Azerbaijan Travel Guide

The Maiden Tower (Qiz Qalasi) is said to be finished in the 12th century, although some sources state the 5th century as the start of its construction. The cylindrical shaped tower was erected as part of the fortification system of Baku's old town (Icheri Sheher). The height of the Maiden Tower is approximately 29,5 metres and it has a diameter of...

I love this place! Before I explain why, it’s best I explain why I came to be here late at night. I wasted 3 days getting my Azeri visa so had a lot less time in Baku that I would have liked. This is what happens when the same family is always in charge. To make my most out of the few full days I had in the city, I got up early every day and got...

The easiest and most convenient (but not comfortable) way to go from Saki (Sheki), Azerbaijan, across the Georgian border to Tbilisi is by mashrutka/mini bus.First, you need to take a local bus or taxi from Saki to Qax (should take no longer than 30 minutes). The bus terminal at Qax is fairly new and modern.From Qax, take a mini bus (mashrutka) to...

A large outdoor restaurant on the opposite side of the Gorge. No English menus and no price written but OK Grilled meat was very tasty, the beer was not Worth the price.

I like walking around the city when the sun is low over Nahchivan and the nature is at peace. There is a canal in the middle of the city and while standing on the bridge, one gets to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets.

There is a museum of history of Ordubad in Ordubad :) The museum was created in 1980. 18th century "Qeyseriyye-Zorkhana" has been a home for the museum since May, 1990. Geyseriyye means covered east market and that's where they'd sell all kinds of jewels. In 17th-19th centuries fighters from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkey came to fight and used...

Ordubad is basically another region within Nahchivan, not too far driving away from Nahchivan city. It's a nice little town with its own villages and hosts many museums. Just like anywhere else in Nahchivan, the nature is picturesque and the people are amazingly friendly. One day is enough to visit all the museums and to grab a bite in one of the...

The low, dark cells for monks and pilgrims house is an interesting museum about Zoroastrianism and the Zoroastrians, their believes and practices, such as lying on hot coals or carrying most heavy chains.

Zoroastrians are the followers of the Iranian prophet Spitaman Zarathushtra (known to the Greeks as Zoroaster) who lived and preached somewhere around the Aral Sea. The energy of the creator is represented in Zoroastrianism by fire and the sun which are both enduring, radiant, pure and life sustaining. Zoroastrians usually pray in front of some...

There are many inscriptions on the walls inside the temple courtyard, apparently in Sanskrit and Hindu, evidence of the Indian connection.

Shushi is a fortified town on a hilltop 9 km from Stepanakert with a real nice 17. century church, unfortunatly also some Soviet style apartment blocks. There is also a quite nice looking Hotel Shushi just above the church, from 14000 Dram.Get there by bus from the Stepanakert bus terminal, every 30 minutes, 200 Armenian Dram, or by taxi 2000 Dram.

You can only go there from Armenia. Take a minibus (Marshrutka) from Kilikya Avtokayan (bus terminal, get there from any bus stop on Mesrop Mashtots Poghota, near Opera with minibus 15, 15 minutes, 100 Dram), it was about 6 hours in both directions, 5000 Dram (slighly better bus) to Stepanakert, 4500 the way back. Several leave in the morning when...