Our compatriots associate this Transcaucasian country with oil production. More erudite people will also remember about the mountains and the Caspian Sea, carpet making and other crafts. And - about active construction in the capital, about chic architecture and ancient heritage. One listing is enough to say - a trip there is fully justified. But the picture will be even more attractive if you consider the sights of Azerbaijan.
Flame Towers
When asked what to see in Azerbaijan, you can safely answer - lovely views. And here you can not ignore the mention of viewing platforms. But the skyscrapers themselves are deservedly considered a symbol of a new stage in the development of the state. Architects and designers have meticulously thought about the lighting. You can see buildings from any part of the capital.
- Address: Mehdi Hussein Street, 1A.
Primorsky Boulevard Baku
A delightful place for summer visits to the majestic city. The boulevard was equipped with a mass of small catering points with an extraordinary flavor. An amazing view of both the sea surface and the Baku quarters is open from the shore. The territory is carefully monitored and kept clean.
Fountain Square
Speaking about the sights in Azerbaijan, this capital complex should also be mentioned. The square is not only beautiful, but also cozy; they come here both in summer and at New Year's fairs. At first glance, the children's carousel fascinates, in the design of which French motives were clearly used.
Sheki fortress
It is located in Sheki city and looks great. But there is one drawback - after a long examination, boredom appears. Whether it is justified by free admission is up to each traveler to decide separately.
Recommendation: to make your leisure time more pleasant, it is worth buying a local halva in the arch nearby.
Gobustan mud volcanoes
The nature of Azerbaijan is capable of surprising no less than the achievements of its inhabitants. Those who have seen volcanoes compare their appearance to an alien landscape.
Advice: for those traveling on their own car, it would be more correct not to test it for strength, but to order a local taxi - there are old cars, but they easily get to the destination.
Bottle house
Non-standard architecture is another reason to fly to Transcaucasia. Over 48,000 glass bottles were used to build this house. Old-timers argue that there are no such buildings anywhere else in the world. It is all the more curious that it is also one of the monuments in Azerbaijan - it was erected in 1965-1967 as a memorial to those who did not return from the war. The house was restored, and it will stand for a long time.
- Address: Ganja, junction of Huseyn Javid and Jambara Huseynli streets
Zagatala fortress
The name sounding "almost in Russian" should not be deceiving. The object received its name in honor of the Zagatala area, where it is located. An Albanian church was also placed there - but its building requires urgent restoration.
For your information: although there is a park named after Heydar Aliyev nearby, you should not go there - the park area is pretty neglected and will rather disappoint. It is better to see what other sights of the Republic of Azerbaijan can demonstrate interesting.
Mardakan castle
And this monument will definitely delight visitors from our country. The way to it is difficult, especially by car - the narrowness of the streets of Mardakan hinders. But those who have overcome the road do not murmur - they enjoy the pleasant appearance of the monument and listen to the guide (a deep enthusiast). You can climb the tower, but it should be done more carefully.
Chirag Gala
Another piece of old heritage from among the fortress architecture. The citadel itself has long been destroyed, but even its ruins definitely fall into the list of impressive sights of Azerbaijan with photos and descriptions. It is necessary to search for ruins near the village of Mashrif, at an altitude of 1.2 kilometers above sea level. A prepared traveler will climb up in 40-50 minutes, but the road will be difficult. Highways partially solve the problem. But for those who are panicky afraid of heights, it is better to go to other places.
Upland park
The story about the attractive points of the Caspian state again brings us back to its capital. The search will not take long hours - the same Flame Towers are nearby. Walking in the park is a pleasure. It is immediately noticeable that they take care of him and equip the territory in every possible way. If you are interested in the best observation decks in Baku, we recommend you visit here in the evening. According to reviews, many tourists often arrange photo shoots here.
Ateshgah
In the 21st century, it is difficult to imagine that once in those places Islam struggled to make its way. But that was precisely the case. Fire worshipers were a strong rival to the followers of the Qur'an. A weighty confirmation of this is the Ateshgah temple left by them. It occupies the outskirts of the village of Surakhany, which is on the Surakhani peninsula.
Curiously, the sanctuary experienced more than just decline after the Arab conquest. Already in the XV-XVII centuries hundreds of Indian merchants arrived here, among whom the followers of Zarathustra dominated. It was they who restored the temple a century later. But the shift of the earth's strata led to the fact that in the 19th century the release of burning gas stopped, and Ateshgah was finally abandoned.
- Excursions for lovers of gastronomic travel:
Maiden's Tower
The Maiden Tower is rightfully included in the list of what Azerbaijan is famous for. Tourists are introduced to the weapons used by the defenders of the fortress, told about its past, and even set out popular legends. It should be noted that the tower is also associated with the Zoroastrian cult, and is one of the oldest temples of fire worshipers. Along with this function, it also acted as an old observatory.
Railway station Baku
Transport stations rarely attract the attention of vacationers. But the Baku railway station will be an exception to this rule. The building flexibly combines old and modern motives. Waiting for trains is a pleasure, which is rare.
Yanardag
This is how the "eternal flame" created by nature itself is called. It burns thanks to gas coming from the depths of the Absheron land. Group excursions take place during the day. Tourists in the reviews advise to go here not by buses, but with individual accompaniment in the evening. It is more exciting to watch the spectacle at dusk. But you shouldn't come close to them - the flame is very hot.
curious: about Yanardag can be read in the works of Alexandre Dumas and Marco Polo. And you could often observe such a phenomenon on Mount Yanartash in Turkey.
Museum of miniature books
But the simply beautiful places of Azerbaijan do not yet exhaust its recreational opportunities. It would be criminal to keep silent about the museums of this extraordinary country. And the first in the list of "keepers of the past", what a tourist should see in Azerbaijan, deservedly turns out to be a museum of book miniatures. The establishment is private, but the entrance fee is not charged. The collection is huge, but only a microscope helps to examine the exhibits. Here they collected literature in different languages.
Carpet Museum
Carpet weaving is a craft that Azerbaijan has been famous for since ancient times. The complex, where the origins and development of this tradition are shown, was opened in 1967. There are no other museums on the planet dedicated to the carpet industry. The expositions were well thought out and carried out in accordance with all the rules for organizing exhibitions. It is already striking that the building itself is made like a wrapping carpet. Instead of a typical ticket, it is advised to take an excursion, since it is inexpensive.
- Address: Mikhail Useinov Avenue, 29
Khinalig Historical-Architectural-Ethnographic Reserve
Also a great option from among the objects that you can see in Azerbaijan.The Khinalig people live in the reserve, they speak a unique language. These people are only 2000 people on the planet, and you cannot meet them in other places. Getting to the settlements located in the mountains is very difficult. The Khinaligi were followers of Zarathustra, and you can get to the ancient temple, which was used by fire worshipers before the arrival of the Arab troops.
For your information: the place is categorically not suitable for visiting with children, it is designed exclusively for adults.
State Museum of Musical Culture
The romantic beauty of the East would be unthinkable without a special musical tradition. And tourists will only benefit if they get to know it. The Museum of Music occupies the same building as the Museum of National Independence. The collection is really multifaceted, and is second only to the exposition in Brussels (because here you cannot play the instruments yourself).
- Address: Baku, Neftyanikov Avenue, 49
Materials on the city of Baku:
Lip (Cuba)
Finding out what to see in Azerbaijan from the sights is a must, we advise you to consider this unimaginable city. It looks more like the county towns of Russia in the 19th century (which it was for a long time). Since the last century, 4 mosques of non-standard architecture have been preserved here. Travelers will be able to bypass Guba and enjoy its beauty in 1 - 1.5 hours. But you shouldn't rush to leave the city and go somewhere else. It is also advisable to explore the surroundings. Having crossed to the other side of the river, they visit the largest settlement of Mountain Jews on Earth. It is convenient to travel from Guba to Khinalig.
Advice: the most practical transport in these parts is bus... But you can take car for rent, a day will cost from 1830 rubles.
Shamakhi
Solid, romantic and even symbolic in the cultural space, the city definitely deserves a mention in this list. Direct buses from Baku go here. And having gone by car, tourists along the road will pass through Gobustan. Visitors to Shamakhi will be delighted by the ancient fortress Gulistan. The ascent to the mountain, where excavations are underway, will take an average of 45 minutes.
Attention: boots are needed to avoid harm from thorns or snake bites. The locals will suggest the most accessible routes. The descents are steep, and you need to be very careful. You can simplify your life by limiting yourself to visiting the plain sights of Shemakha. For example, the house-museum of Sabir. The historian and poet, significant for the Azerbaijani nation, deserves a memorial, which contains hundreds of exhibits reflecting his life and everyday life of the second half of the 19th century. It is also worth seeing the old mausoleums of the city.
Old city in Baku
Or in the local dialect - Icheri-Sheher; this place was also given other names - the inner city, "Fortress". In fact, there are fortress walls around, the preservation of which surprises even seasoned travelers and connoisseurs of architecture. People lived here already in the Bronze Age. And only thanks to the oil boom at the end of the century before last, Baku moved beyond Icheri-Sheher, because the townspeople became cramped in it. But until now, old mosques and caravanserais, baths and houses with a significant past attract the attention of people. It is not for nothing that the old part of Baku was included in the list of world cultural heritage before other sights of Azerbaijan.
Lahij
We have already been talking about magnificent Azerbaijani carpets. So, it is in Lagic that these carpets are woven. But the locals do not limit themselves to such a craft. Here work masters who prepare unique leather and copper products. Some of the samples were even exhibited in foreign museums. And even those who are not at all interested in crafts should come here, if only because of the special people of the Lagichi, whose language and culture are unknown outside the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Beach lovers will be interested in:
What to see in Azerbaijan besides Baku?
But of course, even in 22 points it will not be possible to fit a story about interesting places of this state. So, on its territory, the ski resort is rapidly developing Shahdag resort, and next to it is a picturesque village Laza... It will be interesting to look into the village of Ivanovkawhere the Molokans have been keeping their way of life almost unchanged for several centuries. So besides Baku, there is something to see here.
Gabala
Another interesting place with rapid tourist development. Ski center, cozy hotels with high-quality service, a fascinating park with attractions for children in the mountains, natural monuments.
We recommend going here for at least two days. Be sure to include these places in your travel guide:
- Church of St. Elisha,
- Lake Nohur,
- natural waterfall "Seven beauties",
- thermal springs
- Tufandag ski resort
Ilisu
It is the starting point for simple mountain hikes in the most exquisite terrain. In addition, the village is full of houses, and asking for a picture. The standard route for active tourists runs from the village to the Kurmukh River (downstream, about 6 km), then crossing to the left bank and hike to the ruins of the Kurmukh fortress.
Naftalan
A wellness center where the oil of the same name is used. Such baths treat more than 70 diseases: musculoskeletal system, nervous system, skin, and others. The cost of accommodation in the standard category is from $ 29. There are also VIP seats, we advise you to book them in advance, many millionaires come here.
Goygel (Blue Lake)
The lake is located in the mountain system to the west of Azerbaijan, near Mount Kapaz. The deepest mark of the lake reaches 98 meters. You can swim, but it's cold, the maximum temperature during the peak season reaches only 17 degrees. There are amazing landscapes here, and immigrants from Germany once lived in the city itself, which is easily recognizable by its color.
Lankaran
A full-fledged city on the coast of the Caspian Sea and a great place for a beach holiday in Azerbaijan. Its location is ideal for those who like to go sightseeing in the vicinity of the republic. Especially often group excursions to mountain hikes go from here.
If you decide to take a walk, then we advise you to definitely visit:
- Fortress at the entrance to Lankaran,
- Park "Samovar"
- Lighthouse,
- Mosque.
Hot springs istiSu
- hydrogen sulfide,
- sodium chloride calcium,
- magnesium bicarbonate,
- iodine.
Goychay
The birthplace of the pomegranate culture, where it is still abundantly grown, and even a thematic museum was opened. Goychay began its existence in Xv century from the first Turkish settlers. IN XIX not far (in Shemakha) there was an earthquake, many settlements had to equip their homes here, so the rapid development of the territory began.
Duzdag salt caves
The caves are located in a mountain range at an altitude of 1170 meters above sea level. Duzdag has two sites, one of which is located in the mountain at a depth of 297 meters, and we advise you to visit it first. Another site is located on the territory of the hotel of the same name, you should book rooms here in advance.
What does the treatment help from? Bronchial asthma, the most popular disease among the indications, with which they rest and undergo procedures here. As for the hotel, it is designed for family holidays, for this there are all conditions.
In general, we advise you to come here on your own more than once. Azerbaijan will always open from a new side!
