Information on Things to Do and See in Shamkir (Şəmkir)
Shamkir district and it’s capital Şəmkir city are located in the Ganja-Gazakh region of Azerbaijan. The district is situated north of Ganja district in the Lesser Caucassus Mountains. The places to visit in Shamkir include several historical monuments and parks. There are several things you can expect from Shamkir travel like great wine, German architecture, archeological monuments and beautiful mountains. The district is also known for its Chess Festival. It is one of the most interesting times to visit Shamkir. The district is also known for its produce. The fruits and vegetables of the region are among the most popular things to take back home. Other popular things to do in Shamkir is hunt down the regions fine wine. The most well known winery among places to visit in Şəmkir is Sharag Ulduzu. You can visit this winery for wine tasting and even buy some to take home as a souvenir. The wine here is known for its German style preparations. Another place for Shamkir sightseeing to explore the German heritage of the region is Annenfeld area. The buildings in this area reflect German architecture and you can even see many similarities in terms of culture and food.
There are two historical monuments which are famous among things to see in Shamkir district. These are Shamkir Fort and Gajarmirli Munjuglu Archeological Site. These two Shamkir attractions are located close to one another. If you wish to further indulge in the history of the region, you can visit Shamkir History & Ethnography museum. This Shamkir tourist attraction takes you as far back as 550 B.C. when the region was a part of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. About 10 kms from the museum is another major site for historical things to see in Shamkir. It is the site of medieval ruins of the city which flourished between 8th and 13th century A.D. The city was a part of the famous silk road. The city was sacked by the mongols towards the end of its glory. This place is among top things to do in Şəmkir.
Finally, you cannot visit Shamkir and not roam at least one of its many parks. Perhaps the most interesting park to visit among Shamkir attractions is the Historical Monuments Park. This place exhibits miniatures of various famous historical monuments of Azerbaijan. There are also several other parks to explore during Shamkir travel, though not all are as interesting as Historical Monuments Park.
If you are planning for things to do in Şəmkir, keep aside 2 days to explore the whole region. Though one day is also enough to cover the major things to see in Shamkir. You can take an extra day to explore those attractions around the city and are generally missed by usual tourists.
Table of Contents
Top Tourist Places to Visit in Shamkir in 1 day
Day 1
1. Shamkir Church
The German architecture church is among the most popular historical tourist attractions in Shamkir. You will need about 30 minutes to explore this place.
2. Shamkir History & Ethnography Museum
The museum takes you down the memory lane of the regions history all the way to the very first settlement around the city. You will need an hour and a half to explore this museum.
3. Muktariyat Ruins
The ruins are located close to the museum and tell the story of medieval Shamkir. It was of course known by other name back then. You will need an hour for this Shamkir attraction.
4. Shamkir Fort
The fort is also located close to the museum. This fortress was once guarding the silk road in the region. It is mostly in ruins now, but you can still imagine the glory days of this structure when you visit Shamkir. You will need 1 hour to explore the fort.
5. Historic Monuments Park
This park showcases some of the most iconic monuments of Azerbaijan in miniature size. You can easily spend 30 to 45 minutes exploring all the little monuments in this park.
6. Sharg Ulduzu Winery
Finally you can end you day with some fine regional wine from this local winery. Keep aside an hour to enjoy the wine and understand the process at this Shamkir tourist attraction.
If you are staying in the city for more than a day, you can check out other things to do in Shamkir as listed below:
Things to do in Shamkir, Azerbaijan
Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Shamkir, Azerbaijan
- Shamkir Bridge
- Baydar City Ruins
- Seyfali Maiden Tower
- Abbsali Mosque
- Tatarli Maiden Tower
- Koroglu Fortress
- Qalaboynu Fortress
- Gajarmirli Munjuglu Archeological Site
- Annenfeld German Heritage
Nature & Wildlife Tourist Places to Visit in Shamkir, Azerbaijan
- Shamkir Reservoir
- Lesser Caucasus Mountains
Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Places to visit in Shamkir, Azerbaijan
- Shamkir City Park
- Shamkir Entertainment Center
- Istiglal Park
- Hagani Park
- Chinarly Park
Shopping in Shamkir, Azerbaijan
- Shamkir Sebeti
- Mkro Mart
- Bazar Shopping Mall
- Mehman Insaat Mall
- Morul Zirve Market
- Sizin Market
Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Shamkir, Azerbaijan
- Borcali
- Annenfild
- Qasr Ailevi
- Pub Center
- Dolce Vita
- Altun Doner
- Murovdag Sadliq Sarayı
- Alqis Kafesi
- Manqal Koz Doner
- Samburg
- Makan
- Meridian Lounge
- Qala
How to Reach Shamkir, Azerbaijan?
By Air
The nearest airport for Shamkir travel is Ganja International Airport. The airport gets direct flights from several cities including Baku, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Istanbul, Novosibirsk, Ataturk, Domodedovo, Tyumen and more. You can then use either the railway or bus to visit Shamkir. You won’t get either directly from the airport. But, you can easily find road transport for places to visit in Shamkir from Ganja city. The airport is about 35 kms away from Shamkir, so you can also rent a car from Ganja for Shamkir sightseeing. This option is applicable if you are eligible to drive in Azerbaijan.
By Road
You can get train for Shamkir travel from several stations in Azerbaijan. The Shamkir Railway station is only 4 kms away from the city. You then get bus and cabs to several places to visit in Shamkir.
Another option is to visit Shamkir by bus. The bus network is quite widespread and is the cheapest option to reach the city. It is also the best public transport alternative to reach various Shamkir tourist attractions. Trains can’t take you everywhere, but buses do.
Finally the most convenient option for Shamkir travel is by a private car or a rental car. The city is located close the intersection of routes E60 & R22. You can pick either of these routes to visit Shamkir.
By Water
There is no water body around, so water transport options for Shamkir travel are not available.
Image Reference
- Shamkir Church – By Azerbaijan.Travel
- Shamkir History & Ethnography Museum – By Azerbaijan.Travel
- Muktariyat Ruins – By Azerbaijan.Travel
- Shamkir Fort – By Azerbaijan.Travel
- Historic Monuments Park – By Azerbaijan.Travel
- Sharg Ulduzu Winery – By Azerbaijan.Travel
