Song of wind and fire: what to do for a Russian tourist in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has long held a special place in the soul of Russians. For almost two centuries, the peoples of one country have become well acquainted and brought closer together, so even today, at the time of independence, sunny Baku welcomes guests from the north. The famous tomatoes, lyulya kebab, Magomayev, Beybutov, Bulbul ogly - all this has long been attached to the Russian soul. Izvestia went to Baku to find out what the republic is breathing today and what else can attract our tourists there.
Sea breezes
The first thing that greets a tourist behind the glass doors of Azerbaijan's main air harbor, the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, is the wind. Baku residents are proud to emphasize that they experience strong winds 280 days a year, such are the natural features of the Absheron Peninsula, on both sides of the open Caspian Sea with its capricious weather. However, in the summer heat, this natural "fan" is even pleasant. The very name of the city is derived by folk etymology from the Persian "bad kube" (blown by the wind). Scientists, however, are inclined to believe that it originated from an even more ancient "Ateshi Baguan", "the place of God" - that's what the fire worshippers who once lived here called Absheron for the tongues of burning oil bursting from the ground.
Despite the subtropical climate, the presence of the sea, political stability and a high level of economic development, Azerbaijan has long remained off the beaten track of tourist routes. This was primarily due to the relative underdevelopment of the necessary infrastructure. However, in recent years, the situation has begun to change for the better, primarily due to the dynamic development of the Sea Breeze resort cluster half an hour's drive from Baku, on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
"Beach holidays are the most popular holiday format among Russians. In the summer season, more than 85% of the demand is for beach destinations. The advantage of Azerbaijan is that the flight time here from Moscow is about three hours, closer than domestic resorts, not to mention foreign ones. Tourists with children will especially appreciate this," the press service of the Fun & Sun tour operator, which recently took over the destination, noted. As the representatives of the company emphasized, their range now includes package offers that will make the resorts of Azerbaijan more accessible to Russians.
Tourism market experts point out that although the Caspian Sea is not the most familiar sea for Russians, the shallow depth off the coast makes it attractive for holidays with children. By the way, the Azerbaijanis involved in the development of tourism infrastructure are well aware of this. For example, mini-water parks, playgrounds, and other entertainment facilities for the younger generation are under construction at Sea Breeze. Wide sandy beaches stretch for several kilometers, which allows vacationers not to worry about free space. Sun beds, umbrellas, changing rooms and other amenities are also not forgotten. And right behind the beach, you can easily have a snack in one of the kebabs, coffee shops and even in a real McDonald's.
How to get
Several airlines from Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Zhukovsky and Domodedovo fly to Azerbaijan from Moscow. Flights are operated both to the capital (Heydar Aliyev International Airport) and to the regional cities of Lenkoran, Nakhichevan and Ganja. Russians do not need a visa to Azerbaijan, only a valid passport. Please note that if it contains a note about visiting Armenia, you may have to answer a number of questions at the entrance.
City of Lights
Of course, most tourists begin their acquaintance with Azerbaijan from the capital. One of the oldest cities in the region (the Byzantine Priscus of Pania wrote about the "flame bursting from the sea stone" in these places in the 5th century, and local guides will gladly add another three and a half millennia to their favorite city and tell about the mentions already during the first dynasty of Egypt) has today turned into a modern capital, successfully combining Art Nouveau with archaic and the charm of the 20th century oil boom era with the energy of the 21st century.
Baku was compared to Paris back in the days when the Nobel brothers (the very ones among whom was the inventor of dynamite and the founder of the famous prize) built up the eastern city in the European manner. The tradition has been preserved today — all the stars worked on the new look of Baku, from Barry Hughes to Norman Foster and even Zaha Hadid, who designed the fantastic Heydar Aliyev Center, a giant museum of the country's history and culture, which can be studied for days.
However, although Baku stands on the shores of the Caspian Sea, there are still no equipped beaches in it - nevertheless, it is a center of business, art, finance, but not a lazy dolce far niente in the bright sun. This has been the case for a long time, and Baku residents themselves have always gone on vacation outside the city. Today, the options for such a holiday have expanded to a level familiar to the regulars of not only Turkish, but, perhaps, European resorts as well.
We will build a new world.
We are talking about the already mentioned Sea Breeze resort. The ambitious project, started by the famous developer and artist Emin Agalarov back in 2006, is reaching the finish line. The area that was once occupied by a salt marsh is gradually being transformed into a blooming garden - and although construction has not yet been completed, the 500 hectares of open—air facilities already implemented give a positive idea of the future of the project.
"The total investment will amount to $60 billion. We cooperate with major Russian developers. There will be about 10 international hotels. The total area of the future project will be 1,500 hectares and 25 million square meters," says Emin Agalarov.
Hilton's participation in the project has been accurately confirmed so far, but negotiations are underway with other well-known chains, Sea Breeze representatives explained. Interestingly, real estate objects, including individual hotel rooms, can be bought back into ownership and then used at their discretion, for example, transferred to the management of Sea Breeze and receive income from renting to tourists. And a pleasant surprise has been prepared especially for guests from Russia: starting this spring, Mir cards are accepted for payment in restaurants owned by Agalarov's company.
Where to stay
Baku has a decent hotel fund — there are about 150 hotels in the city, not counting hostels and boarding houses. Temporary accommodation can be found for any budget, from small hotels with a local flavor to international chains (represented at various levels, from the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons to Holiday Inn and Radisson).
It is also not difficult to find apartments and an apartment hotel for any budget outside the city. Someone will choose the premium The Grand, and someone will choose the studio villas White Villas equipped with everything necessary for independent recreation. You can also rent a full-fledged villa.
In the footsteps of the "Diamond Hand"
A potential tourist should take into account that accommodation at the resort does not cut off the opportunity to visit interesting places in Baku. A taxi in Azerbaijan is quite cheap and a trip outside rush hour to the city will cost 10-15 manats (1 manat is about 47 rubles). And Baku, of course, has a lot to see, from the latest architecture to the cozy labyrinths of the Old City, Icheri Shikher. Of course, every tourist will be taken to the Maiden Tower, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but there are plenty of architectural wonders besides it.
The houses in the White City, an area that arose during the oil boom of the early twentieth century, really resemble the First Sector of the French capital and the era of the Second Empire. Local merchants and visiting industrialists competed with each other in "Europeanness" — and one of the most beautiful cities in the region grew out of human vanity.
Icheri Shikher (literally "inner city"), which has preserved its medieval streets, is also more suggestive of the Mediterranean than of the caricatured "East". In this regard, Baku is perhaps truly European in all respects, including religious tolerance (Azerbaijan has a large Jewish community, and the Shiite Muslim majority peacefully coexists with Sunnis) and the amazing cleanliness of the streets in the region (which, by the way, "real" Europe has long been unable to boast of). Russian tourists in this quarter, however, are primarily attracted to the places where the "Diamond Hand" was filmed — the shop where Mironov and Nikulin fell, and, of course, the alley where the immortal "tsigel-tsigel, aylulu!" sounded.
What to eat
The cuisine of Azerbaijan is mainly meat, so get ready for a variety of kebabs (what in Russia is called shish kebab) and lula (minced meat). Interesting lamb offal kebabs, which are not so easy to find here. Of course, the famous Baku tomato salad with red onion is offered everywhere — and almost everywhere it is of excellent quality. Azerbaijani wines deserve attention, mainly they are autochthonous grape varieties. Desserts are similar to Turkish ones and are usually sickly sweet, but European cakes and pastries in many establishments are probably superior in quality to Moscow ones.
After leaving the walls of the Old City, you can go for a walk along Primorsky Boulevard, one of the favorite places of Baku residents for more than a century. There, next to the Carpet Museum, is another Baku wonder — Little Venice, built in the 1960s on the initiative of the then mayor of Baku, Lemberansky, who was impressed by the real Venice during a trip to Italy. Almost one and a half kilometers of canals with bridges over them and authentic gondolas plying the water surface best symbolize the enchanting eclecticism of this amazing city of wind and lights, combining East and West, modernity and antiquity.
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