A First-Hand Guide to Ismailli Rayon on the Southern Slopes of the Greater Caucasus, Azerbaijan
After staying in Baku for ten days, we wanted to leave the city because we missed the mountains and the quiet, rural village life. A quick internet search revealed several ancient mountain villages in Azerbaijan that are worth visiting for their rich history and stunning scenery, offering great hiking opportunities too.
The Ismayilli region, for example, is a fantastic destination that serves as a central hub to many historic villages and popular hiking trails. Among these is Lahic, a UNESCO-recognized village known for its old copperwork, scenic natural beauty, and authentic culture. Plus, this mountainous area is not too remote, so it’s easy to get there by car. We decided to rent a taxi from Baku to the village of Ismayilli, where we had booked an Airbnb for two nights.
We started our trip around 10:30 am. Our taxi driver picked us up from our Airbnb apartment in Baku, and we headed straight for Ismayilli. Along the way, we passed through Shamakhi, famous for its historic buildings and wineries.
DAY 1 – Baku to Shamakhi aka Shemakha (2 hours)
The drive from Baku to Shamakhi was stunning, passing rolling hills and vineyards in vibrant fall colors. It was a bit cold and misty in November, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. On the way from Baku to Ismaily, we passed through Shamakhi village, which is known for its history and being one of the ancient villages of the Caucasus Albania region. We explored Shamakhi village, wandered around, and visited historical sites there.
Diri Baba: the Mausoleum and Caves
Our first stop was the Diri Baba Mausoleum in Shamakhi. The Diri Baba Mausoleum (Diri Baba Türbəsi), located near Qobustan on the road from Baku to Shamakhi, is an essential stop for travelers seeking history, spirituality, and ancient architecture. The Mausoleum was built around 1402 and is a striking example of the Shirvan-Absheron architectural style. This 15th-century Sufi shrine is a two-story octagonal structure, famous for being carved into the face of a cliff.
The site is named “Diri Baba” (“Living Old Man”) because of the local legend that the Sufi saint buried here, Sheikh Ibrahim, remained miraculously undecaying after his death. Therefore, it is a sacred pilgrimage site where people come from far to pay homage to the revered spot.
Visitor Experience
The entire Diri Baba complex offers more than just the mausoleum; the caves around it provide a glimpse into an ancient way of life. The surrounding cliffs contain nine caves that were historically used as both dwellings and places of worship. Stairway pathways are available to reach these intriguing caves.
The area felt calm, and there were few tourists when we visited in November 2025. You can see inside the first floor of the mausoleum, but please note that getting up to the dome (upstairs) is prohibited.
Note: There is an old cemetery in front of the mausoleum across the road that is worth exploring and visiting as well.
Advice, Caution, and Observation
There are warnings about snakes and scorpions in the area. You may encounter many stray dogs, but they are generally described as calm, unlike in Baku, where we found cats everywhere.
Since the region is prone to earthquakes, the rocks around the caves are loose. Helmets are required for entry due to the risk of falling rocks, and visitors must sign in to accept responsibility.
Juma Mosque, Shamakhi
Our second stop was the Juma Mosque. Juma means Friday in the local language. This mosque was initially built in 743 AD by Muslim settlers, making it one of the oldest mosques in the Caucasus region.
However, the original structure has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries due to numerous earthquakes and historical conflicts. The current main structure is not a renovation of the older building, but a brand-new construction.
Small, preserved sections of the older building’s ruins offer a poignant glimpse of the architecture heritage.
Side Note: Friday mosques in Central Asia hold special significance because Friday is the holiest day in Islam, when Muslims gather for the required communal prayer called Jummah. A “Friday mosque,” or Masjid-i Jami, is the main mosque in a city where this prayer is held. These mosques have historically been more than places of worship; they have also served as centers of community life, hosting social and political gatherings. Since they needed to accommodate large crowds, Friday mosques were usually the biggest and most important religious buildings in the city.
In addition, because people gathered at the mosque for Friday prayer, many merchants took advantage of the crowds by selling their goods nearby. Over time, these gatherings developed into markets around the mosque. To support traders, caravanserais were built to provide lodging and storage, and many trading centers emerged along trade routes, with the mosque at the heart of community and commerce.
Shirvan (Meysari) Winery and Abqora Restaurant
On our way to Ismayilli, we stopped at the winery. By the time we arrived at the winery, we were hungry, so we decided to check out the restaurant and wine tasting tour, but we did not take the wine tour as it was expensive, almost $150 for two people. That price included six wine tastings, olives, cheese, and the tour itself.
However, we did have lunch at the restaurant, which was reasonably priced and offered a good ambiance. We enjoyed their winery Rosé, which felt refreshing, along with a salad and soup.
Side note: Abqora (the name of the restaurant) is an Azerbaijani and Persian culinary ingredient, essentially verjuice, which is the highly acidic juice derived from pressing unripe (green) grapes. Known for its distinct sour taste, Abqora is prepared by crushing green grapes and storing the resulting juice. In regional cuisine, it serves primarily as a souring agent or condiment, commonly added to soups, stews, and salads, and is valued both for its flavor enhancement and its traditional use in aiding the digestion of fatty foods.
The entire trip took about eight hours, and our taxi driver dropped us off at our Airbnb in Ismayili around 4 pm.
Two-night stay in Ismayilli
We stayed for two days in Ismayilli, which is a small town that feels a bit underdeveloped and has a blue-collar vibe, yet still retains the look of a mountain village. Most of the population belongs to the Ismaili Shia Muslim community, and it was considered a village until 1959.
Since approximately 90% of Azerbaijan’s economy is based on oil exports, regions that lack significant oil reserves, such as Ismayilli, tend to remain underdeveloped. Despite this, the economy of the Ismayilli region (district) itself is quite diverse, with major contributions from agriculture, light industry (particularly carpet weaving and food processing), and tourism. Local industries include food processing for products such as wine (Sharab No. 1) and, more recently, a Coca-Cola production facility.
Tourism Infrastructure, Beer and Food
We noticed that there were not many tourists visiting this town, as there is not much tourism infrastructure. You can find coffee, but there are not many bars. There was only one place, named “Piva,” that served beer. This was actually the cheapest beer we found throughout our entire trip across Central Asia and Azerbaijan: a 70-cent draft pint. They only offered one type of beer. The pub was filled only with middle-aged men hanging out, drinking beer or tea, and playing traditional board games; we saw no women there.
On the first day, the pub owner let us sit with the locals, but the next day, when many local men were present, they had us sit in an isolated, private room they called the “family room.” We noticed a similar pattern in Central Asia: bars tend to be exclusively male spaces, especially in smaller cities (unlike capitals with modern pubs). Restaurants called “Family Restaurants,” however, were where we saw groups of female friends, couples, or families. The town does have fresh fruit and vegetable markets and tandoor ovens where you can get freshly baked bread and tandoori chicken.
Disclaimer: We were there in November, which is the off-season, so many seasonal tourist restaurants were closed.