Baku to Shamakhi: How to Get There and What to See

From the 8th to the 15th century Shamakhi was the capital of the Shirvanshahs’ state and the centre of Shirvan. Earthquakes destroyed the town many times; after the 1859 earthquake the provincial capital was moved to Baku.

People come here for the 8th-century Juma Mosque, the Yeddi Gumbaz mausoleums, wine from Meysari village and the observatory in the Pirgulu mountains. Shamakhi is 122 km from Baku, so it is easy to see in one day or on the way to Gabala and Sheki.

How to get there from Baku

By car: 122 km, about 1 hour 40 minutes. On the Baku–Shamakhi highway you pass the Diri Baba Mausoleum near Maraza, 1.5 km off the road.

By train: there is no train; 12go lists no trains on this route (checked 30 October 2026).

By bus: buses leave from the Baku International Bus Station (Avtovağzal). A direct Baku–Shamakhi bus costs 4 AZN (Wikivoyage, February 2025), and buses to Baku from Sheki (6 AZN) and Gabala (4 AZN) also stop in Shamakhi. At weekends and on holidays, especially in summer, tickets can sell out, so buy them a day ahead.

What to see

• Diri Baba Mausoleum — a two-storey mausoleum-mosque from 1402, partly built into the rock and a place of pilgrimage. It stands by the highway near Maraza (Gobustan District), on the way from Baku. Time on site: about 30–45 min. Ticket: 15 AZN for foreign visitors (from 1 January). Hours: 10:00–19:00.
• Juma Mosque — founded in 743/744, it survived 8 of 11 strong earthquakes and was restored in 2009–2013; it is a working mosque. Time on site: about 30 min. Entry: free (Wikivoyage, February 2025). Friday congregational prayer takes place around noon.
• Yeddi Gumbaz Mausoleum (“Seven Domes”) — a cemetery with the mausoleums of the family of Mustafa Khan, the last khan of Shamakhi, about 1.5 km south of the centre. The inscriptions date from 1810 and 1865–1867; three of the seven domes survive. Time on site: about 30 min.
• Meysari Winery (Shirvan Wines) — a complex in Meysari village, open since 2018, which made the first EU-certified organic wines in Azerbaijan. Tour, tasting and the Abgora restaurant. Time on site: about 1.5–3 hours. Tastings: Classic 40 AZN (from 6 people), Signature 80 AZN (from 3 people), Exclusive 120 AZN (from 1 person). Hours: Monday–Saturday 08:00–19:00, Sunday by arrangement; the restaurant is open daily.
• Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory — the working Nasir al-Din al-Tusi observatory in Pirgulu, at 1435–1500 m, founded in 1959; its 2-metre telescope has operated since 1966, and there is a museum of astronomy. It lies 22 km north of Shamakhi. Time on site: about 1–1.5 hours. Tours by prior arrangement (shao.az, 2018).
• Pirgulu State Reserve — mountain forests next to the observatory, a reserve since 1968 covering 15.21 km², with walking trails. Time on site: about 1–2 hours.

One-day route

• 09:00 — leave Baku by car.
• ~10:00 — Diri Baba Mausoleum (about 60–70 km from Baku, 1.5 km off the highway). Steps lead up to it; 30–45 min on site.
• ~11:30 — Shamakhi, Juma Mosque (about 30 min). On Fridays, wait until the midday prayer is over.
• ~12:15 — Yeddi Gumbaz, about 1.5 km south of the centre. About 30 min.
• ~13:00 — Meysari Winery, about 10 minutes from Shamakhi: tour, tasting and lunch at Abgora, 2–3 hours.
• ~16:00 — optionally the Pirgulu observatory (22 km north of Shamakhi), only if the tour was arranged in advance; otherwise head back.
• ~17:30–19:30 — back in Baku (122 km, about 1 hour 40 minutes; later if you visit the observatory).

What to eat

• Shamakhi plov of lamb with beans, rice, dried fennel and butter is considered a ceremonial dish. Try also shor (a layered pastry) and kebabs.
• Roadside cafés serve chighirtma (chicken), dishes with greens (sabzi) and with dill (shuyut).
• Sweets: ter halva (with rose) and “Shamakhi sujuk”, eaten at imsak and iftar during Ramadan.
• Wine: pomegranate and rosé wines and the local Madrasa grape, which you can taste at the Meysari vineyards. Meysari wines are made from a blend of French varieties, and the vineyards are being replanted with Caucasian vines.
• Where to eat: Abgora at the Meysari winery (local cuisine, tastings and cooking classes, open daily); Dostlug Restaurant on Shahriyar Street, 09:00–23:00 (Wikivoyage, February 2025).

Where to stay

Hotels in Shamakhi on our site: Shamakhi Palace Sharadil, Meysari Grand Hotel & Spa, Sakit Göl Hotel and Shirvan Grand Hotel. There are more hotels on our site in Gabala and in Baku, 122 km away.

When to go

• Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable, roughly April–June and September–October.
• September–October is grape harvest time in the vineyards of Shamakhi, Gabala and Ismayilli.
• The Grape and Wine Festival is held in Meysari, at Shirvan Wines: the 5th festival took place on 19–20 September 2026, the 4th on 13–14 September 2025.
• Climate: Mediterranean (Csa), 595 mm of precipitation a year; July is the warmest month and January the coldest. The town lies at about 709–749 m.
• Shamakhi is in one of the most seismic zones of the Caucasus. Strong earthquakes struck in 1191, 1667 (the most severe, about 80,000 dead), 1859, 1872 and 1902.

Frequently asked questions

Updated 30 October 2026. Prices and timetables of other companies can change — please check before you travel.