Must See

Ateshgah Fire Temple

Also known as the Fire Temple of Baku, the the Atashgah (place of fire) is a castle-like Hindu temple and monastery complex in Surakhani near Baku. Built on the site of a natural gas vent, it was a centre of worship for thousands of years. Flames spontaneously erupt from the ground - hence the country's other name, Odlar Yourdu, or Land of Fires. Influenced by India, the majestic temple features Sanskrit and Hindi inscriptions and an onion dome.

Aspersion Peninsula

Stretching out to the Caspian Sea beyond Baku, the Apsheron Peninsula is the site of several fine medieval castles, built by the Shirvan shahs fearing attack from the sea. At Ramana you can also see the remains of ancient oil fields, where Zoroastrians still stage ritual dances, leaping over the flames that rise from oil-soaked ground over natural gas vents, whilst at Mardakyany is a botanic garden and a fifteenth-century mosque.

Baku

Baku is the country's busy capital, the biggest metropolis in Transcaucasia, and home to about a fifth of Azerbaijan's population. The heart of the medieval city is Ichari Shahar, the walled Old Town. There, archaeological digs have revealed Bronze Age burial chambers. It's a fascinating maze of alleys, dead ends, tea-houses and caravanserais - a courtyard inn that also houses merchandise such as incense holders, splendid carpets,and other traditional Middle Eastern goods.

On the waterfront overlooking the bay is the 12th-century Maiden's Tower (Gyz-Galasy); visitors may climb the multiple spiral staircases inside the tower to get a stunning 360-degree view of the city. The Synyk Kalah Minaret (built is 1093) is the oldest building still standing, and beyond that is the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the 15th-century royal court complex.

There are also a number of religious sites worth visiting, such as the 10th-century mosque of Shamakha (just outside Baku) and Dzhuma Mosque, located within the city. The Surakhany Temple was established by Parsee fire-worshippers living in Baku in the 18th century, and was predated by a much older Zoroastrian shrine on the same site.

Modern Baku is also distinctive, such as the opulent public buildings and houses built during the Baku oil boom at the start of the 20th century. This includes Sabuchinsky railway station (1926), which was designed to resemble an Islamic religious academy (madrassah).

Gobustan State Reserve

Gobustan State Reserve, located about 70 km (43 miles) southwest of the centre of Baku, was established in 1966 to preserve the ancient carvings, mud volcanoes and gas-stones in the region. This huge open-air museum, spread over 100 sq km (39 sq miles) of caves and rocky outcrops, is littered with hundreds of thousands of neolithic rock drawings, some of them dating back 5,000-20,000 years. The rock paintings depict primitive men, animals, ritual dances, camel caravans, battle-pieces, pictures of sun and stars, boats with armed oarsmen and warriors with lances in their hands, and many are further adorned with remarks and signatures added by visiting Roman soldiers in the first century AD, suggesting that the area has a long history as a tourist attraction.

Khinalyg

Khinalyg (or Xinaliq) is an ancient Caucasian village high up in the mountains that divide Russia and the South Caucasus, located just north of Quba (which is two hours from Baku). It is the highest, most remote and isolated village in Azerbaijan, where the weather changes dramatically during summer and winter ranging from -20 °C to 18°C. Living n this area are the unique Iranian ethnic group known as the Tats, who have managed to preserve their original language, customs and traditions.

Sheki

Sheki is thought to be one of the oldest settlements in the Caucasus, dating back 2,500 years. Sights include the fortress and 18th-century frescoed summer palace built by a local warlord who declared Sheki the capital of an independent khanate.

Shemakha

Formerly a major trading centre, this little town in the foothills of the Caucasus maintains a reputation for carpets and wine. It is the old capital of the Shirvan shahs, and many of the past royals are buried here.