Travelogues Azerbaijan
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Vacation in Azerbaijan : Highlights & Travel Tips
Azerbaijan is a fascinating crossroads of Europe and Asia, where futuristic architecture, Silk Road history, and dramatic natural landscapes come together in one trip. Travelers are often drawn to Baku, the capital, for its striking contrast between the medieval Old City, sleek modern skyline, and lively Caspian Sea promenade. Beyond the city, the country offers a surprising range of experiences, from mountain villages in the Greater Caucasus to mud volcanoes, semi-desert scenery, and ancient fire-related heritage that reflects Azerbaijan’s nickname as the “Land of Fire.” This mix of cultures, cuisines, and landscapes makes it especially rewarding for travelers looking for something distinctive yet still relatively under-the-radar.
Highlights include wandering through Baku’s UNESCO-listed Inner City, seeing the Flame Towers light up at night, and visiting the Heydar Aliyev Center for its iconic design. Many visitors also explore Gobustan National Park for prehistoric rock carvings and unusual geological features, or head to Ateshgah and Yanar Dag to experience sites tied to the country’s natural gas fires. Outside the capital, Sheki is a favorite for its elegant khan’s palace, caravanserai atmosphere, and traditional sweets, while Gabala and the Caucasus region offer cooler mountain scenery, hiking, and village stays. Practical tips: Azerbaijan is generally easiest to explore with a mix of time in Baku and a few regional excursions; carrying some cash is useful outside major urban areas, and travelers should check visa requirements in advance, as many nationalities can apply online. Local cuisine is a major part of the experience, so try plov, dolma, kebabs, and black tea served with jam.
Best travel reports from Azerbaijan
Don Curry takes seconds
Day 37 + 38 - The trip to Baku
Don Curry spends the night in a caravanserai
Tag 43 - From Lahic to Sheki
Don Curry has breakfast with kids
Day 42 - From Xinaliq to Lahic
Don Curry hits the fire
Day 40 - On the Absheron Peninsula
Don Curry and the Clean City
Day 39 - Baku
Don Curry enjoys
Day 47 + 48 - Baku and back
Don Curry disrupts a church service
Tag 44 - From Sheki to Ganja
Don Curry as Schildkrötenretter
Day 41 - Beshbarmaq and Xinaliq
Money rules the world... and Azerbaijan
We are regularly asked by you: How can you afford it? Just traveling with 4 people, without income? That's an important question. We have lived frugally in recent years and...
Don Curry is being upgraded
Day 46 - Qobustan and Baku
Don Curry and the Unknown Bird
Tag 45 - From Ganja to Lankaran
Azerbaijan
I have thought long and hard about whether or not I should even travel to Azerbaijan. A country that has been ruled so authoritarianly for decades that one must speak of a...
Waiting for Professor Gül
Sunday, August 25, 2019, I start the day with a bowl of porridge and fried peach halves. Then I pack my stuff and enjoy a coffee at the Flora Hostel in Baku. It is already noon...
Lerik - Böyükəndil - Fairy Tale
On Thursday, August 15, 2019, I set off for Lankaran at noon. A shepherd who had been regularly visiting me at the tent recommended taking a detour to the mountains to the west....
Georgia, the South, Upper Svaneti
As mentioned in the Armenia blog, my last landlord in Gyumri helped me organize my onward journey back to Georgia. So on July 17th, I first took a shared taxi across the...
Baku - Flora Hostel
On Monday morning (19.08.2019) we arrived in Baku around five o'clock. The bus dropped off some passengers in the city and finally arrived at the Sədərək Ticarət Mərkəzi, a kind...
Mingachevir
It's around seven o'clock on Thursday morning (01.08.2019) when I have breakfast not far from Böyük Dəhnə in the semi-desert. The landscape looks like the cliché that I have in...
Salyan - Lankaran
On Friday, August 9, 2019, we had visitors at the tent around seven-thirty. Some of the children from Bayramli, who had already besieged me the night before, are here again. So...
Varvara - Şiran - Bayramlı
On Tuesday, August 6, 2019, it's time to leave the beloved spot near the Mingachevir reservoir. After a final tea at the beach bar, I set off south with my Dicken. I also stop...
Balakən - Şəki
It is raining on and off on the night of Monday, July 29, 2019. Around seven o'clock, I am driven out of the tent, I have breakfast and feed the dog. Then I slowly start...
11th stage "Baku, Azerbaijan"
The alarm went off at 5:45 a.m. and at the same time Ben called to ask about the taxi. There was still no confirmation from Bolt, so I mentally prepared myself for a bus ride....
12th stage "Alat, Azerbaijan"
The alarm went off at 6 a.m. today, but I was already awake. I calmly packed my things and loaded them onto the moped. Unfortunately there was no tea yet, so I had to leave as...