Why go
Abastumani sits at 1,250 meters in the Mtkvari River gorge, where naturally carbonated thermal springs emerge at 40–50°C, rich in minerals and historically believed to cure ailments from skin conditions to respiratory disease. The Russian Imperial family established a sanatorium here in the 1890s, and for much of the Soviet era it served as a specialized tuberculosis retreat—the pine-scented mountain air considered as therapeutic as the waters themselves. Today the village retains a faded grandeur of arcaded bathhouses and wooden villas, offering an authentic glimpse of Caucasus spa culture without the crowds of more developed destinations. The combination of mineral bathing, forest trails, and observatory-dark skies creates a restorative escape rooted in genuine medical history rather than wellness marketing.