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For a copy of our privacy policy visit lonelyplanet.com/privacy. Stefaniuk, Farid Subhanverdiyev, Valeria OUR READERS Many thanks to the travellers who used Superno Falco, Laurel Sutherland, Andreas the last edition and wrote to us with Sveen Bjørnstad, Trevor Sze, Ann Tulloh, helpful hints, useful advice and interest- Gerbert Van Loenen, Martin Van Der Brugge, ing anecdotes: Robert Van Voorden, Wouter Van Vliet, Michael Weilguni, Arlo Werkhoven, Barbara Grzegorz, Julian, Wojciech, Ashley Adrian, Yoshida, Ian Young, Anne Zouridakis. Asli Akarsakarya, Simone Appert, Alik Arzoumanian, Marc Bokma, Ido Brickner, Yuliono Budianto, Silvio Calvi, Linda Camp- AUTHOR THANKS bell, Erik Carapetian, Francisco Chong Luna, Sonny Colin, Roslyn Coltheart, Greg Corn- John Noble well, Marco Crisafulli, Andrew Cullen, Paddy Special thanks to Sofo Ghoghoberidze, Davison, Michiel De Graaff, Evan Decorte, everybody at Dodo’s, William Dunbar, Tuta C Denton Brown, Janine Downes, Randell Balavadze, Hans Gutbrod, Tim Blauvelt, Roza Drum, Michael Falvella, Andreas Fertin, Shukvani and family, Regina Jegorova, Giorgi Richard Frank, Damien Galanaud, Kees Gardava, Roma Tordia, Besik Basaria, David Geselschap, John Gilchrist, Steve Goldberg, Luashvili, Jason Thake, Felix Tomlinson, Miri Irena Grzegorczyk, Xavier Guezou, Rainer and Itamar Shinin, Svea and Joerk, Funky Hamet, Graham Hamilton, Judith Harrison, Henning, Christian Portelatine, Anthony Jim Holroyd, Henry Howard, Mabon John, Schierman, Eka Chvritidze, Dan Bingham- Benzi Kahana, Patricia Knox, Dvir Koenig- Pankratz, Kate Ortenzi; Natalia Bakhtadze, stein, Jorg Lauberbach, Maxime Leloup, Ed Tamuna Giorgadze, Nutsa Totadze (GNTA); Lunken, Petter Magnusson, Marcel Medek, Information Centres all around Georgia; Alan Alex Miller, Andy Mitchell, Giorgio Mori, Ilka Saff ery, Nutsa Abramishvili (EPI); and, above Morse, Alejandra Navarro Rueda, Emily Nel- all, supercolleagues Danielle Systermans and son, Greg O’Hern, Kimberly Palmer, Esther Michael Kohn. Parigger, Mario Pavesi, Wladimiro Perez Ortigosa, Niklas Petersen, Vieri Riccardo Michael Kohn Salvadori, Steve Rigden, Taguhi Sahakyan, In Armenia, thanks to Gevorg Babayan, Gohar Tony Schneider, Ben Schottland, Barbara Mirzoyan, Nick Wagner, Taguhi Sahakyan, Schumacher, Christopher Sexton, Betty Gor Aleksanyan, Lennart Lehmann, Nyree Smallwood, Silvia Spies, Lene Steen, Victoria Abrahamian, Syuzanna Azoyan and the staff 318 at Armenia Now. Cheers to fellow travellers Sandy, Ilqar, Martin, Andrei and friends, Franziska Laue, Edward Cheng, Steve Gibbs Sander, John, Zahid, Samid, Mevlud and Kha- and Chris Khachatourian. Armenia’s gang led in Laza, the Haciyev and Ismailov families, of Peace Corps volunteers deserves special and to Mark Elliott for 15 memorable years. recognition for guiding me in their respective cities, in particular: Beckey (Yeghegnadzor), Greg (Stepanavan), Hayley (Sevan), Mary ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Dsegh), Lizzie (Kapan), Patrick (Goris) and Climate map data adapted from Peel MC, Fin- Zoe (Goris). My love as always to Baigal and layson BL & McMahon TA (2007), ‘Updated BEHIND THE SCENES THE BEHIND Molly. World Map of the Köppen-Geiger Climate Classifi cation’, Hydrology and Earth System Danielle Systermans Sciences, 11, 1633–44. Many, many, many thanks to Ian, Saadat, Narmin, Vasif, Micah and Mason, Jeff rey, Cover photograph: Ananuri fortress, Georgia Taleh, Zaur, Fiona, Tanya in Ivanovka, Mark, (p84), W Korall, Imagebroker. Rebecca, Dustin and Kelly in Ganja, Humbat and his $100,000 BMW, Aliheydar, Rustam, Many of the images in this guide are Askar and friends in Amanevi, Larissa and available for licensing from Lonely Planet Images: www.lonelyplanetimages.com. Coordinating Editors Odijk, Alison Ridgway, Sophie THIS BOOK Jackey Coyle, Tasmin Waby Splatt This 4th edition of Lonely Planet’s Georgia, Armenia & Coordinating Carto- Assisting Cartographers Azerbaijan guidebook was grapher Alex Leung Julie Dodkins, Xavier di Toro, researched and written by John Coordinating Layout De- James Leversha, Jacquie Nguyen Noble, Michael Kohn and Danielle signer Kerrianne Southway Cover Research Naomi Systermans. The previous edition Managing Editors Imogen Parker was also written by John, Michael Bannister, Angela Tinson Internal Image Research and Danielle. This guidebook was Senior Editor Susan Aude Vauconsant commissioned in Lonely Planet’s Paterson Language Content London office, and produced by Managing Cartographers Branislava Vladisavljevic the following: Adrian Persoglia, Amanda Sierp Thanks to Helen Christinis, Managing Layout Ryan Evans, William Gourlay, Commissioning Editors Designer Chris Girdler Imogen Hall, Kate James, Yvonne Katie O’Connell, Glenn van der Kirk, Trent Paton, Kirsten Rawl- Assisting Editors Janet Knijff ings, Nelly Rukhadze, Gerard Austin, Carolyn Bain, Kate Evans, Walker Paul Harding, Andi Jones, Kristin NOTES 319 320 Stepanakert 270 art galleries, see museums Tbilisi Ferris wheel 38 Art-Gene Festival 17, 41 Ananuri 84 arts Anhogin, David 165-6 Armenia 190-1 animals 290 Azerbaijan 262-3 archaeological sites Georgia 112-14 Armaztsikhe-Bagineti 56 Artsruni, Vahan 191 Erebuni Fortress 134 Aşәbi Keyf 258 İmamzadә 255-6 Ashot I 188 Naxçivan City 255 Ashotsk 170-1 Nokalakevi 67 Ashtarak 149-50 Old Gabala 237 Astara 254 A Tigranakert 275-6 Ateşgah Mәbәdi 224-5 Abanotubani 33, 41 Uplistsikhe 59 atheism 288 Abashidze, Aslan 72 Vani 64-5 ATMs 12 Abkhazia 68-74, 109, 111, 280, 285 architecture 14, 291-2 Atsunta Pass 90 Abşeron Peninsula 224-7, 226 Areni 173-4 Avlabari 34-5 accommodation 294-5, see also Argishti I 124, 134, 145 Ayas Nautical Research Club 154 individual locations Arkhoti 88 Azerbaijan 23, 198-268, 200-1 apartment rentals 135 Armash Fish Ponds 152 accommodation 198, 264, 266 online bookings 295 Armenia 23, 121-97, 123 activities 266 Achara, see Adjara accommodation 121, 193 airlines 304-5 activities 14, 16-19, see also individual activities 193-4 architecture 292 activities airlines 302 arts 262-3 Armenia 193-4 architecture 291-2 Baku (Bakı) 202-24, 203, 204, Azerbaijan 266 arts 190-1 208-9, 10 Georgia 116 business hours 194 border areas 259 Adishi 81 cinema 190, 280 business hours 266 Adjara 72-9 climate 121, 295 central Azerbaijan 248-50 Agarak 186 costs 122 cinema 280 Agdam 275 culture 187-8, 280-1, 287-8 climate 198, 295 Aghitu 180 customs regulations 194 costs 199 Aghmashenebeli, Davit, see David dangers 194 culture 280-1, 287-8 the Builder drinks 192 drinks 263-4 Ağrı Dağ, see Mt Ararat economy 280-1 economy 260, 280-1 agriculture 289 environment 289-90 environment 289-90 air travel exchange rates 122 exchange rates 199 to/from the region 300-1, 302, food 121, 192 food 242, 263, 264 304 highlights 123 highlights 200-1 within the region 305 history 188-90, 282-6 history 260-1, 282-6 Ajara, see Adjara internet resources 122 language 312-13 Ajaria, see Adjara language 311-12 menu decoder 265 Akhali Shuamta 97 menu decoder 195 money 267 Akhaltsikhe 106-7 money 122, 196 Naxçivan 254-9 Akhtala 169 names 187 northern Azerbaijan 228-33, 229 Alaverdi 168 northern Armenia 152-73, 152-3 northwestern Azerbaijan 233-48, Alexandropol 170 planning information 121-2 229 altitude sickness 309 politics 187-8, 280-1 planning information 198-9 Amberd 150 population 280 politics 260, 280-1 amusement parks postal services 196 population 280 Batumi Ferris wheel 72 religion 281 public holidays 267 Borjomi Mineral Water Park 102 southern Armenia 173-86 religion 281 Haghtanak Park 132 telephone services 197 southern Azerbaijan 250-4, 251 Qabaland 237 travel seasons 121 telephone services 267 travel to/from 122 travel seasons 198 travel within 305-7 travel to/from 199 000 Map pages visas 122 travel within 305-7 000 Photo pages Yerevan 9, 124-45, 126-7, 130-1, 9 visas 199, 268 321 Azerbaijan Democratic Republic 261 bicycle travel, see cycling Jvari Church 55-6 Azokh cave 275 birds 290 Kasagh Gorge churches 149-50 bird-watching 116, 290 Noravank 174 Blue Horn poets 113 Samtavro Church 56 B books 281, 283, 284, 285, see also Surp Gayane Church 148-9 Babluani, Gela 114 literature Surp Grigor Lusavorich Cathedral Bagrat III 109 border areas 259 129, 155 Bakounts, Axel 185 border crossings 303, 305 Surp Hripsime 149, 291 Baku (Bakı) 202-24, 203, 204, Borjomi 102-4 Surp Sargis Church 129 INDEX 208-9, 10 Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park Surp Shogahat Church 149 accommodation 211, 213-14 104-5 Svetitskhoveli Cathedral 54-5 climate 295 brandy 15, 192, 263, 288 Tsminda Sameba Cathedral 34 A-D dangers 221 Yerevan Brandy Company Tsminda Sameba Church 88, 2-3, 9 drinking