In 2022, the Georgian government began auctioning off these properties,
hoping to revive the town’s legacy. There’s talk of restoration, of renewal. But
for now, Tskaltubo remains suspended—between past and future, ruin and
rebirth.
I returned to Kutaisi that evening, my mind buzzing with images: cracked tiles,
vine-covered balconies, the soft echo of footsteps in empty halls. I sat on the
hostel’s veranda, sipping tea, listening to the chatter of fellow travellers. Some
of them had not been to Tskaltubo. I tried to describe it, but words felt
inadequate.
Some places aren’t meant to be explained. They’re meant to be felt.