Baku, Ateshgah, Yanar Dagh and Quba: 8-day sightseeing tour

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day 1

   Day of arrival and gathering of the group: you are met at the airport and taken to the hotel, then — free time. Some of the excursions of this day are offered for an additional fee: you can go to a welcome dinner at the Shirvanshah restaurant-museum, see the Heydar Aliyev Center or look into the Carpet Museum. Choosing is not obligatory — the day is conceived as a soft beginning.

2. Day 2

   The fullest day in Baku. You start from the height of the Highland Park, from where a panorama of the city opens, then descend to the Seaside Boulevard along the Caspian Sea. The second part is the old city of Icherisheher with its walls, streets and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, and the walk is completed by Nizami Street with its architecture. The day is long, but the movement goes from the overview to the details.

3. Day 3

   The day is devoted to fire. You go to the Ateshgah temple, where natural gas comes out of the ground and ignites on contact with air. Then — the settlement of Mehemmedli and the Yanar Dagh hill, the only place on the Absheron Peninsula where this phenomenon has been preserved. Lunch in a national restaurant — for an additional fee. The pace is calm, the impression is almost mystical.

4. Day 4

   This day is about modern architecture. The Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by Zaha Hadid, is recognized by its smooth lines and absence of sharp corners; inside — expositions about the history and culture of the country. Lunch in a national restaurant is offered for an additional fee. The rest of the time — return to the hotel and rest.

5. Day 5

   The drive to Quba changes everything: instead of the sea — the valley of the Gudiyalchay River and the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. The main impression of the day is the village of Khinalug on the slope of Mount Kyzylgaya, at an altitude of more than two thousand meters, with its own language and customs. On the way — the Afurja waterfall in the Tengalty gorge and the Tebii Minara monument, a natural bridge at a height. The day is packed and road-heavy, accommodation — at the Macara Quba Hotel 5*.

6. Day 6

   Sightseeing tour of Quba: the Juma Mosque, the Arched Bridge and the Red Settlement — a Jewish village on the left bank of the Gudiyalchay River, whose inhabitants call themselves Juhuri and speak the Mountain Jewish language. The place is interesting for its history and for the way languages and traditions coexist here. After the tour — return to Baku and check-in at the hotel.

7. Day 7

   A free day without excursions. You can go to the Yashil Bazar for spices and souvenirs, look into the Park Boulevard or 28 Mall shopping centers, stroll along the Fountain Square on Nizami Street or return to Icherisheher. A day for those who want to choose the rhythm and route themselves. Night at the hotel.

8. Day 8

   Day of departure home. After breakfast there is free time left, and if the flight is late, you can leave the room later — for a separate fee, and luggage for this time is allowed to be left at the hotel. Then transfer to Heydar Aliyev International Airport. The trip ends where it began.