Uncertain of its place in either Europe or Asia, Azarbaijan seems to have carved its own little niche in the hilly folds south the dramatic Caucasus Mountains. Here, from the multicultural capital of Baku, to the high traditionalism of the southern Talish hills, visitors are treated to a montage of old and new cultures, the intermingling of which is at the very heart of modern Azerbaijani culture.
Of the ‘must sees’ and ‘must dos’, the UNESCO-attested old town of the country’s capital Baku is perhaps the most recommended by Azerbaijan tour guides; it’s home to the stunning Maiden’s Tower, a king pin of local folk legends and Arabic lore, along with the sprawling Palace of the Shirvanshahs – a Middle Age relic of regional power. Further to the north, the city of Khachmaz represents one of the local-favourite holiday spots, where visitors can enjoy the warm beaches of the Caspian coast and sprawling forests of the Caucus backcountry in the same day.
Azerbaijan is also famed for spanning no fewer than nine separate climactic zones, and offers a palimpsest of snow-covered peaks, volcanic calderas and primeval forests for any traveller intrepid enough to dare.