Bombora Park in Tbilisi: Attractions on Mtatsminda Mountain with City Views
🎢 Amusement Park · ⏱️ 2–5 hours · 📍 Mtatsminda Mountain, 770 m, Tbilisi
🎢 What to Know Before You Visit
| 📍 Address | Mtatsminda Park, Tbilisi (altitude 770 m) |
| 🕐 Opening Hours | Daily ~11:00–21:00 (seasonal, check park.ge) |
| 💰 Park Entrance | Free · Attractions paid by card (1–5 GEL per ride) |
| 🚡 Funicular | From Chonkadze St, 9:00–4:00, ~2.5 GEL daytime / 2 GEL card fee |
| 🚠 Cable Car | From Rustaveli Ave (behind Opera), 12:00–21:00 · 12 GEL (foreigners) / 3 GEL (Georgian citizens) |
| 📞 Phone | +995 577 301 017 |
🧭 Who This Article Is For
Bombora Park is Tbilisi's most famous amusement park and one of the city's key family spots. People come here with kids, to watch the sunset with a panoramic view of the city, and to ride the historic funicular. This article is for tourists who want to know what to expect, how to get there, and what not to miss.
🏔️ A Mountain with History
Tbilisi is surrounded by mountains, and Mtatsminda is the highest of those standing directly over the city. Translated from Georgian, it means "Holy Mountain". It got its name from Father David, one of the 13 Assyrian Fathers who came to preach Christianity in the 6th century; he lived as a hermit in a cave on the slope.
By the 19th century, the mountain had turned into a recreation spot for Tiflis residents. A whole network of restaurants grew on its slopes—and it's no coincidence that Ilf and Petrov mentioned "David's restaurant mountain" in their essays. In the 1930s, the Soviet government established a "Park of Culture and Rest" here, which for a long time bore Stalin's name and became the 3rd most visited park in the entire USSR—only Moscow's Gorky Park was more popular.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the park fell into disrepair. In the early 2000s, it was reconstructed by the Georgian businessman Patarkatsishvili. By 2008, the park was completely transformed: fairy-tale sculptures and new attractions appeared, and the place received a new name—"Bombora", after the character of a popular Georgian cartoon. The plump giant boy from the animation still greets guests at the park entrance as a large sculpture.
🚡 How to Get Up: Funicular and the New Cable Car
Getting up to Mtatsminda is half the experience.
The Tbilisi Funicular was built in 1903–1905 according to the design of Belgian engineer Alphonse Roby. When it first launched, citizens were afraid to ride—the city authorities even paid the first passengers. More than 120 years have passed since then. The route length is 491 meters, the elevation gain is 235 meters, and the incline angle is about 30 degrees. The journey takes 6–7 minutes. The Funicular makes an intermediate stop at the Pantheon, where the middle station and the Church of Saint David are located.
At the end of 2024, a new cable car opened in Tbilisi from Rustaveli Avenue (behind the Opera House) directly to the park—taking just 5 minutes. The eight-seater cabins glide above rooftops and trees, offering phenomenal views. It operates from 12:00 to 21:00. The cost is 12 GEL for foreigners and 3 GEL for Georgian citizens.
You can also walk up via a trail—starting from the lower funicular station through the Pantheon. It's quite steep, but interesting.
🎡 Three Zones: Kids, Family, and Extreme
The park is divided into three zones, which is very convenient: everyone will find something to enjoy.
- Kids Zone — Happy Train, carousels, Bee Jets, a mini pirate ship, Safari Rider water area. Toddlers can be left here for hours.
- Family Zone — House of Horrors (Ghost Castle), Crazy Raft, Bumper Cars, a giant slide, trampolines, a shooting gallery, video games, arcades, and a park train.
- Extreme Zone — Roller coasters, a 62-meter Ferris wheel with air-conditioned cabins, and Rototechno. The Ferris wheel is the park's best observation deck: all of Tbilisi is in the palm of your hand, slowly turning.
In addition to the attractions: a petting zoo, a room of crooked mirrors, sculptures of fairy-tale heroes throughout the territory, Wi-Fi zones, hammocks, and an open stage for concerts.
The Funicular card is used for both transport and paying for rides—top it up at the lower station immediately, as there are few terminals in the park and lines can form. Come on weekdays and before noon: long queues form at the Ferris wheel on hot summer weekends. At sunset, the park changes—Tbilisi below begins to glow, and this is when the views are most beautiful. If walking down through the Pantheon, the trail entrance is on the parking lot side near the upper park entrance, to the right of the station.
🥘 Food in the Park
Restaurants and cafes are scattered throughout the park. The signature spot is the "Funicular" restaurant with panoramic terraces, offering traditional Georgian cuisine and city views that are especially spectacular at night. Open from 13:00.
At the cafe kiosks: Lagidze water in several flavors, Georgian ponchiki (fried donuts), Adjarian khachapuri, cotton candy, ice cream, and souvenirs.
🗺️ How to Get There
1️⃣ Funicular from Chonkadze Street — the lower station is near Rustaveli Avenue, operating from 9:00 to 4:00. You need a card (2 GEL) + fare top-up (~2.5 GEL daytime, 8 GEL at night). The same card works for attractions.
2️⃣ New Cable Car from Rustaveli Ave — the lower station is behind the Tbilisi Opera House. Operates from 12:00 to 21:00. 12 GEL for foreigners, 3 GEL for Georgian citizens. Requires a separate card (2 GEL). 5 minutes and breathtaking views.
3️⃣ By Taxi, Bolt, or Yandex — about 15–20 minutes from the city center, 12–15 GEL. The road up goes through a serpentine; parking is available.
4️⃣ By Bus — routes No. 124 and No. 90 from Liberty Square.
🏛️ The Pantheon and Father David Church: Places to Visit on the Way
The intermediate funicular station is the "Pantheon" stop. Getting off here brings you to one of Tbilisi's quietest and most beautiful places.
The Mtatsminda Pantheon opened in 1929—on the 100th anniversary of Alexander Griboyedov's death. Today there are 49 burials here: writers, poets, politicians, and military figures. Griboyedov's grave, with a tombstone created by his wife Nino Chavchavadze, is one of the city's most touching monuments.
Nearby is the Church of Saint David, built in 1871. According to legend, the holy spring near the church cures infertility, drawing many visitors here.
💬 What Visitors Say
"The best view of Tbilisi opens up precisely from Mtatsminda Mountain. Especially in the evening when the lights turn on. We went up by funicular, rode the Ferris wheel, and sat for a long time in a cafe overlooking the city."
"It's impossible to visit the capital without visiting Bombora Park. Mtatsminda Park is located on a mountain plateau, covers a huge area, and is literally buried in greenery."
"The park is large and very good for walking. The air is much cleaner than below. A lot of people come here just to admire the view."
"Mtatsminda Park in 2025 is a mash-up of retro charm and modern amusement. You can scream on a roller coaster one moment and sip coffee with a view of ancient city rooftops the next."
"A great place to spend a day in Tbilisi, especially with family. The park is clean, well-maintained, and has a relaxed atmosphere."
🏁 Is It Worth Going?
Yes—and not just with kids. A ride on a funicular with a 120-year history, an amusement park with free admission, a 62-meter Ferris wheel over all of Tbilisi, a Pantheon with Griboyedov's grave, and a new cable car with views over the rooftops—this is not just one attraction, but a whole day on the mountain. Bring both kids and adults who are tired of walking tours.
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ℹ️ Park opening hours and prices change seasonally—check park.ge for the current schedule. Information is current at the time of publication.
Have you been to Bombora Park? Did you go up by funicular or have you already tried the new cable car? Which ride did you try, what did you order at the cafe, and which view was the most memorable? Tell us—we read all the comments ❤️
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
💬 It is named after a character from a popular Soviet-era Georgian cartoon—a plump giant boy named Bombora. After the 2008 reconstruction, the park received this name, and a large sculpture of the character was installed at the entrance. Before that, it was known as the "Park of Culture and Rest" and even bore Stalin's name for some time.
💬 No, entrance to the park is free. The funicular ride and each individual attraction are paid separately via a special plastic card. The card can be purchased at the lower funicular station for 2 GEL and topped up with cash through terminals. The same card is used for both the funicular and the attractions. There is also a daily unlimited pass option.
💬 The Funicular (from Chonkadze St) is historical, operating since 1905, makes an intermediate stop at the Pantheon, runs from 9:00 to 4:00, and costs about 2.5 GEL. The new Cable Car (from Rustaveli Ave) opened at the end of 2024, has no intermediate stops, takes 5 minutes, operates from 12:00 to 21:00, and costs 12 GEL for foreigners (3 GEL for Georgian citizens). The views over the rooftops from the cable car are unique.
💬 May–June and September–оctober are optimal times: the weather is pleasant, not too hot, and lines are moderate. In any season, the best time is a weekday before noon. Sunset from the mountain is one of the most beautiful views in Tbilisi, so it's worth staying late.
💬 Get off at the middle funicular station to visit the Pantheon with Griboyedov's grave and other figures, visit the Church of Saint David, and collect water from the holy spring. A hiking trail to the Narikala Fortress along the ridge (the red trail) also starts from the park, while walking down through the Pantheon offers a scenic stroll in the shade of pine trees.
💬 Yes. By taxi or Bolt/Yandex via the mountain road—about 15–20 minutes from the center, costing 12–15 GEL. Buses No. 124 and No. 90 run from Liberty Square. The new cable car from Rustaveli is also available. Walking up is quite steep, but possible via a forest trail.
💬 Yes. Near the upper entrance to Bombora Park (from the parking lot side), there is a sign with a trail map: the red route leads along the ridge from Mtatsminda directly to Narikala. It is a few kilometers long, offers excellent views, but comfortable shoes are required.
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