Abanotubani sulphur baths

Where it is & how to get there

• On foot: At the foot of Narikala in Old Tbilisi.
• Booking: Private rooms are best booked in advance, especially at weekends.
• Options: Choose between public pools (separated by gender) and private rooms.

The story of the Abanotubani sulphur baths

Natural hot springs rich in sulphur rise beneath this district, and bathhouses have stood here for centuries. Their low brick domes poke up from the ground like bubbles. The poet Pushkin praised them after his visit in 1829.

The most striking is Chreli Abano (Orbeliani Baths), with a blue mosaic façade inspired by Persian design. Behind the baths, a short path leads to the Leghvtakhevi waterfall in a small gorge.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Book a private room.
• Add a traditional scrub (kisi) massage.
• Visit the Tbilisi Juma Mosque nearby, where Sunni and Shia Muslims pray together.

What's around the Abanotubani sulphur baths

• Leghvtakhevi waterfallGorge behind the baths.
• Tbilisi Juma MosqueHistoric mosque.
• Narikala FortressAbove the baths.
• Meidan SquareSquare at the centre of the old town.

Questions travellers ask