Rising above the valleys south of Nakhchivan, Alinja Castle invites you into a world where history and nature meet. After a climb of 1,500 steps, you reach a summit where the wind and silence seem to carry the traces of the past. The stone walls around you and the vast valley views make you feel the strength of this ancient fortress.
On your way up, your steps fall in rhythm with the castle’s walls and the stories of earlier times. At the foothills, a small museum gives you a closer look at those stories, with objects, models, and information that complete what you see on the path.
After coming down from the hill, time seems to slow in the quiet courtyard of the Hanegah Complex. The stonework, the mountain wind, and the sound of birds create an atmosphere that feels like a reminder of dervishes who once chose this place as a retreat. Later, the streets of Ordubad welcome you with narrow lanes and stone houses. Light filtering through wooden balconies adds a warm, lived-in feeling to the city.
On a morning walk in the center of Ordubad, you explore the arches of Geysariyya, the calm atmosphere of the Friday Mosque, and the ancient underground structure of Buzxana. Each stop draws you deeper into the city’s layered history, and every corner reveals another detail of its elegant urban fabric. As the day goes on, the sound of water and the scent of the forest on a short walk to Pazmari Waterfall add the calm of nature to your experience.
Later, spending time in a garden full of fruit trees brings simple, grounding moments. The fruits you pick directly from the branches speak of Ordubad’s strong connection to the land. Here you notice how time slows down and how quietly nature restores you.
On the last day, you pause near Julfa at Gülüstan Tomb and listen to the silence held in its stone. Then you sink into the healing hot waters of the Darıdağ thermal springs; the fatigue of the journey dissolves in the warmth of the water and the freshness of the mountain air. Musical evenings in the courtyard of a boutique hotel, the aroma of lavash baking in the tandoor, and sips of pomegranate syrup stay with you—Alinja Castle and Ordubad become not only a historical route, but a quiet way of returning to yourself.
