- The Tbilisi sulphur baths are hot-spring bathhouses in Abanotubani, below Narikala. They feel best on a cold evening between November and February.
- A single-sex public hall costs about 6-10 GEL (about $2-4) per person in 2026. A private room for your group costs about 130-300 GEL (about $50-115) an hour, and suites run to about 600 GEL (about $230).
- Book private rooms a few days ahead for evenings, weekends and the holiday weeks around New Year and 7 January. Weekday mornings are the easiest time to walk in.
- A visit means a warm shower, short spells in water of roughly 38-40°C, the cold pool and a kisi scrub for about 10-30 GEL (about $4-12), often paid to the attendant in cash.
- Pregnant women and anyone with heart or blood pressure trouble should skip the hot pool or ask a doctor first.
The Tbilisi sulphur baths are a small group of old bathhouses in Abanotubani, where hot spring water rises under brick domes at the foot of Narikala. You can soak in a cheap single-sex public hall, or rent a private room by the hour with a hot pool, a cold pool and an attendant for a kisi scrub. Americans call them the sulfur baths; the water is the same. Winter is the best season. When the air is near freezing and steam drifts from the domes, an hour in the hot water warms you to the bone.
This guide explains what the springs are, how public and private bathing differ, how to pick a bathhouse by type and what each part of a visit costs in 2026. Then come booking, packing, house rules and who should stay out of the hot pool. It ends with a half-day walk that links the baths to the Old Town, the Leghvtakhevi waterfall and Narikala. Prices were checked in October 2026 and change often, so confirm them when you book.
Why winter is the season for the sulphur baths in Tbilisi
For Tbilisi families, the baths have long been a cold-weather habit. From November to February the city is quiet, and a bath is the quickest way to thaw out after a day on the cobbles.
- The cold: in December and January, Tbilisi afternoons reach only about 7-8°C and nights drop close to 0°C. Hot water against frosty air is the whole appeal.
- The dark: the sun sets at about 17:30 in December. A slot just after dusk fills the gap between sightseeing and a late Georgian dinner.
- The steam: on frosty mornings and evenings you see vapour rising from the small vents on top of the domes. In summer it hardly shows.
- The crowds: weekdays in November, late January and February are calm. The New Year week, Orthodox Christmas on 7 January and every Friday to Sunday evening are the busy times.
In July or August, take a morning slot and keep each soak short. Our Tbilisi weather page has the monthly figures, and a separate guide covers Tbilisi in winter.
What the baths are: hot springs, brick domes and a city named for warm water
Deep under the Old Town, water heated inside the earth works its way up through cracks in the rock and surfaces beside the Mtkvari river. It carries hydrogen sulphide. That gives it the smell of bad eggs, and it leaves your skin feeling smooth. The springs named the capital too: in Georgian, tbili means warm.
Legend credits the find to King Vakhtang Gorgasali during a 5th-century hunt with his falcon. In the 10th century the Arab geographer Ibn Hawqal described baths in the city whose water was hot with no fire under it. By the Middle Ages, records counted dozens of bathhouses.
Most of what you see today dates from the 17th to the 19th century. The bath rooms are sunk below street level, so only their brick domes rise above the square. Each dome has a small glazed opening that lets daylight in and steam out. The one showy exception is Chreli Abano, the Orbeliani bath, whose tiled front looks more like a mosque than a bathhouse.
Alexander Pushkin bathed in Tbilisi in 1829. In Journey to Arzrum he wrote that neither Russia nor Turkey had shown him "anything more luxurious than the Tiflis baths".
How the Tbilisi sulphur baths work: public hall or private room
Every bathhouse sells time by the hour, but there are two very different ways to bathe.
| Public hall | Private room | |
|---|---|---|
| Who shares it | Strangers of the same sex | Only your group: a couple, friends or a family |
| Price, 2026 | about 6-10 GEL (about $2-4) each | about 130-300 GEL (about $50-115) per room per hour; budget rooms from about 70 GEL (about $27), suites up to about 600 GEL (about $230) |
| What is inside | Changing area, showers and a shared hot pool (a women's side may have no pool) | Sitting room, shower, toilet, hot pool and cold plunge pool; larger rooms often add a sauna |
| Dress | Customs vary: some regulars bathe nude, others wear swimwear or a towel | Your choice, since the door locks |
| Booking | Walk in | Book ahead, above all for evenings and weekends |
| Best for | Solo travellers on a budget who want the local version | Couples, mixed groups, families and first visits |
A private room is priced per room, not per head, so a group of four splits the bill. Most rooms take two to about eight people, and the big ones cost more. Most first-time visitors take a private room. It is also the only way for a couple or a family to bathe together.
Only a couple of public halls still work in Abanotubani, and one was reported closed for refurbishment in 2026. They are plain, busy with regulars and strict about phones, which stay in the locker.
Tbilisi bathhouses compared: Chreli Abano, Orbeliani and the other types
About ten bathhouses work in Abanotubani, plus a few elsewhere in the city. Most offer the same hot pool, cold pool and scrub. They differ in decor, price and how much English the front desk speaks. Choose the type first, then compare room photos.
| Type | Example | Private room per hour, 2026 | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Showpiece | Chreli Abano (the Orbeliani bath) | about 130-600 GEL (about $50-230) | You want the famous tiled building, online booking and smooth service |
| Traditional domed rooms | Gulo's, the Royal Bath, Bohema | about 70-300 GEL (about $27-115) | You want brick vaults, mosaics and an old Tiflis mood |
| Modern spa style | King Erekle's Bath | about 200-400 GEL (about $77-155) | You like marble, a lounge and hotel-style polish |
| Public hall | Bathhouse No. 5 | about 6-10 GEL (about $2-4) in the public hall; private rooms from about 120 GEL (about $46) | You want the cheap, local version |
| Outside the old district | Lisi Bath, by Lisi Lake | public hall about 20-22 GEL (about $8); private rooms from about 100 GEL (about $38) | You stay in Saburtalo or Vake, or want a lake walk too |
Chreli Abano, the Orbeliani bath
This is the bathhouse on every postcard, at the top of Abano Street. The interior was fully renovated a few years ago, so it feels newer than its old tiled front suggests. It runs to a tight schedule: you book online, pay at the desk before you go in, and pay the scrub attendant separately. It is the dearest choice and the hardest to get on a winter weekend.
Traditional bathhouses
Smaller, often family-run houses keep the vaulted ceilings, old tiles and wall mosaics. Most take bookings by phone, WhatsApp or Facebook. Ask for photos of the rooms, because two rooms in the same house can be very different.
Modern, or outside the centre
King Erekle's Bath has the same owners as Chreli Abano. It reopened in 2023 after a full rebuild and feels like a hotel spa. Across town, Lisi Bath opened in 2014 on the shore of Lisi Lake, ~11 km from Abanotubani, with saunas in the Nordic style.
How to visit the sulphur baths: booking a slot, and when to book ahead
- Pick your hour
The standard booking is one hour. Late afternoon and evening slots, from about 16:00 to 21:00, go first. Weekday mornings before noon are the quietest. - Book with the bathhouse
Chreli Abano and a few others take online bookings and may confirm your phone number by text. Smaller baths answer on WhatsApp, Facebook or the phone. Ask the price per hour, the room size and the cost of extras. - Book early in busy weeks
For a Friday to Sunday evening, book two or three days ahead. For the New Year week, Orthodox Christmas and Old New Year on 13-14 January, book a week or more ahead. In quiet weeks a day's notice is usually enough. - Arrive 15-20 minutes early
Use the time to pay, collect towels and slippers, and order tea or a scrub. Rooms run back to back, so a late arrival loses minutes, and a slot can be given away. - Carry ID and some cash
An online booking may be checked against your passport. Most desks take cards, but scrubs and tips are usually paid in lari notes.
In 2026 most bathhouses start taking guests at about 08:00 or 09:00 and close around 23:00. A few keep going until 02:00 or 03:00. Hours change by house and by season, so confirm them when you book.
What happens inside: the soak, the kisi scrub and the cold pool
In a private room, staff show you in, close the door and leave you to it.
- Change and shower
Leave your things in the dry sitting room and take a warm shower before you get into the pool. If you booked a scrub, keep the door unlocked so the attendant can come in. - Soak in short spells
The hot pool usually holds water of roughly 38-40°C. Stay in for about five minutes, then sit out, sip water or dip into the cold pool. Keep your head above the water. - Have the kisi scrub
About halfway through, the attendant, called a mekise, arrives with a coarse mitt. Ten to fifteen minutes of firm rubbing lifts off a surprising amount of dead skin. A rinse and a wash with a cloth bag of soap foam follow. Ask for a lighter touch if it stings. - Go back to the water
Shower again and use the last 20 minutes for more hot and cold rounds. Staff usually knock or call about ten minutes before your time is up. - Dress and cool down
Dry off, use the hairdryer and sit for a few minutes. Some baths bring tea, and others charge for it.
| Extra | Price, 2026 | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Kisi scrub, with or without a soap massage | about 10-30 GEL (about $4-12) per person | Often paid to the attendant in cash |
| Longer massage | about 30-65 GEL (about $12-25) | Mostly at the larger and modern bathhouses |
| Your own new mitt | about 20 GEL (about $8) | Yours to keep; otherwise the house mitt is used |
| Towel hire | about 2-5 GEL (about $1-2) | Slippers are often free |
| Tea | free to about 10 GEL (about $4) | Order it when you arrive |
Men usually scrub men and women scrub women. In a mixed couple, the man may be asked to step out during his partner's scrub.
What to bring to the baths, and what to leave at the hotel
- Swimwear you do not mind spoiling. The water can stain dark fabric and leaves a smell for a while. Women who want a scrub find a bikini easier.
- Flip-flops with grip, even if slippers are on offer. Wet tiles are slick.
- A light towel or a thin cotton wrap, if you prefer your own to a hired one.
- A bottle of cold water. The heat dries you out faster than you expect.
- A plastic bag for wet swimwear.
- Lari in small notes for the scrub, the tea and a tip.
- No silver. Take off rings and chains first, since the minerals in the water darken silver very quickly.
Bath etiquette, and who should skip the hot pool
House rules
- Shower before you enter any pool, in a public hall or a private room.
- Keep your voice down in public halls, and never take photos there. In your own room, photos are fine.
- Do not drink the bath water or put your head under it.
- Skip alcohol before and during the bath. Save the wine for dinner.
Who should skip, or ask a doctor first
Water at around 40°C makes the heart work harder and lowers blood pressure. Short dips suit most healthy adults, but some people need care.
- Heart conditions, or high or unstable blood pressure: ask your doctor before you go. Keep spells very short, and get out at once if you feel dizzy.
- Pregnancy: health services advise against hot tubs at this heat, above all in the early months. Many bathhouses tell pregnant women not to bathe, and some may turn you away.
- Children: they are welcome in private rooms, and we know of no fixed age limit. Small bodies overheat fast, so keep their dips quick, use the cold pool and stay within reach. Ask the bathhouse when you book.
- Cuts, fresh tattoos, sunburn, skin infections or a fever: wait until they heal, or at least skip the scrub.
- Anyone unsteady on their feet: floors are wet and the stairs down are steep.
Foreign visitors to Georgia need travel health insurance by law, worth at least 30,000 GEL in cover. A slip on wet tiles is the likeliest accident at the baths, so keep your policy details on your phone.
Combine the baths with the Old Town, the waterfall and Narikala
Abanotubani lies at the low end of the Old Town, so a bath makes the perfect last stop of a walk. This winter half day starts after lunch and ends in hot water.
- 13:30 Down through the Old Town
Walk from Freedom Square past Sioni Cathedral to the bath district, about 15 minutes downhill. - 14:00 Leghvtakhevi waterfall
A paved path climbs beside the stream from the bath square to the 22-metre fall in about ten minutes. The stones stay wet in winter, so wear shoes with grip. - 14:45 Up to Narikala
Climb the stairs from the baths to the fortress in about 15 minutes, or cross to Rike Park and take the cable car. By 15:30 the winter sun is low and golden on the walls. - 16:15 The view from Metekhi
Come back down and cross the river to Metekhi Church. From its terrace you see the domes and the fortress together. - 17:00 Your bath
Book a private room for 17:00 or 17:30. In December that is just as the sun goes and the cold bites. One hour is plenty. - 18:30 Dinner
The Old Town and Sololaki are a short walk away. Tbilisi dines late, so you will not be early.
For the rest of your stay, see our things to do in Tbilisi guide and the Tbilisi itinerary.
On our private Tbilisi walking tour your guide walks this route with you and can arrange the bath and a wine supper as extras. No fixed departures: name a day, come solo or as a crowd, and we send a guide fluent in your language.
With three days, the Tbilisi City Break adds two nights in a boutique hotel near the Old Town, a private bath, Mtatsminda and a morning in Mtskheta.
Tbilisi sulphur baths: FAQ
How much do the Tbilisi sulphur baths cost in 2026?
Entry to a public hall is about 6-10 GEL (about $2-4). Private rooms are priced per hour for the whole room, at about 130-300 GEL (about $50-115). Budget rooms start near 70 GEL and suites reach about 600 GEL (about $230). A kisi scrub is extra, at about 10-30 GEL (about $4-12).
Which is the best sulfur bath in Tbilisi?
There is no single best. Chreli Abano, the Orbeliani bath, is the most famous and polished, and also the dearest. Traditional houses such as Gulo's or the Royal Bath feel older and cost less. Bathhouse No. 5 has the cheapest public hall.
Do I need to book the sulphur baths in advance?
For a private room, yes, on evenings, weekends and holiday weeks. Two or three days' notice usually covers a weekend, and a week covers New Year. Public halls do not take bookings.
Do you wear a swimsuit in the Tbilisi sulfur baths?
In a private room it is up to you. In the single-sex public halls some regulars bathe nude and others keep swimwear on, so bring a suit and follow the room. Women having a scrub may be asked to take off a bikini top.
How long should you stay in a sulphur bath?
Book one hour. Inside, soak for about five minutes at a time with breaks in between. Leave the pool if you feel dizzy or your heart races.
Can children go to the sulphur baths in Tbilisi?
Yes, in a private room. Keep their dips short and stay close, because children overheat faster than adults. Ask the bathhouse about any age rule when you book.
Are the Tbilisi bathhouses open in winter?
Yes, they work all year, and winter is their busiest season. Most run from roughly 8 or 9 in the morning until 11 at night, and a few close later.
