The short answer: Tskaltubo is a spa town about 9 km from Kutaisi, built around warm radon-carbonate springs[1]. In Soviet times it had 19 sanatoriums and nine bathhouses and drew huge numbers of visitors; after 1991 most closed[1]. Today you can walk among grand, decaying buildings, bathe in a working Soviet bathhouse and see Stalin's private bath, if you're allowed in. Be aware that access changes fast: several buildings have been sold and fenced, one of the most photographed was closed after a visitor was injured in July 2026, and some still have residents.
A short history
Tskaltubo's springs come out of the ground at 33–35 °C, warm enough to use without heating[1]. In the Soviet period the town became one of the USSR's major spa resorts, treating circulation, joint, nerve and skin conditions with radon baths, and later with "speleotherapy" in the nearby caves[1]. It had its own railway line and a formal central park laid out around the bathhouses. Bathhouse No. 6 was built in 1950 with a private suite for Stalin[1].
When the Soviet Union collapsed, the flow of state-funded patients stopped and visitor numbers collapsed with it[1]. Then, during the war in Abkhazia in 1992–93, thousands of people forced from their homes were housed in the empty sanatoriums; Wikipedia puts the number at about 9,000[1]. Many lived there for decades.
Tskaltubo today
- Residents: most displaced families were moved to new apartment blocks around 2023, but about a dozen families still lived in Sanatorium Metalurgi in 2026[2]. It is their home, not a ruin.
- Sold and fenced: since 2022 many sanatoriums have been sold at state auction[3]. Iveria is fenced off, Shakhtiori is private property, and Sanatorium Tbilisi is being rebuilt as a hotel, with no entry[2].
- Medea closed: Sanatorium Medea, the one with the great columned hall that appears in most photographs, was taped off and guarded after a tourist was injured inside in July 2026[2].
- Working baths: Bathhouse No. 6 and Bathhouse No. 2 still offer treatments[2]. At No. 6 you can ask at reception to see Stalin's bath; sometimes the answer is yes[2].
- Tskaltubo Spa Resort is the one substantially restored complex[2], with a paid tour of its public rooms.
What to see
The central park
The park links the bathhouses and several sanatoriums. It is pleasant to walk, with fountains, colonnades and the façades of the old buildings visible through the trees, and it doesn't require entering anything.
Bathhouse No. 6
A working bathhouse where you can book a radon bath and, with luck, see the mosaic-lined room kept for Stalin[2]. Anyone with health conditions should take advice before bathing: radon baths are a medical treatment, not a swim.
The empty sanatoriums
From the outside, the columns, staircases and overgrown gardens are the reason most people come. Some buildings are still open to walk into, others fenced; what is possible changes from month to month[2]. In 2023, Sakartvelo, Metalurgi, Gelati, Imereti, Savane and Aia were among those visitors could still walk around[3], but check on the day rather than relying on any list.
Tskaltubo Spa Resort
If you'd rather see a sanatorium that has been looked after, the Tskaltubo Spa Resort runs a paid tour of its concert hall, a small Soviet-era museum and the suite once kept for Stalin[3]. It gives you an idea of what the whole town looked like at its height, which makes the ruins easier to picture.
Safety and respect
- Buildings are unsafe. Floors, stairs and ceilings are rotten in places. Look where you step and above your head, and wear closed shoes[3]. A visitor was injured at Medea in 2026[2]; don't climb onto roofs or balconies.
- Obey fences and guards. Sold buildings are private property. If there is a fence, tape or a guard, stay out.
- Respect residents. Don't enter inhabited buildings or photograph people or their homes without permission[3].
- Dogs: stray and guard dogs live around some buildings[3].
- Drones and noisy groups are unwelcome, especially near where people live.
Photography tips
- Soft, overcast light suits the interiors better than harsh sun.
- A wide lens helps in the big halls and stairwells; a tripod is awkward and draws attention.
- Ask before photographing anyone, and leave inhabited buildings out of your pictures.
How to fit it in
Tskaltubo is about 15 minutes from Kutaisi[3], and close to Prometheus Cave, so it fits easily into a western Georgia day. Two or three hours is enough for the park, a bathhouse and a look at the sanatoriums from outside; photographers may want longer. It works in any season, and a grey winter day suits the atmosphere. Combine it with the churches in our guide to Motsameta and the churches around Kutaisi, or with the dinosaur footprints at Sataplia.
If Soviet buildings interest you, Tbilisi has more: see Soviet modernist architecture in Tbilisi.
Who it suits, and who it doesn't
Tskaltubo appeals to photographers, people interested in Soviet history, and anyone curious about a town halfway between decay and reinvention. It doesn't suit young children, anyone unsteady on their feet, or travellers expecting a polished spa resort; the working bathhouses are functional rather than luxurious.
Seeing Tskaltubo with us
None of our set tours stops in Tskaltubo, but it is easy to add from Kutaisi. The Prometheus Cave and Martvili Canyon day from Kutaisi passes close by, and we can add an hour or two in Tskaltubo on request, or plan it as a separate half day. The Western Georgia 6-day tour starts with Prometheus and a night in Kutaisi, and Tskaltubo fits the first afternoon. All trips are private, with your own car and English-speaking driver-guide, who keeps to what's open and safe on the day. See each tour page for the current price, or build your own western Georgia route. Nothing to pay now.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Tsqaltubo": en.wikipedia.org
- Wander-Lush, "The Ultimate Guide to Tskaltubo" (updated August 2026): wander-lush.org
- Red Fedora Diary, "Tskaltubo: how to visit the Soviet sanatoriums": redfedoradiary.com
Last checked: September 2026. Which buildings are open, fenced or under reconstruction changes often; we check before your visit.
