The Town of Healing and Stars

Tucked in Georgia’s Meskheti Mountains, Abastumani is a small town famous for its fresh mountain air, healing sulfur springs, and crystal-clear skies. In the late 19th century, Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia, suffering from tuberculosis, found relief in Abastumani’s mild climate. His recovery turned the place into a popular spa town, attracting visitors seeking health and rest.

High above the town, on Mount Kanobili, stands the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, built in 1932. With over 250 clear nights a year, it became one of the best locations in Eastern Europe for studying the stars.

Today, Abastumani remains a peaceful retreat — where forests, mineral baths, and starlit skies remind visitors why it’s often called “the place where earth heals the body and sky heals the soul.”