Region guide
Guria
- Best time
- July to September is beach season on the coast and the only practical time for Bakhmaro and Gomismta. May, June and October suit Ozurgeti and the monasteries, with green hills and fewer people.
- How long
- 2-7 days
- Places
- 14 in our guide
Guria is one of Georgia's smallest regions, a green strip of land between the Black Sea and the Meskheti range, with Adjara to the south and Samegrelo and Imereti to the north. Its short coastline has the country's best-known sandy beaches, at Ureki, Shekvetili and Grigoleti, where the sand is dark and rich in magnetite. Inland, low hills covered in tea bushes, hazelnut orchards and mandarin groves give way to forest, and above them, at around 2,000 m, sit the old summer resorts of Bakhmaro and Gomismta.
Gurians are known across Georgia for quick wit, fast speech and singing: Gurian polyphony, with its yodelling top voice called krimanchuli, is part of the Georgian polyphonic tradition recognised by UNESCO. For centuries the region was ruled by the Gurieli princes, and their burial monastery at Shemokmedi, near Ozurgeti, is the main historic sight. Most visitors come for a beach week in summer, but the mountains reward a few extra days, especially in July and August, when the coast is hot and crowded.
Why visit Guria
- Lie on the black magnetic sand at Ureki, where the shallow water suits children
- Catch a summer concert at the Black Sea Arena in Shekvetili
- Watch the sunset above the clouds from Bakhmaro, at about 2,000 m
- Drive the rebuilt road to Gomismta for views over a sea of cloud
- Visit Shemokmedi Monastery, burial place of the Gurieli princes
- See the traditional Bakhmaro horse race on 19 August
- Taste Gurian khachapuri, red pickled cabbage and local tea
Top things to do in Guria
Look for St George's life in the frescoes at Achi
The late 13th-century murals at Achi, 9 km south of Ozurgeti, include scenes of the saint's life that are rare in Georgian art. Bring a torch, then continue to neighbouring Likhauri for its church and the Takaishvili museum.
Do a monastery loop from Ozurgeti
Combine Shemokmedi, burial place of the Gurieli princes, with hilltop Jumati and its view towards the sea. With a car both fit into a morning, which leaves the afternoon for the beach.
Book a summer show at the Black Sea Arena
International acts play the 9,000-seat oval arena in Shekvetili, mostly in late July and August. Buy tickets and arrange your ride home early.
Walk among relocated giants at the Shekvetili Dendrological Park
Old trees dug up across Georgia now grow beside a flamingo lake and a bamboo grove on 60 hectares of coast. Come in the morning in summer, and bring food for afterwards, as there are no cafes inside.
Pick your black-sand beach: Ureki, Shekvetili or Grigoleti
Ureki has the hotels and nightlife, Shekvetili has pines and concerts, and Grigoleti has empty sand beside the Kolkheti wetlands. All three share the same dark, magnetite-rich sand and shallow water.
Watch sunrise over the clouds at Gomismta
Since the road from Ozurgeti was rebuilt, the meadows at about 2,000 m are only 45 minutes away. Leave before dawn, or sleep in a cottage, to catch the valleys filling with cloud.
Head up to Bakhmaro through Chokhatauri and Nabeglavi
Stock up in Chokhatauri, taste the sparkling water at Nabeglavi, then climb about 50 km to the wooden cottages of Bakhmaro. Time it for the horse race on 19 August if you enjoy crowds.
Learn about the Gurian Republic around Lanchkhuti
In 1902 a peasant protest near Lanchkhuti grew into a self-governing movement that held much of Guria until 1906. Visit the town market and the Jikheti convent, finished in 1895, on the same trip.
Shop for tea, hazelnuts and red pickled cabbage in Ozurgeti
The town market is the place to buy Guria's staples, including hazelnuts and the beetroot-coloured cabbage that comes with every meal. Small producers also sell black and green teas from the local hills.
Cities, towns & villages
Places to see in Guria
Suggested itineraries
Guria in one day from Batumi
- Morning: Ozurgeti and Shemokmedi
Drive about 1 hour 15 minutes from Batumi to Ozurgeti, then 15 minutes on to Shemokmedi Monastery above the Bzhuzhi valley. Stop for coffee in Ozurgeti as you come back through.
- Midday: Achi and Likhauri
From Ozurgeti it is 15 to 20 minutes south to Achi for the frescoes of St George, with time to see the church and fortress in neighbouring Likhauri. Village restaurants in the area serve trout from the mountain rivers.
- Afternoon and evening: Shekvetili
Drive about 30 minutes west to the Shekvetili Dendrological Park, then swim from the beach. In summer, end with a show at the Black Sea Arena, or head back to Batumi in about 45 minutes.
Three days in Guria: monasteries, mountains and sea
- Day 1: Ozurgeti, Shemokmedi, Jumati and Achi
Base yourself in Ozurgeti. See Shemokmedi in the morning and Jumati, about 40 minutes away via town, before lunch, then spend the afternoon at Achi and Likhauri, 15 to 20 minutes south of Ozurgeti.
- Day 2: Chokhatauri, Nabeglavi and Bakhmaro
In July or August, drive 30 minutes to Chokhatauri for supplies, stop at Nabeglavi to taste the water at its source, and continue for about 1.5 hours up to Bakhmaro. Climb Sunset Hill in the evening and sleep in a wooden cottage.
- Day 3: Down to the coast
Descend to Ozurgeti in about 2 hours and continue 30 minutes to the Shekvetili Dendrological Park. Spend the late afternoon on the dark sand at Ureki or Shekvetili, or catch a concert at the Black Sea Arena.
Guria at a glance
Guria sits between Kutaisi and Batumi, so Ozurgeti is about an hour from Batumi airport and a little longer from Kutaisi, while Ureki is a stop on the Tbilisi to Batumi railway.
Festivals in Guria
Plan your visit
Getting there
Ozurgeti, the regional capital, is about 320 km from Tbilisi, roughly 5 hours by car via Kutaisi and Samtredia, and Ureki on the coast is about 300 km. Ureki has a station on the Tbilisi-Batumi railway and trains also run to Ozurgeti, while marshrutkas connect the region with Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi. The nearest airports are Batumi, about 60 km from Ozurgeti, and Kutaisi, about 70 km away.
Getting around
The coast road links Grigoleti, Ureki and Shekvetili with Kobuleti and Batumi, and marshrutkas run roughly hourly between Batumi, Kobuleti and Ozurgeti during the day. For Shemokmedi, Jumati and Gomismta, take a taxi from Ozurgeti or drive yourself. The roads to Gomismta and Bakhmaro have been rebuilt and paved in recent years, but mountain weather can still slow you down, and both resorts are snowbound for much of the winter. In summer, marshrutkas run to Bakhmaro from Ozurgeti, Chokhatauri and Tbilisi.
Best time to visit
July to September is beach season on the coast and the only practical time for Bakhmaro and Gomismta. May, June and October suit Ozurgeti and the monasteries, with green hills and fewer people.
Where to stay
Food & wine in Guria
Guria is not a major wine region, but many families make wine at home, and the local Chkhaveri grape, also grown in Adjara, gives light, pale red wines.
Guria: frequently asked questions
What is the magnetic sand in Ureki?
Ureki's beach is made of dark sand rich in magnetite, an iron mineral, which is why the beachfront district is called Magnetiti. Many people believe the sand helps with heart and joint problems, but there is little scientific evidence. It is still one of the few sandy beaches on Georgia's mostly pebbly coast.
How far is Ureki from Batumi?
About 60 km north, or roughly an hour by car. Marshrutkas and long-distance buses on the Batumi-Tbilisi road stop there, and some trains on the Tbilisi-Batumi line call at Ureki station.
How do you get to Bakhmaro?
Drive from Chokhatauri on the mountain road of about 50 km, which takes roughly 1.5 hours. In summer, marshrutkas run from Ozurgeti, Chokhatauri and Tbilisi. From November to April the resort is hard to reach because of snow.
Should I stay in Ureki or Shekvetili?
Choose Ureki for the most hotels, restaurants and nightlife. Choose Shekvetili for a quieter, greener beach backed by pine forest, with the Black Sea Arena nearby. Both have the same dark sand and shallow water.
When is the best time to visit Guria?
July to September for the beaches and the mountain resorts, which are only really open in summer. Late spring and early autumn are better for Ozurgeti and the monasteries, when it is cooler and quieter.
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