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Azerbaijan✨ 10 best things to do in Azerbaijan

Things to do in Azerbaijan

1. Explore IcherisheherLose yourself in Baku's walled Old City, climbing the Maiden Tower and touring the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.
2. See Gobustan petroglyphsStudy thousands of prehistoric rock carvings and then visit the nearby bubbling mud volcanoes.
3. Watch Yanar Dag burnStand beside a hillside that has blazed with natural gas flames for decades, best seen after dark.
4. Visit the Ateshgah fire templeTour the fortified fire-worshippers' temple in Surakhani where pilgrims once came to venerate eternal flames.
5. Stroll Baku BoulevardWalk the long Caspian seafront promenade as the Flame Towers light up in shifting colours.
6. Stay in ShekiAdmire the stained-glass Palace of the Sheki Khans and sleep in a restored Silk Road caravanserai.
7. Hike to KhinalugJourney to one of the highest and most remote villages in the Caucasus, home to its own ancient language.
8. Taste plov and pakhlavaSample saffron rice plov, kebabs and honeyed Sheki halva over endless glasses of black tea.
9. Admire the Heydar Aliyev CenterMarvel at Zaha Hadid's flowing white building, one of the world's most photographed modern landmarks.
10. Shop for carpetsBrowse handwoven carpets in Old City shops or learn their regional patterns at the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum.

Azerbaijan🗺️ Where to visit in Azerbaijan

Where to go in Azerbaijan

• 
  BakuCapital · Caspian coastA city of medieval walls, oil-boom mansions and futuristic towers, with lively tea houses and a long seafront boulevard.
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  Gobustan National ParkSouth of Baku · rock artA UNESCO site of prehistoric petroglyphs set among rocky hills, near weird mud volcanoes.
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  ShekiNorth-west · Silk Road townA leafy mountain town famed for its khan's palace, caravanserais and sweets.
• 📍
  Quba and KhinalugNorth · Caucasus mountainsApple orchards, carpet-weaving traditions and a dramatic road up to an ancient highland village.
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  GabalaNorth · mountain resortForested valleys, waterfalls and cable cars make this a favourite summer escape.
• 📍
  LahijIsmayilli · craft villageA cobbled mountain village known for generations of coppersmiths working in small workshops.
• 📍
  Absheron PeninsulaAround Baku · fire sitesHome to the Ateshgah temple, Yanar Dag and old castles, all within easy reach of the capital.
• 📍
  LankaranSouth · subtropical coastA green, humid region of tea plantations, citrus groves and forests near the Iranian border.

Azerbaijan🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Azerbaijan

Best time to visit Azerbaijan

Baku has a semi-arid climate with hot, dry summers and chilly, windy winters. The north-western mountains are greener and cooler, while the south around Lankaran is subtropical and humid.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Baku (approximate averages).

Azerbaijan🎉 Festivals & events in Azerbaijan

• March
  Novruz BayramThe spring new year is celebrated with bonfire jumping, painted eggs, sweet pastries and family feasts.
• Varies
  Baku Jazz FestivalBaku's strong jazz tradition is showcased in a festival drawing local and international musicians.
• Varies (spring or autumn)
  Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand PrixCars race through Baku's streets and around the walls of the Old City.
• Summer
  Gabala International Music FestivalClassical music concerts take place in the mountain town of Gabala.

Azerbaijan🧭 Azerbaijan itinerary ideas

How many days in Azerbaijan?

Azerbaijan🎒 Backpacking Azerbaijan – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $30–50 a day

• Baku's metro and city buses are very cheap and run on a rechargeable transport card.
• Shared minibuses (marshrutkas) and long-distance buses link Baku with Sheki, Quba and Gabala for little money.
• The Old City and the streets around Fountain Square have the most hostels and guesthouses.
• Eat at local cafeterias and bakeries for cheap qutab, dolma and lentil soup.
• Ask guesthouses in Sheki and Quba about shared taxis to nearby villages – splitting a car is often the cheapest way into the mountains.

Azerbaijan🛡️ Safety & money in Azerbaijan

Emergency: 102 police · 101 fire · 103 ambulance · 112

Azerbaijan🛬 Getting to Azerbaijan

Most travellers fly into Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku; land borders with Georgia and other neighbours have been closed to most travellers for long periods, so check the latest rules before planning an overland route.

✈️ Cheap flights to Azerbaijan: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Azerbaijan💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Azerbaijan

• Baku lies below sea level, making it one of the lowest capitals in the world.
• The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water.
• Azerbaijan is home to roughly half of the world's known mud volcanoes.
• Its 1918 republic granted women the vote before many Western countries.
• Khinalug villagers speak a language found nowhere else on Earth.

Azerbaijan❓ Azerbaijan travel FAQ

Azerbaijan travel questions