Ureki stands out along the whole Georgian Black Sea coast for one thing: sand rather than pebble. The sand is dark, almost black, from the magnetite in it — it heats up strongly in the sun and holds the warmth longer than usual.
What to see
The magnetic sand beach — a gentle entry, shallow for longer than any neighbouring beach.
The pine forest along the shore — it runs right up to the beach and is noticeably cooler in the heat.
Lake Paliastomi and Kolkheti park — about half an hour north, with boat routes through the wetlands.
Getting there
About an hour from Batumi and roughly an hour and a half from Kutaisi. The railway passes through, and Tbilisi to Batumi trains stop here in summer.
When to go
June to September. Out of season the village is nearly empty, which has its own appeal, but the water is too cold for swimming.
Every beach here is pebble, and that is the first thing to accept. The second: they differ by the shape of the sea floor, not the surface — some stay shallow for twenty metres, others drop off two steps in. A place-by-place breakdown of who suits which.