If you see only one place in Azerbaijan other than Baku, make it Sheki. With a caravanserai from the silk route era, the magnificent Sheki Khan palaces and friendly folk, you will be missing out if you don’t come to Sheki. There are a few fantastic things to do in Sheki, so you should definitely include it on your Caucasus itinerary.
We liked Sheki before we even got off from the nightmarish night train from Baku. Looking out the window, the pale green and brown rolling landscape of the greater Caucasus greeted us. We were still confined to our compartment without AC and windows, which couldn’t open. The landscape outside told a story of unbounded openness unchanged for centuries.
Old trucks and Ladas, which should be in a museum by now, overtook us as we made our way towards Sheki in slow motion. We were excited not only to get off the train but also to explore this part of Azerbaijan. Sheki turned out to be a charming and quirky town with just enough to see and do.
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Where to Stay in Sheki
Ali Ancient House is where we are introduced to Sheki’s laid-back life and hospitality. The owner is a perfect host and good at sharing information and giving directions. We shared the house with her and her 12-year-old son and her parents. This homestay is such a great place to stay and offers a glimpse into what life in an Azeri household is like.
In addition to the bedroom, you’ll also get a separate private lounge area, which is very spacious. There is also another lounge that you’ll share with the family, but you’ll probably want to be in the shade outside in the garden. The toilet and shower are outside the house. The halal breakfast of eggs, bread, cheese, jams, and tea is excellent.
It’s a 10-minute walk from the bus station from where you can get a marshrutka to Balaken on the Georgian border. Walking to the Caravansarai and palaces takes about 30 minutes, or marshrutka 11 and 7 down the road will get you there within minutes.
Things to do in Sheki, Azerbaijan
You will probably come to Sheki to see the UNESCO town centre, including the 18th-century caravanserai and the magnificent Xan Sarayi (summer palace). However, you will want to stay longer for the friendly Monty Python characters and laid-back atmosphere.
In short, Sheki is a silk route town that grew up under the Persian Shah and loves to flaunt its retro Soviet attitude to charm visitors. If that’s not enough, Sheki has some of the friendliest and most welcoming people you’ll ever meet.
Every car seems to be a Lada. Old stone mansions line the streets, brick mosques, green hills, and sweet desserts. What more could you wish for? We really wish we could have stayed here longer.
The Sheki Khan Winter Palace
Entrance Fee: 2 Manat | Photography Fee: 3 Manat
Make this your first stop in Sheki. Overshadowed by the much grander Summer Palace, the winter palace is still worth seeing. If you see the summer palace first, though, the winter palace might disappoint, so better save the best for last.
Persia established several kingdoms in the Caucasus and were vassal states of the Iranian Shah. Sheki was the Shaki khanate (kingdom) capital with its seat of power in the Palace of the Sheki Khans. After the Russo-Persian war, Iran was stripped of all its Caucasian territories, and the Sheki Khans upped and left in a hurry.
The winter palace was abandoned and fell into disrepair, and was eventually all forgotten. Years later, historians were in for a surprise to rediscover the Winter Palace, complete with miniature paintings and shebeke windows under newly built houses.
The one room that has been restored is an excellent preface to what is to come at the summer palace. You’ll probably have the whole palace to yourself, and it’s nice that photography inside is allowed, unlike at the summer palace.
Summer Palace / Sheki Xan Sarayi
Entrance Fee: 2 Manat (with Azari Guide)
5 Manat (with English Guide)No photography allowed inside*UPDATE: Since or visit, photography is now allowed inside. Happy days!
You absolutely must see the Xan Sarayi before leaving Sheki. Framed by two enormous trees believed to be 500 years old, the Sheki Xan Sarayi was the highlight of Azerbaijan for us. This palace alone, built in 1752, is worth the trip to Sheki.
It took ten years to complete: two years to construct the building and 8 years to complete the paintings and other decorations. Once you get inside, you’ll understand why it took 8 years to decorate.
Realistic miniature paintings cover every single square inch from floor to ceiling. Scenes depict battles, animals, birds, fruit and fantasy characters straight from an LSD trip. Remind yourself to close your mouth from hanging open as the guide herds you from one magnificent room to the next.
The area around the summer palace is marvellous too. Behind the ticket office is a large patch of grass with tables under the trees serving tea and Sheki’s famous halva.
We spent a couple of good hours here getting sticky fingers from the halva and chatting with the locals with gestures and charades. When we now think of Azerbaijan, the first thing that comes to mind is the incredibly hospitable and friendly people we had tea with that late sunny afternoon at the Summer Palace.
Sheki Caravanserai
Free Entrance
A caravanserai is a building from the early 19th century built to accommodate travellers on the Silk Route. Entering the Sheki karvansaray, one can imagine being a traveller arriving with your caravan of camels carrying silk, spice, pearls and jade looking for a safe place to spend the night.
A caravanserai’s primary purpose is to be impregnable, to protect the merchants and their goods. Looking at the solid stone walls, one still gets a sense of safety that silk road travellers must have felt years ago.
Today the caravanserai is still in use as a hotel, so it still serves its original purpose.
It must be such an atmospheric experience to spend the night in an original Silk route caravanserai. However, booking online is not possible, perhaps because there was no internet in the times of the Silk Road. But fear not – with 242 rooms used for the hotel, we’re pretty sure you’ll be fine without a reservation, especially in Sheki.
Sheki is indeed a highlight in the Greater Caucasus and a worthwhile stop between Baku and Tbilisi. If we could do it all again, we will stay in Sheki longer. Read here how to travel from Baku to Yerevan overland via Sheki and Sighnaghi.
Sheki, Azerbaijan: Need More Convincing to Go?
We really cannot stress this enough: Sheki is a wonderful town, and well worth a visit. It’s so rare to find places like Sheki where everything just comes together to create an exceptional travel experience. From the friendly people to the tasty food, the excellent sightseeing and the fantastic fruits in summer, Sheki is pure magic.
I will repeat this: Sheki is a wonderful town, and well worth a visit. DO NOT MISS SHEKI WHEN YOU ARE IN AZERBAIJAN!
This place looks amazing! Thanks for the information, especially about the palaces. They look breathtaking!
Lilly, Sheki is indeed a wonderful little place. You should really go and see it if you’re ever in Azerbaijan.