Old Batumi: living in the historic centre by the port
Old Batumi: Europe Square, the Piazza, the port and the boulevard on foot. Damp old houses, quiet winters and three addresses we scored.
Contents 10 sections
What the district is like
Old Batumi is the historic centre by the port: low houses from the turn of the last century with balconies and stucco, Europe Square, the Piazza, streets of cafes and the start of the seafront boulevard.
It is small. You can cross it in a quarter of an hour. Local families live here alongside people who chose Batumi for remote work.
On foot
In Old Batumi everything is done on foot. Shops, bakeries, pharmacies, banks, the market by the port, restaurants and the seafront are a few blocks apart. The streets are flat and the town suits a bicycle, with a long path beside the sea.
The sea is minutes from any door. The boulevard is the main park: people walk, run and sit by the water. There are schools and clinics, though fewer than in the residential districts inland.
What we measured
The addresses are on Memed Abashidze, Zurab Gorgiladze and Konstantine Gamsakhurdia streets, all running through the centre parallel to the shore.
| Address | Score | Groceries | Station or stop | School | Park | Noise and air |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memed Abashidze Street, 25, Batumi | 92.6 | 2 min | 4 minGorgiladzis K. Tsirki | 9 min | 4 min | −0.3 |
| Zurab Gorgiladze Street, 20, Batumi | 91.4 | 5 min | 1 minZurab Gorgiladzis Kucha | 4 min | 3 min | −2.3 |
| Konstantine Gamsakhurdia Street, 20, Batumi | 92.4 | 1 min | 3 minGorgiladzis K. Tsirki | 7 min | 5 min | −0.3 |
Map numbers match the table rows. Use the plus button to zoom in.
The rows differ little, because the district is compact; the useful comparison is with the New Boulevard. The method is on How the score works.
Who it suits
- Remote workers who want the sea and a real town.
- Newcomers who care about cafes and walks.
- People renting for a season or a year.
The trade-offs
The houses are old and damp is the main problem, with mould, wet walls and patchy repairs. In summer the centre fills with tourists; in winter it empties and many places shut. Parking barely exists.
The housing
Two- and three-storey houses with courtyards, some restored and some not. Old Batumi apartments are often on the ground floor with their own door. A few new towers and hotels stand between the old houses.
What to check
Smell the air in the flat and look at the ceiling corners: damp shows at once. Ask how it is heated. If you plan to stay all year, visit in November, not July.
Summer and winter
Summer is loud, hot and humid, and the sea makes up for it. Winter brings long rain and a town so quiet it feels closed.
Without a car
You will not need one: everything is close, and there is nowhere to leave it.
Neighbours
To the south-west along the sea runs the New Boulevard with its towers.