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Azerbaijan<br />
The capital city Baku was one of AZERBAIJAN<br />
the stand-out moments of Joanna’s<br />
documentary for me. This vibrant,<br />
modern metropolis with futuristic<br />
architecture is developing at a<br />
fast pace. The city offers plenty<br />
to discover from the past in the<br />
10-century old town, and provides<br />
an exciting look into its future too<br />
with jaw-dropping masterpieces<br />
from some of the world’s top<br />
modern architects. Away from<br />
the city, one of the highlights to<br />
visit would be Ateshgyakh Fire<br />
Worshippers’ temple at Absheron,<br />
as well as ancient rock carvings at<br />
Gobustan, a Unesco world heritage<br />
site dating back 20,000 years.<br />
Few would tour around just<br />
Azerbaijan, instead opting to<br />
combine with neighbouring<br />
Georgia and Armenia. We offer a<br />
14-night escorted group tour that<br />
does just that, taking all three states<br />
of the southern Caucasus starting<br />
in Azerbaijan on the shores of<br />
the Caspian Sea where a visit to<br />
the Khan Palace in Sheki is also on the agenda.<br />
The tour then heads to Georgia, famous for its<br />
ancient monasteries and viticulture, and ends in the<br />
small, proud nation of Armenia, one of the oldest<br />
Christian countries in the world. Prices start from<br />
£1,995 per person including flights.<br />
SHIRAZ, IRAN<br />
Iran<br />
In Episode Three, Joanna was very excited to have<br />
their visas granted so they could visit Iran, and it<br />
soon became apparent why. A key part of the Silk<br />
Road’s history, the home of the Persian civilisation<br />
has some of the most wonderful architectural sites<br />
of the ancient world<br />
including the tiled<br />
mosques of Isfahan.<br />
Other highlights<br />
include the<br />
verdant gardens of<br />
Shiraz, the ancient<br />
Achaemenian<br />
capital of<br />
Pasargadae, the<br />
desert architecture<br />
of Yazd and the<br />
splendid bas-reliefs<br />
of the Palace of<br />
Persepolis.<br />
Iran has certainly<br />
become more<br />
popular in recent<br />
years and booking<br />
onto an organised,<br />
group tour, with likeminded<br />
travellers in<br />
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