The Merriest Feet

If you find yourself landing at Baku Airport, don’t just stick to the futuristic flames of the city or visit the beautiful yet done-to-death Carpet Museum. Hire a vehicle(if you haven’t already, there are several available options at the airport itself – SIXT, Hertz, Europcar, Thrifty, and Azrent) and head north to Quba(pronounced Guba). The drive itself is mesmerising. As you exit Baku city, you will hug the coastline of the Caspian Sea, see the flailing windmills in the distance, before the landscape shifts into the dramatic, rising foothills of the Caucasus mountains. Your destination is Girmizi Gesebe (https://maps.app.goo.gl/R4q48pA8t36rRBgs8 ), formerly known as Krasnaya Sloboda, the Red Village, a place often called the last surviving shtetl in the world. It is the only place outside Israel to have this distinction.

After you driving for about 3 hours, the road leads you into the quaintest and most picturesque of villages, tucked away in the Caucasus and almost forgotten except by the faithful Mountain Jews who have called this home for so many centuries. To reach the Red Village from the park, you cross the iconic Arched Bridge (also known as the Kudyalchay Bridge). This 19th-century red-brick marvel, with its fourteen elegant symmetrical arches, stretches gracefully over the Qudyalchay River. Walking across it feels like crossing a physical timeline; as you leave the bustling center of Guba behind, the bridge acts as a gateway, leading you directly into the quiet, storied streets of the Jewish settlement on the opposite bank.

Walking through the Red Village in the July heat, the first thing you notice is the architecture. The homes are grand, featuring red-tiled roofs and intricate masonry that feels distinct from the surrounding region. Some buildings especially with the hanging wooden balconies would remind you of North Calcutta vintage. You see the Star of David everywhere – on buildings, doorways, on the tops of the buildings. As you wander, you’ll see groups of men gathered in the shade, deeply focused on intense games of backgammon, the clicking of the tiles providing the soundtrack as it were, to the village.

No visit would be complete without seeing the Six-Dome Synagogue (https://maps.app.goo.gl/gNzT1soEyLBAB4Gw7 ). Built in 1888, its grand brickwork and distinctive domes are a testament to the resilience of the Mountain Jews. With a little persistence, you may be able to gain entry if you are a non-Jew. Security is very tight and they must be convinced that your intentions are honest. Nearby, you’ll find the two Mikvahs (ritual baths), which remain central to the community’s traditions – one for women and the other for men.

For a deep dive into the history, head to the Mountain Jews Museum (https://maps.app.goo.gl/x3dSWmeRvtQsFHVE6 ). Housed in a beautifully restored former Karchog synagogue, the museum offers interactive displays that trace the migration and unique language (Juhuri) of this community. There are Mountain Jews who volunteer here to proudly share with you the rich legacy of this community.

If you are tired of wandering the streets and would like to sit in the quiet shade, go to the Heyder Aliyev Park(https://maps.app.goo.gl/3UiELbMbhQAxpSy7A ). It is a place of quiet reflection where the towering trees and wide, manicured paths provide a stately contrast to the rugged mountain terrain and the summer heat. You might find local families gathered here and children laughing near the fountains, with the soft murmur of conversation drifting through the air. There is a palpable sense of civic pride in the meticulously kept gardens, making it the perfect spot to pause and breathe before you transition between worlds.

Where to Stay & Eat

• Stay: Elvin Hostel(https://maps.app.goo.gl/8U86NfNH9Ujvu2hNA ). The owners are incredibly welcoming, and the rooms are comfortable and the price is reasonable. In the month of July, which isn’t the tourist season, we were the only guests. Whatever you do, do not skip the traditional Azerbaijani breakfast here that is prepared by the host family, it is the fuel you need for a day of exploring.
• Dine: Diyar Restaurant (https://maps.app.goo.gl/zeCFbRgxZZ4xPNc16) Sit by the gurgling Qudyalchay River in the shadow of the historic Arched Bridge in the Red Village and be sure to eat the traditional Chicken Saj. Eating dinner here as the sun sets over the water is pure magic.

Walking through the quiet streets of Girmizi Gesebe feels like stepping into a world that is frozen in time, where the air is thick with the scent of woodsmoke and the rhythmic clack-clack of backgammon tiles echoing from shaded courtyards. You find yourself marvelling at the sheer opulence of the mansions and grand balconies that speak of a community that has flourished against the odds, tucked away in this high-altitude sanctuary. There is a profound sense of belonging here; you see it in the way the elders sit in quiet, dignified circles and the way the narrow alleys seem to hold centuries of whispered secrets in Juhuri. Even if the rugged, distant reaches of Nagorno or the Karabakh region remain out of your grasp, standing here in Quba offers a spiritual compensation that is just as moving and entirely doable in a day. Before you begin the drive back to Baku or your next destination, you must drive to the highest vantage point above the cemetary. Looking down, the Red Village unfolds beneath you like a crimson promise set against the emerald foothills of the Caucasus, a sight so poignant it catches your breath a reminder that even in the most hidden corners of the world, faith and family have built something truly enduring.