8 Must-See Places in Azerbaijan

You might not hear about it often, but Azerbaijan is one of the most beautiful countries you can visit. It has endless attractions, some that are hundreds of centuries old. It’s very peaceful and its nation is known to be quite friendly and welcoming.

Here are some of the best places to visit in the country.

Icheri Sheher

This is an old town with narrow, cobblestone streets, full of mosques, terrace cafés and stunning architecture. You will find it to be a heavily populated area as it is right in the centre. You need to check out the Shirvan Shas Palace, a 15^th century royal palace that still stands to this day. We suggest you also explore the Maiden Tower.

Gobustan National Park

This park was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for having outstanding universal value due to the quality and density of its rock art engravings. The rock art represents the significance of hunting and lifestyles in those pre-historic times.

You will also find almost half of the world’s Gobustan mud volcanoes that you must visit. End your tour at the Petroglyph Museum where there are petroglyphs from 10,000 BC.

Absheron National Park

Spanning over 783 hectares of protected land, this national park has plenty of wildlife, including gazelles, badgers, birds and seals. It’s such a awe-inspiring destination, with stunning sand dunes and crystal clear waters.

Photo: silkwaytravelblog

Martyr’s Lane

Close by to the Caspian Sea, the Martyr’s Lane is burial place of over 15,000 people who died during the Azerbaijan independence war. It might not be your traditional tourist place, but it holds such history and significance to this country, so it’s bound to make for a meaningful visit.

Photo: bakuexplorer.com

Ateshgah

Located in the Surakhany village, Ateshgah is a temple for fire worshippers. While you might not worship fire, we bet this would be one cool place to visit. It makes for such a picturesque spot as the fire burns from the ground.

Photo: azernews.az

Yanar Dag Mountain

More fire, but even more impressive. This mountain has natural gas burning for thousands of years now. The flames go up three metres from the ground and it doesn’t cause any destructions. It’s so fascinating that the flames burn continuously without ever dying off.

Sheki City

Sheki City is said to date back 2,500 years and known as one of the oldest Caucasus settlements. It’s famous for its incredible silks and textiles. You will definitely want to pick up some ornate embroidery or other handicrafts here. The place is full of castles, mosques, ancient bathhouses and the Palace of Seki Khans dating back to the 18^th century.

Photo: caucasusmotofest.com

Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water in the world! It covers an area of 371,000 square kilometres. The water is salty, but less so than other seas and oceans. It’s popular for bot cruises, diving and fishing.