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Geotour

Gonio Fortress

Adjara & Black Sea · History

Getting there
About 12 km (20–30 min) south of Batumi on the coast road to Sarpi
Best time
May–October
Recommended stay
1–1.5 hours

About Gonio Fortress

Gonio (Apsaros) Fortress stands near the mouth of the Chorokhi river, about 12 km south of Batumi and a few minutes from the Black Sea beach. Its rectangular Roman walls with 18 towers are well preserved, and inside you find excavated Roman baths and barracks, a small museum of finds and a grave that local tradition links to the Apostle Matthias. You can walk part of the wall top for views to the sea and the Adjaran mountains. It is a 1–1.5 hour visit, easy to combine with a beach afternoon in Gonio.

Tours Including Gonio Fortress

See all 3 tours

Must-See Attractions

  • Walls and towers

    Walk along the rectangular Roman-Byzantine walls, with views over the fortress and to the sea.

  • Roman remains

    The excavated foundations of baths, barracks and a praetorium inside the walls.

  • Tomb of the Apostle Matthias

    A marked grave inside the fortress that tradition names as the apostle's; many Georgians visit to pray there.

  • Site museum

    Coins, pottery and jewellery from the excavations.

Nearby

  • Batumi

    The Adjaran capital and seaside boulevard, about 12 km north (20–30 min).

  • Gonio and Kvariati beaches

    Pebble beaches with clear water, 5–10 minutes south.

  • Batumi Botanical Garden

    A large garden on the cliffs at Mtsvane Kontskhi, about 20 km north (35 min).

  • Makhuntseti Waterfall

    A waterfall and medieval arched bridge in the Adjaran hills, about 30 km inland (45 min).

Location41.5731° N, 41.5736° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 12 km (20–30 min) south of Batumi on the coast road to Sarpi; Batumi is about 370 km (5.5–6 h) from Tbilisi by road, or reached by train or flight.

Best time

May–October

Best time

May–June and September–October are warm enough for the beach without the peak summer crowds; July–August is hot and humid, and the fortress is open all year.

Recommended stay

1–1.5 hours

Fees

About 15 GEL for foreign visitors; audio guides and local guides are available at the gate.

Time needed

1–1.5 hours.

What to bring

A hat and water in summer; there is little shade inside the walls.

Heads-up

The Turkish border at Sarpi is about 8 km further south if you are continuing to Turkey.

History & culture

History

The Romans built the fort of Apsaros in the 1st century AD, and Pliny the Elder mentions it; it guarded the coast road and the Chorokhi valley and later served Byzantium. Greek myth ties the name to Apsyrtus, the brother of Medea, killed here in the story of the Argonauts. The Ottomans held the fortress from the 16th century until 1878, when Adjara passed to the Russian Empire. Archaeologists have excavated the site for decades, finding Roman buildings, coins and gold jewellery.

Local Cuisine

In Gonio and Batumi try Adjaruli khachapuri (the boat-shaped bread with egg and butter), borano (cheese melted in butter), sinori (rolled lavash with cottage cheese) and fresh Black Sea fish grilled in the beach cafés.

Accommodation

Gonio village has many beach guesthouses, apartment hotels and family hotels along the coast road; Batumi, 20–30 minutes away, has the full range from hostels to international chain hotels.