Things to do in Ganja
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Ganja
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best weather for the city and the lakes, with harvest food in autumn.
City is very hot at midday but boulevards and parks fill at night.
Cold, dark and quiet, with reduced access on mountain trails.
Novruz brings the best cultural week of the year and a domestic travel surge.
What's on
- Novruz 20-21 March
Spring new year with bonfires, samani, pakhlava, music and dance across the city.
- Ganja Open International Chess Festival October, dates announced late
International chess festival at the Ganja Sports Palace drawing players from several countries.
Best things to do in Ganja
Imamzadeh Complex
Living pilgrimage shrine with a blue domed mausoleum, the most revered and best loved sight in Ganja.
Nizami Ganjavi Mausoleum
Granite tower for the poet Nizami in a large park of statues illustrating his epic poems.
Shah Abbas Mosque
Red brick Friday mosque from 1606 anchoring the historic square with caravanserai and bathhouse.
Shah Abbas Caravanserai
17th century caravanserai in the Shah Abbas square cluster, under phased restoration.
Chokak Hamam
Domed Chokak Hamam bathhouse in the Shah Abbas square cluster, viewed from outside.
Javad Khan Street
Pedestrian boulevard where Ganja socialises, lined with imperial era buildings, cafes and shops.
Bottle House
Private house faced with thousands of glass bottles, built as a memorial to a brother lost in war.
Khan Baghi
Historic Khan garden from 1700 with ancient plane trees, a swan pond and a calm local atmosphere.
Where to stay in Ganja
Central Ganja, Shah Abbas Square and Javad Khan Street
first trip, all-round base
Walk to the square cluster, boulevard, Khan Baghi, Philharmonic and most restaurants.
Heydar Aliyev Avenue corridor
modern hotels, drivers, early departures
Larger modern hotels, easier parking and faster access to the station and Goygol road.
Heydar Aliyev Park, north-west Ganja
families staying longer
Greener residential quarter around the big park, with a taxi ride to the old centre.
Think twice about
- Railway station and airport fringe
Far outside the walkable centre with nothing to walk to. Fine with a car, miserable as a holiday base.
- Far eastern Baku highway edge
Noisy truck road, sparse lighting on side streets and no evening life. Transit motels at best.
- Far north past Imamzadeh
The shrine is a sight, not a sleeping neighbourhood. No restaurant or boulevard infrastructure for an evening.
Best restaurants in Ganja
Epikür Bağı
Leafy garden restaurant beside the caravanserai, the local first choice for a Ganja lunch.
Furor Restaurant & Pub
Pub restaurant with steak, seafood and drinks in a room that stays lively into the evening.
Kolorit
Reliable all day cafe near the mosque with European dishes and vegetarian friendly options.
Shah Sarayi
Polished Turkish grill house in the centre, part of a serious local restaurant group.
Dasli Qala Restoran
Ethnographic themed dining room for a plov centred group dinner in traditional style.
Milli Süfrə
Popular national kitchen for dovga, kebab and plov at local prices.
Kapadokya Restoran
Large Turkish and Azerbaijani celebration restaurant, the closest Ganja has to a splurge table.
London Coffee Shop
Coffee shop in the centre with a European cafe menu.
Outdoor things to do in Ganja
Lake Goygol
Blue mountain lake under Mount Kapaz with a boardwalk shore, picnic spots and clean highland air.
Lake Maralgol
Clear turquoise high lake reached by steep steps, wilder and more striking than Goygol itself.
Mount Kapaz
Serious guided hiking on the mountain that made the Goygol lakes, from forest to alpine meadow.
St John's Church
Lutheran church from 1857 in the former German colony of Helenendorf, now a local history museum.
Viktor Klein House-Museum
House museum honouring Viktor Klein, the last German resident of Helenendorf, on the Goygol town heritage walk.
Göygöl Şərab Zavodu - Xan 1860
Wine heritage of the German colonists, best seen as a cellar visit arranged with a driver day.
Naftalan
Famous oil spa town east of Ganja where a therapeutic oil bath is a unique day trip experience.
Shamkir
Former German colony of Annenfeld with a Lutheran church and quieter streets west of Ganja.
Best hotels in Ganja
Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Gence
Largest full service five star in Ganja with pool and spa near Heydar Aliyev Park.
VIS Palm Hotel Ganja
New modern five star with large bright rooms and balconies, a fresh alternative to the flagship.
Leon Hotel & Spa Ganja
Small spa hotel with hammam and sauna in the luxury set.
Premium Hotel Ganja
Modern central hotel with strong value for Ganja.
Deluxe Hotel Ganja
Reliable mid range hotel with sauna and restaurant.
Vego Hotel Ganja
Central elegant hotel with strong service, a good fallback when the top mid range picks are full.
Ganja Hotel
Old central flagship hotel offering unbeatable location and low prices in dated rooms.
Baku Hotel Ganja
Simple budget hotel with cosy rooms in a central position.
Is Ganja expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | AZN 50 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | AZN 110 a person |
| Splurge | AZN 260 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Ganja State Philharmonic Hall: a few days ahead
- Lake Goygol: a few days ahead
- Mount Kapaz: a few days ahead
- Göygöl Şərab Zavodu - Xan 1860: a few days ahead
- Naftalan: a few days ahead
- Goygol National Park: a few days ahead
- Kapadokya Restoran: a few days ahead
- Book Goygol driver days in May, June and September weekends via your hotel.
- Ask your hotel to call the Philharmonic for concert tickets, as English online sales are unreliable.
- Book fast train seats at weekends and around Novruz.
Is Ganja safe?
- Roads are the main risk, especially intercity and mountain driving after dark.
- Dress modestly at the shrine and mosques and carry a scarf for women.
- Heed park staff on Kapaz weather and shepherd dogs beyond Maralgol. Emergency number 112.
Ganja travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Doing Ganja as a Baku day trip and missing its evening boulevard life.
- Expecting to swim in Lake Goygol, where swimming is prohibited.
- Confusing Goygol town, lake and national park when directing a taxi.
Getting around Ganja: public transport and more
- Walk the central orbit of square, boulevard, Khan Baghi and Philharmonic.
- Use Bolt or a taxi for Imamzadeh, the Nizami Mausoleum, Heydar Aliyev Park and the station.
- Hire a driver for the Goygol and Helenendorf day and keep mountain driving in daylight.
Who Ganja suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Ganja your trip
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