Photograph of Candy Cane Mountains — to be added
Candy Cane Mountains
Striped red-and-white hills on the road to Shahdag, coloured by iron-rich sedimentary banding.
Included in 3 tours
Azerbaijan
Quba
Northern apple-and-carpet region, gateway to Shahdag and to the Candy Cane Mountains.
Photograph of Quba — to be added
Quba lies north of Baku in the foothills below the main Caucasus ridge. The district is known for its orchards, its carpet weaving, and as the road to Shahdag — which means most visitors pass through it rather than stopping, and miss more than they realise.
The scenery on the approach is the main reason itineraries come this way, but the town and its surroundings hold two genuinely unusual things.
The approach
The drive north from Baku passes the Candy Cane Mountains — striped red-and-cream hills coloured by iron-rich sedimentary banding — and Five Finger Mountain, a limestone massif rising straight out of the coastal plain with a pilgrimage shrine near its summit.
Beyond them the road climbs into the Quba Forest, dense broadleaf woodland that turns spectacular in autumn.
Red Village
Across the Qudyalchay river from Quba town is Qırmızı Qəsəbə, Red Village, widely described as the only remaining all-Jewish town outside Israel.
The Mountain Jews community settled here in the eighteenth century under the protection of Fatali Khan of Quba, and it has maintained a continuous presence since. The Museum of Mountain Jews, opened in 2020 in a restored synagogue, documents the community and the endangered Juhuri language.
It is a living community rather than an exhibit, and visitors should behave accordingly.
Carpets and apples
Quba is one of the seven historic carpet-weaving schools of Azerbaijan, and Quba carpets are recognisable by their geometric medallions and distinctive palette. The Carpet Museum in Baku displays them alongside the other regional schools.
The district is also the country's principal apple-growing region. Roadside stalls sell fruit, preserves and honey through the season, and they are worth stopping at.
Highlights
- Candy Cane Mountains on the approach road
- Five Finger Mountain and its pilgrimage shrine
- Red Village and the Museum of Mountain Jews
- Quba Forest, spectacular in autumn
- One of the seven historic carpet-weaving schools
Tours that visit Quba
- Mountain Escape 2 Days / 1 Night from 370 AZN (≈ $218)
- Winter Special 3 Days / 2 Nights from 630 AZN (≈ $371)
- Mountains, Fire & Silk Road 2 Days / 1 Night from 650 AZN (≈ $383)
Not included: Entry tickets to all attractions, museums, cable cars and activity venues · Hotel / accommodation · Meals & drinks. Entry tickets are set by government authorities or venue operators and are payable directly on-site.
Frequently asked questions
What is Quba known for?
Apples, carpet weaving — it is one of Azerbaijan's seven historic weaving schools — and as the gateway to Shahdag. Red Village, across the river, is one of the last all-Jewish towns outside Israel.
Is Quba worth stopping in?
The approach through the Candy Cane Mountains and Five Finger Mountain is worthwhile on its own, and Red Village with the Museum of Mountain Jews is genuinely unusual. Most itineraries pass through en route to Shahdag.
What to see in Quba
Photograph of Five Finger Mountain — to be added
Five Finger Mountain
A five-pronged limestone outcrop rising beside the northern highway, and a long-standing pilgrimage site.
Included in 3 tours
Photograph of Red Village (Qırmızı Qəsəbə) — to be added
Red Village (Qırmızı Qəsəbə)
One of the last all-Jewish settlements outside Israel, home to the Mountain Jews community for centuries.
Included in 1 tour
Photograph of Museum of Mountain Jews — to be added
Museum of Mountain Jews
The history of the Mountain Jews community, in a restored synagogue in Red Village.
Want Quba on your itinerary?
We build private itineraries around the places you actually want to see. Tell us what interests you and we will price it per vehicle.
Or call +994 51 887 98 55 — 08:00 – 20:00, 7 days a week