Must see attractions in Azerbaijan

Atop a supersteep grassy ridge, Beşbarmaq Dağ is a distinctive split crag whose mystical crown of phallic rocks attracts (mostly female) pilgrims. They…

In a raised gully near Digah village, a 10m-long strip of 'eternal' fire licks gently at at the foot of Fire Mountain. The name is misleading for what is…

Chabiant Winery offers the most appealing visitor experience of Azerbaijan's new breed of vineyards, with a hotel, tastings and swifts swooping between…

A startling pair of concrete spike-pyramids rise dramatically above a subterranean museum that very powerfully commemorates the massacres of April and May…

Naxçivan's most attractive settlement appears like an oasis amid craggy desert landscapes. Its central square features a classic old-men's teahouse…

Second only to the Möminə Xatun as Azerbaijan's most impressive medieval tomb-tower, the main 1320 mausoleum is a ribbed cylinder inlaid with ample 'Allah…

One of Northern Azerbaijan's most culturally intriguing villages, Qrız sits on the crag-top plateau that looks out across the cliffs above Çaygoşan. The…

High above the city, a plateau of summer pastures known as Xan Yaylağı offers truly superb viewpoints back over the valley and northwards towards high…

From historic flatweaves to modernist picture-rugs, this tailor-made museum displays and explains a superb collection of Azerbaijani carpets. It's housed…

In decades past, being sent to a Soviet salt mine was a synonym for horror. At Duzdağ, however, a former mine site has been converted into a curative…

Full of rare trees, cafes, fountains and fairground rides, the central sweep of Baku's seafront park is eternally popular with families, amateur musicians…

Across the river from central Quba, Qırmızı Qəsəbə is a much-celebrated Jewish village with two active synagogues, including the Grand Synagogue. Its…

The most notable feature of the 'Highland Park' that stretches south from the Flame Towers is this sombre row of grave memorials – Bakuvian victims of the…

An octagonal tomb-tower with gilded roof-point stands just outside the small side gate at Naxçivanqala's south tip. It was built in 2008 but the brickwork…

The vast Shahdag National Park covers over 1.3 million sq km, encompassing many of the nation's most spectacular peaks and high-mountain trails. Lower…

Hand-woven carpets using wool coloured with vegetable dyes are created before your eyes in this amazingly grand, suburban gallery-workshop that includes a…

South of Göygöl are numerous woodland restaurants, then after Hacikənd the road emerges onto a ridge with magnificent views of the Lesser Caucasus range,…

Lahıc’s pedestrianised main street is unevenly paved with smooth pale river-stones and lined with older houses built traditionally with interleaving stone…

Well-presented exhibits on Azerbaijan’s history and culture might miss the odd century here and there, but there’s more than enough to fill several hours…

Escape the heat of the city beneath the deep shade of these thickly wooded gardens, where a mix of conifers and ivy-wrapped palms create a balmy sub…