The Complete Guide to Borjomi’s Thermal Springs and Spa Culture

Tucked into a narrow gorge in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia, Borjomi is one of the Caucasus’s most storied spa towns – a place where mineral water flows freely from public fountains and thermal bathing has been woven into daily life for well over a century. The town’s name is synonymous with its famous sparkling mineral water, sold across the former Soviet Union and beyond, but visiting in person reveals something far richer than a branded bottle. This guide covers everything you need to know about experiencing Borjomi’s thermal springs and spa culture firsthand: where to soak, how to find the hidden pools, which resorts are worth the money, what to eat between sessions, and how to reach this remarkable corner of the Caucasus.

What Makes Borjomi’s Thermal Culture Unique

Borjomi occupies a particular place in Georgian identity that goes beyond tourism. For Georgians, it is the town you go to when you need to restore yourself – after illness, after stress, after a long winter. The idea of kurortnoe lechenie, or resort treatment, inherited partly from the Russian Imperial era and partly from much older Caucasian traditions, still holds genuine meaning here. People don’t just visit Borjomi for a weekend of pampering; they come for weeks, drink the waters on a prescribed schedule, walk the forested trails, and leave feeling genuinely different.

This isn’t a polished European spa destination with seamless booking systems and fluffy robes laid out on marble counters. Borjomi retains a rough-edged authenticity – Soviet-era sanatoriums stand alongside boutique guesthouses, pensioners drink from ornate public fountains beside backpackers with trekking poles, and the mineral water really does taste like nothing else on earth. That blend of the medicinal, the nostalgic, and the genuinely natural is what sets the town apart from anywhere else in the region.

The town itself sits at around 800 metres above sea level, pressed between forested slopes that turn a vivid copper and gold in autumn. The Mtkvari River (also known as the Kura) runs through the centre, and the air carries a faint sulphuric trace from the springs – not unpleasant, just unmistakably mineral. It’s a small, walkable town, and its compact scale makes the spa culture feel immersive rather than scattered.

The Science Behind Borjomi’s Mineral Waters

The waters that made this town famous are not simply warm – they are geochemically extraordinary. Borjomi’s springs emerge from a volcanic aquifer that lies hundreds of metres beneath the surface, where rainwater that fell on the surrounding highlands thousands of years ago has been slowly enriched by passing through layers of volcanic rock. By the time it reaches the surface, it carries a complex cocktail of sodium bicarbonate, carbon dioxide, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and a suite of trace minerals including iron and silica.

The water emerges at temperatures ranging from about 38°C to 41°C at the source – warm enough to bathe in comfortably, cool enough not to require dilution. The high bicarbonate content is what gives it the sharp, slightly alkaline taste that takes some getting used to but becomes oddly addictive. Traditional medicine, both Soviet-era balneology and older Georgian folk practice, attributed particular benefits to regular consumption: improved digestion, support for kidney function, and relief from gastric conditions. Modern gastroenterologists remain cautious about sweeping claims, but the waters are genuinely high in dissolved minerals, and there is reasonable evidence that bicarbonate-rich mineral waters can assist with certain digestive disorders.

For bathing rather than drinking, the thermal pools offer benefits associated with warm mineral immersion generally – muscle relaxation, improved circulation, and the kind of bone-deep loosening that a regular swimming pool simply doesn’t provide. The carbon dioxide naturally dissolved in the water creates a mild effervescent sensation against the skin, which adds a distinctly pleasant quality to soaking in the outdoor pools.

Borjomi Central Park: The Heartbeat of the Spa Scene

If you visit Borjomi and do nothing else, walk through the central park. It is the social and spiritual centre of everything the town represents, a long green corridor that stretches from the town into the forested gorge along the Borjomula River. The park has existed in its current form since the late 19th century, when Russian Grand Duke Mikhail Romanov developed Borjomi as an Imperial retreat, and its layout – ornamental bridges, pavilions, tree-lined promenades – still carries echoes of that aristocratic ambition.

At the entrance, you’ll find the famous public mineral water fountain, where a steady stream of locals and visitors fill cups and bottles from a spout that flows around the clock. The water is warm, distinctly fizzy, and tastes intensely mineral – think of a more extreme version of San Pellegrino. You can purchase a ceramic cup from vendors nearby, which is the traditional way to drink. There’s no charge for the water itself.

Further into the park, a cable car climbs to a hilltop viewing platform with panoramic views over the gorge – a worthwhile ride that costs just a couple of lari. More significantly for the spa experience, the park contains an open-air thermal pool complex where you can bathe in the mineral water for a modest fee. The pools are maintained at a comfortable temperature and are popular with locals year-round, even in winter when steam rises from the water and the surrounding trees are frosted. The changing facilities are basic but functional. Bring your own towel.

The park also hosts a small but charming collection of Soviet-era amusement rides, souvenir stalls, and snack vendors selling churchkhela (walnut-filled grape candy) and grilled corn. It manages to be simultaneously a place of quiet, restorative walking and a lively gathering point – an accurate reflection of Borjomi’s dual character.

Top Spa Resorts and Bathhouses in and Around Borjomi

Beyond the public park pools, Borjomi has a growing range of spa facilities catering to different budgets and expectations. The Soviet-era sanatoriums that once treated party officials and workers on state-prescribed health holidays have had mixed fates – some are crumbling, some have been renovated into functioning hotels, and a handful have been fully reimagined as contemporary wellness resorts.

Crowne Plaza Borjomi is the most internationally polished option in town. Its spa facility uses the local mineral water in treatments, offers thermal pools, a hammam, and a full menu of massages and wraps. The hotel sits in a restored historic building and the spa experience here feels genuinely luxurious without being disconnected from the local context – the treatments reference Georgian herbal and thermal traditions.

Borjomi Palace, a boutique property in a renovated 19th-century building, offers private mineral water bathing tubs that you can book by the hour. This is a particularly good option for couples or for those who want the thermal experience in a more intimate setting than the public pools.

For a more authentically Soviet-flavoured experience, several of the older sanatoriums still operate and accept day visitors for balneotherapy treatments. These include mud wraps, mineral baths, and hydrotherapy sessions prescribed by on-site doctors. The consultation is usually included in the price and is surprisingly thorough. Don’t be put off by the dated décor – the treatments themselves are legitimate and the approach is genuinely medical rather than purely cosmetic.

Likani, a small village just a few kilometres from Borjomi along the gorge, was historically the location of the Romanov summer palace and retains a number of spa facilities. Some of these are now part of government-managed health resorts still operating in a modified Soviet model, offering extended treatment stays.

Wild Thermal Bathing: Off the Beaten Track

One of Borjomi’s lesser-known pleasures is the existence of informal thermal bathing spots in the forested areas surrounding the town. These are not advertised on tourism websites and are not managed facilities – they are simply places where warm mineral water emerges naturally and locals have built rudimentary concrete pools or rock enclosures to collect it.

The area around Likani and along certain hiking trails in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park periphery has several such spots. Finding them generally requires asking locally – your guesthouse host is the best starting point. These informal pools are free to use, typically uncrowded, and offer the most unmediated version of the thermal experience: sitting in warm, minerally water in the middle of a beech forest, with the sound of the river nearby and nothing commercial within sight.

The experience does require some practicality. The pools vary in temperature and cleanliness – some are beautifully clear, others murky. Water shoes are useful. The spots are more accessible in warmer months, though some determined locals use them year-round. Going with a local guide or a recommendation from someone who has visited recently is worth the extra effort.

There are also small bathing pools accessible via the road that runs through the gorge toward Bakuriani, particularly in the stretch between Borjomi and Timotesubani. These are visible from the road and occasionally have a small caretaker who collects a nominal fee.

The Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park Connection

Wellness in Borjomi has never been exclusively about soaking in water. The surrounding Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park – one of the largest protected areas in the Caucasus, covering over 85,000 hectares of old-growth forest, alpine meadows, and river valleys – has always been considered part of the restorative experience. The idea is straightforward: clean mountain air, physical movement through beautiful terrain, and the psychological reset that comes from being genuinely immersed in nature are inseparable from the thermal bathing tradition.

The park’s visitor centre is located in Borjomi town itself and offers maps, trail information, and guided hike bookings. Trails range from easy riverside walks suitable for an afternoon to multi-day routes requiring tent camping and real fitness. The most popular shorter option is the trail that climbs above the gorge to give panoramic views over the valley – typically a three to four hour return walk from town.

A particularly satisfying Borjomi wellness day combines a morning hike in the park with an afternoon at one of the thermal facilities. The physical exertion of the morning makes the thermal soak feel genuinely earned, and the contrast between the cool mountain air on the trail and the warm mineral water in the pool is one of those simple, uncomplicated pleasures that stay with you.

Wildlife in the park includes brown bear, lynx, deer, and a rich variety of bird species. You are unlikely to encounter large mammals on a day hike, but birdwatching along the river trails is consistently rewarding.

Where to Eat and Drink in Borjomi

Borjomi’s food scene is small and unpretentious, anchored in Georgian home cooking with a few restaurants that have learned to cater to tourists without losing their character. The mineral water itself is, naturally, everywhere – on every restaurant table, in every shop, poured into glass jugs at guesthouses. Drinking the sparkling local water with meals is simply what you do here.

Khinkali (the Georgian dumpling filled with spiced meat broth) are a Borjomi staple, particularly in the small family-run restaurants along the main road. The correct method is to pick one up by the doughy topknot, bite a small hole, sip the hot broth, then eat the rest – never cutting them with a knife. The topknot is traditionally left on the plate and the number of tops is a good-natured measure of your appetite.

Mtsvadi – Georgian pork or lamb skewers grilled over vine wood embers – appears at almost every sit-down restaurant and is reliably good. Pair it with fresh tkemali (sour plum sauce) and a pile of raw onion dressed with pomegranate seeds, and you have one of the Caucasus’s most satisfying meals.

For something lighter, look for lobiani, a flatbread stuffed with spiced kidney beans that is cheap, filling, and far more interesting than it sounds. It’s particularly good from the small bakeries that operate in the early morning.

Several of the guesthouses offer home-cooked dinners by arrangement – this is usually the best food available in town and often the most economical option. Hosts tend to produce lavish spreads that span the full width of Georgian cuisine, and the informality of eating at a family table adds considerably to the experience.

Georgia’s wine tradition is ancient and distinguished, and even in a small town like Borjomi you’ll have access to bottles from the Kakheti region, including the distinctive amber-coloured skin-contact wines that have become celebrated internationally in recent years. The local chacha – a grape marc spirit that functions roughly like grappa – is potent and sometimes very good, particularly when it’s homemade.

Getting to Borjomi and Getting Around

Borjomi sits approximately 160 kilometres southwest of Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital. The most straightforward route is by marshrutka (shared minibus), which departs from Tbilisi’s Didube bus station throughout the day. The journey takes roughly three hours depending on traffic and the driver’s interpretation of speed limits. Marshrutkas are cheap – expect to pay around 10 GEL (roughly $3.50 USD) – and they drop you in the centre of Borjomi.

There is also a train connection from Tbilisi, operated by Georgian Railway. The train is slower than the marshrutka but considerably more atmospheric, running through the Mtkvari valley with views that justify the extra time. Check the Georgian Railway website for current schedules, as the service runs less frequently than the road options.

Coming from Kutaisi (Georgia’s second city and the location of the main international airport for budget flights), the journey is roughly two to three hours by marshrutka via Khashuri.

Within Borjomi, everything of note is walkable. The town is long and narrow, strung along the gorge, and the central park, main street, and most guesthouses and restaurants are within comfortable walking distance of each other. Taxis exist and are inexpensive for reaching Likani or the national park visitor centre if you don’t want to walk the extra kilometre or two.

Day Trips from Borjomi

Borjomi’s location in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region places it within reach of some of Georgia’s most compelling sites, making it a viable base for regional exploration rather than just a single-destination stop.

Bakuriani, a ski resort town about 30 kilometres southeast of Borjomi via a winding mountain road, makes for a straightforward half-day excursion. The narrow-gauge toy train – the Kukushka – that historically linked Borjomi and Bakuriani is a beloved Georgian institution, though services have been irregular in recent years. If it’s operating during your visit, the ride through the forested mountain terrain is an experience in itself. In winter, Bakuriani offers skiing for all levels; in summer, the highland meadows and cooler temperatures make it a pleasant contrast to the gorge.

Akhaltsikhe, the regional capital about 45 kilometres southwest, is home to Rabati Castle – a sprawling fortress complex that was heavily reconstructed in the early 2010s and is now the kind of place that divides visitors between those who appreciate its accessibility and those who mourn the loss of its ruined authenticity. Either way, the site is visually dramatic and historically significant, encompassing a mosque, a church, a synagogue, and Ottoman-era bathhouses within the same walls. A marshrutka from Borjomi to Akhaltsikhe takes about an hour.

Vardzia, the extraordinary cave monastery carved into a cliff face in the Mtkvari valley, is about 80 kilometres from Borjomi and requires either a private car or a local tour to reach conveniently. The site dates to the 12th century and comprises hundreds of cave rooms, churches, and frescoed chapels – it is one of Georgia’s most remarkable historic monuments and well worth the effort of organising transport.

Practical Tips for Visiting Borjomi’s Spas

When to go: Borjomi is a year-round destination but the experience differs substantially by season. Summer (June through August) brings the most visitors and the warmest weather, making the park trails and outdoor thermal pools particularly pleasant. Autumn (September and October) is arguably the best time – the forested gorge turns spectacular colours, crowds thin, and the thermal soaking feels more restorative with cool air overhead. Winter visits are entirely viable; the thermal pools are actually more appealing when there’s frost on the ground, and the town takes on a quiet, almost melancholy charm.

What to bring: A towel is essential – most public pools and mid-range spa facilities do not provide them. Flip-flops or water shoes are useful. If you plan to drink the waters seriously (multiple sessions daily over several days), a small ceramic or enamel cup is worth buying from the park vendors – it’s both practical and a nice souvenir. Bring a reusable bag for carrying bottles of water home.

Etiquette at the pools: Borjomi’s thermal facilities are not nightlife venues. Behaviour at the pools is generally quiet and respectful. Swimwear is required at all managed facilities. At informal wild pools, the norms are more relaxed but observe what locals are doing. Photography of other bathers is not appreciated.

Costs: Entry to the public thermal pools in the central park costs a few GEL (under $2 USD). Mid-range spa hotel day passes typically run between $20 and $50 USD depending on what’s included. A single massage or treatment at a boutique spa costs roughly $25 to $60 USD. Sanatorium balneotherapy sessions are often cheaper and sometimes covered by Georgian health insurance, though as a foreign visitor you’ll pay out of pocket – still modest by European standards.

Accommodation: Guesthouses (locally called sakhli) are the most characterful and affordable option, typically costing $20 to $50 USD per night with breakfast. Boutique hotels in restored historic buildings run $60 to $120 USD. The Crowne Plaza sits at the upper end of the local market. Booking ahead is advisable in summer; in the shoulder seasons you can often walk in and negotiate a rate.

Language: Georgian script is unlike any other writing system and takes time to learn, but younger Georgians increasingly speak English, and Russian remains widely understood among older residents. A few words of Georgian – madloba (thank you), gamarjoba (hello) – go a long way in establishing goodwill.

Borjomi is not a destination that announces itself loudly. It asks something of you – a willingness to slow down, to drink from public fountains, to sit in warm water and do nothing in particular for an hour. In return, it offers something rare: a genuine sense of restoration, rooted in a tradition that feels lived-in rather than performed.

Explore more
How to Drink Borjomi Mineral Water Like a Local (and Where to Find the Best Springs)
Borjomi National Park: Complete Hiking and Nature Guide
Borjomi-Kharagauli: Multi-Day Trekking Routes and Wilderness Adventures

📷 Featured image by Vasily Ledovsky on Unsplash.