Lankaran

A subtropical town on the southwestern Caspian shore, ringed by tea plantations and citrus groves, with Hirkan National Park preserving Tertiary-era relict forest and ironwood trees.

Lankaran lies at the southeastern tip of Azerbaijan on the southwestern shore of the Caspian Sea, about 270 km from the capital Baku and some 40 km north of the Iranian border. It is the main city of the Lankaran-Astara economic region and the heartland of the Talysh people. With a humid subtropical climate and the Talysh Mountains at its back, the area is covered in tea plantations, citrus groves and ancient Hyrcanian forest, earning it the nickname of Azerbaijan's "land of tea and citrus". In town, the sights cluster around the old quarter and can be explored on foot: the Khan's Palace (now the History Museum), the Zindan fortress tower, the lighthouse and the seaside boulevard, plus the Big and Small Bazaar Mosques. Out of town, the highlights are the UNESCO-listed Hirkan National Park and forest-fringed Khanbulan Lake; Lerik in the mountains to the west is famed for its centenarians, the Istisu hot springs in Masally to the north are good for a soak, and in winter the Gizilagach wetlands are a top birdwatching spot. The best times to visit are April–June and September–October; summers are hot, humid and rainy, while winters are mild but damp and grey. Getting there: the train from Baku takes about 5–6 hours (overnight), long-distance buses about 4 hours, and there are also flights from Baku. Taxis in town are cheap; for sights further out, hiring a car with driver is recommended. Plan to stay 2–3 days. Local specialties include lavangi (chicken or fish stuffed with walnuts and onions and baked), Lankaran black tea and citrus fruit. English is not widely spoken, so have a translation app ready; local customs are fairly traditional, so dress modestly when visiting mosques.

Top sights

• Hirkan National Park – A national park preserving the Hyrcanian forest, a Tertiary-era relict with Persian ironwood and chestnut-leaved oak, and part of a UNESCO…
• Khanbulan Lake – A mountain reservoir surrounded by forest, its surface mirroring the ancient Hyrcanian woods, and a favorite leisure spot for Lankaran loca…
• Lankaran Khan's Palace (History & Local Lore Museum) – A European-style palace built in 1913 by Mir Ahmad Khan, a descendant of the Talysh khans, now the Lankaran History Museum.
• Lankaran Fortress & Zindan Tower – The only surviving round towers of the 18th-century Lankaran Khanate fortress, one later used as a prison, where legend says a young Stalin…
• Lankaran Lighthouse – A white lighthouse built in the 19th century, possibly converted from a fortress tower, standing on the seafront boulevard as Lankaran's ci…
• Istisu Hot Springs (Masally) – A natural hot mineral spring in the Talysh valley, where water at about 60°C gushes from the rock face, surrounded by a spa sanatorium and…
• Lerik & Museum of Longevity – A longevity town in the Talysh mountains, whose museum tells the stories of centenarians, including Shirali Muslimov, said to have lived to…
• Gizilagach National Park – A wetland reserve on the Caspian coast where hundreds of thousands of waterbirds, including flamingos, swans and pelicans, winter each year…
• Boyuk Bazar Mosque – Lankaran's main mosque, a 19th-century red-brick building with twin minarets beside the old bazaar.
• Kichik Bazar Mosque – A 19th-century brick mosque and one of Lankaran's better-preserved old buildings, reflecting the city's commercial history.
• Lankaran Caspian Beach – A Caspian beach south of the city with dark, fine sand and warm water, where local families come to swim and cool off in summer.

Where to eat

• Khan Lankaran Restaurant – The restaurant at the Khan Lankaran Hotel, recommended by the tourism board as the place to try Lavangi. It has consist…
• Khazar Palace Restaurant – The restaurant of a seaside hotel south of Lankaran. The tourism board lists it as a place to try Lavangi, and it is of…
• Borani Restaurant – An affordable family restaurant beside Heydar Aliyev Park in the city centre. The kebabs and soups are well reviewed.