Is Borjomi worth visiting?

Georgia 2024 part 6

When in Georgia, it’s very likely you’ll hear about Borjomi. Borjomi mineral water is famous in and beyond Georgia, especially in the former Soviet Union. The town itself is a tourist attraction, too. Georgia has many great sights to pick from though. Especially when you’re in Georgia for a short period, it might be hard to choose destinations. Whether or not to visit Borjomi depends on what you’re looking for. After visiting Borjomi twice, here’s my experience.

The town

Borjomi is in a gorge along the fast flowing Kura river, in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains at above 800 meters altitude. It became a popular spa town for the Russian aristocracy in the 19th century. The most notable buildings are from this period, like the former house of Iranian consul Mirza Riza Khan or the (unfortunately closed) Romanov’s Palace. Though most of the buildings date from the Soviet or post-Soviet era, and other Georgian towns like Mtskheta, Sighnaghi or Mestia have more beautiful and interesting historical architecture. Most visitors go to the Ekaterina Park, the source of the mineral water. Here are taps with warm, sulfuric, mineral water, which people drink for health benefits. Others stay in Borjomi to go outdoors, as there are many hiking possibilities.

Going outdoors

The town is at the edge of Borjomi National Park, an area with peaks to above 2.500 meters. Hiking trails start just outside of town. Likani, a three kilometre walk or taxi-ride from the centre, has a number of accessible trails. Visitors both do day hikes or multiday treks here. I liked route number 12, with the black markings, a 12 kilometre loop from Likany leading to some great views. In case your time is very limited, the short walk from the centre of town to the hilltop with the three crosses also offers a nice view. Though the direct surroundings of Borjomi aren’t as spectacular as the tall mountains around Kazbegi and Mestia, the green gorge is still a beautiful sight.

Borjomi’s vibe

I enjoyed Borjomi, but disagree when bloggers label it as ‘’picturesque’’. Over 10.000 people live here, and Ekaterina park attracts big groups of tourists even in shoulder season. I could see tour-buses lined up here in May, and saw some fancy Hummers parked near the river. The town is also on a major road to Turkey. At night you can still hear the occasional Georgian, Turkish or Iranian lorry pass through. It’s easy to escape the noise though, as the outer neighbourhoods are quiet and there is an abondance of nature around the town. And I found locals still very friendly, making Borjomi far more hospitable compared to Georgia’s major destinations like Kazbegi and Sighnaghi.

Accessibility

Getting here and away is easy. Minibuses connect Borjomi with Tbilisi (two hours) and Kutaisi (three hours), making it a good stopover between these major cities. There are frequent minibuses to Akhaltsikhe (one hour) too, where you can see the Rabati fortress and find a ride to the famous cave city of Vardzia. You can visit Rabati fortress and Vardzia as a day trip from Borjomi (read here how I did this).

The verdict

Though Borjomi lacks the abundance of historical sights and spectacular scenery of Georgia’s most famous destinations, it is a welcoming town surrounded by beautiful nature with plenty of hiking possibilities. And while the centre around Ekaterina Park can get crowded, it’s peaceful elsewhere. Borjomi isn’t suitable for tourists on a short trip to Georgia seeking spectacular sights. But Borjomi makes a great stopover on an itinerary around the country, especially when traveling in between Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Vardzia.

Further reading

Are you curious about Georgia? Read my blogpost a guide to visiting Georgia for more advice on travelling around Georgia.

CaucasusArjan MookOctober 2, 2024