Located only 50 km apart are two Georgian cities with very different appeals. In one, a fantasy-land castle sparks your imagination of a medieval court with kings and queens. In the other, a peaceful park bubbles with mineral springs and was once a popular Soviet resort town. Often visited on day trips, we found enough to do in both towns to warrant a longer stay. Let us take you on a tour through Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe and the mineral springs in Borjomi.
Akhaltsikhe
Located in southern Georgia, only 15 kilometres from the border with Turkey, Akhaltsikhe’s position put it on medieval trade routes that connected internal Georgia with Turkey. This important location meant it was often the target of attacks by a long list of conquerors and marauders, necessitating a protective fortress.
Rabati Castle
The large double-walled Rabati Castle has a prominent position on a hill above old town and made us excited to explore. The castle dates back to the 9th century, when it was called Lomsiya (Lion). At that time, it only consisted of a few buildings and was used to protect trade routes between Georgia and Turkey. In the 12th century, it was significantly expanded by the Jakeli Dynasty, who established it as their capital. The fortified walls enclosed not only their royal residence but also an entire village. The Jakeli Princes renamed it Akhaltsikhe, which means ‘New Fortress’ in English.
The Jakeli Dynasty remained in the castle for over 200 years, during which time they suffered countless attacks. One of those was by Amir Temur from Uzbekistan, who demolished it. The castle was badly damaged again years later by the Mongols. Its importance on the trading route meant that each time it was destroyed, the castle was rebuilt. By the 16th century, the Ottoman Dynasty ruled the region and rebuilt the fortress once again. They named it Rabati, meaning ‘fortified place’ in Arabic, but the outer town remained Akhaltsikhe. The Ottoman Empire were eventually forced out by the Russians in the early 1800s. As a result of this long Ottoman rule, there is a definite Turkish look to parts of the fortress.
After the Russo-Turkish War ended, Rabati Castle lost its importance and fell into ruin. It wasn’t until 2011 that a massive project began to restore and rebuild Rabati. Today, the results of that work are controversial as it is thought to be a little too Disneyland-like in appearance. Maybe that’s true, but we still loved our visit to Rabati Castle.
Before entering the castle, it’s worth it to walk around its outer wall to see it from many angles. We returned at night when the castle is perfectly lit.
We were already impressed by the massive rampart and thought these walls might be the extent of the castle. Once we stepped inside, we realized that the outer wall was only the beginning. The castle grounds seemed to go on forever with a new surprise at each turn.
The first set of gates leads you to a large, open courtyard enclosed by a wall with several towers in various shapes and sizes. It’s free to enter this area and it has a community feel with a few restaurants patios on the edges.
One of our favourite places in this open courtyard was its upper level. Above the grape vines and manicured hedges, we were awed by this glimpse into the Rabati’s inner grounds. If felt even more magical at night.
A staircase leads from this courtyard to a horseshoe gate which allows you entry to the inner castle. From there, a series of covered colonnades bring you further into the grounds.
There is a fee to enter this area, the ticket office is near the main gate.
Before getting too deep inside the castle, climb up to the top of the walls for a different perspective of the first courtyard. From there you can look also beyond the castle walls, to the hills that make up the landscape.
Now, it’s time to see main area. Standing on the edge of the large garden courtyard, you can appreciate the variety of dynasties that built this castle. With its mix of Georgian and Ottoman towers, passageways and pagodas, there’s a lot to see in this eclectic castle.
It wouldn’t be a Georgian castle without a church. With its more rectangular tower and plain roof, St. George Church is barely recognizable as a Georgian Orthodox church.
The Ottoman influence can be seen in many places including the horseshoe arches and bathhouse.
In the centre of the castle grounds, you can’t miss the golden domed Ahmediya Mosque from Ottoman times. It was likely much more decorated in the day, but its golden dome seems a little out of synch with the rest of the castle décor. The old stone madrasa sits beside it, unadorned.
Inside, the mosque’s brick ceiling is exposed and reminded us of ones we saw in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, an indication of how much these old civilizations interacted. The circular room has tall arches over the windows and an old mihrab in front, but all ornamentation has been removed.
At the highest point, atop a craggy ridge, the medieval-looking Citadel is the most castle-like building in the complex. We could imagine medieval soldiers patrolling its crenellated roof while the princes roamed the inner rooms.
You can’t go inside the tall building, but you can climb up to the top of its tower. Several balconies on the way offer views of the grounds from different heights. From them, you can appreciate Rabati’s assortment of buildings as well as its gardens, ponds and pagodas. Looking the other way, you are treated to a wonderful vista that includes the rugged mountains behind.
There are a few side buildings on the castle grounds that you can wander through. Most are empty shells, but one is hiding a special surprise that shouldn’t be missed. The Recreation Room is decorated with wonderfully carved wooden walls and ceiling, and we’re glad we wandered into it.
What was once the royal palace is now home to the Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum. The building is rather plain, not at all what we expected for a palace. The museum displays artifacts collected in the area, some of which date as far back as Neolithic times. An extra fee is required for entry.
Castle Entrance Fee – 20GEL (€6.30); Opening hours – Summer 9am-10pm, winter 9am-6pm, daily. Museum Entrance Fee – an additional 15GEL (€4.70), Museum Hours – 10am – 5:30pm, closed Mondays.
St. Marine Church
Once you’re done exploring the fortress, walk up the hill to St Marine Church. We had seen it from the castle, and now we wanted a closer look. Its walls boast a few restored frescoes, but the best part is the view from the church looking back to the castle.
Old Akhaltsikhe
Don’t forget to wander between the traditional stone and brick homes in the historic centre of Akhaltsikhe. Located below the castle, the old buildings with wooden balconies add a nice touch to the area. Today, most are locally run hotels and restaurants.
We’re glad we stayed in this area so we could visit that castle in different light throughout the day and night.
Akhaltsikhe Synagogue
There used to be a large Jewish community in Akhaltsikhe, but almost all moved away during the 1970s. Today, the 19th century synagogue is not open for worship. It is apparently is open as a museum, but was closed when we visited. From it though, we had more amazing views of Rabati Castle.
How to visit Rabati Castle
The restored fortress in Akhaltsikhe is often visited on a day trip from Borjomi or Kutaisi, or even as far away as Tbilisi. There are several tours offered from each of these cities. We think Akhaltsikhe is cute on its own though, and is worth at least an overnight stay. Its fairly touristy, but nicely done and we enjoyed it.
Where to stay and eat in Akhaltsikhe
In the streets of Old Akhaltsikhe, below the castle, there are dozens of locally run hotels and guesthouses. Many also have restaurants serving delicious Georgian food. We stayed here for one night and are very glad we did. The town is located at 1,000m (3,280ft) elevation, so the breeze feels a little cooler, but the sun feels just as strong.
Akhaltsikhe is also a great base to visit the popular cave city Vardzia (Coming Soon).
Getting to Akhaltsikhe
If you prefer not to take a day tour, it’s simple to visit Akhaltsikhe on your own. Mini buses (marshrutkas) travel from Borjomi at least once an hour and take 45 minutes. The bus stop is across from the Bus Station, but it will likely stop at other points along the main road too. Marshrutkas travel from Kutaisi’s Central Bus Station four times a day beginning at 8am the last one leaves early in the day at 1pm and takes 4 ½-5 hours. If you’re in Tbilisi, they leave from the marshrutka stand across from Dedube Metro Station several times a day between 6am and 4:45pm and takes 4 ½-5 hours. From Batumi, there are two marshrutkas a day leaving in the morning from the marshrutka station near the old train station. If you have your own car, the drive is quite easy on good roads. Whether from Kutaisi or Tbilisi, the first part of the drive is on the four lane E60 highway, and then follows the two lane Hwy 8.
Borjomi
Fifty kilometres from Akhaltsikhe, the town of Borjomi has an amazing location in the lush Borjomi Gorge. The landscape was created when the Mtkvari River cut out a passageway as it travelled from Turkey, where it’s known as the Kura River. We didn’t plan on it, but have travelled through much of the land that the river runs through in Georgia and Azerbaijan. After entering Georgia, it passes under the cave city of Vardzia, before continuing to Mtskheta , Tbilisi and then emptying into the Caspian Sea south of Baku.
Borjomi was a favourite haunt of elite Russians who came to drink the water and soak in mineral springs. Although locals took advantage of the natural springs since the 700s, they weren’t officially ‘discovered’ until the late 1800s when Russian soldiers happened upon them. It wasn’t much later when Russians began building bathhouses and by 1890, the production of Borjomi water had begun. It is said to be a favourite drink of Georgian native, Stalin.
The water comes from volcanic springs, bubbling up from a depth of 9 to 10 kilometres. It is packed with over 60 minerals, including sodium bicarbonate, potassium, calcium and magnesium and is purported to be good for your health. Today, you can still find Borjomi water in stores across Georgia, and even in some internationally.
The main thing to do in the city, still today, is to soak in the pools and drink mineral water at the resorts or in Borjomi Central Park. The walk from town centre to the park follows the Borjumula River, a tributary of the Mtkvari River. On the way you’ll pass some of those old Russian mansions. Some have been restored, others have not. Golden Tulip hotel is a great example of how the city may have once looked. Built in 1892, the mansion was built by the Iranian Consul to Russia.
After the Russian revolution, Georgia was under Soviet control. Many of the old bathhouses were converted to Soviet Sanatoriums which were frequented by Soviet elites. The town is still popular with Russian tourists, so there are many new resorts in this area too, some built in the old style.
Borjomi Central Park
Located on the edge of town is Borjomi Central Park. A nice walk takes you to the mineral pools located at its far end, passing a few sites on the way. Scattered throughout the first section are water fountains where you can fill up your water bottle with mineral water. The most elaborate one is Ekatarina Springs. You may smell the sulfur even before you see the bright blue gazebo that protects it. Like many of the fountains, Ekatarina draws water from a spring approximately 1,500 m below ground.
One lovely old building we passed was the old hydroelectric plant. The architecture reminded us of the Russian army barracks in Sheki.
After 1 km or so, the paved trail ends and the walk continues through the forest, on an old gravel road. It is very peaceful under the canopy made by pine, linden, birch, fir, hazelnut and hornbeam trees as it follows beside the Borjomula River.
Not many make it this far, unless they’re planning to visit the mineral pools at the end, but that may soon change. We walked by an old amusement park from the 1970s with bumper cars and merry-go-rounds. It appears that this old playground is being replaced by an adventure park with ziplines, swinging bridges and a ropes course. When it’s done, it will be a great place for families.
From the trail, you can see the pretty, double Nano Waterfall streaming down the cliffs. At their base is the strange Soviet Monument of Prometheus, draped in a gold wrap. In Greek mythology, the struggle of Prometheus is believed to have taken place either near Georgia’s Mount Kazbek or Mt. Elbrus, in Russia, both in the nearby Caucasus Mountains. You can read about our visit to Mount Kazbek here and Richard’s climb on Mt. Elbrus here.
Borjomi Sulfur Pools
After walking 3.5 km and gaining 100 m elevation from the park gates, you’ll reach the mineral pools. In the 1800s, they were known as the Czar’s Sulfur Baths. Today, they are simply called Borjomi Sulfur Pools. To be honest, they were quite disappointing. It is just 15 GEL (€4.75) to enter, but there are only 3, very small cement pools in the complex. Making it less appealing, when we were there, it was filled with dozens of kids who were noisily splashing around. For us, this took away from what we thought would be a relaxing soak.
The water in the pools is between 32 and 38C, so not as hot as you would expect. If you’re interested in going inside, make sure you bring your bathing suit and towel. If you don’t want to make the 7 km return walk, you can reach the springs on horseback. The walk, though, was our favourite part of visiting the springs.
Park Entrance – 5 GEL (€1.60), Hours – 6am-8pm, Mineral Springs Entrance – 15 GEL (€4.75), Hours – 7am-8pm daily.
Old Borjomi
During Borjomi’s heyday, the town grew in response to demands from the growing spa industry. There are still a few remnants in town of its prosperity, but since the Soviet Union collapsed, tourism has dropped significantly and the town declined. Today, there are a few heritage buildings, but overall the town is looking quite weathered.
The Soviet influence can still be found by the few mosaics that decorate some of the old buildings in downtown.
As with many towns in Georgia, there are several water fountains. The ones in Borjomi, though, have mineral water. You can fill your bottle for free, but the strong sulfur smell didn’t interest us in trying more than a very small sample.
Other things to do in Borjomi
While tourism hasn’t reached its prior levels, it is growing. As a result, there are a lot of outdoor activities available in Borjomi, including whitewater rafting, horseback riding and 4WD off-road tours in nearby Mtirala National Park. If you come in winter, you’re likely to visit the ski resort town of Bakuriani. You used to be able to reach it by train from Borjomi, but it is not longer operational.
Getting to Borjomi
From Tbilisi, marshrutkas travel several times a day from Dedube Bus Station. They stop in Gori, Borjomi, and some continue on to Akhaltsikhe. Once a day at 8am, a marshrutka travels between Gori and Borjomi. From Kutaisi, marshrutkas leave the Central Bus Station four times a day beginning at 8am the last one leaves early in the day at 1pm and takes 3 hours. There is also a train, twice a from Tbilisi, but it is apparently very slow.
Akhaltsikhe and Borjomi can be found in the lower middle of the map below. It is an interactive map, so you can zoom-in, or click on a marker to find a link to our post from that region.
Where to stay and eat in Borjomi
There are a few hotels and tourist restaurants just outside Borjomi Central Park gates. This is a convenient location if you want to visit the springs several times. We stayed in an apartment in town. Since the city is so small, the location turned out to be good for us.
Click on the link to read our Travel Tips For Georgia.
To read more of our adventures in Georgia, click here.
Coming Next – Exploring The Cave City of Vardzia
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