Photos: Uwe Brodrecht, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Sosotedrd, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Kober, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Uwe Brodrecht, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Sosotedrd, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Kober, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gonio-Apsaros Fortress, a Roman frontier post
Your local guide
Giorgi Surmanidze
View profile
Highlights
- Roman foundations on the Black Sea
- Ottoman additions layered on top
- A frontier post held for centuries
- The apostle Matthias's traditional grave
- Empires layered in one fortress wall
About this tour
This session covers Gonio-Apsaros Fortress, a Roman-era frontier post south of Batumi that changed hands for nearly two thousand years. You see the original Roman foundations, then later Ottoman additions, and finally the site said to hold the apostle Matthias's grave. It traces one wall through several empires rather than treating it as a single ruin.
We move around the fortress in the order it was actually built up, Roman first, then later additions, so the layers make sense as we go. I keep tradition and confirmed history clearly separated, and questions work well throughout the walk.
It suits anyone interested in ancient frontiers and the layered history of the Black Sea coast, and it works well as a half-day trip out from central Batumi.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 6 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Batumi before heading out.
-
Roman-era fortress walls 17 min
The camera follows the fortress's outer walls, and I point out the Roman foundations that mark this as one of the empire's furthest outposts on the Black Sea.
-
Later Ottoman additions 17 min
We move to a section rebuilt under Ottoman control, and I explain how the fortress changed hands and purpose across the centuries.
-
The apostle's grave site 17 min
We stop at the spot said to hold the grave of the apostle Matthias, and I explain the tradition behind the claim without stating it as settled fact.
-
Your questions 11 min
Time to ask anything about Batumi: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
-
A short list to keep 5 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Khachapuri Adjaruli and New Boulevard, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Tbilisi time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Batumi, showing you Roman-era fortress walls and Later Ottoman additions live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I show the fortress live with my phone.
Times shown in Tbilisi time (GMT+4)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Reviews appear here after travellers have completed this tour.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Mon 26 Oct · 8 seats left From 25,00 €
Book