We’re currently visiting the modern part of Baku and having coffee, and then we decide to take Elvi’s suggestion and drive to the village of Xanlar. It’s supposed to be beautiful there, says Elvi. So off we go.

Two clicks on the phone and the Uber is on its way. A few moments later we’re already in the car, driving through the city’s chaotic traffic and along the coast.

Elvi doesn’t reveal exactly what we’ll see. We don’t care. We don’t have any appointments.

As we approach Xanlar, we immediately see the impressive Bibi-Heybat Mosque. However, we initially leave it to our left and enter the small town.

Xanlar is quiet and the streets are empty. Elvi wants to take us to the sea, but it still looks a long way off. The slope of the land clearly shows us the way.

In the distance, we can still see the flame towers and Baku’s TV tower, but here it’s like a world of its own. A cozy village without any hustle and bustle.

If I had to live in Baku, I would find a house here.

The streets are clean, the houses are pretty, and even the mailboxes are lovingly painted. The residents seem to like their neighborhood, too. I wonder if the property prices are high, as is typical for a desirable suburb.

Elvi cheerfully points out a small bakery to us. We head towards it and watch a woman baking bread.

Elvi buys us a still-hot flatbread, which we devour with relish.

Then we find our way to the water. We sneak into a beach restaurant and see the sea, the oil rigs, and the oil tankers.

Azerbaijani maritime idyll!

Finally, we find our way back to the Bibi-Heybat Mosque, which we had previously passed on our left. From the building, we have a view of the Caspian Sea and the gas exploration vessel port.

First we admire the mosque from the outside, then we want to go inside. Nobody minds that we want to enter the house of worship for obviously tourist purposes.

Even the worshippers at prayer don’t seem bothered by our presence. Inside the mosque, we find a shrine decorated in gold and green, as well as a beautifully painted dome.

It’s quite small, so with just a few people it quickly becomes crowded and not very cozy. It’s impressive nonetheless.

We had a wonderful time in Baku’s old town and the modern part of the capital. Thanks especially to Elvi and Yusif, we experienced the city’s warmth and friendliness.

For us, the adventure begins. We rent a 4×4 and embark on our Caucasian adventure. Our first stop is also a suburb of Baku: the Absheron Peninsula.