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Likani Romanov Palace, Borjomi

The red-and-cream brick Romanov Palace in Likani with its belvedere tower and a white balustraded terrace above a long stone staircase
Photo: Kober, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free, outside view only
Hours
Closed to visitors (restoration); the façade is visible from outside at any time — best in daylight
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
30 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Inside
Closed — under restoration, no reopening date announced
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Grounds
Closed: Borjomi Likani resort security usually turns tourists away
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Outside view
Free, from the road and the fence
Time needed
20–30 minutes on site
From the centre
≈ 3 km: taxi ≈ 10 min, walk ≈ 40 min
Taxi fare
About 5–7 GEL one way — unofficial
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Meskheti St, Likani, Borjomi
Coordinates
41.82799, 43.36432YesGo MapGoogleApple
On the way
Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park visitor centre, 23 Meskheti St

Key facts

Closedno entry to the building or grounds — restoration under way, a museum is planned
3 sourcesBorjomi Likani Resort websiteEurasia.travelOpenStreetMap
1892–1895built as a summer villa (English Wikipedia gives completion as 1895–1898)
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaAdvantourEurasia.travel
Leon Benoisthe architect
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaHidden Europe
Nicholas Mikhailovichthe grand duke and grandson of Nicholas I who commissioned it
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaEurasia.travel
Moorish stylefaçades — an oriental-looking villa above the Kura
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaEurasia.travelAdvantour
1871Borjomi estate granted to Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich, the builder's father
SourceEnglish Wikipedia (Borjomi)
Hydropowerone of the first hydroelectric plants in the Russian Empire was built to light the palace
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Stalinstayed here in Soviet times, when it became a state retreat
3 sourcesEnglish WikipediaHidden EuropeEurasia.travel
Prokudin-Gorskyphotographed the palace in colour in the early 20th century
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
National Museumof Georgia keeps some of the palace furniture
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia

Can you visit the Romanov Palace in Borjomi?

Only from the outside. The Borjomi Likani resort, which owns the grounds, says the palace is under renovation and will open later — without a date. OpenStreetMap tags it as a future museum. The park around it is off-limits too: resort security lets in its own guests and decides case by case.

Older guides describe tours of Stalin's study and the “butterfly bedroom”, written when the palace was the Georgian president's summer residence. Treat those as out of date.

What's left is the view. The tower, the terrace and the brick façade are visible from Meskheti Street and the fence, and photos from outside are fine. No ticket, no booking, no cost.

How to get to the Romanov Palace

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. Start at the Borjomi Central Park gates by the Ekaterina spring on 9 April Street.
  2. Head to Meskheti Street (Meskheti St) and follow it west along the Kura — it's the road towards Akhaltsikhe.
  3. On the way you pass the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park visitor centre at 23 Meskheti St — worth a stop for trail maps.
  4. Keep going on the same road to Likani: the towered palace stands behind the resort fence. About 3 km, roughly 40 minutes on foot.
  5. Rather not walk? Order a Bolt (card payment in the app; cars in Borjomi can be few) or take a local taxi — about 10 minutes. Local minibuses (marshrutkas) to Likani leave from the start of Meskheti St; pay the driver in cash, in lari.
  6. Come back the same way. There are no cafés or toilets at the palace, so plan snacks in town.

Is the Likani Palace worth it?

Yes, if you're heading to the national park anyway or you like architecture and the Romanov story in Georgia. The walk along Meskheti Street is pleasant, the palace is Borjomi's most striking building, and the façade photographs well in daylight.

No, if you have a single day and want interiors. You won't get in, and you won't get close. Spend the time in the Central Park, at the sulphur baths or in the local history museum.

A short history of the palace

The villa was built in 1892–1895 for Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich, a grandson of Nicholas I and a serious historian. His family had held Borjomi since 1871, when the estate was granted to his father, Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich. Nicholas picked Likani, the forested western edge of the resort above the Kura, for his summer house.

The St Petersburg architect Leon Benois gave it Moorish façades, a belvedere tower and wood-panelled rooms. To light it, one of the first hydroelectric plants in the Russian Empire was built nearby.

After the revolution the owner was shot and the palace became a state retreat for the party elite. Stalin stayed here; legend says he hammered nails into the panelling for his cap and coat. Some of the furniture is now in the National Museum of Georgia in Tbilisi.

What you can see from outside

  • The Moorish façade — red brick, cream bands and arched windows.
  • The belvedere tower, visible from the road well before you arrive.
  • The white balustraded terrace and the long stone staircase through clipped hedges.
  • The Kura river below and the pine-covered slopes of the Borjomi gorge around it.
  • The former sanatorium buildings next door — some already restored and back in use by the resort.

Before you go: checklist

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Romanov Palace vs Central Park vs the local museum

Romanov Palaceyou are hereA grand duke's 1890s villaNo, outside onlyLikani, 3 km from the centre20–30 min + the tripArchitecture and photos
Central ParkSpa park with mineral springsYesTown centre1.5–2 hEveryone
Local history museumMuseum of the resort's historyYesTown centre≈ 1 hHistory lovers

Short on time? Choose the park. The palace works best as part of a walk towards the national park.

Historic sights in Borjomi compared

Every historic sight in Borjomi rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Villa Firuza (Mirza Riza Khan House)4515 minFree41 min walk
Likani Palace (Romanov Palace)you are here4230 minFree—
Borjomi Museum of Local Lore371 h3–5 GEL33 min walk
Borjomi Central Park362 h≈ 5 GEL (unofficial)42 min walk
Green Monastery (Mtsvane)3645 minFree4.9 km
Timotesubani Monastery3145 minFree12.9 km
Kukushka Train (Borjomi–Bakuriani Railway)304 hNot running; new fare not announced40 min walk
Rabati Castle212 h20 GEL for foreign visitors38.1 km

Romanov Borjomi in half a day

The palace on the edge of town, the national park visitor centre on the way back, then the park and the sulphur baths at its far end. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Likani Palace (Romanov Palace)you are here30 min · Free, outside view only
  2. 20 min walk from the previous stopBorjomi-Kharagauli National Park4 h · Free entry, registration required
  3. 30 min walk from the previous stopBorjomi Central Park2 h · ≈ 5 GEL (unofficial)
  4. 42 min walk from the previous stopBorjomi Sulphur Baths1 h 30 min · ≈ 5–10 GEL plus park entry

4 places · about 9 h 32 min with walks · 92 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park

Borjomi, Georgia

4 h · Free entry, registration required · 20 min walk

How to do it right

  • The best view of the façade is from Meskheti Street in daylight; don't linger at the fence — it's a guarded property.
  • Walk out and take a taxi back: you see the gorge and save your legs for the evening.
  • Pair the palace with the national park visitor centre — it's on the way.
  • Cards work in most Borjomi shops and cafés, but minibuses are cash only — carry a few lari.
  • Want to see inside somewhere? Try the local history museum in town instead.

Questions

Can you go inside the Romanov Palace in Borjomi?

Not at the moment. It is under restoration and stands on the closed grounds of the Borjomi Likani resort. You can only see it from outside.

How do I get to the Likani Palace from Borjomi?

Follow Meskheti Street west from the Central Park area, about 3 km: 40 minutes on foot or 10 by Bolt or taxi. Local marshrutkas to Likani also run.

Is the Romanov Palace in Borjomi worth visiting?

If you're walking towards the national park or love architecture, yes. If you have one day and want interiors, spend it in the park and the museum instead.

How much does it cost to visit the Romanov Palace?

Nothing — there are no tickets because it's closed. Viewing from outside is free.

Who built the Likani Palace?

Architect Leon Benois, for Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich Romanov, in 1892–1895.

Is it the Georgian president's residence?

It served as the president's summer residence after independence. Today it is under restoration on the Borjomi Likani resort grounds, with a museum planned.

Did Stalin stay at the Romanov Palace?

Yes, in Soviet times it was a state retreat and Stalin stayed there. The story of the nails for his cap and coat is a legend.

Is Likani Palace the same as the EcoRest Likani Palace hotel?

No. The hotel is a separate building that borrows the name; the historic Romanov villa is closed to visitors.

How long do I need at the Romanov Palace?

20–30 minutes on site, plus about an hour for the walk there and back.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Likani Villa, Likani Palace, Borjomi; Wikidata Q16642125
  • OpenStreetMap: Romanov Palace, Meskheti St, Likani — building, coordinates, “proposed museum” tag
  • Borjomi Likani Resort: About page — palace under renovation
  • Eurasia.travel: The Romanov Palace (Likani Palace) — access, security, getting there
  • Advantour: Romanov Palace near Borjomi
  • Hidden Europe: A Georgian Vichy
  • Red Fedora Diary: Things to do in Borjomi, updated 20.03.2026 — minibuses and Bolt
  • Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia — Borjomi-Kharagauli visitor centre, 23 Meskheti St
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThe palace has no official hours or tickets because it is closed; the restoration status comes from the Borjomi Likani resort itself, and the closed grounds from Eurasia.travel and Red Fedora Diary, so the access rows are marked “verifying”. Build dates differ — Russian Wikipedia gives 1892–1895, English Wikipedia completion in 1895–1898; we use 1892–1895, which Advantour and Eurasia.travel support. Sources also differ on the hydro plant's year (1898 or January 1899), so we leave the year out. We could not confirm the palace is still a presidential residence, so we describe that in the past tense. The taxi fare is unofficial. Coordinates are from OpenStreetMap: the Wikidata point sits at the park gates.

Top YesGo picks: Borjomi

Borjomi Central Park

Borjomi, Georgia

2 h · ≈ 5 GEL (unofficial)

Green Monastery (Mtsvane)

Borjomi, Georgia

45 min · Free; donations welcome

Borjomi Sulphur Baths

Borjomi, Georgia

1 h 30 min · ≈ 5–10 GEL plus park entry

Timotesubani Monastery

Borjomi, Georgia

45 min · Free; donations welcome

Rabati Castle

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