Baku, Quba, Sheki and Ilisu: 8-day sightseeing tour

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day 1

   Arrival in Baku, meeting and check-in, then a panoramic tour of the city. The main impression of the day is the Flame Towers and the view of the Baku Bay from the Highland Park, where one ascends through the quiet Alley of Martyrs. The rest is free time, which can be spent on Nizami Street or on the Seaside Boulevard, and if desired — take a boat ride around the bay, this is available in season.

2. Day 2

   The day begins with a trip around the Absheron Peninsula: the Ateshgah fire temple in the settlement of Surakhany and the Yanar Dagh reserve, where the flame comes straight out of the hillside. After returning to Baku — a stop at the Heydar Aliyev Center to look at it from the outside and take a photo by the inscription "I love Baku". Then half a day is devoted to the Old City: Icherisheher with the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, and the walk ends at the Philharmonic Garden.

3. Day 3

   The day most packed with drives: Quba and its surroundings. Among the stops — the Juma Mosque of red brick and the Sakina-Khanum Mosque, the mausoleums in the settlement of Agbil, the old bathhouse "Chukhur Hammam" and a carpet-weaving factory, where you can see how the local art is being revived. A walk in the park named after Nizami Ganjavi leads to the arched bridge "Gudialchay" and to the Red Settlement — a settlement of Mountain Jews. The day ends with lunch in the Gyachresh forest, you can eat there at your own expense.

4. Day 4

   The road south, to Lankaran, with two big stops along the way. First the Gobustan Reserve with rock carvings and a museum, then the tourist complex of mud volcanoes, where they tell about their structure and properties. Further — the "Citrus Valley", where the hostess of the farm shows the household, and fruit picking is possible in season. In Lankaran itself — the fortress and the Kichik-Bazar Mosque, the Palace of Mirakhmad Khan, and after — the Hirkan National Park and Lake Khanbulan.

5. Day 5

   Transfer to Gabala with a visit to the ancient ruins and gates of Caucasian Albania. Lake Nohur with a view of the Caucasus Mountains is a place for an unhurried stop with tea and local jam. Then the village of Nij, where the Udis live, with the museum-restaurant "Udi Ocaghi" and the opportunity to try dishes of Udi-Albanian cuisine — lunch optional. The day ends with two temples: the Jotari Church of Saint Elisha and the Church of the Holy Mother of God Mary. The night is already in Sheki.

6. Day 6

   A day in Sheki and Gakh, dedicated to crafts and nature. In the workshops they show how shebeke and Sheki pakhlava are made, and at the Sheki Silk Factory they introduce the production of kelagai. A separate stop — the Summer Palace of the Sheki Khans with frescoes and window mosaics, as well as the Caravanserai with the buildings "Yukhari" and "Ashaghi". Closer to the end of the day — the Mamirly and Ilisu waterfalls, as well as the ruins of the castle and tower in the Gakh District.

7. Day 7

   Return to Baku with a stop at the Savalan winery. Here they show wine production, give a tour of the surroundings and let you try several varieties with snacks. The name of the winery is connected with the Savalan valley in Gabala, and the symbol of the wines has become the mountain that people call the "Sleeping Beauty". Arrival in Baku, check-in and a night at the hotel.

8. Day 8

   Breakfast at the hotel, departure and transfer to the airport — flight home.