Centre
First-timersThe town centre, near the park and bazaar.
Quba town guide
Things To Do In Quba
An apple-growing town in the foothills of the Caucasus, facing one of the world's last all-Jewish towns across the river, and the base for the mountain village of Xinaliq.
~2,300 m
Xinaliq
3 h
From Baku
Red Settlement
A Mountain Jewish town
Apples, carpets and the high Caucasus
Quba is a small town in the north-east of Azerbaijan, surrounded by apple orchards and famous for its carpets. Across the river stands Qırmızı Qəsəbə, the Red Settlement, one of the last all-Jewish towns in the world outside Israel, home to the Mountain Jews for centuries.
Quba is also the gateway to the Greater Caucasus. Xinaliq, one of the highest and most isolated villages in the Caucasus, with its own language, is a drive up a spectacular road, and the Shahdag ski resort is nearby.
Two or three days is right.
Where to stay
Stay in the town centre, near the park and bazaar, or across the Qudiyalchay river in Qırmızı Qəsəbə, the Red Settlement. Guesthouses in the mountain villages, such as Xinaliq, give a night in the Caucasus.
Qırmızı Qəsəbə
CultureThe Red Settlement across the river.
Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Quba
Quba is a green market town in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus, known for its apples, its carpets and its gateway to the mountains.
Cross the bridge to Qırmızı Qəsəbə, the Red Settlement, one of the few all-Jewish towns in the world outside Israel, home to the Mountain Jews for centuries, with synagogues and a museum of their history and culture.
Visit the carpet workshops, where Quba's famous rugs are still woven by hand in bold geometric patterns.
Drive up to Xinaliq, a stone village at over 2,000 metres, one of the highest villages in the Caucasus, where people speak a language found nowhere else. The road climbs through a gorge and can close in bad weather; stay overnight in a homestay for the silence.
Walk the Tengi canyon, a narrow gorge with towering walls, and see the Afurja waterfall in the forest. Laza, a mountain village near Qusar, has waterfalls and hiking. In winter, ski at Shahdag, about an hour away.
Free things
Free things to do in Quba
Walking the town, the park and the bazaar is free, and so is crossing to the Red Settlement and walking its streets.
The Tengi canyon and the Afurja waterfall cost only the transport, and the views on the drive to Xinaliq are free.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Quba
Quba is famous for its apples, sold at roadside stalls in autumn, and for Quba pakhlava, a layered pastry with nuts. Lamb kebabs, plov and dolma are served in town restaurants and guesthouses.
In the Red Settlement, the Mountain Jewish community's dishes, such as dushpara dumplings, are worth trying. A meal is €4 to €10.
Nightlife
Going out in Quba
Quba is quiet at night, with a few restaurants and tea houses. Mountain homestays are for dinner and early nights.
A beer is €1.50 to €3.
Getting around
Getting around Quba
Buses and shared taxis reach Baku in about three hours. For Xinaliq and the mountain villages, you need a driver, arranged through guesthouses; the roads are rough and there is no scheduled service.
Costs
What Quba costs
Quba is cheap. A careful day is €20 to €30, plus a driver for the mountains, around €40 to €60 for a day trip to Xinaliq.
Homestays in Xinaliq are €15 to €25 with meals. Shahdag's ski passes are moderately priced.
The currency is the manat (AZN), at roughly 1.9 manat to the euro; prices here are euro equivalents. Cards work widely in Baku; carry cash in the regions, where small guesthouses and taxis are cash only.
Safety
Staying safe in Quba
Quba is very safe.
Mountain roads to Xinaliq are narrow and can close in bad weather; go with an experienced local driver. Winters are cold in the mountains.
Emergency number is 112, or 102 police and 103 ambulance.
Day trips from Quba
The highest village, the ski resort, a canyon and a waterfall.
Xinaliq
One of the highest villages in the Caucasus.
Shahdag
Skiing and summer hiking.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The apple harvest is the local event.
Autumn
Apple harvest
Quba orchards
The orchards in harvest.
December to March
Ski season
Shahdag
Azerbaijan's ski resort.
When to go
June to September for the mountains; December to March for skiing at Shahdag.
Jan
Skiing
Feb
Skiing
Mar
Novruz
Apr
Spring
May
Good
Jun
Mountains open
Jul
Peak
Aug
Peak
Sep
Apple harvest
Oct
Autumn
Nov
Quiet
Dec
Skiing starts
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs in Quba. Xinaliq is much colder.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in manat locally; these are euro equivalents. Excludes drivers to the mountains.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Quba travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
What is the Red Settlement?
Qırmızı Qəsəbə, one of the few all-Jewish towns outside Israel, home to the Mountain Jews, with synagogues and a museum.
How do I get to Xinaliq?
By driver, arranged through guesthouses; there is no scheduled service and the road can close in bad weather.
Can I stay in Xinaliq?
Yes, in simple homestays with meals.
How do I get there?
By bus or shared taxi from Baku, about three hours.
How many days do you need?
Two.
When is the best time to visit?
May to October; December to March for skiing.
What should I buy?
A Quba carpet, from a workshop.
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