Ureki (ურეკი) is a coastal town in Georgia, in Guria region.
Understand
[edit]Ureki is a popular beach town on the Black Sea coast. Ureki is famous for its black, slightly magnetic sand, which allegedly has healing properties, while in contrast, most beach resorts of Georgia are made of crushed stone or gravel.
Districts
[edit]- Magnetiti is the heart part of Ureki, where most accomodation and eating options are
- Chire is northern part, less developed, but morequiet.
- 1 Grigoleti
, is further north, between river Supsa and city of Poti. It is more quiet but less developed than Ureki itself. - 2 Kaprovani is to the south of river Sepa. Kaprovani is also more quiet than Ureki, but beach gets more crowded in Late July and August.
- 3 Shekvetili is southernmost part where most of attractions are
All of them are coastal sandy resorts like Ureki, but they are more quiet and relaxing, while in Ureki is more traffic and crowd. July-August is more crowded, May-June and September-October are good time to visit.
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]
Ureki has a 4 train station between Batumi and Tbilisi railway. Ureki is also connected to regions capital Ozurgeti by the railway and bus transit. Tickets from both cities can be bought at stations and online. The train station is about 1½ km from the beach.
By bus
[edit]Buses going on the Tbilisi-Batumi route will stop at Grigoleti. A regular Poti–Ureki minibus service operates, which also covers these settlements.
By car
[edit]Ureki lies west of the highway E70 which connects Batumi with Poti. Ureki, Sjekvetili, Kaprovani, Magnetiti and Grigoleti all can be reached easily from highway. Grigoleti is connected to Samtredia with another highway E692. Ureki is connected to Ozurgeti with well-developed regional road.
Get around
[edit]Ureki is easily covered on foot or bike. You will need good bike or taxi to go to Grigoleti or Shekvetili.
See
[edit]
- Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands are UNESCO protected world heritage sites. It includes two different protected areas, one north of Grigoleti 1 Kolkheti National Park and second - south of Shekvetili is located 2 Kobuleti Protected Area
- In the villages of 3 Natanebi and 4 Shroma remnants of Soviet-era architecture can be found, including schools, kindergartens, community and sports halls, and administrative buildings. These sites can be visited by car; local roads are paved but partially damaged in places. The closest access point to these villages is the turn located directly opposite the Ureki railway station.
- 5 Park of Musicians (მუსიკოსთა პარკი), Shekvetili. open 24 hours. The park of musicians is near the Black Sea Arena. Here are sculptures of musicians, singers and composers from Georgia and the whole world. Visitors can enjoy the recordings of these musicians on each statue. free of charge.
- 6 Georgia in Miniatures (მინიატურების პარკი), Shekvetili. The park consists of two hectares. The complex includes a visitor center, a mini-amphitheater and a cafe. The construction of a miniature park began in 2014. This is the first miniature park in Georgia, which has more than 50 architectural monuments.
- 7 Tsvermagala Park (წვერმაღალის პარკი), Shekvetili. 10:00-19:00, closed on mondays and thursdays. Dendrological park in Tsvermagala
Do
[edit]- 1 Guria Park, Shekvetili. The amusement park extends over 14.5 hectares. There are various attractions for children and adults, bowling centers, karting grounds.
- attend concert at 2 Blak Sea Arena, Shekvetili, ☏ +995 322484343. This is the largest concert hall in the Caucasus, numbering up to 10,000 spectators, opened in 2016. The black arena is equipped with special equipment, a lighting system and a movable roof. It is fully adapted for people with disabilities
- Swimming. On the beach you can swim well in the sea. However, the water is shallow and only falls gently, so you have to have a few hundred meters to wade out until you can no longer stand. Furthermore, it is advisable to lie on the beach and completely dig into the magnetic healing sand (maybe it helps, but at least it does not hurt) or build sandcastles. You can borrow umbrellas and chairs. in addition you can do some other water activities such as jet skiing, kite surfing and water slides. The swimming season begins in May and lasts until the end of October. In high season (July and August) the place is crowded.
- Fishing in the rivers (Sepa, Supsa) and lakes (in Grigoleti)
Buy
[edit]In Ureki there is a wide range of stores where it is possible to stock up on drinks and snacks. During the summer season you will find the well-stocked "Nikora" market chain 2 in Magnetiti, 2 in Shekvetili and 1 in Kaprovani. Small local shops are also working during summer. You can get the usual beach equipment from China: slippers, towels, air mattresses, inflatable rubber animals, and even paddle boats are available. On the beach, boiled maize, cold water, coffee from the thermos and ice cream from homemade cooling wearing and cigarettes are sold.
Eat
[edit]There are a lot of restaurants in Ureki, near the beach and near the train Station. In the resort along the main street, there are some restaurants and cafes of different price ranges and fast food establishments. Most of them are only open during the bathing season.
Do not pass fresh fish, which is served in restaurants in Tskatsminda: right by the road, near the Ureki train station. Among the restaurants in the Ureki town center. Prices in Ureki are higher than in other villages or towns of Guria and may vary from 15 to 25 lari per person.
- 1 Palermo (პალერმო), Magnetiti.
- 2 Vermukha (ბერმუხა), Magnetiti, ☏ 557400433. Large indoor and outdoor sitting area
- 3 Salkhino (სალხინო), Tskaltsminda, ☏ 599401064. Fish and other local specialties 10-20 ₾.
- 4 Cafe-Bar Tskaltsminda (წყალწმინდა), Tskaltsminda, ☏ 599588473. Fish and other local specialties 10-20 ₾.
- 5 Abkhazeti (აფხაზეთი), Grigoleti, ☏ 568676739. Megrelian cuisine 20-30 ₾.
- 6 Ezo (ეზო), Grigoleti, ☏ 555740335. Fast food, only during summer season 10-20 ₾.
Drink
[edit]In Ureki you will find a lot of restaurants and cafes. Try Georgian wine, beer and vodka.
Sleep
[edit]In Ureki you will find a wide range of sleeping options, from hotels to small apartments. In Grigoleti and Shekvetili it is more common to rent a whole cottage for some period.
- Paragraph Resort & Spa, [email protected]. Huge luxury hotel with 220 rooms on the seashore has a swimming pool with sea water and winter garden. Hotel also has fully equipped conference rooms and meeting rooms
- Villa Villekulla, 2, ☏ +995598538571, [email protected]. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 11:00. Holiday home rentals in Grigoleti and Kaprovani, 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses. Meals not included $80-220.
Talk
[edit]- See also: Georgian phrasebook
Gurians speak much more quickly than average Georgians from other regions, so it is more complicated to understand them. Service staff in this area know Russian and a bit of Turkish. English is common in this area, too.
Stay safe
[edit]You should not leave your valuables unattended on the beach - this invitation is readily accepted by thieves.
There are lifeguards at the beach.
Cope
[edit]Go next
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