Best of Azerbaijan - 8 days (AZ-02)

On arrival at Baku’s international airport you’ll be met by our representative for your transfer to the hotel. After check in there’ll be free time. Overnight in Baku. (D)

An excursion to Sheki will delight; this is the oldest city in Azerbaijan. In ancient times people sold silk here. It was famous among merchants from the Great Silk Road. There’s much to see here including the history museum. The star of Sheki’s show is Khan's Summer Palace with its wonderful façades built from brick, river stones and oak, decorated with floral motives. Its interior design impresses even more. Within its six rooms, you can see different frescoes painted by talented craftsman; some of them feature flowers, while others give us pictures of hunting or battle scenes. There are two beautiful mirrored balconies, ornate decoration using rare coloured Venetian glass and exquisite paintings featuring colourful depictions of birds and animals. The first floor of this palace shows Khan’s richness and powerful reign. A great number of animals and hunting motifs on the walls are thought to be symbols of nobility. In ancient times the palace was surrounded by beautiful gardens, though nowadays only two big trees remain.

Continuing our journey, we stop at Kish, the site of a centuries-old Albanian church incorporated into the Armenian Apostolic Church in 1836. Near the church you’ll find an ancient cemetery where buried bodies are visible through a glass cupola. The remains impress with their height, appearing to be 2.5 metres or more. Ancient Albanian people were giants with white skin; their hair was golden. They looked unlike residents of the modern Caucasian nations. Overnight in Sheki. (B, D)

A visit to Azerbaijan reveals a long history. Shamakhi is one such place. Long ago it was the capital of the Shirvan Empire and home to the Shirvan Dynasty. Nowadays Shamakhi is known for its winemaking. Visiting this city you’ll have an opportunity to explore the Yeddi Gumbez mausoleum. Its magnificent domes rise mysteriously above an almost silent valley with stunning views back to Shamakhi. Nearby, the tombs of Diri Baba are equally atmospheric, built into the rock with the appearance of an eagle’s nest. Approaching, we see only one side; the others are hidden in the cliffs, giving the impression that the tomb is suspended off the ground. The monument has two storeys: the lower floor was probably for servants while the upper, reached by stairs, would have been the salon. Whether it is a sacred site or a place of burial is open to interpretation. Later, you’ll be driven to Baku where you’ll check into the hotel for an overnight stay. Overnight in Baku. (B, D)

After breakfast, we begin our discovery of the city of Baku. You’ll enjoy a sightseeing tour of Baku with a visit to the city’s monumental, historical and architectural attractions as well as taking in a panorama of the Azeri capital and its bay from Upland Park, the city’s highest point. From there we’ll make our way down to the old city, also known as Icheri sheher. This area contained all of Baku until the mid-19th century when, as a result of the oil boom, growth spilled beyond its defensive walls. This tiny area measures just 22 square hectares yet contains many of the city’s must-see sights, including the Shirvanshakhs Palace, the Maiden Tower and the Karavansaray, once the place of merchants’ rest. Today, 1300 families still call Icheri sheher home, this ancient city found within the modern city of Baku. It’s a delightful place to take an evening stroll through the warren of streets to Fountains Square. Overnight in Baku. (B, D)

Today after breakfast our guide will be waiting to collect you for your included excursion to Gobustan National Park. Situated in East Azerbaijan, this archaeological reserve borders the southern slopes of the Major Caucasus ridge to the north, the Harami and Mishov Mountains to the south, Pirsaat River to the west and the Caspian Sea and Absheron peninsula to the east. Gobustan is a culturally significant landscape of myriad rock carvings. Over 6000 petroglyphs have been discovered here together; that’s not all - there are also many ancient caves and archaeological sites within the reserve. Incredibly, some have been dated to as early as the 18th century BC. Together, they offer a fascinating insight into the development of human activity in this area, with scenes of mountain goat hunts, ceremonial dances and even maritime imagery as this place used to be by the sea. On our way back to Baku, you’ll stop at Yanar Dag. This intriguing natural phenomenon is called the Burning Rock, so named because it is fuelled by seepage of natural gas. Flames up to three metres high regularly shoot from the sandstone hillside. Many believe that Yanar Dag is the reason Azerbaijan acquired its nickname, the Land of Fire. Overnight in Baku. (B, D)

Today’s excursion is a guided tour to Ateshgah. The temple of fire worshippers, Ateshgah is located on the Apsheron peninsula on the outskirts of Surakhani village just thirty kilometres from the center of Baku. It was revered in different times by Zoroastrians, Hindus and Sikhs. The current temple building dates from the 17th century, but far more ancient artefacts have been excavated here. This pentagonal complex has an open courtyard with an altar in the centre which was a place of pilgrimage for worshippers. This open air museum has been recently restored and by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan, Ateshgah was declared a State historical-architectural reserve. Our final stop today will be an excursion to the fortress of Ramana. Ramana Castle is estimated to date back several centuries. The height of the fortress’ main tower is an imposing fifteen metres and is built of stone. It is assumed that it was built to protect a palace and was used during the reign of Shirvanshahs. Overnight in Baku. (B, D)

Having returned to Baku, we will visit some of the sights associated with modern Baku: the waterfront area of Baku Boulevard behind which rise the famous Flame Towers skyscrapers, the carpet museum, Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre, Shopping Mall 28th May and Park Boulevard, a mall situated on the main promenade. Overnight in Baku. (B, D)

After breakfast, you’ll transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)