December – February
Winter in Azerbaijan
Modern ski resorts at Shahdag and Tufandag, a mild-but-windy Baku lit up for New Year, and hammams and tea houses to warm up in.
Weather
2–8°C in Baku, snow in the mountains
Crowds
Low in Baku, busy on slopes at weekends
Best for
Skiing, city breaks
Note
Windy on the Caspian
Winter splits in two. In the Greater Caucasus, the modern resorts of Shahdag (above Qusar) and Tufandag (above Gabala) offer snow-sure skiing and snowboarding with new lifts, a short drive from Baku. Baku itself rarely sees much snow but turns cold and famously windy (2–8°C); it's a season for New Year lights on the Boulevard, carpet and history museums, hammams and long afternoons in a çayxana over tea and sweets.
Season highlights
- ◆Skiing and snowboarding at Shahdag and Tufandag
- ◆New Year lights along Baku Boulevard
- ◆Hammams, tea houses and warm indoor culture
- ◆Quiet, atmospheric Absheron and Old City
Popular winter tours
Shahdag ski day
Full day · from Baku/Quba
Tufandag Gabala ski
2 days
Baku winter city break
Full day
Popular winter activities
Skiing at Shahdag & Tufandag
Modern lifts and groomed pistes in the Greater Caucasus.
Baku Old City & museums
Carpet Museum, Maiden Tower and warm indoor culture.
Tea and sweets in a çayxana
The Azerbaijani tea-house ritual, best in the cold.
