Georgia, nestled in the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia, is home to a bustling city just 14 hours from the UK, packed with casinos and palm trees, which tourists have dubbed a “mini Las Vegas”. With its roots firmly planted on the historic Silk Road that once connected China with the Mediterranean, Georgia boasts a rich cultural heritage, but with most travellers making a bee-line for its capital, Tbilisi, Batumi remains under-discovered . Most round-trips to Batumi come in at around £400 with Turkish airlines, but do require a layover with a total 14 hour travel time.
It is also a five hour drive or car journey from Tiblisi for those wanting to tack it onto a longer trip. For a trip with a view there's an overnight train departing from Yerevan in Armenia via Tbilisi, which is longer but has its own unique charm. Alternatively, one can opt for a local minivan, known as a marshrutka, that frequently departs from Tbilisi at a bargain price of around 10 euros (£8.
42), although the journey takes about six hours. The glitzy sea-side city of Batumi, the "Las Vegas of the Black Sea" is famed for its casinos and neon lights,and is a hit with tourists. The outline of Batumi’s modern cityscape contrast to much of the gloomy soviet buildings in the rest of the region.
Many tourists say making the trip from Tiblisi to Batumi, feels like crossing into another country. The city offers a stunning blend of nature, with palm trees, the sea and snow-capped Caucasus mountains al.
