Gonio-Apsaros Fortress
A Roman military fort south of Batumi — 18 towers, active excavations and a grave traditionally linked to an apostle.
- Time needed
- 2 h
- From Tbilisi
- 385 km · 5:50
- Road
- Paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- All year
- Entry
- ~15 ₾
Gonio fortress stands south of Batumi, close to the Turkish border, and is one of the best-preserved Roman military structures on Georgian territory. In antiquity it was known as Apsaros and served as an important strongpoint on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire, garrisoned by legionary troops.
The plan is characteristically Roman: a rectangular perimeter of roughly 900 metres of wall with 18 towers. Substantial stretches survive at close to full height. The fort was later used by the Byzantines and then by the Ottomans, so building work from several eras is layered on top of one another, which the excavation trenches make visible.
Inside the walls:
- Archaeological excavations — a Roman bath house, barracks, remains of the water supply
- A small museum with coins, ceramics and other finds from the site
- A grave which local tradition associates with the Apostle Matthias
The interior courtyard is now an open grassy space, and a visit takes about an hour and a half. This is one of the places where the older history of Adjara becomes visible behind the modern facade of Batumi, and it pairs naturally with a stop at the nearby beach.
Gallery
Practical advice
There is almost no shade inside, so midday in summer is hot and very humid — morning or early evening is much better. Bring a hat and water. Closed shoes are preferable on the grassy interior. The fortress is close to the border, so carry your passport or ID card. Park at the entrance by the roadside. Cafes, shops and an ATM are two minutes away in Gonio village, and the beach is directly across the road.
How to get there from Tbilisi
It is about 385 km and five hours fifty from Tbilisi. Take the E60 down to Batumi, then continue south along the coast road across the Chorokhi bridge: Batumi to Gonio is only 12 km, twenty to twenty-five minutes depending on traffic. The road is good asphalt throughout and an economy car is entirely sufficient. The fortress sits directly beside the highway and is impossible to miss. Fill up in Batumi or Gonio; you do not need to drive toward the border crossing itself.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
TownBatumi Boulevard and Old Town
A seven-kilometre seafront promenade, a nineteenth-century old quarter and modern towers in one compact city.
NatureBatumi Botanical Garden
Over a hundred hectares on a cape above the sea, with nine floristic zones of the world laid out side by side.
NatureMtirala National Park
Colchic rainforest behind Batumi — one of the wettest places in Europe, with trails, a waterfall and a zipline.