Azerbaijan
Asia · Baku · AZ
Azerbaijan is the crossroads of the Caucasus and the Caspian, a country of petrol-fuelled modernity, ancient fire temples and the mountains and mud volcanoes of its dramatic south. Baku, the capital, layers the flame towers of the new skyline, the walled old town with its Shirvanshah palace and its maiden tower, and the long seaside boulevard of the promenade into one compact walk. The Absheron peninsula around the city holds the country's oil history and the eternal flame of the Yanar Dag, while the rock carvings of Gobustan, the mud volcanoes of the desert and the mountain villages of the great Caucasus round off the picture. The tea houses, the carpets, the bazaars and the spice of the table give it a flavour all its own. Caspian winds, gold domes and the widest of skylines make Azerbaijan a surprising, generous and increasingly easy destination.
Overview
Azerbaijan is a country in Asia. Its capital is Baku and the international dialling code is +994. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Azerbaijani. Local currency is the Azerbaijani Manat (AZN). Our guide covers 1 airport, including Heydar Aliyev International Airport. We also list 1 city in Azerbaijan: Baku.
The Flame Towers, the Old City and the Caspian Promenade
The capital of Baku opens its modern face toward the Caspian with the three flame towers that dominate the skyline, their curving glass glowing red at night like the fire that has always been the city's symbol. Behind them the old town, the Icheri Sheher, crowds a walled quarter of the medieval era with the palace of the Shirvanshahs, the oldest mosque, the caravanserai courtyards and the winding lanes that smell of the tea houses and the carpets. The boulevard of the promenade runs the waterfront for kilometres, past the fountains, the carousel and the cafes of the evening. The view from the heights of the Flame Towers and the old walls over the bay is the classic end of any day in the city, with the oil rigs of the sea sparkling as the sun sets.
The Fire, the Oil and the Hills of the Absheron
The peninsula of Absheron around Baku is the country's industrial and mythological heart, the land of the fire that gave the nation its name. The temple of the fire at Surakhany, built over an eternal flame that the Zoroastrians once tended, still holds its shrine and its legend, and the burning gas of the Yanar Dag keeps a low, constant flame across a ridge of the hillside that never goes out. The oil history of the region, from the wooden derricks of the nineteenth century to the modern fields of the shore, is told in the museums of the coast, and the beaches of the peninsula, abandoned by the summer crowds of the capital, keep a lonely, industrial beauty. The drives across the flat, dusty land catch the fires, the rigs and the strange charm of the whole region.
The Rock Carvings of Gobustan and the Mud Volcanoes
An hour south of Baku, the rocky hills of Gobustan hold one of the great galleries of prehistoric rock art in the region, thousands of carvings of the boats, the animals and the ritual scenes of the people who lived here from the Stone Age onward. The museum of the site is modern and theatrical, and the plateau above it spreads the ancient images across the flat faces of the stone. Beyond the hills, the deserts of the south bubble with the mud volcanoes of the country, the small, grey cones and the pools of the cold mud that erupt with an otherworldly pop and slide. The whole region around them is lunar, silent and strange, with the smoke of the distant refineries and the mineral pools of the landscape. It is a short, unforgettable day trip into a side of the country few visitors expect.
The Mountain Villages and the Passes of the Great Caucasus
North of Baku, the road climbs into the great Caucasus range, where the villages of the Sheki district and the high valleys of the north hold some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. Sheki itself spreads its mountain town under the summer palaces of the eighteenth century, its caravanserai and its craft of the sweet local halva, while the passes beyond lead to the remote villages of the mountains, the wooden guesthouses, the shepherds and the grazing land of the high meadows. The roads are steep and slow, and the reward is the green, sharp-aired world above the clouds. The hospitality of the mountain homes depends on no language at all, and the plov and the tea of the table follow every arrival. The mountains are the soul of the Caucasus, and Azerbaijan holds a fine, wild share of them.
The Tea Houses, the Carpets and the Bazaar of the Capital
The everyday ritual of Azerbaijan runs on the tea house, the samovar, the jam sweets and the long, generous conversation of the table, and no visit to the country is complete without an hour spent in one. The bazaars of Baku and the old towns spread the carpets, the copper, the spice and the pomegranates of the season, and the carpet museums in the capital hold some of the finest weaving of the region. The food of the table is serious: the flatbreads, the stuffed grape leaves, the plov of the saffron rice and the grilled meats of the mountains, eaten with the yogurt and the herbs of the garden. Every meal ends with the tea and the sweets, and the bargaining of the market ends with a smile. The country's warmth is its own best export.
Compare hotels, cover your trip and stay connected.
- Capital
- Baku
- Currency
- Azerbaijani Manat (AZN)
- Languages
- Azerbaijani
- Calling code
- +994
- Internet TLD
- az
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Azerbaijan.
Which nationalities can enter Azerbaijan?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (1)
All airports →Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Azerbaijan?
For the origins we track, Azerbaijan requires a visa for tourism (Australia: e-visa, Canada: e-visa, India: e-visa, Japan: e-visa and Morocco: e-visa). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Azerbaijan?
Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan, and the country sits in Asia.
What currency is used in Azerbaijan?
You pay with Azerbaijani Manat (AZN) in Azerbaijan. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Azerbaijan?
The languages we list for Azerbaijan are Azerbaijani. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Azerbaijan?
The dialling code for Azerbaijan is +994 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Azerbaijan?
Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) in Baku is the airport we cover for Azerbaijan.
Which cities in Azerbaijan do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Azerbaijan: Baku (capital).