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Batumi

Borjgalo Ethnographic Museum

On the green edge of Batumi, this open-air museum recreates Adjarian village life with wooden houses, working models and dozens of costumed figures showing weavers, beekeepers and winemakers at their crafts. Why it matters: founder Kemal Turmanidze, a master woodcarver, spent roughly three decades single-handedly carving every figure and building here, creating what is recognized as Georgia’s first private museum and a one-man archive of Adjarian folk culture. Wander the 3,000-square-meter grounds past the waterfall and take time with the craft scenes – each occupation comes with its traditional tools and dress. It sits about 2 km from central Batumi at 14 Sharashidze St, an easy taxi ride to pair with a slow afternoon.

Like at Home (Yak Vdoma)

Adorned with colorful murals and Ukrainian ornaments, this small cafe near the center of Batumi serves the borsch, holubtsi and deruny that owner Irina Dotsenko brought with her from Kharkiv. Why it matters: Dotsenko fled Ukraine in 2022 and built the cafe into a lifeline for fellow refugees – around 30 of her 44 staff are Ukrainians who fled the war, and she opened a second location in December 2023 with a microloan program designed for refugees. Order the borsch with pampushky and save room for deruny with sour cream; portions are generous and prices modest. The original spot at 13 Zurab Gorgiladze St fills up at lunch – the second branch at 24 Noe Zhordania St is usually quieter.

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