Travelisto destinations

Azerbaijan holidays

Baku’s walled Old City and Flame Towers, the silk-road town of Sheki and the mud volcanoes of Gobustan, where Europe meets Asia.

Plan my Azerbaijan holiday See holiday types

Overview

Welcome to Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan sits on the Caspian Sea where Europe meets Asia, and it is the usual starting point for journeys through the Caucasus. Baku, the capital, is a city of contrasts: the walled Old City (Icherisheher), a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, sits below the glass Flame Towers, the Zaha Hadid-designed Heydar Aliyev Centre and a long seafront boulevard. Just outside the city are the rock carvings and bubbling mud volcanoes of Gobustan and the eternal flames of Yanar Dag.

Head north-west towards the Greater Caucasus and the landscape turns green and mountainous. Sheki, an old silk-road town, is famous for the painted Palace of the Sheki Khans, its caravanserai and its sweet halva; Lahij is a mountain village of coppersmiths; and Quba and Xinaliq sit high in the hills. Azerbaijani food is rich and generous, with plov rice dishes, kebabs, stuffed vine leaves, fresh herbs, pomegranates and black tea served with jam.

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Best for: travellers who want somewhere genuinely different, history and architecture lovers, and Caucasus tours combining Azerbaijan with Georgia and Armenia. Our escorted tours start in Baku and include Sheki before crossing into Georgia.

From the team

Why we love Azerbaijan

Rossella — Travel Designer · Luxury & Destination Specialist

Give Baku two full days — the Old City at night is magical — then travel slowly to Sheki and on into Georgia. It is the classic way to start a Caucasus journey.

Rossella Rossella, Luxury & Destination Specialist Meet our Travel Designers

Main areas

Where to go in Azerbaijan

4 distinct regions — they pair beautifully two or three at a time.

Baku & the Absheron

Baku & the Absheron

Baku Yanar Dag Ateshgah

The Old City and modern skyline, the fire temple at Ateshgah and the burning hillside of Yanar Dag.

Gobustan

Gobustan

Gobustan rock art Mud volcanoes

Stone Age rock carvings on the UNESCO list and a landscape of bubbling mud volcanoes.

Sheki & the north-west

Sheki & the north-west

Sheki Kish Gabala

Silk-road Sheki, its painted palace and caravanserai, and the Albanian church at Kish.

Mountain villages

Mountain villages

Lahij Quba Xinaliq

Coppersmiths in Lahij and some of the highest villages in the Caucasus.

Find your trip

Holiday types in Azerbaijan

Pick a holiday style — or combine two. Each section links straight to the next step.

City breaks

Azerbaijan's cities reward 2-4 nights each — pair two for a tailor-made multi-centre trip.

Baku

Baku

The Maiden Tower, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the Flame Towers and the seafront boulevard on the Caspian.

Cruises

Azerbaijan’s coast is on the Caspian Sea, which is not linked to the world’s cruise routes — there are no ocean cruises calling at Baku.

Practical info

Knowing before you go

When to go
Jan
7°
Feb
7°
Mar
10°
Apr
16°
May
22°
Jun
27°
Jul
30°
Aug
30°
Sep
26°
Oct
20°
Nov
13°
Dec
9°

April to June and September to October are the best months, warm and clear in Baku and green in the mountains. July and August are hot on the coast but good in the hills. Baku is famously windy in any season.

Flights & how to get there

Baku has flights from London, direct or with one stop via Istanbul, taking from about 5 hours 30 minutes. Sheki is about 5 hours by road from Baku, and the Georgian border is a further 1–2 hours.

Visa & passport

UK passport holders need a visa, available online as an e-visa before you travel. The FCDO advises against travel to some areas near the border with Armenia. For up-to-date entry requirements and safety advice, check the UK FCDO travel advice for Azerbaijan.

Currency & money

The Azerbaijani manat (AZN). Cards are accepted in Baku; carry cash outside the capital.

Language & tipping

Azerbaijani. Russian is widely understood, and English is spoken in Baku’s hotels.

Health & safety

Consult your GP or a travel clinic about six weeks before you travel, and buy comprehensive travel insurance.

FAQs

Azerbaijan — your questions

When is the best time to visit Azerbaijan?

April to June and September to October, when Baku is warm but not hot and the mountains around Sheki are green. July and August are hot on the Caspian coast.

Do I need a visa for Azerbaijan?

Yes. UK passport holders need a visa, which can be obtained online as an e-visa before travel. Check the latest FCDO travel advice, which also advises against travel to some areas near the Armenian border.

Can I combine Azerbaijan with Georgia and Armenia?

Yes, and most travellers do. Our Caucasus tours start in Baku, travel through Sheki to the Georgian border, and continue through Georgia to Armenia.

How many days do I need in Baku?

Two to three days is ideal for the Old City, the modern architecture and day trips to Gobustan and the Absheron Peninsula.

Make this trip yours

Plan your Azerbaijan holiday with a Travel Designer

Pick from any of the options on this page or tell us what you have in mind — we'll build it around how you actually like to travel. ATOL protected, flights included, real humans available 9am–7pm.

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