Azerbaijan 
, the land of fire gets it name due to its large oil and natural gas reserves.
Just four hours away from Mumbai, this Eurasian country has so much to offer, from the modern architecture to old city, serene landscapes and lots of adventure.
You can base yourself in the Capital City of Baku and take day trips to other parts such as Shahdag, Gabala, Sheki or can also, do some walking tours within Baku itself to familiarize yourself with the culture.
Mud Volcanoes, The Fire Temple and Qobustan are a must visit and yes the natural burning fire at yanardag feels like a wonder.
After visiting this country twice, I can totally vouch for their rich culture, food, wine and people and here are my recommendations:
- Sweet Tasting tour - Sheki Sweet House for their Sheki Halwa, Sweet Levantine for the best Knafeh, Baklava Sweet Home and Old Gabala Sweet Shop for a one stop sweet tasting destination.
- Wine Museum, Baku (highly recommend this) - For a peek into the wine culture from soviet era to modern day baku with tastings - value for money and book directly from the link in their bio on instagram.
- Pubcrawl at Nizami street - This street comes to life at night and so safe, enjoy the nightlife and groove onto some azerbaijani and turkish music
- Go on a community lunch table experiece which is included in your tour to Guba and taste the local cuisine (options available for vegetarians as well).
- Khinaliq Village - This village is located near the russia border and is a must visit for viewing the beautiful caucasian mountain ranges
Other points to note-
- Credit Cards
are widely accepted and I used my Niyo Global Card almost everywhere. - Visa process is very simple and you get your evisa within 3 days
- Look for last minute deals on GetYourGuide they are heavily discounted (i paid almost 50% of the original sale price)
Enjoy your trip and save more through your Niyo Card
