Baku in 7 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, Land & wander

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, Iconic sights

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, Food & markets

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

Day 4, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Flame Towers / Highland Park, The hilltop above the centre, with the best panorama and the martyrs' memorial.

Morning: The Gobustan mud volcanoes, a bubbling lunar landscape an hour outside the city.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Flame Towers / Highland Park, The hilltop above the centre, with the best panorama and the martyrs' memorial.

Evening: Taza Bazaar for spices, pickles, and rows of caviar and dried fruit.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Black tea served with jam and pakhlava pastry

Day 5, Day trip

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: The teahouses (çayxana) where men play backgammon over pots of tea and jam.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

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: The retro Soviet-era funicular up to Highland Park for the sunset view.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

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

Day 6, Hidden gems

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

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Fountains Square & Centre, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

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

Evening: Dinner at Dolma and dushbara (tiny dumplings in broth), then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Fountains Square & Centre.

Eat: Dolma and dushbara (tiny dumplings in broth)

Day 7, Slow finish

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

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Seaside Boulevard, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

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

Evening: Dinner at Lamb kebabs and lula grilled over coals, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Seaside Boulevard.

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.

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