Located on the border of northeastern Türkiye, Georgia is a perfect destination for those who want to experience history amid verdant mountains and rising skyscrapers.

As a popular holiday destination, especially in the summer, Batumi dazzles its visitors as it baffled me to see how the amalgamation of ancient and modern leaving traces of the transition from a Soviet country to now an autonomous land.

Even though people prefer to visit Batumi during holidays to swim in the Black Sea's magnificent beaches, I had a chance to see the rain-drenched streets in rainy weather, making the place a unique destination that can be visited in each season, offering something different each season.

Here is a quick guide for those who would like to enjoy the city in two days.

Batumi Boulevard

Stretching for 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) along the fascinating seafront of the Black Sea coast, the boulevard was built in 1881. The area comprises walking and cycling paths as well as greenery offering a great view as you walk. However, when it rains, the boulevard looks beautiful and those who like walking in the rain can enjoy a stroll.

The tree-lined boulevard begins at Miracle Park, which includes the Ferris wheel, a lighthouse built in 1882, and the Alphabetic Tower – a 130-meter (426-feet) high futuristic structure that symbolizes the authenticity of the Georgian alphabet and the sovereignty of the people.

The path continues south as it unfurls the city with a new facade as the newly built skyscrapers sprouting high, yet the starting point where it connects to the Batumi Old Town offers a more authentic journey for its visitors.

Moving statues: Ali & Nino

Created by artist Tamara Kvesitadze, the sculpture of Ali and Nino commemorates the impossible love of a Christian princess and a Muslim boy who fell apart during the Bolshevik Revolution in famous writer Kurban Said's novel "Ali and Nino: A Love Story." Ali and Nino stand majestically along the Batumi waterfront on the Black Sea coast in Georgia, merging at every 10-minute interval.

The work is known to be designed in 2007 but installed in 2010. Made of steel discs, it weighs 7 tons and is 8 meters high as its construction took 10 months and a computer controls both figures.

Batumi Old Town

The old town is a perfect place to discover on foot amid elegant and unique buildings. I will list some iconic places that you shouldn't miss.

Europe Square is one of the most beautiful places in the area. Completed in 2007, the statue of Medea, the granddaughter of the Greek sun god Helios, holding a golden fleece, is a symbol of Georgia's ancient ties with Europe and cultural connections with many ancient civilizations.

The Astronomical Clock, made in Germany, adorns the restored facade of the former Georgian National Bank on Memed Abashidzade Street. The most important feature of the watch is that it indicates the positions of the sun, moon, Zodiac constellations, and planets. Another feature of the watch is that it has a different melody for every hour.

Within the borders of the old town, two prominent churches were closed during the reign of the Soviets and passed to the government's control. One of them is St. Nicholas Church, a cult memorial dating back to 150 years ago. The Batumi Orthodox Church also called the Batumi Cathedral of the Mother of God, another historical landmark built in 1898, enthralls with its neo-Gothic architecture the moment you walk in.

Surrounded by restaurants, cafes and bars, the Italian-style "Piazza" square was designed by the famous Georgian architect Vazha Orbeladze and was built in Old Batumi in 2009.

The Batumi Archaeological Museum takes visitors on a historical journey with the artifacts dating back to Stone, Eneolithic-Early Bronze, Late Bronze, and Iron Ages found in the territory of Adjara. The museum also has a rich gold fund, where the samples of Colchian, Kartvelian-speaking tribes ancestral to the contemporary Georgians, goldsmiths occupy an important place.

Land of pastry & cheese

Georgia is famous for its pastries, the quintessential food, some even included in intangible cultural heritage such as khinkali and khachapuri. Also, in most of the food you will come across a type of cheese.

Khachapuri is a pizza-like pastry, as every region has its version of this dish. I had a chance to eat the Viking-boat-shaped one from the Adjara region, which was overflowing with cheese. Also, there are thousands of small street shops where you can buy different versions of khachapuri as you pass by. Yet I strongly recommend eating the Adjarian version in one of the restaurants in the old town.

As an aficionado of Turkish dumplings, I was quite excited to try khinkali, as its reputation precedes its name. Yet I must say that I would surely prefer the Turkish version.