbps. When it comes to the quality of connection and service, however, it could be better.

Though both companies are established throughout Batumi, there are places on the outskirts of the city where the connection can randomly drop due to poor service quality. The best option would be to check your address with the company and find out if fiber is installed. Usually, the newly built apartments which are more popular with expats are already fully equipped with modern internet wiring.

• Are there any international schools in Batumi?

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of options in Batumi when it comes to international schools. The best options are in Tbilisi. There are several English-oriented schools, but you can’t find one where everything is conducted in English. The most popular international school in Batumi where English is the main (but not sole) language of instruction is the Georgian-American School of Batumi. However, they have a lack of native English speaking teachers, so if schooling is an essential consideration for you, then relocating to Tbilisi might be a better choice. You can see our other article on this topic here: The Education System in Georgia And Options For Private Schools.

• How do I get to the Batumi botanical garden?

One of the must-see places when you’re in Batumi is the botanical garden. Located some 9km outside of the city, it features a collection of plants from all over the world, spanning 1km of coastline.

There are several ways of getting there. There are 2 Marshutkas that go there from the city, costing the standard fare of 50 tetri per trip. (However, for these you will need to pay in cash as they do not have ticket machines.):

• Marshutka №31 runs daily every 15 minutes from the Batumi Trade Center (Agmashenebeli St), running along Gorgiladze Street, and the last stop is within 50 meters of the 1st ticket office.
• Marshutka №40 runs daily every 15 minutes from the Batumi Trade Center (Agmashenebeli St), traveling along Chavchavadze Street, and you should get off at the bus stop entering Chakvi, which is 300 meters from the 3rd ticket office. 

There is another option of taking bus №15, which runs daily every 40 minutes from Zeda Gele Street, traveling along Melikishvili, Chavchavadze, Rustaveli, and Gogebashvili Streets. You should get off at the bus stop 100 meters from the 2nd ticket office. For this bus, you can use the Batumi transport card which you can buy in all Express payboxes (Please note, the Tbilisi Metromoney card does not work in Batumi, and vice versa). 

• What are good swimming spots in and around Batumi?

While the main beach in Batumi is overall a nice place to go for a swim, it can be quite crowded during peak tourist season, and locals often prefer less central locations to enjoy the sea. Certainly, a short term visitor might prefer to visit whichever beach is closest to their hotel, but if you’re staying in Batumi for a longer period, you will likely want to avoid these bustling areas.

If you want a pleasant swimming experience without going too far, there is a nice, clean swimming spot near the Alphabet Tower, where there are usually fewer people and (when the weather is right) the water is crystal clear. 

Outside of the main city there are also many other popular swimming destinations. One of them is Mtsvane Koncxi (or the “Green Cape”) which is a small, scenic beach just outside of the city, past the old railway station. It is an especially good place for picnics, and you will sometimes see locals having barbeques here.

Closer to the Turkish border, there is another popular beach, Sarpi, with large rocks that you can jump off from into the sea.

Between Sarpi and Batumi there are a number of villages, including Gonio and Kvariati, which offer beautiful views of the mountains and have clean, quiet beaches.

• Where can I meet other expats in Batumi?

There are various bars and cafes in the Old Town part of Batumi, which are the best place to organically meet other expats. You could also check out expat groups on Facebook to find out about meet-up events and other unique opportunities to connect.

One of the more popular gathering spots for Batumi expats is Mary’s Pub, located on 6 Giorgi Mazniashvili Street. They serve flavored draft beer and British food, including Sunday roast, fish & chips, chicken strips, and so on. The bartender there is also an expat from England. Mary’s Pub has a very friendly atmosphere, and is the perfect place to unwind after work with a pint in hand and mingle with other expats. They occasionally have events which you can check out on their Facebook page. 

Another similar spot is Popeye’s Craft Bar, located on 6 Noe Jordania Street, very close to Mary’s Pub. It is home to a large collection of Nastoyka- a Slavic drink with dozens of different flavors and combinations. Their food choice is also very diverse, including Asian, European, and Russian cuisine. Similar to Mary’s Pub, they also have events that you can check out on their Facebook page. 

• What is ExpatHub’s presence in Batumi? 

Although our main legal team is located in Tbilisi, we are able to assist with many services in Batumi, including business registrations, property purchases, and more. If you are currently located in Batumi or planning on relocating there, please contact us at info@expathub.ge and let us know how we can help you!

Also, if there’s something about Batumi we haven’t covered in this article, please let us know!