Nestled away on the coast of the Caspian sea lies the hidden-gem of a city, Baku, the capital city of the vibrant Azerbaijan.
The transcontinental country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe is known for its lively and varied festival season, meaning there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Hailed as the “perfect alternative to a European summer city break” by Euronews, Baku benefits from those sunshine-filled summer days, with balmy 32C temperatures.
For those wishing to escape the heat of the day, you can cool down on Baku’s beachfront, thanks to the capital’s location right on the coastline. Known as the Seaside Boulevard, it is populated with a Ferris wheel, museums, and even the Crystal Hall arena which once hosted Eurovision.
While it does take longer to reach than other European destinations like Barcelona – the flight being about five hours – you will be rewardded with both modern and ancient architecture, a relaxed nightlife with excellent restaurants and bars and an easily accessible countryside, home to its own distinctive character.
Baku is a tiny treasure, a former hub of the Silk Road. In the Old City, caravanserais still stand, now home to hotels and restaurants – huge courtyards where merchants would sell their goods, surrounded by cool upper rooms where they would rest before reloading their camels and moving onwards.
At the centre of these cobbled streets lies the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, described as an “architectural pearl” by UNESCO, and, like most of Baku, is built of cream-coloured limestone.
Surrounded by gardens and cooled by the winds off the Caspian, it is a maze of shady rooms and open courtyards with a mausoleum, hammam, tombs, an ancient mosque and underground prisons that look eerily like oubliettes.
The nearby Maiden Tower – built as a symbol of the ancient, fire-worshipping Azeri Zoroastrians – is thought to have been built in the 12th century.
For those left unsure about Azerbaijan due to its neighbours, you will be relieved to know that unlike Iran, Azerbaijan has a rather more liberal culture. Everyone is in Western (albeit modest) dress, and English is widely spoken.
Baku even has a thriving nightlife with excellent bars and restaurants with wine not just available to buy, but also produced. You can visit some of the wineries in the foothills of the Caucasus in some of the world’s most unusual tours.
The landscape – deep forests, orchards full of pomegranates and hazelnuts – is stunning, and the wines themselves are excellent and affordable incredibly affordable, with visitors rarely having to pay more than 5AZN for a glass, which translates to around £2.30.
Baku has recently gone from being one of the most difficult areas of the Caucasus to reach from the UK to one of the easiest – six flights a week were launched by Azerbaijan Airlines earlier this year.
What’s more, despite Baku being home to one of the most exciting Formula 1 races of the calendar, few British travellers seem yet to have clocked on to its charms.