A seaside resort and port in the southwest of the republic, Batumi is the capital of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic. Close to the Turkish border (20km/12.5 miles), the town has a decidedly Turkish character, with a mosque and 19th-century bath house. However, its charm lies less in any particular sights than in its lush, subtropical setting, among citrus groves and tea plantations, with mountains rising up from the edge of the sea. The Ajarian Museum (with its superb national costume collection), the circus, park, Botanical Garden and the theater are also well worth visiting.