Following my blog post on my stay in Baku Does Baku Give You A Taste Of The World? … I am writing this blog post about three cities that I have visited in Azerbaijan that I think shouldn’t be missed:
- Qabala
- Qakh
- Sheki
This is part 2 of my spring holiday…
Unlike Baku these three cities aren’t packed with people or cars or loud noises that a regular city would have in fact I felt like those cities are visited when you want complete serenity, calm and maybe a little enjoyment of non-conventional sports.
Qabala city is filled with ancient history and spectacular mountain views. In fact, this city was nicknamed “Nature of Qabala” as people went there for the nature that they didn’t get in the usual upbeat cities.
Gabala is considered a popular tourist destination due to the combination of a very good spring climate, mountainous landscape, and diverse fauna, as mentioned before. There are many world-class hotels and resorts, most part of the Qafqaz chain. We stayed in Qafqaz Yeddi Gozel Hotel Resort, a gorgeous resort lying on one of Qabala’s mountains.
The highest mountain peak of the republic- Mount Bazarduzu (4466 meters) is situated in this region. Another scenic highlight of Gabala is Yeddi Gozel Waterfall. The name means ‘seven beauties’ due to the seven stages of the falls but also reflecting a classic Nizami Ganjavi story. The waterfall, situated in woodlands west of Vandam, is climbed by thousands of people each year – the lower levels being accessible by stairways.
The city contains “Gabaland” amusement park, an ice skating rink and a Greek-style theatre, built especially for outside concerts.The Gabaland is a leading theme park in the Caucasus region with interesting rides and endless fun and Gabala Resort fantastical hotel. Visitors may enjoy comfortable and wide parking area, amazing mounting view, fresh air, delicious foods in a cafe, beautiful Flower Garden – and all this in Qabaland.
Gabala is also home to the Tufandag Ski Complex, rated the best ski resort in Azerbaijan and one of the foremost in the Caucasus. The Gabala Shooting Club and Nohur Lake for fishing are also a must see in Qabala.
Qakh is a small city in the north of Azerbaijan. One of the most famous symbols of Qakh is the Icheri Bazar (Qakh Fortress Wall), which is located in the centre of Qakh city. It was built in the first half of 18th century and was renovated by the Russians in the 19th century. The city block consists of ten brick houses and two fortress walls. In Qakh you can enjoy hikes and some sceneries. Ensure, you visit it if you like going on hikes and strolling in nature.
Sheki another small city in the north of Azerbaijan, One of the must-sees in this city is the Khan Palace of Sheki. If you do visit this city I recommend you try out their sweets. They are best-known for their traditional baklava, called Shaki Halva. Others include Nabat boiled sugar and sweet Pesheveng. Sheki also has some famous dishes, including Girmabadam, Zilviya, Piti, a stew created with meat and potatoes and prepared in a terracotta pot.
It all started here! we jetted from Baku to Qabala (4hours drive)… don’t worry I didn’t drive the bus but a trick I learned travelling is making friends with your guide and bus driver as you get benefits.
She has already transported to the world of poetry and art!
Remember those benefit I talked about…let us just say I sat the whole time in the front, enjoyed a wide window view and became the bus’s DJ. Bye Baku
Hello Nature
And more Nature
Refuelling
The bus was going to leave me as I was taking long to take this beautiful shot.
More Nature
The resort we stayed in Qabala
Can I have some fig jam… That I will pack stupidly and that will spill over my bag!
Fadwa Picking out some jams that she packed smartly and didn’t break.
You can find stalls like this that sell fresh fruits, jams, herbs and nuts all over Qabala
This one, for example, was 2 min walk from our resort.
Can we talk about how cool I think I’m standing on a bench and my jacket off my shoulder … but then there is my beanie.
Enjoying a stroll
Don’t treat me like I don’t know what I’m doing?
I Definitely know what I’m doing
unwinding while enjoying some chips and some views
Another walk around Qabala
Found some cute dogs
There was a car coming down the street but the photo was worth ithe
The past three photos were from a restaurant in Qabala shooting club.
They serve the Best cheese pie I had!
and they have a herby like lemonade that tastes amazing!
I don’t know
Gorgeous Sunset
Qabaland
Never too old for bumper cars.
My photography skills … Besh!
The funny thing about the last two photos is I was too scared to go on those rides and so I opted to take cool shots of them!
Sunrise
Discovering more of Qabala
I think this is an almond tree but I’m not sure.
Selfies on the bus while we jet off to Sheki
We had to hike all the way up approx 4 km to get to this waterfall.
Obviously I took a jeep but Fadwa hiked up and DOWN as well so I applaud her for that!
Lunch Scenery
What I eat
Vs what my vegan friend eats.
made some local friends
The place of Sheki … do I look fat posing this way? No but like are you sure!
Portraits
Nohur Lake
Bonding with some horses
And some nature
Cable cart ride up!
Some dirty snow in April… all over it!
Tastiest Cheesecake I had in my life
Awesome tour guides… that I miss a lot!
and there you have it part 2 of my spring holiday. Tune in for part 3, next week, where I share tips and information about my trip to Georgia.
Until next time, Crave the dish…
Lovely post
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