Budget travel | Azerbaijan: Cultural cauldron in the Caucasus

Flame Towers, Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo via Unsplash)

Standing at the crossroads of cultures, between Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan has inevitably been a cauldron of intermingling influences. The great Caucasus mountains lend an air of raw natural majesty. Add to this its enviable position on the ancient Silk Road and the result has been a rich cultural and natural heritage that has endured over centuries. Apart from its glitzy and tech-savvy capital Baku, Azerbaijan is pretty much rustic and rather quiet, with little towns surrounded by mountains and farms. In between, there is the odd vineyard, both surprising and delightful. Spending a week in Azerbaijan is easy and won’t bust the bank.

What to see

Baku

Glimpses of old city of Baku. (Photos: Anita Rao Kashi)

Sitting on the banks of the lovely Caspian Sea, the Azerbaijani capital is a beautiful mix of European and Asian flavours, with undeniable Russian influence. Towering contemporary buildings such as the Flame Towers and the sweeping lines of the magnificent Heydar Aliyev Center overlook the ancient walled old city, where time stands still. Don’t miss the famous Ashtegah fire temple and fire mountain. Visit the carpet museum, which is an ode to the country’s ancient carpet tradition, and is truly spectacular. Go for a walk on the promenade in the evening and check out a wine bar.

Sheki

Nearly 400 km from Baku, located in the picturesque Greater Caucasus mountains, Sheki is beautiful city on the ancient Silk Road. Full of character with 18th century buildings, including a palace, and surrounded by quaint villages with structures going back centuries.

In addition to a long tradition of making silk scarves, Sheki has indigenous craft traditions such as shebeke (wooden latticework inserted with thin coloured glass pieces), embroidery and tir instruments.

Sheki, Azerbaijan. (Photo: Anita Rao Kashi)

Gobustan

Gobustan, Azerbaijan. (Photo: Anita Rao Kashi)

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Gobustan has over 6000 prehistoric rock drawings estimated to several millennia. The rock faces are replete with sketches of human figures, animals, fishes and much more.

Note: Entry to museums and other sights are around 7-10 AZN. Some places are closed on Mondays.

What to do

Mud volcanoes

Mud volcanoes, Azerbaijan. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Azerbaijan has an astonishing number of mud volcanoes; the ones near Gobustan are easy to access and fun to muck around in.

Seaside

Head to the beaches of Absheron for a day of sun, surf and sand by the Caspian sea.

Hiking

Azerbaijan landscape. (Photo: Anita Rao Kashi)

Quba is mountainous with tiny villages, fruit orchards and an abundance of paths for hiking and trekking. Popular destinations are Tenghi Canyon and Khinalig.

What to eat

Azerbaijan’s location in the middle of the ancient Silk Route has meant that its cuisine is a glorious mix of influences spanning from China in the East to the Mediterranean in the West with Indian, Iranian, Middle Eastern and Turkish thrown into the cauldron. Meat is central to the cuisine, but is by no means the mainstay.

Light snack in Azerbaijan. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

A meal begins with a platter of fresh vegetables and herbs accompanied by dips such as mangal (similar to baba ganoush). From here it can go several different ways. Juicy kebabs, sometimes served on a wide shallow wok called saj on a flame with a selection of vegetables, dolmas (any kind of stuffed vegetable; there are over 50 varieties), soups such as dovga (made with runny yogurt) or the elaborate piti (rich and clear lamb soup with mashed tender lamb). There’s also whole ribs, and varieties of grilled and fried fish.

It is usually accompanied by saffron rice or pilaf, called plov, which can also be stuffed into wafer thin filo pastry along with dried fruits and lamb morsels and baked into a delectable dish called shahi plov. Or soft fluffy bread baked in a tandir (local version of tandoor). Sweets tend towards pastries and layered sweets like pakhlava (baklava) but a meal always end with dark tea sipped over jellied fruit jams.

For those who like their tipple, check out the local pomegranate wine. Street food costs around 3-4 AZN; traditional dishes in a mid-sized restaurant can start from around 3 AZN like soups and starters, while main courses such as meat and plovs can be around 6-8 AZN; whole meals or shared large platters can cost around 8-10 AZN depending on how many dishes you add on.

Where to stay

Baku has plenty of stay options across budgets; it is easy to find a decent double room from 60 AZN with breakfast. Airbnb options start from 30 AZN. Outside Baku, it is possible to get decent accommodation for around 50 AZN.

Good to know

Getting there: AirArabia offers the best and cheapest return flights from India, from around Rs 45000-50000.

Visa: Can be obtained online and costs $ 25.

Language: Azerbaijani is the local language; English is not widely spoken or understood outside the big cities.

Currency: Azerbaijani Manat is the local currency and 1 AZN = around Rs 49.