Poti, Georgia — A Real Experience from My Journey

⭐ In This Article

In my previous article, I wrote about the mountain region in northern Georgia where my journey began. Once I reached the capital, Tbilisi, a new route slowly formed in my mind.

I had almost unlimited time — but not unlimited money. After the mountains, I felt like going to the sea. So I took a train from Tbilisi to Batumi, the country’s main seaside city.

I’ll write about Batumi separately in more detail. After spending a couple of nights there, I decided to move somewhere less touristy — to the small coastal city of Poti, best known for its port.

Both Batumi and Poti are located on the Black Sea coast. But while Batumi feels like a developed seaside resort, Poti is smaller and far from glossy. There’s no typical holiday atmosphere here. In my opinion, there isn’t a proper beach or a fully finished promenade. The waterfront seems relatively new, but construction still looks incomplete.

I found affordable accommodation for 10 days and started exploring the city at a slow pace. I walked a lot, visited cafés, and went running in the mornings. I enjoy sports, and in a new place running helps me see more than just walking around.

The trip from Batumi to Poti took about an hour by minibus and cost around €3.50. After checking into my apartment, I went straight to a café — I genuinely enjoy Georgian cuisine.

Some prices:

* Coffee — €0.80
* Tea with lemon — €0.64
* Ice cream — €0.95
* Caesar salad — €3.83

The café was popular and located not far from the port.

Eating out is affordable, but cooking at home is still cheaper. I was also happy to buy the famous Georgian mineral water Borjomi for several times less than I usually pay in other countries.

The next morning I went out to explore. It was windy and cloudy, and later it started to rain. Poti is quite spread out, even though the population is just over 41,000 people.

The southern part of the city feels more comfortable to stay in. It’s close to the beach area of Kolkheti National Park. There are more trees, a wide sandy shore, and it’s farther from the port, so the environment feels cleaner. Still, you can notice some litter in places.

The history of the city goes back to the 7th century BC. However, visually, I didn’t find many reminders of that ancient past. Most of what you see are older apartment buildings, often with improvised extensions added not only on the ground floors but even on upper levels. It looks unusual, and it’s hard to know how safe those additions really are — both for residents and for people walking below.

The central area has its own character, with palm trees lining the streets. The main landmark is the cathedral
Another recognizable spot is the lighthouse near the place where the Rioni River canal meets the sea.

It was still warm enough to swim, so I went into the water. In many areas the sea is quite shallow, and the water is often murky. I’ve visited dozens of towns along the Black Sea coast, and honestly, the area around Poti is probably one of the weakest spots for swimming. The shoreline is far from pristine.

(Photo of tire on the shore)

I didn’t expect to see a coastline like this on the Black Sea — but it exists.

A new 25-meter swimming pool was recently built in the city. A single visit costs around €3, which is quite reasonable. Monthly passes are even cheaper. I didn’t stay long enough to try it.

Since sports are important to me, I also look for outdoor workout areas. During my walks, I found only one old, low pull-up bar. I had to bend my legs just to do a few repetitions.

Everyone has different expectations from travel. I’m glad I came here. Any experience expands your understanding of the world.

Would I return? Most likely no — unless there’s a specific reason.

My journey through Georgia continues, and I’ll share more stories in the next articles on this travel blog.