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While Baku is a lovely city to visit, there are some intriguing sites outside of the city that are worth visiting. Most can be done as day trips from Baku.
The three areas that I’ll focus on here are (a) the Absheron Peninsula (b) Northern Azerbaijan (c) South of Baku.
For convenience, I recommend taking day trips with local tour companies, especially if your time in Azerbaijan is short. All of the sites listed below have an entrance fee, unless specified.
For general Azerbaijan travel advice, check out my Reasons to Visit Azerbaijan post.
ABSHERON PENINSULA
Yanar Dag
Located north of Baku, this was the number one site I wanted to visit prior to booking my trip to Azerbaijan and it didn’t disappoint. Yanar Dag translates as Burning Mountain but in reality, the area is a hill.
It seems natural gas has been seeping out of the ground here for several millennia. According to local legend, it wasn’t until a farmer threw a cigarette on the hill, a few decades ago, that the fire began in earnest.
According to the tour guide, it is the only place in Azerbaijan where natural gas seeps out through the ground. Considering Azerbaijan is known as the Land of Fire, this is the perfect representation of the country’s past and present. It was also considered a place of worship.
Check out my short video of Yanar Dag.
Ateshgah Fire Temple
Located in the town of Surakhani north of Baku, the Ateshgah Fire Temple was built in the 17th century as a sacred sanctuary for those who worshipped fire (i.e. Zoroastrianism, Hinduism). It also acted as a caravanserai for those on the Silk Road. The central altar is in the courtyard. Surrounding the central altar are areas which are believed to have been used for cremation, sacrifice, rituals, food storage and water collection.
Ramana Castle
The group tour that I took visited this site. Information on this site is scant but it is believed to have been built sometime between the 9th and 16th centuries as a defence fortress. It has an excellent view of the surrounding area.
This site underwhelmed me, and I’m not sure whether the disappointment was caused by a lack of historical context or that I come from a country with spectacular castles. It’s free to enter the castle but a small fee is incurred if you want to climb to the top.
NORTHERN AZERBAIJAN
Shamakhi
Shamakhi (also Shamakha) was the capital city of Azerbaijan during the 8th to 15th century period. The city was razed to the ground several times by earthquakes after which it was decided to move the capital city to Baku. The only building to survive the earthquakes was Juma Mosque. The road from Baku to Shamakhi was an extraordinary mix of desert and mountain. Entrance to Juma Mosque is free.
Zernava Hanging Bridge
This pedestrian bridge is located between the villages of Lahic and Ismayilli. It spans a beautiful gorge. I didn’t visit Lahic but a few tourists that I met on my travels said it was worth visiting.
Nohur Lake
This beautiful lake is located a couple of kilometres outside of Gabala town on the road to Ismayilli. While Gabala town is bustling with hotels, shops and restaurants, Nohur Lake provides the welcome respite of peace and quiet. It’s possible to take boat tours of the lake. The lakeside restaurant, Nohur Gol, was disappointing in terms of quality and price so head to central Gabala for more variety. Access to the lake is free.
Check out my short video of Nohur Lake.
Sheki
The historic centre of Sheki, located inside fortress walls, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Inside the walls of the fortress are the Khan Palace and the Albanian Church. Nearby Khan Palace are a stain glass workshop and ABAD craft centre.
Sheki town centre has various shops selling traditional foods and crafts. If you haven’t seen a caravanserai before, then check out the one on Mirza Fatali Akhundzada Street as there is no entrance fee to visit.
Sheki is located approximately a four-hour drive from Baku. If travelling independently, it may be best to stay overnight in Sheki. Stay22 has good deals on accommodation in Sheki.
SOUTH OF BAKU
Bibi-Heybat Mosque
This mosque lies immediately south of Baku on the E60 road. The original mosque was built in 13th century over the tomb of Ukeyma Khanum, daughter of the seventh Shiite Imam. The mosque was rebuilt in the 1990s after the Soviets knocked it down during their reign. Free entrance.
Shikhov Beach area
No local recommended swimming in the Shikhov beach area due to the pollution. But if offshore oil rigs are the preferred backdrop to your beach snaps, then this is the place to go.
Gobustan National Park
This national park is Azerbaijan’s third UNESCO World Heritage site. The park is located on a hill in a desert-like rocky landscape and is known for its petroglyphs dating back thousands of years. Due to its hillside location, it has excellent views of the surrounding region.
Mud Volcanoes
Along with Yanar Dag, this natural phenomenon was one of my favourite sites in Azerbaijan. While mud volcanoes are dotted around Azerbaijan – the most in any country – my tour visited Dashgil near Gobustan National Park.
Subterranean gases, formed from the movement of tectonic plates, bubble through muddy ground. Entrance is free but not guaranteed if the weather is wet. Even if the weather is dry, it is a good idea to wear coverings over shoes – learn from my mistake!
Check out my video of a mud volcano in action.
DAY TRIPS FROM BAKU
Other sites mentioned by tourists that I didn’t visit included Besbarmaq Dag, Quba and Khinalig in Northern Azerbaijan. From what I can see, tour companies visit these three areas in one day trip.
Azerbaijan is a beautiful country with a lot to offer in terms of culture and landscape. If you have 2-3 days to spare, I would highly recommend doing day trips from Baku.
Arrivals Hall 