25 reasons to visit Batumi and Tbilisi on a joint city break in 2025

Planning your next city break? We think Batumi and Tbilisi should be on your radar.

A visit to Georgia’s Black Sea city and capital offer a blend of cultural sights, unique foodie experiences and relaxation that will appeal to all kinds of travellers.

Here’s 25 reasons to book in 2025…

You may well have had khachapuri, a bread-based dish filled with sulguni cheese, but Adjara, the Black Sea region of which Batumi is the capital, has its own variation. Supposedly ‘made for sailors’, bread is made into a boat shape and topped with an egg-yolk, meant to represent the sun. Mix it all together, and enjoy.

Batumi celebrates the date it was granted city status in 1888 with an annual festival called Batumoba every 28 April. You can expect live concerts, theatre performances, sports competitions, exhibitions and more. Celebrations are centred around Batumi Boulevard, so don’t miss out.

More information: visitbatumi.com

Europe’s longest zipline is set to open this June – and it’s not far from Batumi. Found in the Chirukhi Mountains, the 1,750 metre-long zip line is around 2,000 m above sea level, offering fantastic views of the area. To mark the occasion – which is set for the weekend of 21 or 27 June – there will also be a concert in the mountains.

Batumi is near not one, not two, not even three, but four national parks and protected areas, offering a myriad of outdoor experiences. Mtirala National Park, Kintrishi Protected Areas and Kobuleti Protected Areas are part of Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering rainforests and wetlands, while Machakhela National Park features the remnants of ancient fortresses, with three main walking routes around the park.

More information: visitbatumi.com

Held annually since 2007, the Black Sea Jazz Festival is one of Batumi’s biggest events. Expected to take place between 25 and 27 July, the line-up extends well beyond just jazz, with previous editions featuring headliners like Snoop Dogg, Quincy Jones and Lauryn Hill.

Much more than just a 7km walking path, Batumi Boulevard boasts more than 40,000 plants and flowers, numerous sculptures and the Veteran’s Club, where veterans play chess and backgammon daily no matter the weather. For those who prefer to cycle, there are also dedicated bike lanes.

More information: boulevard.ge

7. For the folk festival Shuamtoba

The first weekend of August, the nearby Beshumi Resort up on the eastern slope of the Arsiani Ridge plays host to the traditional folklore festival Shuamtoba. Alongside traditional folk dances and songs, competitions and horse racing, you’ll get the chance to buy products from regional artisans and try local dishes and wines.

The nearby village of Tsikhisdziri is home to the fortress city of Petra, which dates back to the 6th century. Built atop a hill to connect the regions of Georgia, Byzantium, Armenia, and Persia, the historical and archaeological complex has since been transformed into a museum. There, you can see artifacts uncovered during excavations. Plus, the views over the Black Sea are spectacular.

9. To visit five villages without leaving the city

October in Batumi offers a unique opportunity to explore nearby villages without actually leaving the city as part of the Gandagana rural tourism festival. Set to take place at Europe Square, the municipalities of the mountainous Adjara – Kobuleti, Khelvachauri, Keda, Shauhevi and Khulo – will be showcasing their fruits, dairy products, wine, sweets and handicrafts. One for music lovers, there will also be Georgian folk dance and song, with performances from modern bands, too.

First established in 1912 by botanist and geographer Andrey Krasnov, the Batumi Botanical Garden boasts one of the widest varieties of flora in the world. Covering 111 hectares, there are flora from nine phyto-geographic areas: East Asian, Himalayan, Australian, New Zealand, North American, Mexican, South American, Mediterranean, and Transcaucasian Humid Subtropics.

More information: bbg.ge

11. To go on a wine tour

As the birthplace of wine, it would be rude not to try just some of the 525 grape varieties on offer. There are numerous wine cellars nearby, including the 18th century Ajarian Wine House, where you can sample wines and explore the vineyard, and the Shervashidze family cellar, where you can take part in winemaking for yourself.

12. To explore the city’s museums

After eating, and drinking, your way through the city, the next best way to learn more about the local culture is at Batumi’s museums. At the Ajara Museum of Art, you can explore works from 20th century Georgian artists, while at the Batumi Archaeological Museum, you can head further back in time through artifacts found across south western Georgia dating back to the Stone Age. At the Ajara Khariton Akhvlediani Museum, the 180,ooo-strong collection encompasses photographs, artworks, manuscripts and more, while at the Nobel Brothers Batumi Technological Museum, you can learn about the eponymous Ludvig Nobel and Baron Peter von Bilderling, who established Branobel and made us of Batumi port for oil transit.

More information: ajaramuseums.ge

Batumi may have its own version of khachapuri, but in Tbilisi, it’s all about kalakuri. Their own take on khinkali dumplings, the minced meat filling is seasoned with other herbs such as parsley and coriander.

There’s no such thing as too much wine. And at the New Wine Festival, scheduled to take place on 10 May this year, you’ll be able to try an array of wines from the latest harvest. The opening ceremony sees the opening of a Qvevri, a vessel used for aging traditional Georgian wine, from a family cellar, and from there onwards it’s all about showcasing the best wines from a mix of large companies, medium and small wineries.

Visiting Abanotubani, or the bath district, is a must on any trip to Tbilisi. The city’s name derives from the old Georgian word for ‘warm’, tbili, and the thermal baths are still popular today among both residents and tourists. Many of the baths make use of the sulphurous water bubbling below the city, and you’ll no doubt want to embrace the traditional bathing ritual here, which sees a 15-minute soak followed by a scrub, massage, and an ice-cold rinse. The cold is good for you, we promise.

In Tbilisi, art isn’t only in museums and galleries: You’ll find it splashed on buildings throughout the city. If you’re looking for a more structured way to enjoy the street art, download the Tbilisi Murals App. There, you’ll find a map of all the murals created as part of the annual Tbilisi Mural Fest, which first launched in 2019. Highlights include ‘Close to me’ by Javier Barriga, which was named the 16th best street art mural in the world for 2024.

Making the most of the spring weather, with highs of a comfortable 25°C in May, Tbilisi Open Air will take place on the weekend of 24 May. Across three stages, there will be performances from a mix of Georgian and international artists, with a focus on electronic and rock music.

More information: tbilisiopenair.ge

Looking for a unique souvenir? Look no further than the Dry Bridge Market. More than 100 vendors peddle their wares here daily between 11am and 4pm, selling an array of vintage goods including Soviet-era kitsch, earning the flea market nickname ‘the market of memories’. Running since the 1950s, this market is popular with both locals and tourists.

The last weekend of October sees the Georgian capital taken over for Tbilisoba. Celebrating the end of autumn, when the final fruits are picked and the latest batch of wine is pressed, revellers get to sample the new vintages from across the country. The festival is centred around Rike Park, and alongside wine you’ll also get to try cheeses, honey and candy created right here.

Known locally as the Blue Gallery due to its previous paint job, the Georgian National Gallery is one of the capital’s must-visit galleries and museums. Inside, there are more than 30,000 works from prominent local artists including Niko Pirosmani, Davit Kakabadze, Iakob Nikoladze and Lado Gudiashvili.

While Narikala Fortress is currently closed to visitors for renovations, you can still admire the ancient fortress from Tbilisi’s Old Town. Built in the 4th century, the ruins contain St. Nicholas Church, which has its origins in the 13th century, though the current building was built in 1997 to the church’s historic spec. No picture of Tbilisi’s skyline is complete without it.

23. For Tbilisi International Film Festival

Now in its 25th year, this film festival highlights a mix of Georgian and international cinema. Alongside screenings, the festival features workshops, master classes and networking events to help young filmmakers. While the exact dates for this year’s event are yet to be announced, it is expected to take place in November or December.

More information: tbilisifilmfestival.ge

One of the oldest continuously occupied cities in the world, Georgia’s former capital Mtskheta is considered a city-museum due to the amount of historic sights to explore here. Jvari Monastery, which dates back to the 6th century, Svetitstkhoveli Cathedral, one of the Great Cathedrals of the Georgian Orthodox world, and the Samtavro Monastery, which was originally built in the 4th century and reconstructed in the 11th century, are all inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and you can also visit Bebristsikhe, an early medieval fortress.

The heart of the city, Rustaveli Avenue is bustling throughout the day and into the night. Here, you’ll find buildings like the Opera and Ballet Theater of Tbilisi and the National Gallery, as well as souvenir shops, restaurants and cafés. Take a stroll and soak up the atmosphere.