Finding Shade in a Palace on the Caspian in Baku, Azerbaijan

This is why you have come so far. With the Caspian reaching out to the steppe of Central Asia in front of you, the warm winds of the Middle East swirling up from below, and the cool breezes from the Caucasus mountains sweeping down from the north—a mix of styles awaits you in the Old City of Baku. Set among a very eclectic ambiance of embassies and relaxing cats, the Shirvanshah Palace in the middle of Baku is an oasis from another time. Baku’s recent communist legacy melts away as you feel the Silk Road’s pulse beneath you. The palace is a reminder that for centuries Baku was a vital stop on the Silk Road before becoming the Oil Capital of the world in the early 1900s.

Also published on Trazzler.