Baku
The old city inside the walls, the boulevard along the Caspian, and dinner late.
The Caucasus
Azerbaijan
Caspian oil money and a walled old city
Best time
April – June and September – October
From Delhi
≈4 h Delhi–Baku, direct
Visa
Electronic visa available to most nationalities; we file it for you
Currency
Azerbaijani manat (AZN)
Language
Azerbaijani; Russian widely spoken
Baku is a city of two eras stacked on each other: the Icherisheher walls with the Maiden Tower inside, and the Flame Towers on the ridge above, lit every night. It works better than it should.
The country gets more interesting the further you drive. Sheki, five hours inland, has a khan’s summer palace with stained glass assembled without nails or glue, and a caravanserai you can still sleep in.
Where you will go
Where you will go
The places this country is actually about, and what each one is for.
Sheki
The Khan’s Palace, and shebeke stained glass built without a single nail.
Gabala
Forested foothills, two hours of switchbacks, and the coolest air in the country in August.
Know before you go
- Baku in July and August is humid and heavy; the mountains are the answer, not the air conditioning.
- The Sheki road is long and worth it — do not try to do it as a day trip from Baku.
- Carpet buying is a real risk to your budget. We can bring someone who knows what things cost.
Gallery — Azerbaijan
Journeys
Journeys in Azerbaijan
Three nights in Baku and two inland, so you see the country and not just the skyline. Petroglyphs, mud volcanoes, and a khan’s palace assembled without nails.