Flame-lit Caspian capital, mud volcanoes and Caucasus villages.
Azerbaijan stretches from the Caspian Sea to the Greater Caucasus. Baku mixes the walled Old City and Maiden Tower with oil-boom mansions and the curving Flame Towers, while nearby Gobustan has ancient rock carvings and bubbling mud volcanoes. In the north, Sheki's Khan's Palace, with its stained-glass windows, and mountain villages such as Lahij feel a world away from the capital.
Food is a highlight: plov, dolma, kebabs and endless glasses of black tea served with jam. Baku is walkable and has a metro, while the regions are reached by bus, train or hired car. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons; summer is hot in the lowlands, and Baku's winters are windy and grey.
Best time to visit Azerbaijan
May, June, September, October.
Places to visit in Azerbaijan
Baku: Azerbaijan's Caspian capital, where a walled medieval old town sits below glittering modern towers and a long seaside boulevard.
Sheki: A green town in the Caucasus foothills known for its painted Khan's palace, caravanserais and sweet Sheki halva.
Gobustan: A UNESCO-listed rock-art landscape south of Baku, with thousands of ancient carvings and a field of mud volcanoes nearby.
Essentials
Currency: Azerbaijani Manat (AZN)
Language: Azerbaijani; Russian widely understood
Plugs: Type C / F, 220 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC+4
Tipping: Around 10% in restaurants; check for a service charge first
Getting around: Metro and taxis in Baku; buses, trains or a driver for the regions
Entry: Check the official rules for your passport before booking