For most travellers, Azerbaijan isn’t an obvious choice. Perched between Europe and Asia on the Caspian Sea, it remains a mystery to many — known faintly for oil, Eurovision, and the occasional football qualifier. But over eight days in December 2025, I discovered a country full of contrasts: futuristic cities beside medieval walls, windswept deserts giving way to snowy peaks, and people whose warmth cut through the winter chill.
Based in Baku and Sheki, with a rental car to explore the Absheron Peninsula, Gabala, and Sheki, my trip covered both the country’s modern heart and its traditional soul.
Baku: A City of Fire and Glass
The capital was the natural starting point. Its UNESCO-listed old town, Icherisheher, felt timeless — narrow lanes of honey-coloured stone, the 12th-century Maiden Tower, and teahouses tucked behind ancient walls. Yet above it all rose the Flame Towers, sleek glass skyscrapers symbolising the country’s fiery identity.
A stroll along Baku Boulevard offered a different view — one of cosmopolitan life by the Caspian Sea. Despite the chill of early winter, the promenade buzzed with activity. Locals strolled, street vendors sold roasted chestnuts, and the lights from the towers reflected off the water.
Absheron’s Eternal Flames
Just outside the capital, the Absheron Peninsula offered an entirely different mood. At Yanar Dag, flames rose directly from the earth — a surreal natural fire that has burned for centuries. At the small coffee shop by Yanar Dag, I met Gokul, who is currently living and working in Abu Dhabi. Over a disgusting coffee and tea, he asked where I was heading next, and without thinking too much about it, I invited him to join me on the road trip. It was a simple, spontaneous exchange, shared while the flames burned just outside. Two strangers, far from home, meeting beside a fire that has burned for centuries.
Nearby, the Ateshgah Fire Temple stood as a relic of Azerbaijan’s Zoroastrian past, once a place of pilgrimage for worshippers of fire. The peninsula’s dry, flat landscape contrasted sharply with what lay ahead: snow-capped hills and winding mountain roads.
The Road to the Caucasus
Driving west from Baku, I passed through small towns where roadside stalls sold pomegranates and jars of golden honey. In Shamakhi, I stopped to see the Jummah Mosque, one of the oldest in the Caucasus. Rebuilt multiple times after earthquakes, it stood as a quiet symbol of endurance.
Further on, Gabala felt like another world — pine forests, frozen lakes, and crisp air that smelled of wood smoke. I stayed near Nohur Lake, where mist hovered over the water in the morning light. Even in winter, the scenery was stunning, calm, and almost Alpine.
Sheki: A Storybook Town
Sheki, nestled at the foot of the Greater Caucasus, was the highlight of the trip. Its cobbled streets, stone houses, and mountain backdrop gave it a charm hard to match. The Palace of the Sheki Khans was the town’s crown jewel — its stained-glass windows and painted ceilings every bit as ornate as I’d imagined.
Yet what I’ll remember most were the small moments: sipping tea in a local sweet shop, chatting with curious shopkeepers, and the quiet rhythm of a town untouched by haste. In nearby Kish village, an ancient church added another chapter to Azerbaijan’s layered history, standing as one of the oldest Christian sites in the region.
Reflections by the Caspian
As I drove back toward Baku, the snowy peaks faded into the rear-view mirror and the desert plains reappeared. By the time I reached the coast, the city lights reflected again across the Caspian — a fitting end to a journey that had stretched from fire to snow, from sea to mountains.
For a Maltese traveller used to compact distances and familiar landscapes, Azerbaijan felt vast, surprising, and refreshingly authentic. It’s a country where modernity hasn’t erased tradition, and where each region offers something distinct — from the flame-lit hills of Absheron to the quiet valleys of Sheki.
Azerbaijan may not be the first destination that comes to mind for winter travel, but it should be. It’s a place that rewards curiosity, leaving you with the feeling you’ve glimpsed something rare: a crossroads of worlds still finding its own rhythm.
If You Go
Getting there: Wizz Air Malta flies from Rome Fiumicino to Baku several times a week, with easy connections from Malta. Flights take around four hours from Rome.
Getting around: A rental car is the best way to explore beyond the capital. Roads are generally good, though driving standards vary. Distances can be long — Baku to Sheki is about five hours.
When to go: Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) offer mild weather and green landscapes. Winter brings snow in the mountains and fewer crowds in the cities.
Currency: Azerbaijani Manat (AZN). Most places in Baku accept cards, but cash is still useful in smaller towns.
Good to know: English is not widely spoken outside the capital, but locals are friendly and often go out of their way to help. Tea is offered everywhere — and refusing it feels almost rude.
