By Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD · 13/09/2026
Seven kilometres from Kutaisi, Georgia’s second city, lies one of Europe’s most unusual and compelling destinations: Tsqaltubo. A Soviet-era spa resort that peaked in the 1950s and has been slowly, magnificently decaying ever since — while its mineral springs continue to flow at a constant 33–35°C, as they have for centuries.
I visit Tsqaltubo every two or three years. As a doctor, I find it professionally interesting. As a traveller, I find it unlike anywhere else on earth.
The Water: What Makes Tsqaltubo Special
The mineral water of Tsqaltubo is classified as weakly radioactive radon-bicarbonate-chloride water. It emerges naturally at body temperature, which means bathing requires no heating. The scientific literature — including a paper published in the Georgian Medical Journal — documents its therapeutic applications for musculoskeletal conditions, cardiovascular disease, and nervous system disorders.
This is not wellness tourism marketing. This is peer-reviewed balneology.
Stalin’s Bath: History You Can Touch
Stalin bathed here. His private bathhouse — a grand neoclassical structure built to his personal specifications — is still standing, still functioning, and open to visitors. It is one of the most extraordinary historical experiences available in Georgia: bathing in the same marble pools used by one of the 20th century’s most consequential figures, in a building that has barely changed since the 1940s.
The Soviet Sanatoriums: Magnificent Decay
At Tsqaltubo’s peak, 125,000 patients per year came here for treatment. Fifteen enormous sanatoriums were built to accommodate them — grand neoclassical and Stalinist Empire structures with ballrooms, colonnade walkways, and private mineral bath suites. Most are now abandoned, overtaken by vegetation, their corridors silent. Several are operational.
The Military Sanatorium is particularly recommended — it is open to all (no military affiliation required), well-maintained, and offers the full range of mineral bath treatments at very reasonable prices.
The Market: Georgian Food at Its Most Genuine
Tsqaltubo’s local market is one of my favourite places in Georgia. Fresh Imeretian cheese. Seasonal vegetables. Good meat. This is not a tourist market — it is where local families buy food. The cheese alone is worth the trip.
Practical Information
Getting there: 7km from Kutaisi (15 minutes by taxi, approx. 15 GEL). Kutaisi has an international airport with direct flights from many European cities.
Accommodation: Operational sanatoriums offer rooms from 80–150 GEL per night, often including breakfast and mineral bath access.
Best time: May–October for most comfortable weather. Treatments are available year-round.
How long: Minimum 5–7 days to experience the therapeutic effect of the mineral baths. Weekend visits are possible but the benefit is cumulative.
Visit Tsqaltubo with GTour
We can arrange transfers from Kutaisi or Tbilisi, sanatorium bookings, and guided visits to the historical bathhouses. Contact us for details.
