Sheki Caravanserai

Sheki sat on the Silk Road where routes crossed the Caucasus, and its caravanserais housed the merchants who made the town rich in silk. The Upper Caravanserai survives as a massive brick building around a large courtyard, two storeys of vaulted rooms with a fountain in the middle, thick walls that hold the cool, and cellars where goods were stored while camels rested outside. It forms part of the UNESCO listing of Sheki's historic centre alongside the khan's palace, and unusually it still operates as a hotel, so visitors can sleep in a merchant's room.

What you actually see

• The arcaded courtyard - two storeys of vaulted rooms around a fountain.
• Staying overnight - rooms in the caravanserai operating as a hotel.
• The Khan's Palace - stained-glass shebeke windows and painted interiors nearby.
• Sheki halva and silk - the town's two famous products, made locally.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the loveliest in Sheki, with green foothills and comfortable temperatures. Summer is warm but far cooler than Baku. Winter brings snow to the town and a quiet, atmospheric emptiness.

Honest expectations

Rooms in the caravanserai are atmospheric rather than luxurious - thick walls, small windows and simple fittings, which is the point but not for everyone. The courtyard is open to visitors during the day and can be busy with day-trippers. The nearby Khan's Palace restricts photography inside and requires a guided entry. Sheki is a four-to-five-hour drive from Baku.

Nearby

Sheki Khan's Palace, the Albanian church at Kish and the road toward Lahij and Gabala.