Surami

By Mariam Lomidze, GTour desk · Fact-checked against the sources listed · Last checked 16 October 2026 · Editorial policy

Overview

Surami is a small resort town in the Shida Kartli region of central Georgia, set in the foothills of the Likhi Range, the chain of hills that forms the historic watershed between eastern and western Georgia. The town sits on the old road and railway corridor linking Tbilisi with Kutaisi and the Black Sea coast, close to the district centre of Khashuri. It is reached in roughly 2 hours 5 minutes by road from Tbilisi, about 2 hours 10 minutes from Kutaisi, and around 4 hours 20 minutes from Batumi.

Surami’s importance has always been tied to its position: whoever controlled the pass over the Likhi Range controlled movement between the two halves of the country. This gave rise to a fortress, a resident garrison, and a body of folklore that culminated in one of Georgia’s best-known literary and cinematic legends. Today Surami is known less for strategy than for its pine-scented climate, its ruined hilltop fortress, and a local sweet bread called nazuki that travellers buy at the railway station window. For visitors moving between Tbilisi and Imereti, it is a natural stop covered in GTour’s Shida Kartli region guide and arranged as part of private tours.

History

Surami’s fortress and settlement are recorded in Georgian historical tradition as controlling the pass across the Likhi Range, the barrier separating the medieval kingdoms and principalities of eastern Georgia (Kartli) from western Georgia (Imereti).

The fortress is best known internationally through a legend first set down in literary form by the Georgian writer Daniel Chonkadze in his 1859 novella, which tells of a young man named Zurab walled alive into the fortress ramparts so that the structure would hold firm against repeated collapse.

In the nineteenth century, as the Russian imperial administration built a carriage road and later a railway line over the Likhi watershed to connect Tbilisi with Kutaisi and the coast, Surami’s role shifted from a defensive outpost to a staging point on this corridor. Its elevation, pine stands and relatively mild climate led to its development as a small climatic resort during the late imperial and Soviet periods, a pattern common to several towns along the Likhi crossing. The settlement today is administered within the Khashuri municipality of Shida Kartli, and remains a stop on the Tbilisi–Kutaisi–Batumi railway line operated by Georgian Railway.

What to see

Surami Fortress

The ruined fortress stands on a hill above the town and is the reason most visitors stop in Surami. Its walls and tower remains date from the medieval period of contest between Kartli and Imereti, and the site is inseparable from the legend of Zurab immortalised by Daniel Chonkadze and later by Sergei Parajanov’s film. The climb gives views over the town, the railway line and the forested slopes of the Likhi Range.

Likhi Range and the Surami Pass

The wooded hills around the town mark the historic and geographic divide between eastern and western Georgia, a boundary that shaped centuries of political and linguistic development on either side. The pass has carried road and rail traffic for well over a century and remains the principal inland route between Tbilisi and the Black Sea coast. Travellers crossing it today follow broadly the same corridor used by medieval garrisons and nineteenth-century engineers alike.

Nazuki and the railway station stalls

Surami’s station platform is known across Georgia for vendors selling nazuki, a sweet, spiced bread studded with dried fruit, sold warm through train windows to passengers passing through on the Tbilisi–Kutaisi–Batumi line. The tradition has made the town a minor culinary landmark independent of its fortress and legend, and it is worth timing a stop to try it fresh.

Pine forest and resort grounds

The slopes above the town carry stands of pine that gave Surami its early reputation as a health resort, an identity still visible in older sanatorium-style buildings and shaded walking paths. The air and relatively cool elevation make the surrounding hillsides a pleasant short walk away from the main road and rail corridor.

Getting there

From Tbilisi, Surami is reached by the main Tbilisi–Kutaisi highway (part of the E60 corridor) over the Rikoti Pass, a drive of around 2 hours 5 minutes; marshrutky bound for Kutaisi, Batumi or Khashuri from Tbilisi’s Didube station pass close to the town, with a short local transfer or taxi into the centre. From Kutaisi the same highway runs in the opposite direction, a journey of about 2 hours 10 minutes. From Batumi, the route runs via Kutaisi and the Rikoti Pass, taking approximately 4 hours 20 minutes. Surami also has a station on the Tbilisi–Kutaisi–Batumi railway operated by Georgian Railway, making it accessible by train as well as road; check current conditions on GTour’s road status page before travelling, particularly in winter when the pass can see snow. GTour arranges private transfers and guided stops in Surami as part of wider Shida Kartli and Imereti itineraries; see tours for options.

When to go

Surami can be visited year-round as a short stop between Tbilisi and western Georgia. Late spring through early autumn brings the most comfortable weather for walking up to the fortress and through the surrounding pine forest, with warm days and cooler evenings typical of the Likhi foothills. Winter can bring snow to the pass and colder conditions on the exposed fortress hill, so road conditions are worth checking in advance, and the fortress ruins are more atmospheric than comfortable in bad weather.

Where to stay and eat

Surami itself is a small town, and most verified accommodation sits in or near neighbouring Khashuri. Evergreen Surami hotel offers a base within the town, while Iveria Hotel Khashuri provides an alternative a short drive away. For food, Gochits burger Khashuri is a registered option for a quick meal, and the Khashuri Tourist Information Center is a useful first stop for maps and local advice. GTour’s verified register lists more hotels, wineries and restaurants in the wider Shida Kartli area below, and the region’s full range of places can be browsed via the Georgia region hub and best-of guides.

Practical notes

Surami is a brief stop rather than a destination requiring several days, and is best combined with other Shida Kartli sites or treated as a waypoint between Tbilisi and Imereti. The fortress climb is unpaved and uneven in places, so sturdy footwear is advisable. Mobile signal and basic services are available in the town centre, but a wider choice of hotels, restaurants and fuel stops is found in Khashuri. Georgian lari is the practical currency for small purchases such as nazuki from station vendors. For planning a multi-stop route through the region, GTour’s destination guides and private tours can combine Surami with Gori, Uplistsikhe and other Shida Kartli sites in a single day.

Questions travellers ask

What is Surami best known for?

Surami is best known for its ruined hilltop fortress and the associated legend of a young man walled into its ramparts, a story told by Daniel Chonkadze and later filmed by Sergei Parajanov. The town is also known locally for nazuki, a sweet bread sold at the railway station.

Is the Surami Fortress open to visit?

Yes, the fortress ruins on the hill above the town are accessible on foot and can be visited without a formal ticketed entry in most cases, though conditions underfoot are uneven. It is best visited in daylight and in dry weather given the exposed hillside path.

What is the legend of the Surami Fortress?

According to the story recorded by Daniel Chonkadze, the fortress walls kept collapsing until a young man, Zurab, was walled alive into the structure as a sacrifice to make it stand. The tale was later adapted into Sergei Parajanov’s 1984 film The Legend of Suram Fortress.

How far is Surami from Tbilisi by road?

Surami is approximately 2 hours 5 minutes from Tbilisi by road, travelling via the Rikoti Pass on the main Tbilisi–Kutaisi highway.

Can Surami be reached by train?

Yes, Surami has a station on the Tbilisi–Kutaisi–Batumi railway line operated by Georgian Railway, and trains on this route stop there, allowing travellers to buy nazuki directly from platform vendors.

What is nazuki and where can it be tried?

Nazuki is a sweet, spiced Georgian bread with dried fruit, traditionally sold warm at the Surami railway station to passengers passing through, and it is one of the town’s best-known specialities.

Is Surami a good stop between Tbilisi and Kutaisi?

Yes, given its position roughly midway along the main highway, Surami works well as a short break to see the fortress and try nazuki while travelling between Tbilisi and Imereti or the Black Sea coast.

Why is the Likhi Range significant?

The Likhi Range, in whose foothills Surami sits, forms the traditional geographic and historical divide between eastern and western Georgia, and control of its pass shaped centuries of conflict between the kingdoms of Kartli and Imereti.

Are there accommodation options in Surami itself?

A limited number of hotels operate in Surami, including the Evergreen Surami hotel, while a wider choice of accommodation is available a short drive away in Khashuri, such as the Iveria Hotel Khashuri.

Is Surami suitable for a family visit?

Surami suits families comfortable with a short uphill walk to the fortress ruins and an interest in local legend and history; the town itself is small and quiet, with no major visitor infrastructure beyond the fortress, station stalls and nearby Khashuri services.

Sources

• Georgian Railway
• Georgian National Tourism Administration — Shida Kartli region