12 reasons to take a vacation now!

12 ideas on how to break in Azerbaijan

In terms of tourism, Azerbaijan is quite versatile country. Here fun and fans of outdoor recreation and lovers of urban walks and gourmets who prefer to explore new edge through their kitchen. Finally, here it is possible to look at mud volcanoes, and even take a dip in oil. If you do not have time for all this is a holiday, come again: Azerbaijan is good at any time of the year.

See the lake Goygol

Goygol - one of the largest lakes in Azerbaijan. It was formed in 1139 after the disastrous earthquake in 11 points, when fragments of rocks blocked the river Agsu.

The water here is so pure that it can drink. However, swimming will not work: even in the summer the lake temperature does not rise above 19 ° C. But pretty pictures are guaranteed: along the scenic tourists even compare Goygol Lake Baikal.

Goygol is located in the west of the country, from Ganja to the lake 45 km. You can get here by taxi for 15-20 manats - approximately 600-700 rubles. Access to the Goygol National Park is worth two manat.

See petroglyphs and mud volcanoes in Gobustan

Gobustan Historical-Artistic Reserve is located 60 kilometers south of Baku. People come here to see the cave paintings: the reserve discovered more than 6000 petroglyphs. The oldest is called a wild bull image on the upper terrace of the mountain Boyukdash - him about 15 000 years. At the foot of this mountain is a stone slab with a Latin inscription, presumably abandoned 2000 years ago, Roman legionaries.

Another attraction of Gobustan - mud volcanoes. Landscape truly space: here and there scattered cone-shaped mounds, in craters which pobulkivayut lakes of mud. She is considered to be curative, but if you want to check the properties for yourself, take a supply of water: wet wipes just so it's not ototrosh.

To get here from Baku, near the shopping center "Bina", take bus number 195. Over 0.9 manat you dovezut to Gobustan settlement, and it is necessary to transfer to a taxi to the reserve. The fare depends on how smartly you know how to bargain, but on average you can keep within 25-30 manats. Admission to the reserve costs 10 manat.

Try the local wine

Excavations show that the wine in the territory of Azerbaijan was developed before our era. With the adoption of Islam, it fell into decay, and was revived only after the accession of Azerbaijan to the Russian Empire. In Soviet times, viticulture brought the country even more money than the oil industry.

After the anti-alcohol campaign of the 1980s, almost half of Azerbaijani vineyards were cut down, so the winemakers had to start all over again. Now in Azerbaijan do not only grape, but pomegranate wine. Try it, you can right at the winery: for example, a trip from Baku to the valley of Savalan costs about 3300 rubles per person, and a two-day tour with a visit to Ismayilli vineyards cascading waterfalls will cost 5200 rubles.

Go to the exhibition in the Heydar Aliyev Center

Visit to Baku and not see this building - the same that go to Paris without seeing the Louvre. Center became one of the symbols of the city, and his project architect Zaha Hadid in 2014 receivedZaha Hadid project in Baku wins Design of the Year Award Design of the Year. In architecture, the cultural center is almost no straight lines: the building consists of flowing into each other waves, symbolizing the connection between the past and the future.

Acquaintance with Baku should start with the exhibition of models "Mini Azerbaijan". At first look the main attractions of the capital in miniature, and then go to study them alive. Here there are Maiden's Tower, and the "Flame Towers", and the layout of the cultural center. Entrance fee - 15 AZN.

Listen to world stars of jazz

The first jazz orchestra appeared in Azerbaijan in 1938. After World War II jazz went into hiding, and was reborn in the 1960s. By tradition the world is added oriental notes: local jazz based on mugham - Azeri folk music genre.

Since 2005 Baku hosts an annual jazz festival, this year it will be held from 18 to 27 October. Here, musicians from 17 countries will be even visitors from Lebanon, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The festival will open an open-air concert in Icheri Sheher.

Take a walk through Icheri Sheher

This is the most ancient part of Baku, during excavations here found items II-I centuries BC. Icheri Sheher - the heart of the capital: the city has gone beyond the fortress walls only during the oil boom of the XIX century.

For a walk in this area is to provide at least a day. Wear comfortable shoes, take a bottle of water and surf, turning from one to another ancient streets and looking at the mosques and caravanserais. Of the mandatory places to visit: Maiden Tower, the construction of which dates back to the XII century, and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs - a unique architectural ensemble, included in the World Heritage List UNESCO.

If you see next to the house number 8 on the street Kichik Gala crowd of tourists, do not be surprised, this is the norm. It is here to film scenes from "Diamond hands" when Semen Semenovich Gorbunkov fell, lost consciousness and woke up already with plaster and gold, with diamonds.

Swim in the Caspian Sea

If you are traveling to Azerbaijan in the beginning of autumn, grab a swimsuit and swimming trunks. Season lasts until the end of September, so there is every chance to swim in the sea and lie on the beach. However, in the capital, this is difficult, but far from the city are good places for swimming.

Picturesque beaches are in Mardakan and Bilgah settlements in the 35-40 km from Baku. The resort also Zagulba nice beach with clear water, but in windy conditions here are strong waves. On the popular beach Shikhovo better not to go, this year he was foundNamed the best swimming beaches in Azerbaijan unsuitable for swimming.

At least once to photograph the "Flame Towers" in the evening

Construction of the complex from the business center, hotel and residential building was completed in 2012, but just seven years of the tower turned into a business card Baku. The most impressive view of the tower - the evening: LED backlight makes the building height from 161 to 182 meters in animated flames.

From the foot of the tower offers a great view of the city and the Caspian Sea. You can get here on foot, but in the heat it is better to use the funicular. He goes with the prospect of Petroleum and travel costs 1 AZN.

Go to Ateshgah temple and burning mountain Yanardag

It is believed that at the beginning of our era, locals practiced Zoroastrianism, but after converting to Islam in the VII century, many fire-worshipers moved to India. Nevertheless, the territory of modern Azerbaijan regularly came pilgrims to venerate the places where the land comes from natural gas, and burn eternal flames.

In XVII-XVIII centuries, in 30 km from Baku was built of fire-worshipers temple Ateshgah. Scientists suggest that it is based on the site of an ancient sanctuary. Here can drive from the subway station "Keroglu" bus 184 for № AZN 0.3. Entrance to the temple stands 4 manat.

Another place of worship - burning mountain Yanardag. Flame here beats straight out of the ground and burning for several centuries. On Yanardag better to come in the late afternoon, the day the fire looks far less exciting. You can get here everything from the same metro station "Koroglu" by bus number 217 for 0.4 manat. Entrance fee must pay AZN 2 per person.

Take oil bath

Near the town of Naftalan are deposits of curative oil. The viscous liquid was black brown, heated to 37-38 ° C, are used to treat diseases of the skin and urogenital system, arthritis, sinusitis, and tonsillitis.

In Naftalan has an unusual museum, where they gathered the bones of those who come here for treatment. After a course of baths people recover, and the bones they were no longer needed.

The cost of holidays in spas of Naftalan starts from 227 AZN per person for 7 days with three meals a day and treatment. Many resorts organize a shuttle service from the airport in Ganja, for it will have to pay 20 manats.

Learn how to make the famous Azerbaijani carpets

For this you direct road to the carpet museum. Even his building resembles - surprise! - collapsed carpet. Here it is exposed more than 14 thousand items: carpets, woven bags, clothing and jewelry - including samples of Bronze Age items.

Creating a carpet - an unusually complex and painstaking work. If you do not believe, in the museum you can watch the work of the weavers. Better not to take pictures, it's distracting. But you can make a dozen selfie on the background of all kinds of carpets. Entrance ticket with audio guide costs 10 manat.

Try a real pilaf

Pilaf - one of the most famous local cuisine, it in Azerbaijan do with lamb, chicken, pumpkin and chestnuts. Rice and other ingredients are prepared separately and mixed just before serving. There is even a sweet rice, where instead of meat dried apricots, raisins and dates.

Azerbaijani cuisine - a real freedom for lovers of meat, lamb special honor here. From it makes kebabs and kebabs, and stuffing wrapped in grape leaves - dolma is obtained, a peculiar kind of cabbage.

Of the first courses try Petey - a cross between a thick soup and stew with meat, chickpeas and potatoes. If you normally think of the by-products, order-Gees byz - lamb entrails, fried with potatoes and onions.

For dessert, take a crumbly pastry or baklava kurabe - dessert of puff pastry with nuts. To wash down all this better than tea. In Azerbaijan, it is made strong and served in glass cups, shaped like pears: so long as the beverage is still warm. Sometimes the tea add thyme, sage and cinnamon, but the sugar in a glass is better not to rub - it spoils the taste.

What else to do in Azerbaijan

What you need to know before you go

Do I need to apply for the visa

Between Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation setConsular Information Portal Azerbaijan visa-free regime. To enter you need only a passport.

Being in Azerbaijan can be up to 90 days. If you are here to stay for more than 15 days, will have to issue a temporary residence registration. This can be done onlineThe State Migration Service of Azerbaijan Republic: the registration of the place of residence, A state fee for it are not taken.

How to get to Azerbaijan

There are three options:

• By plane. From Russia have flights to Baku and Ganja - the second largest city in the country, which are not far from Lake Goygol and resort Naftalan. Ticket from Moscow to Baku and back to one person with baggage costs about 18 thousand rubles. Fly to Ganja from Moscow and back can be about 14 000 rubles.
• By train. The road from Moscow will take more than two days, and tickets for the reserved seat for one round-trip cost in the region of 16 000 rubles.
• By car. From Moscow have to go through the Tambov and Volgograd regions and the border with Azerbaijan, you will cross in Dagestan. The distance between Moscow and Baku - approximately 2200 km, the road takes about 28 hours.

What with the weather

In August and September, the heat Baku: daytime temperature rises above 30 ° C. The water is also quite nice - from 25 to 27 ° C, but the end of September the sea becomes cool.

In the mountains the temperature is lower, it is often windy and rainy. On the tour to bring your warm clothes to keep warm.

How much is the accommodation and food

Bunk Baku hostel costs from 189 rubles per night, but will have to live in a room for ten. Overnight stay in a single room of the hotel close to the center will cost about 1800 rubles. In the center you can find an apartment for rent from 1917 rubles per day.

A complete meal in a Baku restaurant costs around 800 rubles:

• 500 grams dyushbara (broth with tiny dumplings) - about 190 rubles.
• One kutab (round bread made from unleavened dough) stuffed with greens - about 45 rubles.
• 500 grams pilaf with chicken on the average cost 380 rubles.
• A glass of semi-dry pomegranate wine will cost 171 rubles.

Where to exchange money

The national currency of Azerbaijan - manat. 1 manat - about 38 rubles. Exchanging money on the street, tourists are not advised, it is better to do it in banks.

As locals with Russian language

Now Azerbaijan Russian language studyIlham Aliyev: Our policy on the preservation of the Russian language is absolutely correct since high school, so problems with communication is not. In large cities, where there are many tourists, residents are usually well understand Russian.

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