Totally unexpectedly in late April we had a spring trip to Georgia for Easter. We had a whole week in Georgia at our disposal!
Originally we were supposed to fly from Cyprus to Armenia, but for some reason Wizzair canceled flights to Yerevan, so we had to urgently change Yerevan for Kutaisi. That’s how I found myself in Georgia for the second time, and since that’s the case, it means that I need to see what I missed the first time. That’s why I decided to go from Kutaisi to Batumi, where I had never been before, and then to go to my friends in Tbilisi and see what was left of it.
The flight from Larnaca to Kutaisi is only two hours, fast, comfortable and cheap. We had a late arrival, so we had to spend the night in Kutaisi, and the next morning we left in different directions.
We missed Kutaisi itself, although there are many interesting natural places around the city – canyons, caves, but it didn’t work out, so we will leave it for the next time. From the terrace of our hotel Hotel Balcony we had wonderful views of Bagrat’s Temple and St. Michael’s Basilica.
The only place we visited was the Kolkheti Fountain on David the Builder Square. It is a very fresh attraction of the city, which appeared here in 2011 during Saakashvili’s time, and is considered to be the most expensive fountain in Georgia. It really looks amazing.
The zest of the fountain is that it presents various figures found in the excavations of Colchis. They were enlarged and presented in the form of an original composition. The fountain is very worth seeing, a real decoration of the city.
From the Kutaisi Central Bus Station, shuttle buses leave for Batumi every hour. It takes only two and a half hours, the price is 15 lari, which is about 5 euros. And at two o’clock in the afternoon I already left at the station of Batumi Argo cable car not far from the Sea Station, from where I reached my hotel Green Villa in 15 minutes. What a pleasure, I am in the capital of Adjara and I have almost two whole days at my disposal! I traveled light, with one backpack, so I immediately plunged into the process of looking at and photographing local beauties. From the ropeway station there are great views of Batumi Skyline and the seaport.
I must admit that I liked the first Batumi pictures very much. I immediately felt the free spirit of a seaside resort town.
After dropping my backpack at the hotel, I went to get acquainted with Batumi in detail, which I want to tell you about here. I lived near Piazza Square, inspired by Venetian architecture, so I started my route from here. Complementing the Piazza ensemble is the striped Balkan-style church of St. Nicholas.
It’s a beautiful place, the Italian spirit is clearly present. Piazza is skeptically called a new-fashioned copy of Venetian San Marco Square, but it is beautiful, you can’t take that away!
Not far from here is the Batumi Mosque, and around it there are Turkish restaurants, cafes, hookah lounges.
It’s like being somewhere in Antalya! Turkish influence in the city is very noticeable, and it is understandable, the border with Turkey is only 8 km away, so Turks like to come to Batumi for weekends. Unfortunately, I encountered the reverse side of this phenomenon on the same day, but about it a little later.
Well, now I am heading to the very center of the city to get acquainted with its main tourist attractions.
I must say that first of all I wanted to see Batumi’s famous Botanical Garden, where I went the next day. But what was my surprise when I realized that the whole city is a real garden, without exaggeration.
Right in front of Batumi Drama Theater and Radisson Blu Hotel, a sakura tree was blazing with a pink carpet. Yes, yes, a real sakura! 50 trees were planted here in the summer of 2014 by the Landscape Planning Agency of the City Hall. And it looks so beautiful, so mesmerizing that everyone is sure to arrange photo shoots under the trees.
It’s magical! Needless to say, I hung around these pink trees for a long time! In addition to sakura trees everywhere you can see maples, camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons and God knows what other trees! Walking around Batumi creates a complete illusion of being in a botanical garden! I was lucky, at the end of April I was in the blooming period of many plants and most importantly I saw blooming sakura, which I had never seen in Japan.
I had a hard time tearing myself away from the sakura trees and went to familiarize myself with Batumi’s main business cards. I must say that the city has blossomed over the past decades, and Saakashvili is to be credited for that. At one time he decided to make Batumi a business card of Georgia, so money was poured into the city and the most incredible buildings were built.
It turned out to be beautiful, luxurious, sometimes epathetically, sometimes on the verge of kitsch, and sometimes on the verge of caricature. But nevertheless, the sea resort was filled with luxury hotels, casinos, restaurants, tourist infrastructure and began to look very modern. Today, all the world’s most famous hotel chains are represented here – Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Sheraton and Kempinski.
There is something from Dubai, something from Las Vegas and even China in the appearance of modern Batumi. Sometimes it resembles Disneyland, but what’s wrong with that? There are many controversial ambitious projects, but in any case the result deserves attention and sometimes even admiration. One can have different opinions about the motley appearance of the city, but the fact that so many new original buildings have been built so quickly is certainly very cool.
This city certainly won’t leave anyone indifferent! Today you can not say that this is a former simple Soviet resort on the Black Sea. These are such metamorphoses! Against the background of modern projects somehow even lose the historical buildings, which are generally quite a few here and most of them are in a well-maintained condition.
The French dome style clearly prevails here. In general, there is a lot to admire and see. There are still some typical Georgian houses and courtyards, which I find absolutely charming and much more authentic than the newest creations.
Here are just a few beautiful urban spaces where it is nice to stroll in Batumi.
The square in front of Batumi Drama Theater with the Statue of Neptune pleases with its elegance and smartness.
The lawn next to the Marine Station is decorated with the Tower of Chachi or the Fountain of Chachi, an exact copy of the structure that decorated Batumi in the early XX century.
They say that once a week the fountain really pours chacha, but only for 15 minutes. Of course, I did not catch this attraction, but I would have tried it.
On the central square of Europe I was surprised to see a real fairy-tale town. These are already like some Prague towers! There’s clearly something from Italy, something from Romania, something from Prague, and Croatia. A nice eclectic mix. A tower with astronomical clocks, a casino, a fountain, a statue of Medea with the Golden Fleece. Well, you probably remember that Medea helped Jason steal the Golden Fleece, after which they escaped together on the famous ship Argo. It’s believed that the Kingdom of Colchis, made famous by Greek mythology, was located on the territory of modern Adjara. The Golden Fleece is now a symbol of prosperity and glory for Georgia, so it’s quite fitting that a monument to this character stands in the center of Europe Square.
According to rumors, the appearance of the Medea monument was also initiated by Saakashvili himself. Overall, as I understand it, modern Batumi is his project.
Strangely enough, there aren’t that many truly iconic buildings in Batumi. I’m talking about buildings that have noticeably changed the city’s appearance and become its calling cards. First and foremost, there is the Georgian Alphabet Tower, consisting of 33 letters.
Built according to the design of Spanish architect Alberto Domingo Cabo, the futuristic Alphabet Tower adorned the promenade in 2012. At the top, there’s an observation deck and a restaurant that can be reached by elevator. Its 135-meter-tall form clearly resembles a DNA molecule, crowned with a massive sphere. How beautiful it is in the evening, shimmering with lights and changing its color palette.
And here’s something that everyone undoubtedly loves: the eight-meter moving sculpture of Ali and Nino. The steel statues of the lovers begin moving towards each other every 10 minutes and then merge in a kiss. It all looks very impressive and somehow even touching! It’s also one of the city’s newer landmarks, installed on the boulevard in 2010.
The sculpture has become a symbol of love and understanding between people of different nations. It embodies the fates of two literary lovers who were separated and reunited until Ali died in the war. An eternally relevant and poignant theme! I really liked the sculpture, and it looks especially beautiful in the evening with the lighting.
Here’s another beautiful urban space — Nuri Lake. A picturesque spot framed by blooming rhododendrons and modern, beautiful buildings. Around the lake, you’ll find the University, the Aquarium, the stylish Hilton Hotel, and the unfinished oval Alliance Privilege Tower. The Sheraton Hotel is also nearby. I really liked this place; it’s peaceful and aesthetically pleasing.
The next morning, I was full of energy and headed to the Botanical Garden. You can get there by minibus number 31 or bus number 10 from the cable car station. The garden is open every day from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The ticket costs 15 GEL. I knew the garden was huge, and you could easily spend the whole day there, but I limited myself to 3–4 hours. That’s enough for a general impression and a leisurely stroll. Conveniently, there are electric carts that run through the garden, and I took one back for 10 GEL.
It’s considered the largest and most interesting attraction around Batumi. The garden is home to over 5,000 plants from the Mediterranean, Mexico, Japan, America, Australia, Africa, and, of course, the Caucasus! Plus, from the hills, there are absolutely breathtaking views of the Black Sea! The panoramic viewpoints make it even more stunning. Simply gorgeous!
After returning to the city, I decided to go up to the observation deck on Mount Anuria, and the easiest way to do this is by taking the Argo cable car. The cable car was built by an Austrian company, and the ride takes about ten minutes one way. It’s not cheap at 30 GEL, but the views from the top are worth it—you can see all of Batumi as if in the palm of your hand.
From the observation deck, you can spot all of the city’s iconic buildings, panoramic sea views, and see the construction boom, with new buildings popping up like mushrooms. It quickly becomes clear where everything is and what’s happening in the city. So I definitely recommend it, especially since it doesn’t take much time. At the top, there’s only a small observation deck and a restaurant shaped like the Argo ship. Overall, a very pleasant, light activity.
In conclusion, I’d say Batumi leaves a mixed impression. The unusual and diverse architecture, inspired by the West, looks cool, though at times the lines of good taste are clearly crossed. The European appearance of the city often overshadows its Georgian authenticity, and that’s a fact. But despite these nuances, Batumi leaves a very pleasant impression as a modern and comfortable resort that you want to come back to.