Baku in 3 days

Where flame-shaped towers and futuristic curves meet a UNESCO walled city on the Caspian Sea. Best time to visit: April-June and September-October. Average daily budget: $50 to $100 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Icherisheher (Old City), The UNESCO-listed walled core: the Maiden Tower, the Shirvanshahs' Palace, and stone lanes full of carpet shops and cafés.

Morning: Walk the Old City. Lose yourself in Icherisheher, climbing the Maiden Tower and visiting the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.

Afternoon: Explore Icherisheher (Old City), The UNESCO-listed walled core: the Maiden Tower, the Shirvanshahs' Palace, and stone lanes full of carpet shops and cafés.

Evening: Flame Towers at night. Watch the three towers ripple with LED flames from Highland Park or the boulevard below.

Eat: Plov, saffron rice with meat and dried fruit, the celebratory dish

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Fountains Square & Centre, Elegant pedestrian streets, restored mansions, boutiques and the city's main café scene.

Morning: Heydar Aliyev Center. Zaha Hadid's flowing white masterpiece, one of the most photographed buildings in the world.

Afternoon: Explore Fountains Square & Centre, Elegant pedestrian streets, restored mansions, boutiques and the city's main café scene.

Evening: Flame Towers and the seaside boulevard. See the iconic Flame Towers light up at night, then stroll the Caspian seafront boulevard, a long, leafy promenade that's the heart of the city's evening life.

Eat: Dolma and dushbara (tiny dumplings in broth)

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Seaside Boulevard, The long Caspian promenade, with parks, the Carpet Museum and views up to the Flame Towers.

Morning: Absheron day trip. See the Ateshgah fire temple, the perpetually burning Yanar Dag hillside and the Gobustan petroglyphs.

Afternoon: Explore Seaside Boulevard, The long Caspian promenade, with parks, the Carpet Museum and views up to the Flame Towers.

Evening: Walk the Old City (Icherisheher). Baku's UNESCO walled old town, the Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs' Palace and medieval lanes, all surrounded by the gleaming modern skyline.

Eat: Lamb kebabs and lula grilled over coals

Hidden gems

The Gobustan mud volcanoes, a bubbling lunar landscape an hour outside the city.
Taza Bazaar for spices, pickles, and rows of caviar and dried fruit.
The teahouses (çayxana) where men play backgammon over pots of tea and jam.
The retro Soviet-era funicular up to Highland Park for the sunset view.

Getting around

Central Baku is walkable and the old city is car-free. The metro is cheap and easy with a BakiKart, and Bolt rides are inexpensive across town. For Gobustan and the Absheron peninsula, hire a driver or take a small-group tour, as sights are spread across the desert.

Safety

Baku is very safe with low crime and a visible police presence. It's clean, modern and easy to navigate. Standard precautions apply; dress modestly inside religious sites, and note that summers can be windy and very hot.

Baku in 5 days | Baku in 7 days | Full Baku guide