Baku is Azerbaijan's capital — a hybrid Caspian Sea port city that pairs a UNESCO-listed walled old town (İçərişəhər) with the oil-boom ultra-modern architecture that defines its skyline today: the three Flame Towers (190 m), the Heydar Aliyev Center by Zaha Hadid (2013), and the curving 100-metre seafront promenade along the Bulvar. It's the largest city in the South Caucasus, population 2.3 million, and one of the most unexpectedly striking capitals in the post-Soviet world. Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) is 20 km north of the centre — a 25-minute drive on the six-lane highway that was built ahead of the 2015 European Games and hasn't seen traffic since.
Book an airport transfer to Baku
Fixed-price private transfers with English-speaking drivers. Meet-and-greet included.
Getting to and around Baku
The walled old town (İçərişəhər) is the cultural heart — Maiden Tower (12th century), the Palace of the Shirvanshahs (15th century), and 500 metres of alleys with stone carving, carpet shops, and tea houses. A 90-minute walking tour is sufficient. The Heydar Aliyev Center — a massive white curvilinear structure — rewards a 2-hour visit for the building itself plus the rotating exhibitions; don't miss the classic Azerbaijani cars on the lower level. Fountains Square anchors the café-and-pedestrian scene just outside the old town's eastern gate.
Things to see & do in Baku
Day trips from Baku: Gobustan National Park (65 km south — 12,000-year-old petroglyphs + active mud volcanoes) is the top archaeology day. Yanar Dağ (the 'burning mountain,' a natural gas fire on a hillside, 25 km north) + Ateshgah (the 17th-century fire temple) cover the Zoroastrian fire-worship day in half a day. The Absheron Peninsula beaches are a summer escape. For a longer trip: Sheki (6-hour drive northwest — caravanserai and Khan's Palace) and the Quba Red Village (4 hours north — the world's largest Mountain Jewish community).
Tours & experiences
Top tours & experiences in Baku
Browse Viator’s catalogue of Baku tours, day trips, and experiences. Most include free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity.
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Neighborhoods & food in Baku
Visit April-June or September-October for 18-28°C comfortable days. July-August hit 32-38°C and humid from the Caspian. Winter (December-February) is cold (−2 to 8°C) with strong Baku wind. US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian, Japanese, and South Korean passports can get an ASAN e-Visa in 3 business days at evisa.gov.az (USD 20). The Azerbaijani manat (AZN) is pegged to USD at ~1.70; cards work in city centre but cash needed for taxis and markets. Uber does not operate; local apps Bolt and Uklon dominate. English is widely understood in tourist zones; Russian is the second language.