 Beach promenade in Kobuleti | ||
| Kobuleti, ქობულეთი, Çürüksu | ||
| Region (Mchare) | Autonomous Republic Adjara | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 16.546 (2014) | |
| height | 10 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Kobuleti (Georgian: ქობულეთი, Turkish (historical): Çürüksu) is the capital of the administrative district of the same name (Raioni) and one of the most important seaside resorts in the AjarianBlack Sea coast.
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Kobuleti is next Batumi, the most important beach resort in Georgia and popular not only with Georgians, but also with Armenians, Azeris, Iranians and Turks. The climate is mild-subtropical. In the summer, the sun is mostly shining, there is a light sea breeze and the water temperatures are warm. You can swim in the sea between mid-May and the end of September, the high season is between July and August.
Tourism is the most important economic factor in the city and the surrounding area. This is still mainly carried out by small and medium-sized enterprises, mainly small private hotels and guest houses represent the backbone of the tourism industry. A few years ago Kobuleti was designated by the government as a "tourist special economic zone", which means that foreign direct investments in the somewhat aging infrastructure should be attracted.
The public in Kobuleti and the nearby beach resorts (Ureki, Shekvetili, Grigoleti) consists mainly of families, there are more young, urban audiences with a corresponding range of nightlife options in Batumi.
getting there
By plane
Airports with scheduled operations are located in Kutaisi (approx. 100 km) and Batumi (about 35 km). The 1 Kobuleti airfield 2 km east of the city does not receive any scheduled flights.
By train
Kobuleti is on the railway line Samtredia - Machindjauri (Batumi), all trains between Tbilisi and Batumi stop here (one day and one night train each), furthermore the trains stop here (one daily train pair each) BatumiKutaisi 1 and Batumi-Osurgeti.
The 2 Kobuleti Train / Bus Station is located in the city center, at the intersection of the main road that goes through the city and the regional road to Osurgeti.
By bus
The bus station is located on the station forecourt. Minibuses start there several times an hour Batumi as well as minibuses several times a day Potentiometer and Kutaisi as well as in surrounding villages. In summer there are also minibuses several times a day Tbilisi.
In the street
Kobuleti is on the Trunk road ს 2 (E 70, E 97) (Senaki-Potentiometer-Batumi-Sarpi-Turkey). The Kobuleti expressway bypass was completed in 2013, and since then you have to leave this expressway at Schekwetili to get into the city. Coming from the south you continue to drive through the urban area but then at the train station you continue straight ahead Guria. A few kilometers after the city limits, the new expressway joins the Regional road შ 2 (Kobuleti-Osurgeti-Chochatauri-Sajawacho). The further construction of the expressway to Batumi and further to the Turkish border is currently under construction or planning. If you are currently from Batumi and want to go to the city center, you have to turn left at the first roundabout at the train station into Aghmaschenebeli Street.
By boat
In summer there are sporadic connections with excursion boats between Kobuleti and Batumi. From the nearby sea ports in Batumi and Potentiometer ferry connections (for freight, passengers and cars) to the Ukraine (Chornomorsk, formerly Illichivsk; at Odessa).
mobility
Kobuleti is not large, but it is mainly a street settlement along the coast. Therefore, large north-south distances have to be overcome. Urban minibuses are usually the best choice for this, but taxis are also available on site.
Along the beach the Tamar Mepe Sanapiro ("Queen Tamar Shore") runs as a pedestrian zone, parallel a row behind it the Davit Aghmaschenebeli Street, the former highway with heavy traffic. Rustaveli Street runs another row behind it. Aghmaschenebeli Street begins at the train station with house numbers 1 or 2 and ends on the northern outskirts in the 700 numbers. The higher the number, the further it is to the city center.
Tourist Attractions
Surroundings
Petra
1 The Petra castle ruins (პეტრა-ციხე, Petra-Ziche; engl. Petra-Tsikhe) is located in the northern end of Zichisdsiri (ციხისძირი, engl. Tsikhisdziri), about 10 km south of Kobuleti right next to the trunk road ს 2. The castle also gave the village its name: Ziche = castle, fortress; -dsiri = near).
The area was already settled in the Stone Age, in Roman times a fortress was built, which was handed down in the Byzantine Empire under the name "Petra". You can see the remains of a necropolis and settlement remains from the 2nd – 3rd centuries. Century AD and remains of a city from the 6th century AD. together with the ruins of a Christian Byzantine basilica from the 6th-7th centuries. Century.
The remains of the castle and settlement can be viewed in daylight, admission does not have to be paid. Unfortunately, the walls are not provided with explanatory boards, which means that non-archeology laypeople can gain little learning value.
Web links and sources: Petra on the German Wikipedia [1], Zichisdsiri on the German Wikipedia [2]
If you drive the highway further south, you can only drive slowly in the winding stretch of road from Zichisdsiri. Therefore, a few dozen small and large stalls selling locally produced souvenirs have set up there next to the street. See chapter "Shopping".
activities
The main reason to come to Kobuleti: beach vacation. Bathing is possible between the beginning of May and the end of September, the main season is July and August. The beach consists of gravel and pebbles. On site you can borrow umbrellas and loungers for a fee. During the season, the beach also offers off-site activities, including kite surfing, jet skiing, mobile water slides, etc.
shop
- In the vicinity of the beach, items are for sale throughout the city that are absolutely essential for a successful beach holiday: flip-flops, inflatable rubber animals, parasols, towels, and swimwear for a few lari; everything made in China, of course you shouldn't expect high-quality or ultra-fashionable utensils at these prices. But it should be enough for a few days at the beach. Even hawkers who walk up and down the beach sometimes offer slippers and the like, for a few lari more than in the shop - you get a free deck chair.
- 1 The Ajarian textile and fashion chain "Brendi" has a branch at Rustaveli Str. 170 (right next to the Rompetrol petrol station) and is open 24/7. There you can also get cheap clothes - not just swimwear - women will find a lot more choice here than men. You can mostly get items from Turkish production, but sometimes also Eutopean branded products are very cheap - the remainder of the collections from several years ago are offered for sale, sometimes at heavily reduced prices. In the summer of 2014, the author of these lines found Northface winter jackets from the Summit Collection for 75 GEL on offer here, but they were only available in size S. So it pays to browse for bargains here.
- 2 The Basroba (the market area) of Kobuleti is along Tavisuplebi Street in the hinterland of the city.
- 3 In the Zichisdsiri locality the highway takes a winding course, so the cars can only drive slowly. So dozens of souvenir stalls have set up along the road along the entire route through the town locally made handicrafts to sell. These are kitsch figures made of plaster - some as tall as a man - for the garden or house facade, small and larger nipple figures that are glued together from seashells (medium-sized bouquet of mussel flowers with swan made of wire 10 GEL), as well as objects made from Adjar bamboo. The full-grown garden pavilion is just as unsuitable for air travelers as a souvenir to bring home, as is the seating set or the table, but the bamboo beer mugs (3-5 GEL per piece) are perfectly suitable for hand luggage.
kitchen
nightlife
During the bathing season - especially July and August - numerous beach bars and restaurants are open. However, these are closed out of season, in winter the city is almost dead.
accommodation
There are 15 hotels and dozens of private guest houses in Kobuleti. In July and August the prices are significantly higher than in the low season, sometimes by up to 100 percent. In winter, however, many accommodation providers are completely closed.
If you are looking for cheap accommodation, you should be right on the beach (Tamar Mepe Sanapiro) or on the main road behind it (Davit Aghmaschenebeli Street) after the dozen hand-painted signs in Georgian (ბინა, Bina = apartment) or Russian (Комнаты, Квартыры, Komnaty = rooms, Kwartyry = apartments) keep an eye out, ask about the price and renegotiate if necessary. Often, if you stand a little perplexed at the roadside, you are approached directly by housing brokers. The rooms and apartments near the center are more expensive than on the northern outskirts. You should pay attention to the house numbers: Aghmaschenebeli-Straße begins at the train station with house number 1 or 2, on the northern outskirts it ends with the 700 numbers. The lower the number, the closer to the center. Before renting an apartment or a room, you should definitely visit it!
The prices start from 20 Lari p.p. including three meals a day, of course you shouldn't expect any luxury equipment and the menus won't be particularly varied (mainly carbohydrates and fat in the form of Khachapuri). If you want a shower in your room, WiFi and possibly a fridge or even air conditioning, and you like a little variety in your meal, you should plan a little more budget, from around 30 Lari per person. including three meals you will also find something suitable. Of course, you can also agree with the host that you need no meals or only a few meals, but then you shouldn't expect too much discount. Note: The recommended prices are "Georgian prices", foreigners are more likely to ask for more. Therefore, as a European, you should definitely negotiate the price, especially if you plan to stay longer.
The tourist information office at the town hall can also arrange accommodation, but not in the very cheap price segment.
There are also numerous hotels and pensions in the neighboring towns of Kobuleti, especially in Ureki and Batumi.
security
As far as crime is concerned, in Kobuleti - as in the rest of the country - there is little or nothing to fear. But of course there are a few pickpockets who try to "collect" valuables lying around unsupervised on the beach. The same applies here as everywhere in the world: Opportunity makes thieves and invitations are gladly accepted.
health
- As everywhere on the Georgian coast, the following applies: Even on cloudy days, do not underestimate the amount of sunshine and plan ahead with suitable sun protection. The intensity of the midsummer sun is quite considerable, so it can happen that a cheap lighter left in the sun simply explodes after about an hour - this is only as a warning!
- Drinking water from the tap is in principle drinkable
- There are a few pharmacies in the city that have the most important medicines and hygiene items in stock
Practical advice
trips
- Big cities: Batumi and Potentiometer
- Zichisdsiri castle ruins, Roman fort Apsarsus in Gonio
- Guria: Osurgeti
Other beach locations in the area: Ureki, Shekwetili, Grigoleti, Malatakwa, Zichisdsiri and Mzwane Konzki (Green cap).
National parks / nature parks: Mtriala National Park, Kolchetisches Wetland (Paliastomi Lake near Poti), Kintrishi Nature Reserve.
