The northwestern region of Azerbaijan spreads along the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains and includes the Balakan, Gakh, Oghuz, Zagatala, and Sheki administrative areas. The picturesque nature of this northwestern region has made it a popular holiday area, attracting tourists from all over. An international tourist route to Georgia passes through this territory along the road that leads from Baku to Tbilisi, via Shemakha, Sheki, Zakatala and Belokan.
This is a beautiful corner of Azerbaijan with a rich and ancient history. Many centuries ago this city (Kabbalah) was the capital of Caucasian Albania, an ancient state that existed on the territory of modern Azerbaijan for 600 years. Today, you can still see the ruins of this ancient city, the main gate to Caucasian Albania, as well as several other historical and cultural monuments spanning different eras in this region. Several five-star hotels belonging to the Azerbaijani hotel chain Qafqaz, as well as small family hotels and several tourist camps, operate in Gabala, as does the largest amusement park in Azerbaijan – Gabaland, which covers an area of 16 hectares. It’s great fun for both kids and adults. The town also hosts an annual international music festival of classical music, jazz and mugham, which is attended by performers, bands and artists from around the world.
