Azerbaijan is neither East nor West, nor European nor Asian. The diverse range of cultures and ethnicities that have called this country home over the ages is amazing and unique; many of them were likely traders and travelers along the renowned Silk Road. Located on the Caspian Sea’s coast, the area is known as the “Land of Fire” because of its abundance of natural gas and oil. Due to the country’s abundant natural resources, Baku, the capital, is seeing a rapid influx of skyscrapers modeled after those in Dubai. The Unesco-listed ancient town from the tenth century has been painstakingly rebuilt, though, as the authorities have been eager to preserve the city’s rich heritage.

A region of semi-desert, mud volcanoes, and an odd fire phenomenon may be found beyond Baku. These deserts give way to dense forests, lush farms, and the towering Caucasus mountains as one moves farther north. The stunning village of Sheki, the crown jewel of rural Azerbaijan, is located in these mountains. This is an intriguing country that is still mainly unknown to tourists from the West, but it is well worth visiting.