Tskaltubo is a spa town in Imereti, 10 km from Kutaisi. It holds two worlds at once: working radon baths where water flows at a constant +33–35 °C, and dozens of grand Stalin-era sanatoriums now abandoned — a cult destination for urban-exploration photography. It's about 3.5–4 hours from Tbilisi, or 20 minutes from Kutaisi. Below: which sanatoriums are worth it, how the baths work, and how to plan the trip.
Why is Tskaltubo famous?
Tskaltubo's fame began with its water, not its ruins. The local radon springs surface at around +33–35 °C — already at bathing temperature, no heating needed. In Soviet times up to 125,000 people came each year, and Stalin had his own bath No. 6, reached by a dedicated railway spur from Abkhazia.
In the 1950s some twenty sanatoriums were built around the springs — colonnades, stucco, fountains and grand staircases. After the USSR collapsed the resort emptied, and in the 1990s refugees from Abkhazia moved into part of the buildings, where they still live. That contrast — imperial architecture, nature reclaiming the walls, and real people inside — makes Tskaltubo one of Georgia's most atmospheric places.
Which abandoned sanatoriums to visit?
You can't (and needn't) see them all in a day. These give the full impression:
Sanatorium Medea
The most photogenic: a round atrium, a grand staircase and a dome with trees growing through it. It stands on a rise and is easy to find. Come in the morning, when light drops straight down through the dome.
Sanatorium Metallurgi
A huge block with a colonnade and remnants of mosaics. Partly inhabited, so stick to the open public areas — the lobby and facade.
Iveria and Shakhtiori
Iveria is known for its curved facade and overgrown pool; Shakhtiori for its stucco and theatre hall. Both deliver that 'nature versus concrete' look.
What's being restored
Not all of Tskaltubo is decaying. Several sanatoriums have been bought for hotels (the Legends Tskaltubo project), and the central park with its pump rooms has been tidied up. So one visit shows both the decay and the resort's revival.
Radon baths: how and why?
The working baths are in the town centre. The water is mildly radon-rich, mineralised and constant in temperature — considered helpful for joint disorders, the peripheral nervous system, gynaecology and cardiovascular issues. A session in the shared bath is cheap, a private cabin costs more; a treatment course usually runs 8–10 days.
If you're visiting for a day as a tourist, one bath is enough to understand what drew generations here. Real treatment needs a full course and a doctor's advice — a single visit has no therapeutic effect.
How to get to Tskaltubo?
Tskaltubo sits off the main tourist routes, so plan the logistics ahead.
From Kutaisi — the easiest option
It's just 10 km from Kutaisi. Marshrutkas leave the central market every 20–30 minutes and take 20–25 minutes; a taxi is 15–25 GEL one way. If you're already seeing Kutaisi, adding Tskaltubo for half a day makes sense.
From Tbilisi
About 250 km, 3.5–4 hours by motorway. Options: train or marshrutka to Kutaisi, then local transport; or a car/tour direct. A day trip from Tbilisi is doable but long — start early.
What to see nearby?
Few people visit Tskaltubo alone — it pairs perfectly with Imereti's highlights:
- Prometheus Cave — 20 minutes away, vast halls with stalactites and an underground river
- Martvili and Okatse canyons — turquoise water and cliff walkways; see our Martvili canyon guide
- Kutaisi — Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Monastery, a lively market
- Racha — a mountain wine region to the north, if you have a spare day
Tip: bring a headlamp and stiff-soled shoes — it's dark inside and full of broken tiles. The best light for photos is before noon, when the sun cuts through the colonnade windows.
When to go and how long?
Best time: April–June and September–October — comfortable temperatures and soft light for photos. Summer is hot and humid; winter is damp, but the abandoned sanatoriums look especially cinematic in fog.
How long: half a day covers the sanatoriums and a bath; add the Prometheus Cave and canyons for a full day. For a treatment course, stay overnight — the restored part of the resort has enough hotels.
| How to get there | Travel time | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| Marshrutka from Kutaisi | 20–25 min | 1–2 ₾ |
| Taxi from Kutaisi | 20 min | 15–25 ₾ |
| From Tbilisi on your own | 3.5–4 h | train/marshrutka + local transport |
| Guided tour from Kutaisi | full day | on request |
History of the spa town
Tskaltubo flourished in Soviet times as an all-union health resort. From the 1950s dozens of sanatoriums went up here, each assigned to a Soviet republic or a major ministry. The radon water treated the joints, heart and nervous system; it comes out of the ground already warm, around 33–35 °C, and needs no heating.
At its peak the resort received up to 125,000 people a year, with a direct rail line from Moscow. After the USSR collapsed the funding vanished: some blocks were settled by refugees from Abkhazia, others were left empty. Today it is a rare open-air museum of Soviet resort architecture.
Which sanatoriums to see
Not every block is open or safe. The most striking are Medea with its grand staircase, Sakartvelo with a colonnade, Iveria, Shakhtyor with stucco work, and the former Metallurg. Some buildings are lived in: respect the privacy of the people who live there and don't enter flats.
- Still operating: bathhouse No. 6 and the radon baths are partly restored — you can book a treatment.
- Viewing only: the abandoned blocks are photogenic, but floors and stairs are unreliable — tread carefully.
- The park: the central spring park is your starting point, with alleys fanning out to the sanatoriums.
Photography and safety in the abandoned sanatoriums
Tskaltubo's ruins are a photographer's dream: soft light through collapsed roofs, peeling stucco and staircases lost to greenery give cinematic frames. The best light is in the morning and an hour or two before sunset, when rays pass through the empty window openings. Bring a wide-angle lens for interiors and a fast lens for the gloom; a tripod helps, but avoid flash in someone else's ruins.
Safety comes first. Many buildings have stood untouched since the 1990s: floors are rotten, staircases wobble, holes open in the flooring and broken glass and rebar litter the corners. Walk close to the walls where the slab is strongest, do not climb obviously unsafe floors, and never explore alone. Wear thick, treaded soles.
Remember that some sanatoriums are still home to refugees from Abkhazia — this is their home, not a film set. Do not enter residential wings, do not photograph people without asking, and leave no litter. A local guide takes you only into the safe, permitted blocks.