Tskaltubo
Soviet-era spa town near Kutaisi with warm radon baths, a large park and grand sanatoriums, some restored and many abandoned.
TskaltuboPhoto: Paata vardanashvili, CC BY-SA 4.0Tskaltubo is a small spa town about 10 km north-west of Kutaisi, built around mineral springs that rise naturally at 33 to 35°C. In Soviet times it was one of the best-known health resorts in the USSR, and its central spa park is ringed by grand neoclassical bathhouses and sanatoriums from the mid 20th century. Many closed after 1991, and since 1993 some have housed families displaced from Abkhazia. The result is an odd, photogenic mix of working baths, new hotels and decaying palaces among the trees.
You can still take the waters. Several bathhouses offer short radon baths and treatments, including Bathhouse No. 6, built in 1950 for Stalin. Walk the spa park, look at the colonnaded buildings around it, and photograph the abandoned sanatoriums from the outside. Tskaltubo is also the closest town to Prometheus Cave and Sataplia, which makes it a calm alternative base to Kutaisi.
History
Tskaltubo was declared a medical resort in the 1920s and grew rapidly under Soviet rule, gaining town status in 1953. At its peak about 125,000 visitors a year came for its radon waters, and in 1950 a private bathhouse was built for Stalin. After independence the visitors almost vanished, and from 1993 many sanatoriums became homes for people displaced by the war in Abkhazia. A slow revival is under way, with restored baths and new hotels.
What to see and do
- Radon baths in the historic bathhouses, including No. 6
- The central spa park and its colonnaded buildings
- Abandoned Soviet sanatoriums such as the Medea
- A quiet base for Prometheus Cave and Sataplia
How to visit
Getting there
About 10 km north-west of Kutaisi, 15 to 20 minutes by car. Marshrutkas run frequently from Kutaisi. Prometheus Cave is 10 minutes away.
When to go
Year-round; spring and autumn for walking. Plan half a day, or several days for spa treatments here.
- Some sanatoriums are still homes to displaced families: do not enter uninvited and ask before photographing people
- Abandoned buildings can be structurally unsafe, so stay outside
- Bring a swimsuit and towel for the baths
Tskaltubo: FAQ
Can you still bathe in Tskaltubo?
Yes. Several bathhouses, including No. 6, offer baths and treatments in the naturally warm radon water. Sessions are short, and staff will advise if you have health concerns.
Is it safe to explore the abandoned sanatoriums in Tskaltubo?
Take care. Some buildings are in poor structural condition, and others are still lived in by displaced families. Photograph from outside and keep a respectful distance unless invited in.
Nearby places
Straight-line distance from Tskaltubo.
