Top 5 Reasons to Visit Azerbaijan!
Azerbaijan is a country located in the southern Caucasus, right at the intersection where Southeast Europe meets Southwest Asia. Azerbaijan shares borders with Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran and one of its exclaves with Turkey. Due to its particular geographical location, Azerbaijan is a true mix of the West and the East, and in my humble opinion, this makes it a particularly interesting Caucasian country. However, although it has enormous potential, that country has always been found off the maps. In this article, I would like to show you all the reasons to visit Azerbaijan.

The Middle East mixes with the Soviet in the most chaotic way possible
Azerbaijan is an ex-Soviet Muslim country. The face of the typical Azerbaijani is a mix between Iranian and Turkish, but they wear Russian hats. They speak Azerbaijani (a dialect of Turkish) and Russian. They drink tea the same way Iranians do, with the same cups and the same amounts of sugar. They enjoy it in their Arab shisha salons. But do you know the difference? They accompany it with vodka. When you walk into a room, they greet you with Salam, but you have a shot of vodka with them and they toast you with Nasdrovia. They have the kindness of the Middle East, but they have the same serious and defiant look of the Russians. You never know where you are. Soviet buildings, Arabic food and posters in Russian. The mix is ​​too chaotic, and this is the best thing about visiting Azerbaijan.

The most secular Caucasian country
Azerbaijan was the first Islamic country in history to declare itself a secular and democratic republic (1918).

Baku is an almost futuristic city that combines both tradition and modernity
Baku is one of those cities that really surprises. From a completely restored old town to some of the most extravagant buildings built on oil money, Baku is a city of luxury that has managed to preserve its entire history.

One of the cheapest countries in the world
If you find a cheaper country than Azerbaijan, tell me. It's definitely cheaper than Armenia, Georgia, and even Iran (well, now maybe not because the Iranian rial has been devalued to a crazy level). Outside of lush Baku, in local restaurants, you're going to pay a maximum of 4AZN (€ 2) for a good meal. Because the country is rich in oil and gas, the price of transportation is extremely ridiculous. A subway ride costs no more than 0.30AZN (18 ¢), and you can find half a liter of beer for as little as 1AZN (50 ¢). Azerbaijan is every backpacker's dream.

The greatest landscape contrast

Our beloved Azerbaijan is a fairly small country, but it turns out that there are 9 out of 11 climatic zones: from the high mountains of the Caucasus, to the vast dry deserts, green meadows and the coastal zone. Also, did you know that half of the mud volcanoes on the planet are located in Azerbaijan? They are located around Qobustan, 50km from Baku.

Food is also a mix of east and west
Being at the intersection where Southeastern Europe meets Southwest Asia has not only influenced their cultural behavior and physical traits, but over the centuries, it has shaped an extremely varied local cuisine. Basically, local Azerbaijan food consists of a lot of food sourced from Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Russia, Central Asia, etc., all cooked and served with a little local flair. While in other countries in the region, food can be a bit monotonous, in Azerbaijan it is very varied. A typical dish is dushbara, a dumpling soup typical of the north of the country.

When to travel to Azerbaijan?
Choose the summer to go on a trip to Azerbaijan and bathe in the Caspian Sea. For visits, you can travel in May, as well as in September and October. In other periods, temperatures can be cold and rainfall very frequent.