Azerbaijan Journey

Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku

I traveled through Azerbaijan for around 20 days and I enjoyed my stay there. I visited Baku, Ganja, Sheki, Guba, Lankaran and Astara, and also got the chance to run the Baku Half Marathon 2024. Here are some of the things that I noticed in Azerbaijan.

Baku metro is the lifeline of the people of Baku and some of the old buildings in Baku are very beautiful, and have a lot of history.
Azerbaijani people consider Türkiye as their brother country and vice versa, you will see Azerbaijan and Türkiye flags side by side.
Although you will find Chaikhana all across Azerbaijan, I especially loved the Chaikhana's of Sheki, they kept the old tea tradition still alive.
Travelling between cities is easy, you will find a lot of buses and marshrutkas.
You would find Heydar Aliyev statue, or a museum/park named after him in almost all the cities in Azerbaijan.
I was stopped two times in Ganja by the Azerbaijan Security Police, it's better to have your passport with you.
I got the chance to try local dishes e.g. Kutab, Dolma, Lahmacun, Piti, Paxlava and Halva in Azerbaijan
Since Azerbaijan is an old Soviet Union country, most people in Azerbaijan know Russian language.
I found Azerbaijan to be a safe country, a country where some people smoke/vape while running a marathon 😲.

Air Arabia Boarding Pass

Boarding Gate at Sharjah Airport

Heydar Aliyev Airport, Baku

On top of the Maiden Tower

Baku Boulevard

Sahil Hostel near Sahil Metro Station in Baku, where I stayed

Lahmacun

Baku Metro

Icherisheher Metro Station, Baku

Maiden Tower

Baku

Outside Icherisheher Metro Station, Baku

Shirvanshah's Palace, Icherisheher, Baku

Baku

Mud Volcanoes

Gobustan

Yanardag

Heydar Aliyev Center

Outside 28 May Metro Station, Baku

Azerlotereya (Azerbaijan Lottery)

Nikola Tesla

Flame Towers from Highland Park

Funicular at Highland Park

Shahidlar Xiyabani

Flame Towers

Mosque near Shahidlar Xiyabani

BakiKart (Baku Metro Card) Vending Machine

Stadler Train at Baku Railway Station

Baku to Ganja Train

The beautiful building in the Ganja city center, next to Heydar Aliyev statue

Statue of Nizami Ganjavi in Ganja

Xan Bagi, Ganja

People playing board game near Xan Bagi, Ganja

Statue of an elderly couple, Ganja

Beautiful Lada Car

Heydar Aliyev Park, Ganja

Statue of Heydar Aliyev inside Heydar Aliyev Park, Ganja

Nizami Ganjavi Mausoleum, Ganja

Alexander Nevsky Church, Ganja

Imamzadeh Mausoleum, Ganja

Mosque inside Imamzadeh Mausoleum, Ganja

Mahsati Ganjavi

Notables from Ganja

Sheki Bus Station

Ukranaya Chaikhana, Sheki

Sheki

Caravanserai, Sheki

Sheki Khan's Palace

Sheki

Ukranaya Chaikhana, Sheki

Sheki Halva and Paxlava in Taza Bazaar, Sheki

Taza Bazaar, Sheki

Piti at Serin restaurant in Sheki, it was very similar to Dizi which I ate in Shiraz, Iran

Marshrutka 15 which goes to Kish village from Sheki

Albanian Church, Kish

Kish

Ukranaya Chaikhana, Sheki

Sheki Bus Station

Sheki Paxlava

Baku Metro

The beautiful Heydar Mosque, Baku

Ran 10 KM on Sunday morning with Baku Runners Group in Baku

Baku

Baku Boulevard

Coffee Moffie, Baku

Baku International Bus Terminal

Baku to Guba Bus

Guba

Red Village, Guba

Mountain Jews Museum, Guba

Synagogue, Guba

Qutab, Guba Bazaar

Paxlava at Guba Bazaar

Juma Mosque, Guba

Shahidlar Xiyabani, Guba

Guba Genocide Memorial

Baku Book Center

Yasil Bazaar, Baku

Baku Book Center

People playing cards at Sahil Hostel, Baku

Ali & Nino Bookstore, Baku

Bus from Baku to Lankaran

Boyuk Bazaar, Lankaran

Boyuk Bazaar Mosque, Lankaran

Genocide Memorial, Lankaran

Railway Station, Lankaran

Lighthouse, Lankaran

Haji Aslanov Statue, Lankaran

Boyuk Bazaar, Lankaran

Pomidor Yumurta at Xan Chaikhana, Lankaran

Marshrutka from Lankaran to Astara

I ❤️ Astara

Chaikhana in Astara near the Azerbaijan-Iran Border

Astara-Iran sign

Astara Chai

Caspian Sea, Astara

Beautiful Astara Boulevard along Caspian Sea

Yanar Bulaq in Archivan, where you can set fire to water

An Old prison in Lankaran where Stalin was kept for some time

Dolma at Xan Chaikhana, Lankaran

A road sign near Hirkan village

A long walk from Hirkan village to Xanbulan Lake

Xanbulan Lake, Hirkan National Park

Chai at Xanbulan Lake, Hirkan National Park

Locals at Xanbulan Lake, Hirkan National Park

Xanbulan Sign, Hirkan National Park

Haji Aslanov House Museum, Lankaran

Xadija, daughter of the caretaker of the hostel in Lankaran

Lankaran Bus Station near Lavangi Circle

Carpet Museum, Baku

Deniz Mall, Baku

People collecting their Bib in Deniz Mall for Baku Half Marathon 2024

Collected my Bib in Deniz Mall for Baku Half Marathon 2024

My Bib for Baku Half Marathon 2024

Race Day, just before the start of Baku Half Marathon 2024

Baku Half Marathon 2024

Lunch

Bus from Baku to Sheki at Baku International Bus Terminal

Ukranaya Chaikhana, Sheki

Old men enjoying their conversation, Sheki

Meat Chigirtma at Serin Restaurant, Sheki

Sheki

Balakan Marshrutka at Sheki Bus Station

A shop inside Sheki Bus Station

Marshrutka to Balakan, a town near Azerbaijan-Georgia Land Border

Crossing the Azerbaijan-Georgia Land Border

Liberty Bank ATM at Georgian side of Azerbaijan-Georgia Land Border

Lagodekhi Marshrutka Station

Marshrutka from Lagodekhi to Tbilisi

I enjoyed my time in Azerbaijan & learnt a few things ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ , this was my itinerary.

Day 1 : Arriving in Baku
Day 2 : Exploring Icherisheher (Baku Old city)
Day 3 : Visiting Mud Volcanoes, Gobustan and Yanardag
Day 4 : Visiting Highland Park and Martyrs' Lane
Day 5 : Train to Ganja, encountering Azerbaijan security service
Day 6 : Exploring Ganja
Day 7 : Exploring Sheki
Day 8 : Visiting Kish Village
Day 9 : Sheki to Baku
Day 10 : Running 10 KM with Baku Runners
Day 11 : A day trip to Guba
Day 12 : Visiting Baku Book Center and Yasil Bazaar
Day 13 : Exploring Lankaran
Day 14 : Exploring Astara
Day 15 : A long walk to Hirkan National Park and Xanbulan Lake
Day 16 : Lankaran to Baku
Day 17 : Running the Baku Half Marathon 2024
Day 18 : Preparing for Georgia Border Crossing
Day 19 : Baku to Sheki
Day 20 : Azerbaijan Georgia Land Border Crossing