Good Time to Visit
Weather
The weather in Azerbaijan is generally very warm, although low temperatures can occur in the mountains and valleys. The majority of the rainfall is in the west. The months of June to September are best for general travel, as its warm and dry in much of the country - though it can be scorching in the high summer.
More details on the Azerbaijani weather may be found in Climate in Azerbaijan.
Festivals
The Islamic calendar dictates many of the country's major festivals, including Ramadan, the month of daily fasting. Public holidays include World War II victory day on 9 May, Republic Day on 28 May and Independence Day on 18 October.
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Azerbaijan:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| 20 January | Day of the Martyrs |
| 8 March | Women's Day |
| 21 March | Novruz Bayramy (Persian New Year) |
| March/April (variable) | Good Friday |
| March/April (variable) | Easter Monday |
| 9 May | Victory Day |
| 28 May | Republic Day |
| 15 June | Day of National Salvation |
| 26 June | Army and Navy Day |
| 18 October | Day of Independence |
| 12 November | Constitution Day |
| 17 November | Day of National Revival. |
| 31 December | Day of Azeri Solidarity |
| Variable* | End of Ramadan |
| Variable* | Feast of the Sacrifice |
* Although Muslim holidays always fall on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date they are celebrated on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar whilst the Gregorian calendar is solar. Because this lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days usually shift 11 days earlier each successive solar year. The method used to determine when each Islamic month begins also varies from country to country.
