Georgia: Mountains, Sea, and Delicious Food | Travel Documentary

Georgia: Mountains, Sea, and Delicious Food | Travel Documentary

Georgia – incredible mountains, forests, 
rivers, sea, and, of course, delicious food. Today we will walk through the whole 
Batumi, look at stunning architecture,   take off to the mountains, be in the clouds, 
catch some sunshine on a black beach, try the famous Georgian cuisine, 
and much more that is simply   impossible to fit in a short announcement.
So, sit back and relax, as we get started! But first of all, we somehow have to get there, 
so let’s board the plane and fly to Istanbul, where we have a layover so long that I 
could even take a walk around the city! Despite the wonderful walk, I was also 
fortunate to visit a business lounge,   or as I like to say – the “VIP room”, 
which is located in Istanbul Airport. This is the “Skyteam” lounge. 
[NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT]. Right in the centre there is a bar counter 
with many different drinks and ice. Nearby, you can find a buffet with a variety 
of warm dishes, salads, and desserts! There is a conference room and cosy seats. Overall, as a unique experience, it’s okay.  After all this, let’s board the 
flight again, but this time to Batumi. After getting closer to Georgia, 
you will notice towering mountains.  No wonder they are the calling card of Georgia! Let’s have a look at the map.   The whole northern part of Georgia is 
occupied by the Main Caucasian Range, where the nival landform is clearly expressed, 
mainly caused by glaciers many years ago. In the south, near Batumi, lies the Lesser 
Caucasus, whereas the western part of the   country is primarily located on the Colchis 
Lowland, which also borders the Black Sea. The total length of the coastline 
is about 310 kilometres (192 miles). Thanks to its interesting geography, 
Georgia has an equally interesting climate. I arrived in Georgia in early June. 
Usually, summer here is warm and humid. And this is not surprising, since along 
the Black Sea coast, a humid subtropical climate prevails. The Main Caucasian Range 
serves as a barrier to cold northern winds, and the northern part of Georgia is 
influenced by a temperate climate. Around 1600 mm of precipitation falls each year, 
and the winter here is usually mild and warm. I am in Georgia! And first 
of all, let’s see Batumi! It is a bit dark… But how good 
is it that this is a video,   so we can do this (click) 
and continue our journey! Batumi is the third largest city in the country, 
the history of which goes back more than one millennium, as the first information about Batumi 
dates back to the 4th century BC from Aristotle. The medieval history of Batumi is pretty much 
unremarkable. It was a small fortified town, but during Russian rule Batumi became 
the main port on the border between   Europe and Asia. In 1878 the city’s 
population was about 5,000 people. Then, starting from 1920, Batumi, as well as the 
whole of Georgia, was in the USSR until 1991. At that moment Batumi’s population 
was about 136 thousand people. And now Batumi is one of the most beautiful 
cities on the coast of the Black Sea. From Miracle Park you can see almost everything 
this city is famous for – architecture! Behind me is the Alphabetic Tower. On 
the double spiral that looks like DNA,   the letters of the Georgian alphabet are placed. On top of this 135-metre-high 
tower (443 ft) you will find a   restaurant that also works as an observation deck. Attention, attention! Going up by the 
lift costs a mind-blowing 10 Georgian   Lari! Ladies and gentlemen, that is out of 
my pocket… But I have an alternative idea) Here you can also see the Batumi Lighthouse 
and the 55-metre-high (180ft) Ferris wheel. Right next to the shore is the “Ali & Nino” 
sculpture. At first glance there is nothing interesting, but IT IS MOVING!
Inspired by the eponymous novel,   Georgian artist and sculptor Tamara 
Kvesitadze designed this 8-metre statue (26 ft), whose characters 
make a full turn in 10 minutes.  This sculpture is also known 
as the “Statue of Love”. A little further south we will see Chacha Tower.  Not many years ago, the Georgian drink 
“Chacha” flowed from this fountain once a week for 10 to 15 minutes – for free! It is 
a pomace spirit, by the way. But 10 years ago, in 2015, this was shut down, so now there is 
pretty much nothing to do here. Let’s move on. This 7-kilometre (4.3 miles) 
boulevard is filled with cafés,   restaurants, shops and lovely 
fountains. At the same time, a huge variety of plants grow here.
In some ways, it is a real park! Despite the cloudy sky that 
day, the weather was still hot,   I would even say stuffy. The only 
salvation I found was this pier. On the pier it is so comfy, 
with a chilly sea breeze. If   you are walking around Batumi, 
come here. You won’t regret it. Probably you’ve already noticed 
many beautiful high-rises in the   background. Let’s have a closer look at them! This is the Courtyard by Marriott Batumi.
Nearby is the no less beautiful building of Batumi’s Public Service Hall.
In Porta Batumi Tower you will find flats   for any taste, and right opposite is a casino 
and, at the same time, a Radisson Blu Hotel. Hidden amongst the shadows of the busy city,   under the towers in the sky, is one of the 
most beautiful McDonald’s in the world. The exterior of the building is a 
geometric frame of glass. The entire   McDonald’s has panoramic views thanks to 
the lack of walls as such. Its cranked, bizarre, space-looking shapes 
look especially good at night. This building is designed in a way that the second 
floor transitions into a porch-roof. Here you can   enjoy the fresh air, a huge fascinating 
flower bed that is decorated differently depending on the seasons, and, 
of course, huge lines of people! And the fact that under the building’s canopy 
there is also a gas station actually amuses me. The architect of this building, 
completed in 2012, is Giorgi Khmaladze. If somehow you are still not 
impressed by Batumi’s architecture,   just have a look at this world’s first-ever 
skyscraper with a Ferris wheel on the facade, installed on the 27th floor, at 
a height of 100 metres (328 ft)! At first, in this 200-metre high-rise, 
which does not even fit in the frame,   according to the project, the Black Sea 
Technological University was supposed to be located, but it never opened.
For several years, this 36-storey   building (also built in 2012) was vacant, 
until it was sold at auction in 2015. The new owner decided to equip 
a residential complex as well as   the 5-star Le Méridien Batumi hotel, with a 
casino, SPA centre, restaurants and so on. No matter how beautiful the centre is, residential 
areas, as in most cases, leave much to be desired. To be fair, these are quite nice. On the old, slowly falling 
apart houses, residents are simply increasing their living space.
In fact, the so-called “squatter” is a very common phenomenon in Georgia.
However, walking and looking at these inimitable design solutions is quite interesting to some 
extent. It’s not a house, but a constructor. But as you know, there are always exceptions. 
SUMMER 365 is Batumi’s most high demanded and most comfortable place to live — chosen by residents 
who want everyday ease, not just a holiday vibe. Set in the fast-developing New Boulevard district 
in western Batumi, this new, thoughtfully designed   business-class complex brings the modern 
“city within a city” concept to life. Beyond well-planned apartments, SUMMER 
365 puts everything at your door: shops, offices, restaurants, a pharmacy, a cinema, and 
more. At the heart of it all is a vast, green, car-free courtyard with children’s 
playgrounds and dedicated zones for   focused work and quiet meditation. The 
complex is due for completion in 2026. If you’re considering a 
smart real-estate purchase,   SUMMER 365 is the ideal choice—choose your 
apartment at the link in the description. The best way to see this colossal difference in 
city development is to take a ride on the Argo Cable Car. It ascends through the whole city 
and ends on the top of the nearest hill. It   takes about 10 minutes to get up here. What 
about tickets… Yes, I am 12 years old now. On top you will find a souvenir shop and café,   as well as a fantastic viewpoint, from 
where a stunning view of Batumi opens. After going downstairs you can walk 
through the glade or sit on a bench. Eventually, darkness fell, and it means that   now we have an incredible opportunity 
to admire the night views of Batumi! The best possible way to enjoy these 
marvellous views is, of course, from above. My next step was to go to 
a town called “Kobuleti”. Seemingly the distance of only 26 
kilometres (16 miles) from Batumi,   the ride should take about 25 
minutes, but in reality all 40! Overall, the road runs along the seacoast, 
and only slightly touches the hills. On one of these hills lies Petra Fortress, 
to which we will come a bit later. [KOBULETI] In brief, Kobuleti is the second 
largest city after Batumi in Adjara,   where 20 thousand people live! Already since the 1910s, Kobuleti 
has acted as an appealing resort,   and by the way, now Kobuleti and Batumi are the 
two main competitors on Georgia’s coastline. It is necessary to mention the unique layout 
of this town. There are only 3 main streets, lying parallel to each other and to the sea. The town centre is also located in the southern 
part of Kobuleti and not in the actual centre. There you can find the Kobuleti Agri-Market, 
which offers seasonal fruits and berries,   vegetables, spices, sauces, jams and 
more. You can find almost everything here! A truly fantastic place to stock up on various 
delicious souvenirs to take home — so I did. And now in my studio I have 
such a churchkhela. Of course,   after finishing this b-roll there won’t be 
any, but that’s a completely different story. Generally, between the spots I 
moved along the seafront promenade. You can walk along it for 2–3 hours in one 
direction. It seems just completely endless! In the southern part, the embankment 
is a bit raised above the beach level,   and then gradually decreases until ground level 
meets the beach in the central part of Kobuleti. Along the whole length of 
the promenade, as befits,   there are a lot of cafés and restaurants.
As you may have already noticed, the beach in Kobuleti is covered in pebbles (pause) of 
various sizes, from grains to cobblestones. This might be a huge downside for 
somebody, but not for everybody!   Just have a look at this magnificent 
mosaic completely made of local pebbles! Simply on the public beach, without any fences,   an unknown artist made a Van Gogh’s The Starry 
Night-inspired mosaic. Absolutely unbelievable! Right next to it there is another work of art. I cannot even imagine how much time 
was spent creating these works… And about the water I can say that in the 
middle of June it had already warmed up   to 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit). To be 
honest, it is definitely not the clearest one (visibility is about a metre), but at least 
the depth is actually pretty close — no more   than 10 metres from the shore. This is very 
nice in comparison with our next destination… Ureki, which is in Georgia’s Guria region, is a 
small town of just about a thousand residents. It sits sixty kilometres north of Batumi, with 
only a handful of asphalted streets. Life here moves at its own pace — even cows stroll 
calmly through the fields around the town. On the coast and across the road 
from it are several dozen hotels, alternating with residential buildings. However, Ureki is considered one of the 
most popular seaside resorts of Georgia, largely thanks to its sands. We all know the fine white 
sand, but how about black sand? The resort is known for its 
magnetic dark-grey sands,   which are believed to have medicinal properties. Black sands, as well as magnetic ones, are not 
particularly unique phenomena in themselves. The dark colour is found, for example, on 
the beaches of the Philippines. Magnetic   sands are used for treatment in Bulgaria and on 
the Kamchatka Peninsula, but this combination of magnetic properties and dark-grey colour is unique 
not only to Georgia, but to the whole world! I would like to add that after 
all these pebble beaches — this   sand is just a gift for your feet, 
but only if it weren’t THAT hot! Walking barefoot on black sand that has been 
lying in the sun all day is simply impossible! Aah, it feels like walking into an oven! Most of the time there were waves in the sea. After all that, it was the perfect time to eat.  During my stay in Georgia, I have already tasted 
many dishes of Georgian cuisine. For example, khinkali. These are twisted knobs of 
dough, stuffed with spiced meat and   herbs. A characteristic feature of the dish 
is the presence of broth inside the khinkali. I can’t fail to mention khachapuri — a 
Georgian cheese-filled bread. There are several distinctive types: Acharuli khachapuri, Imeruli 
khachapuri, and Megruli khachapuri. Overall, for every taste and colour. Personally, I 
enjoyed the Acharuli khachapuri the most. Also, winemaking is widespread in Georgia. Wine 
is drunk here often and in large quantities. This, for example, is a 20-litre (5.2 
gallons) jar of homemade wine,   and that’s just a small part of all the supplies… Oh, and I completely forgot about 
the beloved soft drink Tarkhuna and   Borjomi mineral water, which 
also originate from Georgia. After drinking Borjomi, I headed to the 
previously mentioned Pe’tra Fortress. By the way, Georgians don’t 
really bother with the emphasis,   so you can often hear it as Petra’ Fortress. Originally, Petra was a fortified city on a rock 
slope on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. In the 6th century it served as an important 
Eastern Roman outpost in the Caucasus and,   due to its strategic location, became 
a battleground of the Lazic War. In the ruins of the citadel, 
a bath, water cistern,   and several other structures have survived. Today, at the cliff’s edge, 
there is an observation deck,   under which lies a breathtaking railroad. Next on the agenda was Mtirala National Park,   located just 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) from 
Batumi. Although the road was quite narrow, it lies through the rivers, and 
I can even say through jungles. The park’s name, as well as Mount 
Mtirala located on its territory,   translates from Georgian as “crying.” This 
is due to an unreal amount of precipitation. Around 4,500 mm of rain falls here every year 
— that’s 4.5 metres (14.7 ft)! Of course, this makes it the most humid 
region in the whole of Europe. In total, the park has 2 routes: one is 3 
kilometres (1.8 miles), marked in yellow, and the other is 15 kilometres (9.3 miles). 
I would love to hike the longer one,   but unfortunately, I did not have the time. In both cases, first we’ll need to use this 
extraordinary river crossing. For the price of 4 Lari per person (return) you get this 
small, gondola-like cart on manual traction. And now — only up… The catch is that this climb continues 
for all 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles). Here you are in real jungles. Look, 
it just started raining! Everything   is covered with greenery, ferns… but at the 
same time, coniferous trees also grow here. Up ahead, the path splits. 
One trail leads to the lake,   the other to the waterfall. We 
decided to see the waterfall first. This is the 10-metre (33 ft) 
high Tsablnari Waterfall. Actually, both the waterfall and the lake are 
places where you can swim. To tell the truth,   I wouldn’t risk swimming here, 
so let’s check out the lake… And here it is. A nice bonus is that the water here is 
not ice-cold, as it usually is. Of course, it’s cool, around 11°C (52°F), but 
it’s perfect to cool down after a hike. Well, if it weren’t for the 
video, I wouldn’t have done it. And after I came back to the shore 
I realized that I hadn’t filmed   anything underwater at all — so I had 
to swim again. I hope it wasn’t in vain. In addition, beekeeping is well 
developed in this national park.   This means you can easily buy fresh honey 
from local guesthouses or along the road, usually about 20–25 Lari 
per kilogram ($3.36/pound). And before we continue our journey, I suggest 
you take one more look at this gorgeous park. In conclusion, Mtirala National Park 
is 6 thousand hectares of fascinating   subtropical nature with mineral streams, 
healing springs, waterfalls and lakes. Alright, now it’s time to move on. Or rather,   to climb, because now we are 
going to Bakhmaro mountain! During the ride I noticed that locals’ driving 
etiquette is completely different from ours. Take, for example, horns. We are used to 
using a horn rarely, only when needed, but here it’s an entire culture. With 
this simple sound, local drivers can greet or thank each other, give way 
or inform about something. Honestly, even after all my rides I could not fully 
understand what exactly each honk meant. Meanwhile, we are leaving 
the first part of the road,   which is honestly built very 
well — you just ride and enjoy. All this is so beautiful that 
you go into “mesmerized mode,”   when the camera simply doesn’t turn off! A short stop to fly a drone 
and taste the mineral spring. It tastes good!
And at that exact moment, a cloud just seized us! Fellas, it feels like I am in an aviary 
with terosaurs from Jurassic Park! Then the dirt road began. And 
after driving a little further, leaving the cloud, I was met by 
an incredibly beautiful valley. It is absolutely pulchritudinous!!! There is still snow here, 
even though it is mid-June. At such an altitude, trees can 
no longer grow. As a result,   the summit is covered exclusively by fields. We have arrived! Bakhmaro is not just a village, 
but a true climatic resort.  It is famed for its crystal-clear mountain 
air, carried here by a breeze from the Black Sea and mingling with the alpine atmosphere. 
Breathing it in feels refreshing and is even believed to strengthen the immune system. 
Local travel agencies claim that just   twenty-one days spent here can shield 
you from illness for an entire year! Sometimes, this unique blend transforms into a 
thick, cotton-like mist — that’s why Bakhmaro is often called “The Kingdom of Clouds.” And today, 
we are lucky enough to witness exactly that! Also, the village is known 
for its A-frame cottages,   raised on wooden bases to a height of 
about 3 metres. It is worth mentioning that all this lies on a mountain 
2 kilometres (6,500 ft) high! In one of these houses I was fortunate to be.
It is a small 2-storey building, where up to 3 people can live. On the first floor there 
is a small kitchen with a fridge and a table, and a living room, which unfortunately was rather   cluttered. On the second floor you will find 
3 beds, while the windows offer nice views. It would not be amiss to say that 
although Bakhmaro is considered a resort,   you won’t find typical infrastructure here. There is a pedestrian bridge, which I am walking 
on now, but the road bridge is missing! So, if you need to go to the other side of this 
village, be ready to ride across the river… During our ride across the river,   we lost our licence plate, but huge shoutout 
to this horseman who pulled it out for us! You’ve probably already noticed 
that the weather is different in   most of the shots. When I arrived 
here it was very sunny and clear, but just a bit later thick clouds came. 
Fortunately, after about half an hour the clouds lifted a little and I still managed to 
capture, well, at least some kind of Bakhmaro! Here’s a small rain… Everything 
is flooded — everything! I think it is time to make some sort of 
conclusion. In 10 days Georgia showed me a lot — here you can find a warm 
sea, cool mountains, beautiful   developing cities and small resort villages.
If you decide to go to Georgia in early June, be ready for cloudy weather, since during 
all 10 days only 3 of them were actually sunny. Of course, there are advantages 
of the off-season — in the streets,   as well as on tourist sights, beaches, and in 
the city overall there are far fewer people. I’m sure you’re all aware that it’s impossible 
to convey through a camera all the atmosphere and beauty that you need to see with your 
own eyes. So travel — come to Georgia, and you will remember it as a friendly 
and extremely welcoming country!

Georgia is a truly diverse country. It is famous for its scenic landscapes (from the Caucasus Mountains to the Black Sea) and for its hospitality. Today, in this 30-minute film we’ll explore Batumi, Kobuleti and Ureki, taste traditional Georgian dishes, visit a unique black sand beach, national parks, an ancient fortress, and much more. ⛰️

SUMMER 365 – a place you’ve always dreamed of living in, but never knew it yet

Consultation:
https://clck.ru/3PFC6r

SUMMER 365 website:
https://clck.ru/3PFCLd

Timecodes:

0:00 Intro
0:34 Getting here
1:33 Brief info about Georgia
3:05 Batumi – the Pearl of the Black Sea
3:54 Alphabetic Tower
5:04 Ali & Nino sculpture
5:24 Chacha Tower
5:43 Batumi Boulevard
6:30 High-rises
6:53 The World’s Most Beautiful McDonald’s
7:36 Batumi Tower
8:20 Batumi’s residential areas
8:55 SUMMER 365
9:44 Argo Cable Car
10:13 Night Batumi
11:13 Getting to Kobuleti
11:34 Kobuleti
12:39 Kobuleti Beach
14:02 Ureki
14:28 Black Beach
15:46 Local cuisine
16:40 Petra fortress
17:34 Mtirala National Park
20:20 Waterfall
20:44 Lake
21:36 Beekeeping
21:48 Mtirala from above
23:12 Georgian driving etiquette
24:10 A short stop
24:40 A breathtaking valley
25:25 Bakhmaro
29:15 A storm
29:38 Conclusion

🎵Music :

Main Theme by Blue Wednesday: https://bluewednesday.bandcamp.com
Punch Deck: @PunchDeck (Nostalgia)
Nomyn: @Nomynmusic
Dyalla: @Dyalla
David Cutter Music: @dcuttermusic
Guggenz: https://guggenz.bandcamp.com
Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/coding
The XX, Minho, Pastek and others.

#georgia #traveldocumentary #batumi