Tips

• All visitors to Azerbaijan must register with the State Migration Service office. Although hotels usually take care of this procedure, we recommend that travelers double-check to see if all is in order. If you plan on travelling to a border region, it is important to check if there are special regulations required to travel to these regions.
• The official language is Azeri, followed by Russian. English is not yet a popular language in this nation.
• Although there are no vaccines required to enter the country, we recommend the following: tetanus, typhus, and hepatitis.
• The local currency is the Azerbaijani manat. We do not recommend travelers checks, as it is difficult to exchange them in banks.
• Travelers who wish to acquire rugs or other antique objects must seek a export certificate, which should be provided by the seller.
• Travelers are only allowed to travel with a maximum of 125gm of caviar, 3 lt of alcoholic beverages, and and 1,000 euros in cash or its equivalency in gold.
• From May to September, we recommend travelling with light clothing. However, from October to April it is wise to pack warmer clothing.

 

 

 

Tops

• Azerbaijan was one of the principal hubs of the Silk Road for almost 2,000 years, which made possible for commerce to flourish between the Orient and the West.
• The city of Sheiki is located 305 km from Baku, and it is one of the oldest cities in the country, approximately 2,500 to 2,600 years old. It is also recognized as one of the best architectural reserves in Azerbaijan.
• Rugs are an indispensable companion for the Azerbaijani culture, which are recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO. We recommend that travelers visit “The Carpet Museum,” whose structure resembles tapestry in the process of being created.
• Ecotourism and related activities can be found in the city of Lankaran, which is home to vast amount of flora and fauna typical of the region. Furthermore, it is famous for its beautiful thermal baths.
• Baku is ideal place for travellers looking to indulge in the nightlife of the country. During the summer, bars and pubs open their doors throughout the night.
• Shops open their doors usually around 9 AM, and most of them keep them open for most of the day.
• The Flame Towers, inspired from an ancient Azerbaijani fire-worshiping tradition, can be found in Baku. These structures were built in honor of this, and are currently the most popular attractions in modern Baku.
• Since the time Marco Polo was in Azerbaijan there have existed records of natural wildfires. Today, on the most attractive destinations is the Yanar Dag, where one can observe flames that oscillate between 10 and 30 feet high. They are better appreciated during the night.

 

Text: AMURA ± Photo: XPB / UTU