Southwestern Georgia

• 🌍 Batumi – capital of Ajara and Georgia's third largest city is a pleasant Black Sea port with great Ajaruli cuisine
• 🌍 Chokhatauri – small town in Guria, district center
• 🌍 Khulo – town in Ajara's highland, and the district center
• 🌍 Lanchkhuti – small town, district center
• 🌍 Likhauri – with medieval fortress and 15th century church
• 🌍 Mtispiri – with medieval Askana Fortress
• 🌍 Ozurgeti – capital of Guria is a fairly small town; near the Shemokmedi Monastery and the Likhauri Church
• 🌍 Ureki – beach resort famous for its magnetic sand
• 🌍 Sarpi – coastal village and transport hub right next to the border with Turkey
• 🌍 Shemokmedi – with 6th century Monastery

• 🌍 Chakvi – small beach resort and gateway to Chakvistavi National Park
• 🌍 Grigoleti – beach resort
• 🌍 Keda – district center
• 🌍 Kobuleti – small town and beach resort
• 🌍 Nabeghlavi – source of mineral water of the same name
• 🌍 Nasakirali – balneotherapeutic health resort with mineral water
• 🌍 Shukhuti – venue for the annual Leloburti (a rugby match between the neighboring villages of Kvemo and Zemo Shukhuti), always on the Orthodox Easter Sunday
• 🌍 Tsikhisdziri – village with 3,000-year-old Petra Fortress

Southwestern Georgia consists of two regions: Ajara and Guria. The region includes a variety of localities, from historic towns and cities, through ports, industrial areas, beach resorts and natural reserves. It therefore offers a varied mixture of holiday opportunities to the travelers, as you can engage in traditional beach activities and do a fair share of inspiring sightseeing. Ajara is an autonomous region of Georgia 30% of whose population is Muslim. It has beaches, palm trees, and wonderfully fattening food. Guria, on the other hand, is famous for its "Gurian Riders", trick horse riders who toured the United States as part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show

The climate of Southwestern Georgia ranges from subtropical to high alpine, and is one of Georgia's greenest and wettest regions.

Georgian is unquestionably the main language in the region. Turkish is also fairly prevalent in Batumi. Much of the older generation speak Russian and the younger generation is increasingly speaking English due to hostility towards Russia, and also because English is taught in schools since independence and has replaced Russian as a second language in schools nation-wide. When in need for help, look for younger people, as they are more likely to know some English.

Marshrutkas go into the surrounding area. Cycling is easy in Batumi. Marshrutkas are generally the way to go when traveling outside of Batumi or Kobuleti.

There are many historic monuments, museums, galleries and other attractions in the old city of Batumi, which is probably where more tourists will start their visit anyway. Do not miss Roman era Gonio Fortress in the souther part of the city.

Head for the beaches of Gonio, Kvariati, Sarpi, Chakvi to experience the black sea and high night life of the resorts, or head to Shekvetili, Ureki or Grigoleti which also offer a number of more relaxed beaches and curable sands than those close to Batumi.

• See Ozurgeti, historical capital of the region, with Soviet era architecture
• Explore Guria's historic medieval monasteries, churches and fortresses in villages Likhauri, mTispiri and Shemokmedi.

• Four of the seven components making up the natural world heritage site Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands; 🌍 Imnati, 🌍 Grigoleti, 🌍 Ispani and 🌍 Kintrishi-Mtirala are in the northern and western corner of this region (the others are in Northwestern Georgia).

• Ski – Goderdzi Pass, mountainous resort of Ajara
• Trekking and Hiking in other mountain resorts – Bakhmaro, Gomismta or Beshumi
• Batumi offers great biking opportunities
• Visit Guria Park – A large amusement center between Ureki and Kobuleti
• Hiking – Mt. Chakvistavi or the Two Mountains Trail from Batumi

The food differs slightly in Gurian and Ajara. You should try khachapuri in Ajarian style. You also need to make sure you experience the fresh fish and other seafood, which is served at restaurants in Batumi and Ureki, as well as in villages of Guria and Ajara you can try river fish. Try "Bachlava" for dessert.

You will fins some wineries in Keda (Ajara) and Bukistsikhe (Guria) and a lot of pubs and bars in coastal resorts: Batumi, Kobuleti and Ureki during summer season. The most famous local wine is "Chkhaveri".

There is wide range of hotels, hostels and guesthouses in Batumi, Kobuleti and Ureki, included splurge international brands such as Hilton, Radisson, and Sheraton hotels in Batumi.

There are seven resorts in the region, of which Ureki, Shekvetili and Grigoleti are located on the Black Sea; Bakhmaro, Gomi Mountain, Balneological Nabeghlavi and Nasakirali—in the mountainous alpine zone.

Guria and Ajara are quite safe regions of Georgia. Take common precautions, especially during nighttime. Also avoid dark streets.

International road links Georgia trough Batumi with Turkey and it is fairly easy to catch a marshrutka or hire a taxi going to the Sarpi border, or travel to Trabzon or Istanbul from Batumi by bus.

North of the region is Northwestern Georgia and east of the region is Samtskhe-Javakheti. They can be reached by the well developed local roads.