GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Shovi

Soviet sanatorium, alpine healing waters

Shovi

Why go

Shovi sits at 1,600 meters where the Racha and Lechkhumi ranges meet, a climatic resort established in the 1920s around carbonated hydrogen sulfide springs first noted for their therapeutic properties in the 19th century. The settlement preserves an intact ensemble of Soviet sanatorium architecture—porticoed dormitories, colonnaded drinking galleries, and terraced parks—now slowly being reclaimed by forest and weather. Unlike developed spa towns, Shovi remains suspended in time: patients once took the waters according to strict schedules, and the mineral springs still flow from ornate stone pavilions. It rewards those drawn to high Caucasus valleys, architectural archaeology, and the peculiar dignity of Soviet leisure infrastructure left to the elements.

On the ground See

  • The central drinking pavilion with its original sulfur-water fountains, where visitors once followed prescribed cure regimens
  • The abandoned Sanatorium 'Racha' complex, a prime example of 1950s Stalinist resort architecture with its symmetrical wings and riverfront colonnade
  • The confluence of the Shaori and Chanchakhi rivers, with trails leading toward the Mamisoni Pass and glacial lakes at 2,800 meters

Practical Know before you go

Best visited June through September; the 35km road from Oni is unpaved and requires high clearance, with no regular public transport—arrange a 4WD from Kutaisi or Oni.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly