Wonder why the percentage of Indian tourists to Azerbaijan increased 6 times from the last year? Reason being, Azerbaijan as a country is a delightful blend of Eastern and Western influences. Positioned strategically at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan serves as an excellent gateway for Indian tourists looking to explore both continents. Not so expensive, with easy availability of cheap eVisa and direct flights of around 4.5 hours, it has become a hot destination for Indian tourist trying to explore the country in 5-6 days. This country has plenty of modern infrastructure and amenities in place to make all visitors feel at home. It has invested significantly in its tourism infrastructure, offering modern amenities and facilities to cater to the needs of international travelers. There are well-connected transportation networks, including modern airports and highways, making it convenient for travelers to extend their journeys beyond Azerbaijan's borders also.

 

Located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, bordered by the Caspian Sea to the east, and Russia to the north, Azerbaijan with a mere population of 1.1 crore, has captured the imagination of globetrotters with its rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. From the medieval architecture of Baku’s Old City to the ancient rock carvings of Gobustan, there is no dearth of interesting and exciting things in this country. The UNESCO-listed sites, such as the Walled City of Baku and the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape are experiences one must not miss. The diverse landscapes range from the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus Mountains to the unique mud volcanoes of Gobustan. While for Indians, Azerbaijan is a culinary paradise, and this shows in their cuisine. From aromatic pilaf to delicious kebabs to sweets like Baklava, Halva, Dolma, Dushbara and Dovga, Azerbaijani food reflects the nation’s diverse cultural influences.

 

So as a Globetrotter, how could have I missed visiTIng Azerbaijan. We planned our 6 days trip accordingly to reach directly to Baku, the capital city of Azerbaizan. Situated on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, it is the largest city of Azerbaijan, home to more than 20 lakh Azerbaijanis. Baku is truly a diverse city and promises an enjoyable time to visitors with its architecture, food, city escapes and Bazaars.

 

Most of the important places to visit in Baku are situated along the Boulevard, a popular walkway that was established in the year 1909 along the seafront of Baku. It is a breezy place that hugs the seafront for about 4.5 kms from the National Flag Square to Freedom Square. Heading out to this place, tourists can enjoy the sidewalk lined with trees and some evening refreshment. This place is usually visited by walkers, rollerbladers and joggers who love to spend time in tranquility. On the Boulevard, one can start from Baku crystal Hall an indoor arena and move on to National Flag Square, which happens to be a large city square that has a flag measuring 70 meters by 35 meters hoisted on a pole 162 meters tall. As per the Guiness Book Records, this flagpole is the second tallest in the whole world. Walking further, one reaches the Seaside National Park. Here on a ride over Baku Ferris Wheel, popularly called as Baku Eye, one will be able to capture the views of Baku Bay, Crystal Hall, Flag Square and a panoramic view of the whole city. Nearby stands a gorgeous and very beautiful Mall, the Deniz Mall. Built in the shape of a diamond Ring or a flower, this mall houses numerous restaurants and shops, for a great shopping experience. While strolling further the Boulevard is the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, which houses the largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets in the world.

 

This unique building is actually shaped like a carpet. Carpet weaving is a big part of Azerbaijan’s history and culture, and it’s also one of the symbols of the country. Founded in 1967, this museum showcases many different types of carpets dating from the 17th to the 21st centuries. Baku Boulevard is also known as D?nizk?nari Milli Park where a lot of variety of trees and flowers gardens beautify this whole Boulevard. In this park, Little Venice is one of the most sought-after tourist places which is home to some of the canals that are interspersed with islands which are again connected stone bridges allowing free movement of Gondolas. From the Boulevard one can also take a Funicular operating every hour to reach Highland park. Located on a hill, with a lot of observation platforms, a magnificent view of the nearby attractions can be viewed from here such as Baku Boulevard, Baku Bay, the Shirvanshahs Palace, the Old City of Baku and the Maiden’s Tower.

 

At this park, there is also a Turkish Martyrs Mosque and a memorial area for Turkish soldiers who saved Baku from Armenian Dashnaks in 1918. Another piece of attraction on this hill is the famous Flame Towers. The flame shaped 3 towers happen to symbolize the element of fire and are home to some residential apartments, office blocks, and service apartments. During the night, these towers when lit by thousands of LEDs give a spectacular view and can be seen from far away. Apart from Boulevard, another tourist attraction of Baku is the Icheri Sheher or the UNESCO listed old city. During the rule of Shirvanshahs in the medieval period, Icheri Sheher used to be the capital city. This old city is surrounded by Icherisheher Fortress Walls, which happens to be one of the largest forts that consists of the Icheris Sheher and has the iconic Maiden Tower in its heart. This has a rich history and houses traditional carpet weavers, bars, and restaurants. IInside the city is the palace of the Shirvanshahs, a 15th century palace considered as one of the pearls of the famous Azerbaijan Architecture. Apart from providing residence to the royal family, the palace had also got residences for all those who worked for the royal family. The complex is also home to burial vaults, Seyid Yahya Bakuvi’s Mausoleum, Murad Gate and lots more. Opposite the Old city lies the famous Nizami Street, one of the largest pedestrian and shopping streets in downtown Baku which is named after classical Persian Poet Nizami Ganjavi. It is a public gathering place that attracts tourists with its restaurants, hotels, passages, shops, and boutiques.

 

Being one of the most sought-after places in Baku, it hosts a number of festivals, celebrations, and concerts all through the year. Another attraction here is the Fountain Square, which happens to be a public square with presence of dozens of fountains which were constructed in the course of Soviet rule. In Baku, one can also visit, Teze Pir Mosque, an important heritage mosque constructed in between 1905 - 1914. While the Heydar Mosque named after President Heydar Aliyev is spread over an area of 12000 square meters. The museum of Miniature books holds a Guinness book of record being one of the largest private museums of miniature books. There are more than 6500 books that belong to almost 64 different countries in this museum which is considered to be one of the best tourist places in Baku. Another great architecture is Heydar Aliyev Centre which gives knowledge about the history and culture of Azerbaijan. The National Museum of History is the largest museum in Baku and has more than 3,00,000 artefacts in its vicinity. This museum is located in a mansion with an Italian Renaissance style of architecture. It has an extensive collection of coins including Ancient Greek coins. After spending 2-3 days in Baku, one can explore other places in Azerbaijan like – Ateshgah & Yanar Dag - Ateshgah is the historical Zoroastrian Fire Temple, one of the most interesting tourist places. Built in the 17th and 18th centuries, this temple was the site of many fire rituals back in the days. In fact, it lies on top of a natural gas vent.

 

There is a mention of Hindu fire worship rituals in this temple with even statue of Lord Ganesha. Nearby is also Yanar Dag, one of the most remarkable natural gas fires in Azerbaijan that is still burning today. Its name translates to “Burning mountain” because this 10-meter (32 ft) long wall of fire is burning on the side of a hill. Many say that these flames even played a big role in the birth of Zoroastrianism, a religion that involves fire rituals. It was later discovered that these mystical fires are caused by Azerbaijan’s large gas reserves. Gobustan Rock Art and Mud volcanoes - Taking a day trip from Baku to see the nearby Gobustan Rock Art is an absolute must. Over 6,000 petroglyphs (prehistoric rock carvings) can be found inside Gobustan National Park, and they date back to as far as 40,000 years ago. Most of these carvings depict hunting and worship scenes involving animals, battles, ritual dances, bullfights, and astronomy. They were said to have been a part of pre-worship and pre-hunting rituals. They are very much similar to as found at Bhimbetka in central India. Another, exceptional natural thing to see here is the Mud volcanoes. Infact, Gobustan National Park is home to a third of all the mud volcanoes in the world! That’s right, around 400 of the 1,000+ mud volcanoes on earth are found in this region of Azerbaijan. Gabala is another town located around 220 km northwest of Baku and good for a day trip. Gabala is one of the most ancient cities in Azerbaijan, and while it’s home to tons of temples, mosques, and other historical monuments, it’s mostly known for the beautiful, lush mountains around it. Some of the best things to do in this city include taking a cable car up Mount Tufandag to see the breathtaking valleys underneath.

 

Visiting Nohur Lake to soak in the serene atmosphere and the gorgeous emerald waters is just fascinating. Shahdag - A trip to one of the most popular ski resorts in Azerbaijan, located on the Shahdag Mountain– is a journey through the vast steppe and dazzling snowy mountains. At an impressive elevation of 4,243 meters, Shahdag Mountain stands as a breathtaking destination, seamlessly connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Shahdag Mountain is a year-round paradise for mountain enthusiasts and one of Azerbaijan’s premier ski resorts. But even for non-skiers there’s plenty to do. This place is well equipped with cafes, bars and restaurants allowing visitors to soak in the fabulous scenery all year round and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling and paragliding. One can enjoy the coaster ride which is just scintillating. For nature lovers, Azerbaijan offers more places like Ganza, Shamakhi, Khinaliq, Quba, Shekhi and many more…… ■