Georgia is a bright, sunny country where there is everything you need for a wonderful and quality vacation: proud and majestic mountains, warm and gentle sea, ancient monuments of architecture and modern beautiful cities. And most importantly, the guests are waiting for the famous Georgian hospitality. In Georgia, there are many pristine places where the healing air, sea water and the beauty of the Caucasus Mountains literally cure all ailments - both physical and mental. One of such places is the small coastal village of Gonio, which is located on the Black Sea coast near Batumi. This article provides a small overview of the resort of Gonio (Georgia), reviews and photos. Enjoy your reading!
Gonio Black Sea Resort: mild climate and warm sea
You can get from Batumi to Gonio in just 20 minutes by bus, the distance to this small village from the capital of Adjara is only 12-15 kilometers. This is surprising, but the name of the village of Gonio comes from the name of the Italian city of Genoa. To understand what connects the small Adjarian village and the distant Italian city, you need to immerse yourself in the ancient history of the region.
In the XV-XVII centuries BC e. in this place there was an outpost of the Great Roman Empire, protecting its eastern borders. Later, the territory passed to Byzantium and became the center of Genoese trade. They came here by sea from Italian Genoa. Local residents changed the name in their own way, so the village of Gonio appeared on the future Georgian land (by the way, the first Georgian state formations were created on this territory). The ancient fortress has survived to this day and is the main attraction of Gonio. If you look at reviews of Gonio in Georgia, tourists go here for the mountain air, warm sea and silence.
Choosing a Home in Gonio
Reviews of holidays in Gonio in Georgia suggest that choosing a place to stay here is quite easy. Part of the housing for vacationers is located on the seashore, part - in the mountains. You can book a hotel, villa, guest house or apartment. However, at the height of the season, you may encounter the fact that there will be no empty seats. The fact is that Gonio is a favorite vacation spot not only for guests from afar, but also for Batumi. Here you can rent a room in a four-star or three-star hotel, where guests will be offered comfortable apartments with sea or mountain views. Hotel facilities typically include free Wi-Fi, a parking space in the car park, a Georgian restaurant and a bar with a classic selection of drinks. Room price includes buffet breakfast. Hotels of this format: Egrisi, Lisa, Shore House.
The most popular accommodations in Gonio are guest houses owned by local residents. In this place, guests are offered a standard room, bed linen, towels. Food is prepared by guests on their own in the shared kitchen, or a guesthouse is purchased from the owner of the hotel. TV is usually located in the common room. But there are mini-hotels where the rooms are equipped with TVs.
The most convenient and profitable option for a family or a large company is to rent a private apartment. It will cost less than previous types of housing. If desired, and with sufficient financial ability, you can rent a very decent apartment. You can also rent a detached villa. In general, the cost of rented housing, as well as leisure, is quite budgetary and affordable for many. This is the case when for little money you can get all the delights of a holiday at sea.
The history of the ancient fortress
Reviews of tourists about Gonio in Georgia necessarily contain references to the only, but very significant Georgian architectural landmark. The oldest architectural monument Gonio-Apsaros fortress is the oldest in Georgia. Its occurrence is attributed to the XV-XVII centuries. BC e. The history of the fortress is intertwined with different eras and countries.
The first legend is associated with the Argonauts. She says that it was in this place that the argonaut Jason killed Prince Apsyrth, who organized a pursuit to pick him up the Golden Fleece and his sister Medea. The second legend says that the fortress during the time of the Roman Empire was an important strategic object on the eastern border. The third legend claims that in the fortress is the tomb of Matthew, one of the 12 apostles of Christ.
Surprisingly, the fortress well preserved the architectural features of that time almost in its original form. Even 18 out of 22 watch towers were saved. You can explore the fortress as part of a group and listen to a professional guide, or you can take an independent walk to touch antiquity.
Resort infrastructure
Currently, the village is in the process of developing a resort business. This is noted by vacationers in reviews of sea vacations in Gonio in Georgia. This quiet Adzharian village recently began to turn into a full-fledged Black Sea resort. Actively built hotels, shops and restaurants. Of course, there are no special entertainments in Gonio. It is a quiet and peaceful resort. Walking along the promenade, a calm evening in a local restaurant or a hike to the waterfalls - this is perhaps all that Gonio vacationers can offer, except for a beach holiday. The village is located in a very beautiful place where the mountains are close to the sea.
The lush greenery covering the mountain slopes hides a lot of waterfalls, streams and lakes with crystal clear water. Fascinating walks to the mountains are often held here, with a mandatory visit to waterfalls. If you want noisy and fun entertainment, you can easily get to Batumi, as the capital of Adjara is very close. Everything is very close here. Even to the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, only about 270 kilometers. Therefore, living in Gonio, you can make small trips to many cities and memorable places of this original country.
Beach Holidays in Gonio
The warmest words in the reviews and descriptions of Gonio in Georgia are addressed to the local beach. In this place of the Black Sea coast is the cleanest water. It is much more transparent than in Batumi. That is why local beach vacations are so popular among Batumi. The coastal strip is completely pebble, the stones are large and smooth. Judging by the reviews of the beach of Gonio (Georgia), it is quite comfortable, since the coast is flat and the entrance to the sea is convenient. Another advantage of the beach is that it is quite spacious, so you can stay relatively secluded. If necessary, umbrellas and sunbeds are available for rent. The beach also offers all the standard water activities.
Climate uniqueness
Gonio has a very mild and comfortable climate. Due to the proximity of the mountains there is no intense heat. And the eucalyptus groves surrounding the village in abundance fill the air with healing power. The life-giving cocktail from sea and mountain air has a beneficial effect on well-being, energizes for a long time.
Waterfalls and icy mountain streams affect the microclimate, lush greenery also brings its note. The water temperature in mid-summer is +25 degrees Celsius. In their reviews of Gonio (Georgia), many say that the local air is very useful for diseases of the respiratory tract, cardiovascular diseases and many other health problems.
Family holiday
Gonio has a good summer with children. In hotels and guest houses, all household trifles are provided to make such a vacation hassle-free and relaxing.
For young tourists it will be very useful to breathe in the local air and splash in the warm sea water. In Gonio, there is no human fuss and noisy entertainment venues, so it’s easy to keep an eye on the child and maintain the daily routine. The beach is quite suitable for children's vacations: the sea is quiet, the coast is clean, largely due to the pebble surface.
For older children, an adventure will be a mountain walk to the waterfalls, a visit to the fortress, water activities. And in the water park or at entertainment you can go to Batumi. But how pleasant it is to return to a quiet and cozy Gonio after a busy day in the capital, take a pleasure to walk along the promenade and watch the spectacular southern sunset!
Tourists reviews
Reviews about Gonio in Georgia are conflicting. Those who until recently used to vacation abroad, the resort may not impress. It is unlikely that he will also like those who love a noisy, dynamic vacation and the whole range of modern entertainment. Service and quality of services also often remind of the house (after all, two countries were once one state).
But for tourists who appreciate the pristine nature, the unique healing properties of the Black Sea air and water, love incredibly delicious Georgian cuisine and local hospitality, Gonio is perfect. Another nice bonus is affordable prices almost everywhere.
Travel Tips
The tourist reviews of Gonio (Georgia) contain practical advice for those who are planning a vacation to this wonderful country. Here is some of them:
- choose a professional guide, as each local resident is ready to offer these services in Georgia, but the quality of such excursions will be appropriate,
- in local restaurants it is customary to cook fresh dishes immediately after an order is made, so you need to be prepared for what you have to wait,
- be sure to stock up on comfortable shoes for mountain walks,
- you must strictly observe the rules of behavior in the mountains and obey the guide,
- Georgian sellers decided to bargain. Therefore, do not offend the locals - bargain for health!