Your Last BordersBEST THINGS TO DO IN BAKU AZERBAIJAN
Baku is Azerbaijan’s stunning capital city and one of my favourite destinations worldwide as it offers a stunning contrast among the ancient, the present, and the future. All by the sea, under a beautiful sun, and accompanied by tasty cuisine and delicious wine. With this guide on the best things to do in Baku Azerbaijan can tailor your ideal Baku itinerary and make the most of this city too.
Baku, with over 2 million inhabitants, is the largest city in Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus region. The city is packed with cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping malls. And has hosted hosted many international events like the Eurovision Song Contest, European Games, Islamic Solidarity Games, a final of the UEFA Europa League, and the annual F1 Grand Prix.
I visited Baku as a solo female traveler and felt totally safe in the city. Indeed is where I’ve felt safest among the almost 20 countries I’ve visited solo. You can see me enjoying Baku’s ancient past, muslim heritage, Soviet remains, and futuristic skyline on my Instagram and Tiktok pages
Best things to do in Baku Old Town
1. Explore ancient Icheri Sheher
Baku’s old town, known as Icheri Sheher in Azeri, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the first place to visit in Baku. I recommend exploring the area during the day and at night, as its vibe completely changes. It changes as much as that of Jma El Fna square in Marrakech.
This ancient part of the Baku is from the 12th century and surrounded by medieval fortress walls. Getting lost in the area and exploring its tiny winding streets is among the best things to do in Baku. Here you’ll find impressive monuments such as the Maiden Tower, the Shirvanshah’s Palace, and the Muhhamad Mosque.
The atmosphere around the birthplace of the city is really special. The area features cute restaurants and cafes, ruins of bathhouses, caravanserais, minarets, and over 500 meters of city walls. If you’d rather explore this with a guide, check out these Baku group city tours and Baku private city tour.
Icheri Sheher is also the perfect place to buy local souvenirs, arts and crafts, ceramics, textiles, and jewelry. And to sneak your first photos of the flame towers, which are clearly visible behind the old walls. This contrast among the ancient, modern, and post-petrol architecture is one of the major Baku attractions.
2. Climb Maiden Tower
Maiden Tower stands at one of the entrances to Baku’s Old Town and is a very mysterious building. No one knows when nor why it was built. Historians estimate it’s from the 12th century, as the rest of Icheri Sheher, yet this could be proved wrong anyday. Some consider it was a Zoroastrian temple that later became a watchtower. Others believe it was a defensive building and few argue it was an observatory.
Anyhow, this cylindrical tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the unmissable Baku tourist attractions. It even made it to the Azerbaijani bank notes. Inside there’s now a museum on the city’s historical evolution. Also, for less than $6 one can climb to the top of the tower and enjoy the best views over the city.
3. Visit the Palace of the Shirvanshahs
The Shirvanshahs dynasty ruled Azerbaijan for almost 800 years, from the 9th to the 16th century. Their palace in Baku’s old town, built in the 15th century and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was their royal residence for over 200 years and is one of the best places to visit in Baku.
This stunning palace in traditional Isllamic medieval style is considered the pearl of Azerbaijani architecture. The complex contains the royal mosque, Key Gubad mosque, a mausoleum, and the ruins of an ancient bathhouse. Plus a terrace which offers wonderful viewed over old and new Baku.
The palace was restored in 2003 and is open to the public daily from 10am to 6pm for $5. Like Maiden Tower, it has made it to Azerbaijani’s banknotes so check your pockets for the perfect local souvenir.
4. Admire the Miniature Books Museum
In the middle of Baku’s Old Town lies the Miniature Books Museum, one of the most unique places to visit in Baku. Here you’ll find over 6,500 tiny books from 60 countries written in numerous languages.
This small and free-to-visit museum holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest collection of miniature books. It’s open from 11am to 5pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. If you are around, go in for a few minutes and admire the magnificent technique that publishing these tiny books require. You may even find some best sellers from your country.
5. Walk along Nizami Street
Nizami Street is the main pedestrian shopping street in downtown Baku. Technically speaking it is not in the old town, as it’s located outside of the city walls. Yet it’s only a few steps away and best visited along ancient Baku. Plus it’s a common starting point for guided tours around Baku.
This 3.5km long street, named after a local poet, is home to some of the city’s most beautiful buildings. These feature Baroque, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Renaissance and Stalinist styles, and their facades should be in every Baku sightseeing itinerary.
The street is also home to countless restaurants, cafes, bars, and stores. Therefore, it is alway packed with locals and visitors and makes a great place for people watching. It’s especially lively on Friday and Saturday night. To the point it made me break the ‘don’t go out alone at night when traveling solo’ rule as it felt super appealing and safe.
Nizami Street starts at Fountain Square, another one of the Baku visiting places you shouldn’t miss. It’s filled with dozens of fountains, surrounded by shops, cafes, and restaurants. Spending some time at this square is definitely one of the best things to do in Baku.
6. Attend a show at the Opera
Baku was once a major city within the Soviet Union and as such holds a great Opera and Ballet legacy. Therefore, as in Sofia, Chisinau, Tbilisi, Yerevan, Bishkek, Almaty, and many other ex-socialist cities, one of the best things to do in Baku is spending an evening at the Opera.
The Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater was designed by the Armenian architect Nikolai Bayev and opened in 1911. It’s a beautiful building in Art Nouveau inspired in the Opera of Monte Carlo, in Monaco. It has two concert halls, a sumer and a winter one, and a gorgeous open-air garden. Tickets are available here.
7. Try the local cuisine
One of the best ways to getting to know a foreign culture is through its cuisine. The Turkish, Iranian and Eastern European influences have made Azerbaijani cuisine a delicious one. Let your foodie side shine and enjoy an awesome gastro trip.
Azerbaijani dishes include lots of local vegetables such as aubergine tomato, pepper, spinach, cucumber, and onion. Fresh herbs like mint, coriander, basil, and parsley are also present in most dishes. Main courses are based on fish from the Caspian and meat cuts such as lamb, beef, and poultry. Dairy products also tend to be available at every meal, especially breakfast.
The must-try dishes in baku are:
- Plov: Saffron-covered rice served with herbs, greens, and dried fruits
- Dolma: Grape leaves stuffed with rice, minced meat, and spices.
- Sturgeon: Caspian fish grilled and served with pomegranate sauce
- Azeri salad: tomato and cucumber with pomegranate sauce
- Pakhlava: pastry filled with honey and nuts, similar to Turkish baklava
These are all best enjoyed with wine, made out of either grapes or pomegranate, and black tea. Some of the best local restaurants where to try Azerbaijan’s must-have dishes are Dolma, Qaynana, and LaQuzu.
Best things to do in Baku Promenade
8. Walk along Baku Boulevard
Baku Boulevard, with its over 3.75km, is the world’s longest city boulevard. It officially begins at the National Flag Square and finishes at Freedom Square. I loved coming here early in the morning and seeing locals walking their dogs and jogging. And I also enjoyed coming back in the evening, to spot couples staring at the sea, families feeding the pigeons, and kids begging for another ice-cream.
No other place offers better night views of the city’s skyline. It’s the perfect spot to sit down, relax, and admire the lighting of the Flame Towers. A mesmerising show that costs the city thousands per night and you won’t get tired of witnessing.
9. Admire the National Flag Square
The National Flag Square, at the end of Baku’s Old Town, is a huge open square hosting a massive Azerbaijani flag. The flag is 70 x 35 meters and its flagpole stands at 162 meters. It’s so big that it hosted for a while the Guiness World Record as the world’s tallest flagpole.
The square was opened in 2007 and marks the West end of Baku’s Boulevard, which makes it a symbol of national pride. Can you fit the entire flag in a selfie? The stronger the wind, the harder this gets.
10. Photograph the National Carpet Museum
The Carpet Museum is one of the most iconic Baku places to visit. A building with a unique shape resembling a fancy rolled-up carpet, with all its folds and decorations. Therefore, regardless of whether you are interested in visiting the inside of the museum, coming over and taking a few photos of the museum’s venue is one of the best things to do in Baku.
The museum, from 1967, is the world first of its kind. However, the museum’s current building is much more modern as it was only built in 2014. It hosts the world’s largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets, which dates from the 17th to the 21st century, and showcases its history and traditional production techniques. It’s open from 10am to 6pm Tuesdays to Sundays and entrance fee is below $6.
11. Chill at Little Venice
Little Venice stands besides the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum and serves as a little city oasis. It’s a great place to rest in the shade, refresh, and perhaps sail with lots of other tourists.
If interested, you can book a sit in a local gondola and sail along tiny artificial azure canals. The boat ride takes 10 minutes and goes around several human-made islands connected by bridges and filled with restaurants.
12. Hike to Highland Park at sunset
Highland Park, also known as the Viewing Square, is a huge park with stunning views over the Caspian Sea, the Flame Towers, and Baku.
The park is accessible from Baku Promenade via a stone staircase of over 250 steps or a funicular. At the top of Highland Park stand several monuments dedicated to local soldiers, plenty of nice benches, and greenery providing valuable shade.
Highland Park is open and beautiful all day long. Yet, the best time to visit is before sunset. This way you’ll avoid the heat when climbing up, catch the sunset from the top, and enjoy the city’s night skyline coming back into town.
13. Get into the Flame Towers
One of the top things to see in Baku are its iconic Flame Towers. This trio of skyscrapers are the highlight of the city’s skyline and have placed Azerbaijan on the map, evidencing the country’s oil wealth. However, they are also a nod to the country’s past as they are inspired in Azerbaijan’s history of fire worship which made it the Land of Fire.
The Flame Towers were built between 2007 and 2012 and cost over $350 million. They stand at the top of the hill, which makes them look way taller than they actually are. The tallest tower, 180 meter high, is home to a luxury residential apartment building so it’s not open to the public. The second tower, with its 165m, hosts the Fairmont Hotel and is your best option to get a glimpse at the inside of the Flame Towers. The third one, standing at 162m, is used for commercial offices and is also closed to the public.
Therefore, to visit the inside of the Flame Towers, book a stay at the Fairmont Hotel. Or just attend any of its facilities open to non-guests. The rooftop bar is a great place for a drink with a view in the evenings, while the spa and swimming pool are a great treat at any time of the day.
The three towers are completely covered up with over 10,000 LED lights and provide a spectacular colorful light show every night. This begins at sunset and goes on for several hours, depicting the three towers on red flames, the Azerbaijan’s flag, and a man waving the flag. This is best enjoyed from Bakus’ promenade as by joining a Baku panoramic night tour.
14. Sail to a Caspian Island
Boyuk Zira is a small island off the coast of Baku that makes the perfect beach getaway. Also known as Nargin, this is the main island of Baku Archipelago despite only being 3.1km long and 900m wide.
It’s also the easiest island to reach, just approach the Yacht Club on Baku’s promenade for information or directly head to pier 131 at Neftchilar Ave as that’s where the ferries depart.
Once on the island you’ll find a few guest houses to spend the night, a lighthouse, a ship cemetery, and a natural reserve that’s very popular among birdwatchers. Expect to see plenty of Caspian seals, teal ducks, sturgeons, and herring gulls as well.
Best things to do in Baku outskirts
15. Explore the Heydar Aliyev Centre
Heydar Aliyev Centre is one of the most iconic places to visit in Baku. It’s a modern convention centre, and one can buy a ticket and visit the current exhibition for about $9. Or stay outside and enjoy this architectural masterpiece from every angle.
The shape of this cultural center is quite surrealistic, with impossible curved walls that resemble a wave ascending towards the sky and then coming back to earth. This modern piece, built in 2012 by the Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadidhas received several design awards and is one of the best places to visit in Baku. The I love Baku sign and plenty of funny sculptures are also in the area.
16. Shop at Yashil Bazaar
Yashil Bazaar, Green market in the local language, is a farmers market very common among locals and quite unknown for tourists. Consequently, it’s vibe is very authentic and makes a great place for people watching. Although it can be difficult to chat with vendors since most of them do not speak English.
Here you’ll find plenty of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, colorful spices, nuts, and delicious sweets. Get ready to sample lots of the produce and negotiate prices before making any purchase. I strongly recommend getting some pomegranate juice and nuts, they sell some of the best I’ve ever tried. You can see me sampling all the goodies on my Instagram and Tiktok pages.
17. Get close to the Oil Pumps
The oil pumps may not come up first when researching what to see in Baku. However, if you come from Europe like me, you probably have never seen one in operation before. To all curious travelers, getting close to the oil pumps is one of the best things to do in Baku.
One of the best places to spot oil pumps is on the highway from Baku to Bibi Heybat Mosque and Gobustan. You’ll see hundreds if not thousands of them on the way, and if you are driving your own car or a passenger in a taxi, all you’ll have to do is stop by the hard shoulder and enjoy the views. You won’t get to see the black gold leaving the ground, yet you’ll hear and smell it for sure.
If you are short on time or have no access to a car, a great place to spot oil pumps is behind the flame towers. Keep walking north towards the TV tower and right where the houses end you’ll find a few yellow oil pumps in operation. Walk by, take photos, sit around and admire the scene.
No one will stop you, there’s no fences around the pumps and locals are getting used to seeing tourists in the area. Check out my Instagram and Tiktok pages for more tips on visiting oil pumps.
18. Visit Gobustan’s petroglyphs and mud volcanoes
Gobustan is a State Historical and Cultural Reserve 65km southwest of Baku. Although easily reachable by car and taxi, most tourists come joining a guided day trip to Gobustan. These depart daily from Baku and can take you to Gobustan and the Mud Volcanos in a morning, making it a full day trip if also going to the Fire Temple and the Burning Mountain.
The highlight of Gobustan are its rock carvings, prehistoric petrohlyphs depicting human communities, worshiping, and hunting scenes. There’s over 6,000 thousand of them and despite dating back from the 12th century BC most remain in great condition.
This archeological site is an amazing place to learn about ancient civilizations and the Stone Age in this part of the world. If you can, hire a guide who can explain the meaning of each petroglyph as there are no English signs doing so. The entrance fee is below $6 and is totally worth it.
In the area surrounding Gobustan’s rock art cultural landscape lay several mud volcanoes. Over 400 mud volcanoes to be precise, as Azerbaijan’s is home to a third of all mud volcanoes in the world. These mud volcanoes form naturally due to the high concentrations of gas under the ground, and are surprisingly cold and lively.
If you dare, get close and stick your hands in them and enjoy the mud’s spa-like benefits. Just make sure to bring some tissues to clean your hands afterwards, as you’ll find yourself with a muddy hand in the middle of the desert. Exactly what happened to me, as you can see on my Instagram and Tiktok videos.
Since these appear naturally there’s no entrance fee nor fence signaling the area. You can look for coordinates on the internet, or let your tour guide bring you over.
19. Go back in time at Ateshgah Fire Temple
The Ateshgah Fire Temple, 15km North of Baku, is a recognized place of worship since the 17th century. It was once a Zoroastrian temple, a religion that traveled to Azerbaijan from India and through Iran. And then a temple frequented by Hindus and Sikhs until it was abandoned in the 19th century. Thus, it’s a great place to learn about this foreign religions and experience something hard to see elsewhere.
The temple features a castle-like fortification that hosts an eternal flame and several surrounding rooms now converted into a museum. This eternal flame was natural until 1969 when a gas explosion blow it. Currently there’s a gas pipe nurturing the fire.
Ateshgah is open daily form 10am to 7pm and there’s an entrance fee of $2.20. This is usually already included if visiting in one of the many day trips from Baku to the Fire Temple. Alternatively, the place is easily accessible by car and taxi.
20. Experience Yanar Dag, The Burning Mountain
Yanar Dang, the Burning Mountain, is the living image of Azerbaijan’s nickname “Land of Fire”. It’s literally a random country hill that has been on fire for centuries, since the day a shepherd set a bonfire in the area and hit a natural gas reserve that has been leaking ever since.
Exploring this impressive natural phenomenon is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Baku. It might not be as impressive as it was back in the 12th century, when the flames reached way higher than they do today. Nevertheless, a fire burning without any wood is always mesmerizing.
The fire mountain is 20km from Baku and 20km away from the Fire Temple, which most tourists visit together. There’s an entrance fee of $5, a bar, and several facilities in the area. It’s open every day from 9am to 6pm so plan your visit accordingly. Or join a guided tour to the Fire Mountain from Baku.
Recap on the best things to do in Baku
Every person visiting Baku should leave the city with a feeling of having experienced the old town, the European-like modern avenues, and the futuristic-looking Flame Towers. It’s the mix of these three environments what makes Baku so unique, one of my favourite cities on Earth, and the best among places to visit in Azerbaijan.
To fully enjoy Baku, spend some time exploring Baku’s promenade. Likewise, honoring the country’s nickname of Land of Fire is a must, and sights such as the Fire Temple and the Fire Mountain, or even the local oil pumps, should always find a place in your Baku itinerary.
Please leave a comment below with any questions on Baku. Or reach out through my Instagram and Tiktok pages, where you’ll also find travel stories and tips to improve your tips. Have a wonderful time in Baku Azerbaijan.
