-11.jpg/295px-Gonio_Fortress_(DDohler_2011)-11.jpg) | ||
| გონიო - Gonio | ||
| Administrative unit | Adjara | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | unknown | |
no value for residents on Wikidata:  | ||
| height | 8 | |
other value for height on Wikidata: 30 m  | ||
| Tourist info | 995 577 90 90 72 gobatumi.com | |
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Gonio(გონიო) is a village about seven kilometers south of Batumi and forms with the neighboring towns Kvariati(ქვარიათი) and Sarpi (სარფი, sometimes transliterated as Sarfi or Sarphi) is a popular seaside resort on the Black Sea coast. Gonio is especially known for the well-preserved Roman fort Apsaros.
background
Dynamic cardsThe oldest reference to Gonio comes from the 1st century AD with the name Apsaros or Apsaruntos, the name Gonio is mentioned for the first time in the 12th century. In the 2nd century, Apsaros was a fortified Roman city in the Georgian Empire of Colchis, later Gonio became Byzantine and conquered by the Ottomans in 1574. In 1878 Gonio became part of the Russian Empire.
In the vicinity of Batumi, Gonio, like the neighboring towns of Kvariati and Sarpi, became popular beach resorts with Georgians in the 20th century. From the 1990s these places became very popular with Armenians, Azeris and Iranians, who make up a good part of the tourist masses. Turkish day tourists from regions close to the border also like to use Gonio for swimming, as there are hardly any beach baths on the Turkish side of the border.
In 2011 the localities Gonio and Kvariati were after Batumi incorporated, but are largely functionally independent. Sarpi remained with the Raion Chelvachauri, whose capital, however, was incorporated into Batumi itself.
getting there
By plane
The Batumi airport is located a few kilometers north of Gonio. A taxi to or from the airport costs around 15 Lari from Gonio and around 20 Lari from Sarpi. With the city buses 16 and 101 you get to the large roundabout at the beginning of the access road to the airport, you then have to walk about 300 m to the terminal.
By train
The bus route 101 connects Sarpi, Kvariati and Gonio with the without changing trains batumer Railway station a little north of the city.
By bus
- The urban bus lines 16 and 101 connect Sarpi, Kvariati and Gonio with the city center of Batumi as well as with the bus and train stations.
- Turkish long-distance buses between Batumi and Hopa, Rize, Trabzon, Artvin and much more drive directly through Gonio, Kvariati and Sarpi, which means that you can also get on or off there. In Gonio there is a ticket office for Turkish coaches on the trunk road, opposite the large Socar petrol station.
In the street
The trunk road ს 2 (E 70, E 97) leads directly through the three beach towns. In Sarpi is the 1 Sarpi border crossing with Turkey (Sarp), which is now passable 24/7 with all common means of transport. Trucks always pile up several kilometers in the direction of Hopa.
The handling on the Georgian side is relaxed. To and from Turkey it can be fussy, until a bus is through, it can take 30 minutes or 2½ hours. In principle, on the Turkish side, in both directions, all bus and car passengers have to get out and get off with their luggage, which is passed through, and have themselves checked on the upper floor of the spacious terminal building, which was newly opened in May 2019. If you have a lot of luggage, you should take the elevators, as very few of the escalators and walkways are actually in operation. Shopping in the duty-free shops for schnapps and cigarettes that are expensive in Turkey is only worthwhile for locals, as these duty-free amounts are only granted more than once a month if they shop in the Turkish shop.
There are some big ones in Gonio Gas stations, which are open 24 hours. On the way to Turkey, Gonio is the last opportunity to refuel in Georgia. Car travelers should definitely take advantage of this opportunity, because fuel costs significantly more in Turkey!
By boat
With the bus lines 16 and 101 you can reach the ferry port from without having to change trains and with only a short walk Batumi. From there ferries run to Chornomorsk (formerly Illichivsk, at Odessa) and Sochi. For details on these connections see the article Batumi referenced.
By bike and on foot
The beach boulevard of Batumi was significantly extended until 2014 and now extends from the passenger port in the north for about 10 km to the Chorochi river in the south. In Gonio, too, a new beach boulevard was laid out in 2013, which also stretches for around 5 km from Kvariati to almost the Chorochi River. A bridge is planned to connect the two beach promenades. It is therefore foreseeable that in a few years it will be possible to get from Batumi to Kvariati on foot or by bike without being endangered by car traffic.
The Sarpi / Sarp border crossing described above can also be crossed on foot or by bike for 24 hours.
mobility
The trunk road that runs directly through the beach towns is heavily loaded with traffic, including with international trucks and coaches. Sometimes it is driven recklessly and overtaken. As a driver, you have to assume that there is an increased risk of accidents. Even if you want to cross this street as a pedestrian, you have to be very careful. There are no sidewalks along this street.
Away from this trunk road you can move around on foot without any problems, especially between Gonio and Kvariati the distances are short. After Sarpi it is a little further. For public transport connections in and between towns, please refer to the urban bus routes 16 and 101, which have already been discussed in the chapter Getting here.
In principle, you can drive to the beach by car, although fees are usually unofficially collected by self-appointed park rangers (usually 1 GEL).
Tourist Attractions
The dominant attraction is of course the Roman one Gonio-Apsaros Castle - more on this below.
Also worth seeing are:
- The newly created Promenade from Kvariati to Gonio with some nice and some shabby beach bars.
- The one built in 2011 Customs office at the Sarpi border crossing in postmodern style; Meyer group of architects from Berlin.
- The 1 Remnants of military surveillance systems in a swampy field north of the fort seem absurdly interesting.
- mosque by Gonio.
- The 2 Church of Semo (Upper) Kvariati offers a great view of the area as far as Batumi and far into Turkey. A visit to this church can also be combined with a 2-3 hour hike from Sarpi over the mountains to Gonio.
Gonio-Apsaros Castle
-2.jpg/220px-Gonio_Fortress_(DDohler_2011)-2.jpg)
The Roman fort Gonio-Apsaros (Georgian: გონიოს-ციხე, Gonios-Ziche) is roughly 2000 years old and very well preserved. The stone fortification walls are secured with 18 towers and form a rectangle measuring 195 × 245 meters. There is an entrance gate on each side, but access for visitors is only possible from the west side of the trunk road ს 2.
Inside the fortress there is now a small archaeological museum, some archaeological excavations, a fruit farm (citrus fruits) and a well with excellent drinking water. There is also a small café that is not always open. If you dare to, you can climb the fortification walls and walk around the entire complex. However, caution and surefootedness are required because the walls are not secured. Danger of falling!
Contact, opening times and entrance fees:
- 3 Gonio Apsarus Archaeological-Architectural Museum Reserve, Andria Pirvelschobelubi Gsakezili, Gonio. Tel.: 995 595 352120, Email: [email protected]. Open: Tue-Sun 10 am-5pm.Price: 3 GEL, schoolchildren and students 1 GEL.
activities
Beach
The bathing season starts in May and goes until the end of September, the high season is July and August. The beaches consist of coarse gravel the size of a fist, so it is advisable to use rubber shoes for swimming, with which you can also go into the water. Even if the beaches of Gonio, Kwariati and Sarpi are almost overcrowded in midsummer by Georgian standards, they seem almost deserted for someone who knows Italian beaches in August.
Access to the beach is free. You can rent loungers and parasols on site (2 loungers and 1 umbrella for half a day: 5 GEL). Numerous small beach bars provide catering, but hawkers also offer small snacks and drinks as well as slippers, self-made costume jewelry or cigarettes in passing. There are also showers (0.50 GEL) and one or the other toilet (0.50 GEL, Turkish design) on the beach.
The beaches in detail:
- 1 Sarpi. Nice beach right at the border crossing, but you shouldn't let the tons of waiting trucks spoil your day. There are rocky cliffs from which you can jump into the sea. So that you don't swim across the border by mistake, there is a fence that extends far into the sea. Plus a boat from the Georgian coast guard in the summer. You should keep a certain respectful distance from both of them, not only when the waves are rough.
- There are cliffs between Sarpi and Kvariati, you cannot swim there.
- 2 Kvariati. This is the “posh beach” on the coast south of Batumi, where you can find some better beach bars and hotels. There will be further massive building of hotels in 2019. In the north it merges directly with Gonio beach. Where there is a large hotel, there is a landing stage for motor boats marked with red buoys. Parasurfing is offered there, and jet skis can also be rented.
- 3 Gonio. When the truck stops, the beach becomes a bit more pristine again, the beach bars become shabbier. Nevertheless, it is also a good idea to have a nice swim here.
miscellaneous
Hike from Sarpi via Semo Kvariati to Kariati / Gonio. This 2-3 hour hike leads from the Sarpi border crossing (before you get to the customs area, turn left) over the mountains to the village of Semo (Upper) Kvariati. There is a nice church there as well as numerous good vantage points along the way. From this church you hike down again and reach Kvariati.
Easy to medium inclines, good but unpaved footpaths. Also suitable for children. Not signposted, if necessary you have to ask yourself. This hike is particularly suitable on cool days, you should not do it in the midday heat. On the way you come across springs where drinking water flows.
shop
- The exchange offices (except for the bank in the terminal building) and hawkers' stalls in the immediate border area on the Georgian side offer significantly worse exchange rates and higher prices than in Batumi. As soon as you are a few hundred meters further, the situation normalizes.
- There are dozens of mini markets spread across the villages, where you can get everything you need for life. Most are also open late at night. Many hotels and private quarters also operate their own mini market.
- There are also numerous Turkish supermarkets on the trunk road, where you can buy specialty Turkish goods. A big one 1 A supermarket can be found in Gonio behind the Socar petrol station.
- In the very north of Gonio, near the bridge over the Tschorochi, there is the Wissol petrol station with an attached, very well-stocked, 2 Smart chain supermarket.
- Textiles and clothing: Not only those who have forgotten their bathing robes can buy cheap robes 3 Brendi (right next to the Socar petrol station in Gonio). There mainly clothes from Turkish production are sold, but you can also get European branded goods (remnants of the previous year's collections) cheaply. However, the selection for men is much weaker than for women.
Beach utensils such as slippers, towels, inflatable rubber animals, etc. are available from numerous small shops in the vicinity of the beach or from the sellers wandering along the beach.
kitchen
Since most private accommodations offer full board, the catering trade is more geared towards long-distance drivers than tourists. Nevertheless, you can find one or the other useful restaurant:
- 1 "Guria" restaurant
- 2 Balık Han restaurant. Fish.
- You can get useful sandwiches and baked goods in the smart supermarket.
Ayran is an almost local specialty south of Batumi. This Turkish yogurt drink is imported from across the border and sold in shops here. However, Ayran is already hard to get in Batumi.
A must for Georgians lying on the beach is to buy boiled corn on the cob (წხელი სიმინდი, Zcheli Simindi) to buy (1 GEL).
nightlife
in the 1 In the central area of Gonio-Kvariati there are some nice beach bars, some with live music in the evening. Some of the bars convey the flair of the 1970s, the music repertoire includes international and Russian pop and dance music.
If you like your evening entertainment program and want to swap the bottled beer with a cocktail, you should go to the beach boulevard in Batumi to seek out.
Since the 2012 summer season, a very active prostitution business has developed, which is particularly aimed at Turkish men who come through the border crossing only four kilometers away. The "ladies", who often come from Central Asian former Soviet republics, are considered expensive (150 Lari) and not squeamish - at night, appropriate caution is advised on site. The Georgian police began to take action against the activities in 2014. Nonetheless, Gonio is a very popular holiday destination for Georgian families with small children and if you avoid the truck stops and individual pubs, you will practically not come into contact with prostitution.
accommodation
Private quarters
Private quarters are indicated by mostly Russian notices (Комнаты, Квартыры) announced. You can also ask around the town if you are looking for cheap accommodation. The price in private accommodation starts at around 25 GEL per person and day and usually includes two or three meals. Foreigners like to ask more than Georgians, so you should definitely try to renegotiate the price mentioned. You should only rent a room after viewing it beforehand.
- 1 Tatiana's guest house, in Gonio. Tatiana's guest house is very nice, but the owner only speaks Georgian and Russian.Price: from 35 GEL p.p. VP.
- 2 Guesthouse Mate, in Gonio. Price: from 25 GEL p.p. VP.
Hotels
- 3 Mgzavrebi, 15 Andrea Pirvetsodebuli III Alley. Tel.: 995 571 90 09 05, Email: [email protected]. Part of a nationwide chain that also sells holiday homes.Price: Apartments 100-180 L. p.P.
health
Lifeguards are on duty on the beach, but you shouldn't take the chance of needing their help. You should specifically protect yourself from the midday sun, drink plenty of water, apply good sunscreen and, if possible, borrow a parasol. Even on cloudy days, UV radiation should not be underestimated and can even cause people with a darker complexion to get a real sunburn in a very short time.
Practical advice
Due to the large number of tourists from Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Iran, locals also speak these languages straight away. You can hardly expect any knowledge of English or even German. Lingua Franca, especially between Georgians and tourists from CIS countries, is Russian.
Gonio is visited by tourists from Armenia as well as from Turkey and Azerbaijan. It is interesting that these tourist groups do not mix. So there seem to be (unofficially, of course) quarters and restaurants that are visited by Armenians and still others that are visited by Turks and Azeris. Armenians and Turks or Azeris consistently ignore each other. Georgian tourists (not staff) and Armenians do not get along very well either and try to ignore each other as much as possible. On the other hand, tourists from Russia, Ukraine or Iran have no fear of contact with the different ethnic groups.
- The network coverage by the Georgian cell phone providers is perfect. You can also use Turkish cellular networks as far as Gonio.
- Nearest post office: Batumi
- Service centers of the mobile phone providers as well as internet cafes can also be found in Batumi.
- Hotels, good restaurants and numerous private accommodations offer their guests Wi-Fi.
trips
- During the day and in the evening you can visit the city of Batumi at. There you will also find good opportunities for bad weather programs, such as the dolphinarium or some museums.
- Those who are tired of Gonio beach can also go to the very beautiful beach of Mzwane Konzchi and combine this excursion with a visit to the botanical garden.
- You can hike more extensively in the Mtirala National Park.
- Upper Adjara offers some historical buildings and great landscapes.
- Another Roman fortress, the ruin Petra, located in Zichisdsiri.
And of course you can continue your journey to Turkey. Hopa, Rize and with some drawbacks Trabzon Thanks to good bus connections, they are even feasible as a day trip. Or you can stay longer in Turkey and visit the historic Georgian buildings in the Tao-Klardscheti region (see region Artvin).
literature
- Geyer, Angelika; Gonio-Apsaros: Georgian-German archaeological expedition Gonio-Apsaros; Tbilisi 2002 (Logos), multi-volume
