Baku (Bakı), the “City of Winds,” straddles Europe and Asia on the Caspian Sea, where Zoroastrian fire culture, a 19th‑century oil boom, and eye‑catching modern architecture collide. Within its UNESCO‑listed Icherisheher (Old City), you’ll climb stone walls past caravanserais and the enigmatic Maiden Tower; above, the Flame Towers blaze each night over the boulevard.

Travelers come for Gobustan’s prehistoric petroglyphs and bubbling mud volcanoes, the ever‑burning Yanar Dağ, and the sinuous Heydar Aliyev Center by Zaha Hadid. Fun fact: Baku hosts a high‑speed Formula 1 street circuit each year, threading past the medieval ramparts—part racing, part time travel.

Expect hearty Azerbaijani cuisine—plov, dolma, qutab, and piti soup—alongside robust tea culture and increasingly good local wines from regions like Shamakhi and Ganja. Carry some AZN cash for markets, but cards are widely accepted; taxis are inexpensive, and the Baku Metro is clean and easy to use. Spring and fall offer the most pleasant weather.

Baku

Old meets new here: Icherisheher’s stone alleys, the elegant Seaside Boulevard, Little Venice canals, and the bold curves of the Heydar Aliyev Center. Sunset from Highland Park frames the Flame Towers and the Caspian in one sweep—Baku’s signature postcard.

• Top sights: Icherisheher, Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs’ Palace, Baku Boulevard, Carpet Museum, Heydar Aliyev Center, Highland Park, Nizami Street, Taza (Green) Bazaar.
• Food highlights: Try piti (lamb soup) in a clay pot, saffron‑tinted plov, qutab (thin stuffed pancakes), and tandir bread straight from the oven.
• Local tip: Tea arrives with jam and lemon; sip, nibble the jam, and linger—the Azerbaijani way.

Where to stay (hand‑picked areas): Icherisheher for romance and history; Fountain Square/Nizami Street for dining and nightlife; Baku Boulevard for Caspian views.

• Browse stays on VRBO (Baku) and Hotels.com (Baku).

How to get to Baku: Most visitors fly into Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD); nonstop options from hubs like Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv. Compare fares on Trip.com (flights) and Kiwi.com; if starting in Europe, also check Omio (flights). Overland travelers from Tbilisi can look into trains (13–14 hours) via Trip.com (trains).

Day 1: Arrival in Baku — First Stroll in Icherisheher

Morning: In transit to Baku. Flights from Istanbul or Dubai are typically 2.5–3 hours; airport to city center is ~30–40 minutes by taxi.

Afternoon: Check in near Icherisheher or Fountain Square. Start with a gentle wander along the Old City walls to the Maiden Tower and the courtyards of the Shirvanshahs’ Palace. Pause for specialty coffee at Baku Roasting Company (light‑to‑medium roasts, good pastries) before exploring carpet workshops and copperware stalls.

Evening: Dinner at Shirvanshah Museum Restaurant (mugham music, dolma, saffron‑fragrant plov) or Sehrli Təndir (fresh tandir bread, qutab with herbs). Cap the night with a short taxi to Highland Park for sweeping views of the lit‑up Flame Towers and Baku Boulevard below.

Day 2: City Highlights, Carpets, and Caspian Views

Morning: Join a guided overview to get your bearings:

Half-Day Baku City Sightseeing Tour

Expect Icherisheher gates, Fountain Square, Upland Park, and photo stops along the boulevard—perfect context for first‑timers.

Afternoon: Dive into the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum (the building itself resembles a rolled carpet). Learn knot styles from Karabakh to Shirvan, then stroll Little Venice and the palm‑lined Seaside Boulevard. Lunch at Sahil Restaurant & Wine Bar (Caspian fish, salads, local wines by the glass) or Dolma Restaurant (classic stuffed vine leaves and aubergine dishes).

Evening: Explore Nizami Street boutiques and Belle Époque façades. For dinner, try Sumakh (updated Azerbaijani cuisine—ashil plov, grilled lamb, narsharab sauces) or Nergiz (cozy, traditional mains, good for vegetarians). Nightcap at 360 Bar atop the Hilton for rotating skyline views.

Day 3: Gobustan Petroglyphs, Mud Volcanoes, and Absheron’s Sacred Fires (Full Day)

Gobustan & Mud, Fire Temple, Burning Mountain (Group & Private)

From Baku, head ~1 hour to Gobustan National Park to see 40,000‑year‑old rock art and a smart interpretive museum. Continue to fields of mud volcanoes (fun, otherworldly photos—wear shoes you don’t mind dusty). On the Absheron Peninsula, visit the Zoroastrian Ateshgah Fire Temple and the natural gas blaze of Yanar Dağ. Typical duration: 7–8 hours; many tours include hotel pickup and a local lunch stop.

Day 4: Caucasus Highlands — Guba’s Candy Cane Mountains and Khinaliq (Full Day)

Guba, Candy Cane mountain, Khinaliq village with HOMEMADE lunch

Journey 3–3.5 hours to striped, iron‑rich hills locals call the Candy Cane Mountains, then climb into the high Caucasus to Khinaliq, one of Europe’s highest, oldest continuously inhabited villages. Expect winding roads, mountain vistas, and a homemade lunch. Bring a light jacket; weather shifts quickly at altitude.

Day 5: Silk Road Sheki — Khans’ Palace and Caravansarais (Full Day)

Sheki - Full Day Tour to Five Regions of Azerbaijan

A long but rewarding day west through Shamakhi and Ismayilli leads to Sheki. Tour the stained‑glass splendor of the Sheki Khans’ Palace, step into a cool‑stone caravanserai, and taste local piti (lamb cooked with chickpeas, chestnuts, and saffron in a clay pot). Most tours run 12–14 hours; snacks and an early start recommended.

Day 6: Modern Baku, Markets, and Azerbaijani Wine

Morning: Breakfast at CafeCity (excellent omelets, pancakes, and cappuccinos) or Baker Street (buttery croissants). Browse Taza (Green) Bazaar for saffron, walnuts, dried white mulberries, and pomegranate molasses—great edible souvenirs. If you prefer art, the Museum of Modern Art showcases contemporary Azerbaijani works in a striking industrial space.

Afternoon: Visit the Heydar Aliyev Center for architecture that flows like silk—exhibitions vary from design to history. Late lunch at Sahil Restaurant & Wine Bar or Chinar (sleek setting, pan‑Asian and grill; try the lamb chops with sumac and a local Nar wine).

Evening: Sample local labels (Meysari, ASPI Savalan, Sharg Ulduzu) at KEFLI Local Wine & Snacks, pairing cheeses and qutab. For dinner, book Art Garden in Icherisheher (traditional plates in a caravanserai setting) or Nergiz near Fountain Square. Night owls can continue to ETUD (laid‑back music lounge) or return to Highland Park for another blue‑hour skyline.

Day 7: Boulevard Bliss, Souvenirs, and Departure

Morning: Easy start with coffee at Baku Roasting Company and a waterside walk along the Seaside Boulevard. Peek into the quirky Miniature Books Museum in the Old City or the National Museum of History for Silk Road context. Shop for shebeke‑inspired crafts, copper trays, and hand‑knotted rugs at reputable Old City boutiques.

Afternoon: Early lunch at Dolma (comforting classics) or Sehrli Təndir. Allow 60–90 minutes to reach the airport, factoring traffic and security. If time remains, one last tea service—strong, aromatic, and served with rose jam—wraps the trip on a sweet note.

Coffee & breakfast favorites: Baku Roasting Company (single‑origin brews), CafeCity (hearty breakfasts), Baker Street (French‑style bakery). Lunch and dinner standouts: Sumakh (modern Azeri plates), Sahil Restaurant & Wine Bar (seafood and wines), Nergiz (classic recipes), Dolma (home‑style dishes), Art Garden (atmospheric caravanserai), Shirvanshah Museum Restaurant (live mugham).

Getting around: The BakiKart card works for metro and buses; taxis are affordable for cross‑town hops. Museums often close on Mondays—check hours. Dress in layers for day trips; mountain weather changes quickly.

Where to book or compare: Flights on Trip.com, Kiwi.com, and Omio (if you’re in Europe); trains via Trip.com (trains). Stays on VRBO and Hotels.com.

In one week, you’ll trace fire‑worship sites and oil‑boom boulevards, taste saffron‑scented kitchens, and stand in mountain air above ancient villages. Baku rewards the curious—with a camera full of light and a suitcase scented faintly of tea and pomegranates.