Blending Historical with Modern: 6 Reasons People Choose Azerbaijan as Their Travel Destination

Azerbaijan sits on the southern fringes of the Caucasus Mountains, and the fairly new East meets West country has become quite the travel destination in recent history. They have an online visa application now, which makes obtaining the proper permissions to travel there less burdensome and complicated. And the decline of oil prices has made getting an Azerbaijan tour package more attractive. Here are six reasons people choose “The Land of Fire” as their destination of choice.

Blending Historical with Modern: 6 Reasons People Choose Azerbaijan as Their Travel Destination

1. The Tea

Azerbaijanis are serious about their tea, which they like to drink in the same fashion as Iranians. They even like to take it in Arab cafés from the same style of cups and pots. But they take their insanely sweet tea alongside-drumroll please-vodka! They will even shout a rousing, “Nasdrovia!”

2. The Culture

It’s where the Middle East meets Russia. As a former Soviet and Islamic nation, it is a very eclectic cultural mishmash. This secular republic is full of friendly faces and gracious hospitality. The language, Azerbaijani, is a Turkish dialect and Russian are spoken here. Food is a unique twist on central Asian, Russian, Turkish, Arab and Georgian cuisine. You just might wonder exactly where you are.

3. Mud Volcanoes

What an odd occurrence and strange spectacle mud volcanoes are, but Azerbaijan is home to over 400 of them. They are the result of the country’s rich oil reserves. This liquid mud isn’t at all hot like lava and has been used in mud bathing, creating casts and soothing skin irritations. The mud volcanoes are well off the beaten path, so you’ll take in plenty of natural beauty.

4. The Sites and Sights

The combination of Soivet structures and ancient Iranian and Middle Eastern architecture and modern marvels make for quite the sightseeing adventure. There are working Soviet collective farms, a majestically restored Old City in the capital, Baku, centuries-old mosques and the alluring Flame Towers to check out.

5. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Watching the 51 laps around the Baku City Circuit that overlooks the Caspian Sea is exhilarating. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is an annual Formula 1 race that began in the spring of 2016. Although it is a street circuit, the placement of the grandstands are outstanding, which means that you won’t miss a moment of engine revving action.

6. Hiking

Their proximity to the Caucasus Mountains means that there are some excellent hiking adventures to undertake. Depending on the time of year, you may happen upon a frozen waterfall, lake or stream. And if hiking isn’t quite your thing, there are some excellent ski slopes. The natural beauty and scenic mountain landscapes are the perfect backdrops for any nature lover.

Azerbaijan has an exotic air about it but without exotic prices. There’s a lot of beauty to take in and history to experience. There are lots of unique sights to see--don’t leave out the continuously burning natural gas fire north of the capital city. And best of all, it’s not overcrowded.