Tour Guide, Baku, Azerbaijan
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Azerbaijan is a country located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. The country is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. Azerbaijan and its people defy simple definition – both the country and its people are neither totally Eastern, nor totally Western, but instead form a rich and unique blend of both cultures. Today Azerbaijan is a modern and liberal country, which still incorporates the traditions of many religions and nationalities into its open social structure.
For the number of mud volcanoes, Azerbaijan holds the first place in the world. 350 out of 800 mud volcanoes in the world are located in Azerbaijan and associated with oilfields by origination. The mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan occupy the 5th place in the international contest of “Seven Natural Wonders” held by a non-commercial Swiss organization. On September 15, 2004, the largest mud volcano of the World located in Azerbaijan was registered in the Guinness Book of Records.
Thousands of tourists visit Azerbaijan every year to see the impressive eruption of the mud volcanoes accompanied by explosions and underground roar. It’s located about 40 miles (64 km) southwest of the center of Baku.
All official and unofficial information resources call the Caspian Sea the largest lake in the World. Its huge area, as well as the fact that its bed is composed of ocean type Earth crust, allowing it to call this lake “the sea”. At the same time, the water of the Caspian Sea is not as salty as the water of the other seas.
Azerbaijani cuisine is one of the most interesting ones in the East. It is remarkable by plenty of different meat, fish and vegetable dishes supplemented by flavoured herbs and spices. The most experienced gourmets who visit Azerbaijan have turned into loyal adherents of the national cuisine. All the regions of Azerbaijan have special menus which are consist of their traditions.
Quba is a famous touristic destination of Azerbaijan and situated in the north-east part of the country. The center of ancient Quba is known for its medieval fortresses and mosques. Khinalig is an ancient Caucasian village going back to the Caucasian Albanian period. It is located high up in the mountains just to the north of Quba in the middle of the Greater Caucasus mountains. People here speak totally different language and live apart from anyone, at 3000m above sea level. Khinalig was included on the World Monuments Fund's 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites.
One of the oldest cities of Azerbaijan – Sheki is home to one landmark that is of particular interest to tourists from all over the world - the Palace of Sheki Khans. An interesting fact about this palace is that during the construction, not a single nail was used, and the coloured glass for the national mosaic was imported from Venice.
Lahij — is one of the handicraft-shopping centres, well-known on the Caucasus and behind its limits. Lahij seems as if it was frozen in time, with the quiet and measured rhythm of life, marked only by the sounds of hammer and anvil. In an XVIII century, the city especially became famous for manufacturing of cold steel and copper utensils decorated with the engraved ornament. Lahij is a historical-architectural monument protected by the state. Due to the unique micro-climate, Lankaran and Talysh are considered among the best therapeutic resorts. World-famous Naftalan sanatorium is a unique medical sanatorium for the treatment of various diseases.