Batumi Boulevard

Batumi Boulevard is a seaside park along the Black Sea, about 7 km long: palm trees, four green alleys, a promenade by the water and a cycle path. Entry is free and there are no ticket offices. The boulevard was laid out in 1881; allow about 2 hours for a walk through its old part.

History of the boulevard

Planting started in 1881 under the military governor Smekalov, with the gardener Ressler in charge. Since 1987 the boulevard has been a protected monument of Georgian landscape gardening. In 2009 it was extended and redesigned, which created the New Boulevard. Today it covers about 135 hectares with roughly 45,000 trees.

What to see on the boulevard

• The Roman-style colonnade at the boulevard entrance. The doctor Ivane Mchedlidze brought the design from Italy, and building began in 1934. It once served as the gateway to the sea; today it hosts exhibitions and weddings.
• The lighthouse, a stone octagon built by French engineers in 1882 on the site of an 1863 cast-iron post. A hydrographic service still works inside.
• A 55 m Ferris wheel in Miracle Park next to the lighthouse, with views over the city, the port and the sea. According to third-party sources a ticket is about 10 GEL; check the price at the ticket office.
• The 130 m Alphabetic Tower and the moving Ali and Nino statue.
• The music fountains at the main entrance to the Old Boulevard; more on them and the streets behind the boulevard on our Old City page.

Tips for your walk

• The boulevard runs along the whole beach, so a walk combines easily with a swim. More on the beach season in our guide to summer in Batumi.
• July and August afternoons are hot by the sea; the alleys give shade, and the boulevard is liveliest in the evening.
• A cycle path runs along the promenade, so by bike you can cover the whole boulevard in one outing.

Staying near the boulevard is handy with children: compare seafront hotels in Batumi on Booking, some with no prepayment.

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