Borjomi Mineral Water Park & Cable Car

Borjomi Central Park is a historic recreation ground laid out in the narrowing valley of the Shavtskala (Borjomula) river, cradled by the pine and fir slopes of the Lesser Caucasus, right at the source of the world-famous Borjomi mineral water.

History & Significance

The healing properties of the spring were discovered by chance in the early 19th century, and the Russian administration in the Caucasus turned the site into a curative resort, with the park formally established in 1850. The celebrated fountain beneath the glass pavilion at the park's heart is the Ekaterina Spring, named after the daughter of Golovin, the Tsar's viceroy in the Caucasus; visitors can still drink this slightly saline, naturally carbonated warm mineral water free of charge, straight from its source. Rising from some 8-10 kilometres underground under natural carbon-dioxide pressure and carrying more than sixty minerals, the water made the town a fashionable health destination for Russian aristocracy and the Romanov family by the late 1800s; the Romanov Palace at Likani, just south of town, is the emblem of that imperial legacy. In the Soviet era Borjomi grew into a vast sanatorium and bottling centre serving the whole Union.

Park & Nature

The roughly 14-hectare park is arranged like a leisure promenade, with shaded riverside walking paths, ornamental pools, playgrounds and small amusement rides. From the far end of the valley, a cable car built in the 1960s and renovated in recent years climbs to the Plateau above, offering a bird's-eye view of the Borjomi gorge and its sea of forest. At the end of the walking trail lie a sulphur-rich warm swimming pool and a small waterfall, reached by a pleasant 25-30 minute stroll along the stream.

Visiting, Access & Tips

Turkish agencies are especially fond of this stop: on Black Sea-Georgia tours that cross at the Sarp border and connect via Batumi and Kutaisi, it is the natural anchor of the Samtskhe-Javakheti route, the free water tasting makes a strong souvenir and photo moment, and the family-friendly layout suits every age group. The average visit lasts 1.5-2 hours; allow 45 minutes for the fountain and entrance garden alone, or half a day if the cable car and warm pool are included. In guided programmes the park is usually placed on the same itinerary as Rabati Castle (Akhaltsikhe) and the Vardzia cave monastery, as a morning stop or a return break. Important nearby points include Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, the Likani Romanov Palace, the Green Monastery and, in winter, the Bakuriani ski resort. The best photographs are taken at the glass fountain pavilion, of the gorge seen from inside the cable-car cabin, and from the historic bridges over the stream. Access is easy: the park is within walking distance of Borjomi town centre and tour coaches park at the square near the entrance, where there is a regular parking and drop-off area for large buses. The main entrance garden and the fountain are level and reachable by wheelchair and pushchair, but the steep, stony sections up to the warm pool and the upper cable-car station are challenging for visitors with reduced mobility.

Best Time & Route

The best time to visit is the mild months of May to October; summer (July-August) is both greenest and busiest, autumn turns the forest to a riot of colour, and winter is quiet under snow though the cable car and some rides may close seasonally. The recommended route is water tasting at the entrance fountain, a walk along the stream, a break at the warm pool, and the cable car to the plateau viewpoint on the way back.