INTRODUCTION
PART 1: AZERBAIJAN OVERVIEW
Practical Information
Visas 9 – Getting there 12 – Getting around 15 – Money 20 – Accommodation 20 – Food 21 – Drink 27 – Health 29 – Annoyances and safety 30 – Climate 31 – What to wear, things to take 31 – Sources of information 31 – Post and telecommunications 34
Facts about the country
History 36 – Religion 48 – Culture and attitudes 49 – Festivals and holidays 51 – Language 53 – Entertainment and the arts 55 – Carpets 60 – Sports and games 61
What to see, where to go
Geographical overview 62 – Land of fire 63 – Beaches 63 – Mud volcanoes 63 – Post-Soviet curiosities 65 – Architecture 66 – Museums 68 – Into the mountains 68 – Flora and fauna 71
PART 2: Baku
Orientation 73 – Information and guides 73 – Naming confusions 74 – History 75 – Exploring the Old City 78 – Around the Old City (Suggested walk) 86 – Central – Baku 92 – Best of ... overviews 96 – Station area 102 – The Yasamal Slopes 104 – Shähidlär X?yabany 106 – Zorge and Officer parks 107 – Gänclik and the – Embassy area 108 – Tabriz Avenue 110 – In the distant suburbs 110 – Bazaars 111 – Shops and services 112 – Accommodation 116 – Restaurants 120 – Cafés, pubs and bars 126 – Discos, clubs and pick-up bars 127 – Entertainment 127 – Getting around 130 – Getting to/leaving Baku 133
PART 3: Around Baku
Baku to Älät
Baku to Sahil 137 – Sahil to Gobustan 139 – Gobustan and the mud volcanoes 140 – Älät 142
Absheron peninsula
History 143 – Beaches 144 – Getting around 144 – Places to visit 145 – North-West Absheron 155
PART 4: THE North
Introduction 158 – Regional history 158 – Baku to Giläzi 159 – Giläzi to Alt? Agach – and the tough route to Shamakha 159 – Giläzi to Qandov 161 – Qandov to Nabran 164 – Nabran 166 – Qandov to Quba 169 – Quba 169 – Excursions from Quba 171 – Quba – to Qächräsh and beyond 174 – Hiking excursions from X?nal?q 178 – Quba to – Samur 182 – Quba to Qusar 182 – Excursions from Qusar 184
Part 5: Shamakha–Shäki route
Introduction 187 – Baku to Märäzä 187 – Märäzä to Shamakha 189 – Shamakha 191 – Around Shamakha (north) 194 – Around Shamakha (south) 197 – Shamakha to Ismaili 199 – Ismaili 203 – Around Ismaili 203 – Ismaili to Qäbälä 203 – Qäbälä 207 – North of Qäbälä 208 – North-west of Qäbälä 209 – South of Qäbälä 210 – Qäbälä to Shäki 210 – Shäki 214 – Around Shäki 219 – Shäki to Qax 220 – Qax 220 – South of Qax 223 – North-east of Qax/Ilisu 223 – Qax to Zaqatala 224 – Zaqatala 226 – North of Zaqatala/Car 229 – Zaqatala to Balakän 229 – Balakän 230 – Postbina (Crossing the border to/from Georgia) 231
Part 6: Central Azerbaijan
Introduction 232 – Älät to Kürdamir 232 – Göychay to Mingächevir 236 – Mingächevir 238 – Yevlax 240 – Bärdä 241 – Bärdä to Tärtär and Naftalan 243 – Naftalan 243 – Göranboy and the Todan Loop 244 – Gänjä 246 – Around Gänjä 251 – Bayan–Dashkasan–Hosh Bulaq 254 – Gänjä to Shämkir 256 – Shämkir 256 – Shämkir–Gadäbäy–Tovuz loop 257 – Tovuz to Qazax 260 – Qazax 263 – Qazax to the Georgian border 265 – Krasni Most/Red Bridge (Georgian Border) 265
Towards Karabagh
Background 266 – Shusha 266 – Lesser-known sites in the occupied area 267 – Getting to Karabagh 268 – Towards the occupied area 268
PART 7: THE South
Introduction 269 – Älät to Salyan 270 – Salyan to Neftchala 273 – Sälyan to Masall? 273 – Masall? 276 – Around Masall? 276 – Masall? Istisu to Yard?ml? 277 – Yard?ml? 278 – Around Yard?ml? 279 – Yard?ml? to Lerik 280 – Masall? to Länkäran 281 – Länkäran 281 – Around Länkäran 284 – Länkäran to Lerik 286 – Lerik 287 – Towards Kalaxan 287 – Astara region 288 – Astara town 291
PART 8: Nakhchivan
History 292 – Practical Information 294 – Nakhchivan City 296 – Southern Nakhchivan 298 – Alinja Castle 301 – Northern Nakhchivan 301 – North-Western Nakhchivan 302
PART 9: EXCURSIONS TO GEORGIA (SAKARTVELO)
Facts about the country
Introduction 304 – History 304 – Religion 307 – Visas 307 – Getting there 307 – Getting around 307 – Money 309 – Accommodation 309 – Food 309 – Health 309 – Climate 309 – Sources of information 309 – Staying in touch 310
Tbilisi and around
Exploring the centre 310 – Accommodation 312 – Where to eat and drink 317 – Greater Tbilisi 319
Kaheti and routes to Azerbaijan
Tbilisi to Lagodekhi direct 320 – Tbilisi to Telavi 320 – Telavi 322 – Telavi to Lagodekhi/Azerbaijan border 324 – David Gareja cave monasteries 325
Routes to Turkey
Tbilisi to Posof via Akhaltsikhe 325 – Tbilisi to Trabzon via Batumi 329 – Into the Georgian Mountains 334 – Swaneti and Khevsureti 335
APPENDICES
Bibliography 336 – Menu decoder 338 – Glossary 343 – Who’s who 348 – Useful words and phrases 357 – Names 361
INDEX
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