Petra Fortress, Tsikhisdziri
Byzantine fortress ruins on a rocky headland above the sea, between Kobuleti and Batumi.
- Time needed
- 1 h
- From Tbilisi
- 355 km · 5:20
- Road
- Paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- All year
- Entry
- free
Petra fortress stands at Tsikhisdziri on a rocky headland that drops straight to the sea. It is one of those rare places where a historic monument and a coastal view occupy the same point.
The fortress was built in the sixth century under the emperor Justinian as a Byzantine strongpoint on the eastern Black Sea coast. The name Petra means "rock" in Greek and describes the site exactly. It is best known from the Lazic Wars: in the middle of the sixth century the confrontation between Byzantium and Sasanian Persia reached its climax here, and Petra changed hands several times during the campaigns.
Today you will find on the site:
- Remains of walls and towers, partly consolidated
- The foundations of a basilica on the upper part of the headland
- A view over the Black Sea and the coastline in both directions
The visit is short — an hour is entirely enough — and it fits neatly into a drive between Kobuleti and Batumi. The site is open, the infrastructure minimal, but in exchange it is almost never crowded, which is unusual for anything on this stretch of coast in summer.
Gallery
Practical advice
Late afternoon is the best time, when the sun drops toward the sea — that is the point of the view here. The paths are stony and steep in places, so wear closed shoes; after rain the rock becomes genuinely slippery. There is very little shade and midday in summer is hot. Park in the marked area beside the main road. Cafes and shops are along the road toward Kobuleti, and the nearest ATM is in Kobuleti itself, about ten minutes away.
How to get there from Tbilisi
It is about 355 km and five hours twenty from Tbilisi. The whole route follows the E60: Gori, Khashuri, the Rikoti section, Kutaisi, Samtredia and then down the coast toward Kobuleti. Tsikhisdziri sits directly on the Kobuleti–Batumi road, so no detour or turning back is needed. The access is paved and an economy car is entirely sufficient. Fill up in Kobuleti or Batumi; both are ten to fifteen kilometres away, and there is a station on the main road nearby.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
BeachKobuleti Beach and Protected Areas
A quieter resort town north of Batumi — a long pebble beach and a rare peat bog reserve.
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.