Almost no trip is complete without minimal shopping. And this is not surprising, because you want to have some kind of reminder of the place you visited, especially if we are talking about such a colorful Black Sea city as Batumi. It hardly makes sense to make a separate shopping tour in Batumi, but being there, you can’t help but buy bright souvenirs and various unique goods that can be found in Georgia. The market in Batumi is the best option for shopping in this city, especially since there are several good bazaars here.
When going shopping, you should take into account that you can only pay in GEL (GEL) in Batumi, as in the entire territory of Georgia, so you will have to change any currency to the local one.
Hopa clothing market: clothing, household goods, souvenirs
Perhaps the most famous of all local markets is the clothing market “Hopa”, formed in the early 1990s.
Although it is the largest clothing market in Batumi, it also sells vegetables, fruits, sweets and Georgian tea by weight. But the choice of these products is insignificant, and the prices are on average the same as in city stores, so you definitely should not go here specifically for them.
As for clothing, shoes and textiles, the main part of the goods on the clothing market “Hopa” is imported from China and Turkey, and this product is not of the best quality. True, the prices are also appropriate, for example, you can buy sneakers for 50-60 GEL, jeans for 60-80 GEL, jackets from 60 GEL. To choose something really good for an adult, you will have to spend a lot of time. In addition, for people who are used to buying clothes so that they can be properly tried on and look at themselves in the mirror, there are absolutely no conditions at this clothing market in Batumi. But children’s clothes, bed linen and towels from Turkey are very profitable to buy here, as these things are quite cheap.
What really makes sense to go to the Hopa clothing market is for a variety of souvenirs. Here you can find fridge magnets, Caucasian wine horns, gift cups and much more. The choice of such goods is huge – in fact, this is a real flea market in Batumi-and prices are much lower when compared with prices for similar goods in other retail outlets.
How do I get there?
It is quite easy to find the Hopa market in Batumi – on the city map it is marked on Agmashenebeli Street, closer to New Batumi.
Depending on the point of departure, you can get to Hopa as follows::
- from the “Goodwill” supermarket in the center of Batumi – by bus No. 1 and by minibus No. 31;
- from Chavchavadze Street by minibus # 28, # 40, # 44 and # 45;
- from Gorgiladze Street (formerly Gorky) by minibus № 21, № 24, № 26, № 29, № 31, № 46;
- from the village of Makhinjauri by minibus # 21, # 31 and # 40;
- from BNZ by minibus # 28 and # 29.
The Hopa market in Batumi is open daily from 9: 00 to 20: 00-21: 00.
On a note! A description of the beaches of Batumi and their features can be found on this page.
Where to buy fresh fish in Batumi?
There is a unique fish market in Batumi. It is quite small and compact, in fact, it is a small platform on which 10 counters under awnings are located in 2 rows. Fresh fish is sold there in all seasons and in all weather conditions. For an additional fee, and if you bargain, then just like that, the purchased fish can immediately be cleaned and cut up.
And if there is a desire, then in a nearby cafe you can immediately ask to fry it – the cost of roasting 1 kg is 5 lari. The fish cafe located near the entrance to the market is unique and very colorful, and very often it is impossible to find an empty seat here. The smell of fried fish spreads several meters around the market area, and the menu is always only seasonal fish, vegetables, corn tortillas, lemonade and beer.
As for the assortment presented on retail shelves, it may change depending on the season. Go to the fish market of Batumi for flounder, mullet, mullet, salmon, sturgeon, horse mackerel, hamsa. They sell trout from mountain streams, smoked mackerel, crayfish and mussels, sometimes you can see valuable beluga and blue smurf or phosphorus-rich sargana.What about what?
Although all the stalls of the fish market have approximately the same product, it is advisable to first inspect everything that is offered, and then start haggling. Prices for 1 kg of various products are listed below, and for ease of perception in dollars:
- rainbow trout – 4 $;
- large shrimp — $10
- salmon – $7-12;
- mullet – 4 $;
- sturgeon – $13;
- flounder – 21 $;
- barabulka – 3.5 $;
- gobies – 2.5 $;
- horse mackerel 2-4 $;
- dorado 7-9 $;
- raba igla – 13 $;
- sea bass 10 $;
- crayfish – $13.
To find the fish market of Batumi, you don’t need to know the address at all – just know that it is located behind the port, almost at the exit from the city, near the stop “Shallow Sea”.
How to get there?
You can reach it from Batumi by any public transport going towards the botanical garden and the village of Makhinjauri, for example:
- by bus № 2, № 10, № 13, № 17,
- fixed-route taxis № 21, № 28, № 29, № 31, № 40.
You need to get off before the bridge and turn to Nonshvili Street, at the stop ” Shallow Sea “(see the map at the end of the page). The driver can be told in advance to stop at the fish market.
From the village of Makhinjauri, you can go to:
- route taxis # 21, # 31, # 40,
- and from BNZ to No. 28 and No. 29.
The fish market in Batumi is open daily from 9: 00 to 21: 00.
Please note! Find out what to see and where to go in Batumi on your own in this article.
The largest selection of products is available at the central grocery market
Parekhi market, Boni market-in Batumi, the central food bazaar is called differently. People come here to fully experience the national flavor of hospitable Georgia and buy oriental goodies for themselves or as a souvenir.
Market structure
The central grocery market in Batumi is divided into two parts: open and covered. In the open area, there are mainly stalls with fruits, vegetables, and herbs. There are also cereals, tobacco, and other small items. Immediately at the entrance there are flower vendors offering a wide variety of bouquets.
In the open area, there is a small fish pavilion located in an extension near the bridge crossing over the marshalling yard – you can find it by its specific smell. Although the assortment is not as diverse as in the specialized fish market of Batumi, but you can still choose a good fish.
The central Market Indoor pavilion is a spacious two-story building. On the left side of the first floor there are vegetable and meat departments (mainly selling pork and beef), on the right there are vendors with fresh home-made herbs, pickles, and various types of beans. In the center of the first floor there are counters with coffee, spices, home-made sauces.
On the second floor, visitors are offered dried fruits of various types, raisins, pastilles, nuts, honey, wine. And here is a real kingdom of churchkhela: this sweet is offered with different fillings, different sizes and shapes. There is also a dairy department with an incredibly diverse range of homemade cheeses. They also sell basturma, sausages, homemade chicken, and large yellow eggs.
It should be added that the central market of Batumi (“Boni” or “Parekhi”) has several currency exchange offices on its territory with a very acceptable exchange rate.
What to try in Georgia from food
Prices on the Pareja market
As for the prices in this bazaar, they are slightly lower than in stores. There are expensive and cheap products, but at high prices you can choose the best products, while for the same money in stores they will offer products of average quality. For reference, some prices are listed below, again in dollars:
- whole chicken – $ 2.5 per kg;
- pork – about $ 4 per kg;
- beef meat – $ 4 per kg;
- suluguni cheese — $ 5 kg
- smoked fish – $ 1.2 – $ 1.7 per piece;
- potatoes – $ 0.4 per kg;
- cucumbers – 0.35-0.7 $ per kg;
- tomatoes – 0.5-1.5 $ per kg;
- apples – 0.5-1 $ per kg;
- grapes – 0.7-2 $ per kg;
- tangerines – $ 0.4 per kg;
- lettuce – 1.5-2 $ per kg;
- eggplant – $ 0.7 per kg;
- sweet cherries – $ 2-3 per kg;
- strawberries – $ 1-3 per kg;
- walnuts – $ 9 per kg;
- wild nuts – $ 5.5 per kg;
- coffee – $ 1-3. 2 per 100 g (depends on the variety).
Parekha’s working hours are from Tuesday to Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm, in summer – until 7 pm.
If you need to save money, you should go shopping here after 15.00, when most merchants agree to sell everything at half price. And be sure to bargain, especially if you buy a lot.
Where is it located and how to get there?
The central market in Batumi, marked as “Boni” or “Parekhi” on the map, is located near the old bus station. The main entrance to its territory is from Mayakovsky Street. It is convenient to get here from almost any corner of the city, as there are many public transport routes to the market:
- from Parnavaz Mepe Street (formerly Telman) there are minibuses № 24, № 26, № 32, № 46;
- from Chavchavadze Street, you can take minibuses № 20, № 40, № 44, № 45;
- from the village of Makhinjauri and from the BNZ – by minibus No. 20.
You can also go to the marshalling yard instead of the main entrance of the market, and then cross the pedestrian bridge over the railway tracks.
The central grocery market in Batumi is open all days of the week, except Monday, from 8: 00 to 16: 00.