Tbilisi’s Bathhouses: Georgian Culture while Resting Those Weary Bones

By Johnny Motley

Not quite Europe and not quite Asia, the Republic of Georgia is a land of mystery and captivation.

Scholars are unsure how old Caucasian civilization is or how exactly Georgians are related to neighboring groups of people.

Some claim that they are even distant relatives of the Basque people, another anthropologically enigmatic European ethnicity.

‘Tripster’ Destination

Fast-forwarding several millennia, Tbilisi is emerging as a veritable “tripster” destination, a fascinating city that is less expensive and far less explored than most other EU capitals.

Rich religious history, beautiful people, world-class wine, and endless culture and natural beauty earn Georgia a high ranking on many a globetrotter’s all-time favorites list.

One of the most culturally informative—and corporally restorative—activities in Tbilisi is spending an afternoon at one of the ancient bathhouses in the city. Especially in the wintertime, a good soak in the bathhouse is as integral a part of Georgian culture as vinting homemade wine or cleansing the soul in one of the city’s numerous, hauntingly-beautiful cathedrals, like the Church of 100,000 Martyrs.

Bathhouse basics:

The bathhouses are situated in the Abanotubani Historical District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and they cater to a wide range of tastes and budgets.

The most expensive bathhouses—offering private rooms (sometimes for surreptitious companionship) and impeccable service—are probably the same price as a ritzy spa in the US.

Luckily, the most ancient and interesting bathhouses will only set you back around $10-15 USD (30-40 GEL). However, if you’re a germaphobe and require complete sanitation, you might want to splurge on a more expensive establishment.

Medicinal Waters

According to legend, the medicinal waters were discovered when an ancient Georgian king went hunting with his eagle. The eagle landed near one of the hot springs, and the king was so enamored that he decided to build a city, Tbilisi, over them. Locals also claim that some of the baths were constructed by the Romans when they colonized the Caucasus.

Ranging in temperature from 40º-50º Celcius (100º-120º F), myriad medicinal benefits are attributed to wading into these steamy, stinky waters.

Do arthritis, eczema, or excess dandruff ail you? How about just a blistering hangover? Look no further for your relief than one of these abanos (Georgian for “bath”).

Abano no. 5

One of the oldest bathhouses in Tbilisi, all that can be discerned of subterranean Abano no. 5 from the street level is a cluster of imposing, stone-built domes. The domes were constructed in ancient times and are used to release steam from the baths below.

Abano no. 5 is not well-marked, and you may need to ask someone on the street where it is. After the low entrance and dark, descending stairs, an attendant waits to sell you an entrance ticket.

As of July 2019, the fee was about $10 for the most basic ticket (still entitling a visitor to soak in the baths and use everything else in the spa).

Dungeon-like Stairs

Private, more luxurious rooms are also available for a heftier price. Furnished with a provided robe, towel and flip-flops, you continue to descend dungeon-like stairs to the locker rooms. Abano no. 5 allows for both sexes, but the locker rooms and spa areas are strictly segregated.

Georgia is a deeply religious and conservative culture, and to my knowledge, all the bathhouses require that men and women bathe separately. In the locker room, another attendant shows you to your locker and provides you with a key.

For an extra few GEL, he will brew you a steaming hot cup of sweet, Turkish-style tea—deliciously uplifting and refreshing after the baths or sauna.

Sulfur Pools

The sulfur pools themselves are located directly below the large stone domes on the streets. The floors and pools are lined with white tile and the walls and ceilings are embellished with weathered frescos and mosaics; the sentiment of traveling back in time is as palpable here as anywhere else in Tbilisi.

It’s not rude to enjoy the spa completely in the buff—I noticed that most of the Georgians go au naturale—but wearing a bathing suit is normal as well. There are several methods in the spa for getting the sweat pouring. The main attraction, of course, is the steamy, pungent pools of sulfuric water, but Abano no. 5 also has a large sauna—deep and wickedly hot—and a steam bath.

Cooling Down

To cool down, in the middle of the spa is a large, open communal shower with cold water. The ages of the patrons are diverse—young boys with their fathers, men in their 20’s, and plenty of old-timers. Most of the patrons were locals, but I did chat with some Russian tourists over tea in the locker room post-bath.

For an extra $5-10 USD, you can get a massage or body scrub—or both. This treatment, hands down, was the highlight of the whole experience. (Back in Houston, I have been dreaming of finding a spa that offers a similar scrub, but I have yet to find an equivalent here.)

A Very Firm Massage

First, you are placed atop a large marble block and receive a very firm massage. My masseuse was a large, burly Georgian with hands like bear paws (this simile refers to the hairiness and size). After an ass-kickingly hard—yet satisfying—massage, he donned what looked like an oven-mitt covered with a rough surface and proceeded to scrub my limbs, torso, face, and derriere.

Halfway through, he told me to look over at my arm. There was so much accumulated dead skin that a large, well-defined roll had formed. I could have passed for a molting reptile. After he finished the scrub, more such rolls of dead skin fell from my back and torso in the shower.

All I could think about were the weeks of dirt, smog, and stress from backpacking that had just been scrubbed off my epidermis—a strange emotion of disgust mixed with satisfaction.

Batteries Charged

After a lazy afternoon in the bathhouse, drink plenty of water and take a good nap—you’ll be exhausted but in a good way. With your batteries charged and your skin glowing from the treatments, you’ll be feeling like a million GEL for an evening of exquisite wining and dining, or perhaps some revelry in the legendary night club Bassiani.

Johnny Motley is a religious studies teacher, incorrigible wanderer, and aspiring writer and photographer. After graduating from Harvard College, he decided that being a responsible adult was not for him and has been scheming about how to continuously keep exploring the world ever since. Read more of his articles on johnnymotley.com and follow him on Instagram @motjohnny.