Gabala

Gabala was the capital of Caucasian Albania, the kingdom that occupied much of what is now Azerbaijan for around eight centuries. The ruins of the ancient city, with two surviving towers, lie a short drive from the modern town.

Today it is Azerbaijan's main mountain resort. The Tufandag cable car climbs to nearly two thousand metres in three stages, serving hiking trails in summer and ski runs in winter, with the main ridge of the Greater Caucasus filling the view north.

Nohur Lake, ringed by forest and reflecting the mountains, sits just outside town, and the Yeddi Gozel — seven beauties — waterfall is a short walk up a side valley. The surrounding hills are covered in hazelnut and chestnut, and Gabala's nut processing supplies much of the country.