Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan (Chapter)

This is the Azerbaijan chapter from Lonely Planet’s Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan guidebook.

Azerbaijan is a nexus of ancient empires; it's also a ‘new’ nation emerging on a petroleum-funded gust of optimism. Cosmopolitan Baku rings its Unesco-listed ancient core with mushrooming skyscrapers, yet three hours’ drive away are timeless rural orchard-clad, mountain-backed villages.

• venture into high-altitude shepherd villages in the Quba hinterlands with unique languages and dramatic canyonland scenery
• maps
• discover Şәki, cupped in beautiful wooded mountains with an 18th-century palace, picturesque old town and unforgettable caravanserai-hotel
• transport
• explore Qobustan’s Stone and Bronze Age petroglyphs, then move on to a nearby ‘family’ of wonderfully weird mud volcanoes
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Understand Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Today, History – from early history to independence, Arts, Food & Drink, Directory, Transport, Baku (Baki) & around, Abşeron Peninsula, Baku to Qobustan, Şirvan National Park, northern Azerbaijan, Baku to Quba, Quba & around, northwestern Azerbaijan, Baku to İsmayıllı, İsmayıllı & around, Qәbәlә, Oğuz, Şәki & around, Qax & around, Zaqatala & around, Balakәn, central Azerbaijan, Gәncә & around, southern Azerbaijan, Masallı & around, Lәnkәran, Lerik & around, Astara, Naxçivan, Naxçivan City, Naxçivan City to Ordubad, Naxçivan City to Turkey