Azerbaijan - 3 days in the next supercity BAKU

What a modern city there is in Eastern Europe. Baku has a lot of interesting things to see and most of them are all on convenient terrain without having to constantly use the taxi or bus. Its was easy to walk and attractions were often visible from far away. The other things, like the fire temple, are a bit further away but are nevertheless easy to reach by bus.

Is Baku soon the next best tourist city?

This city is trending in business and for travel. Azerbaijan strives to join more and more Europe. Modern glasshouses and older buildings renovated to a high standard. There is a lot of oil money and the Azerbaijani capital is booming, but appearances are deceptive. Behind the glass windows, there are locals who don't profit much from it.


Unfortunately, many houses have been removed and locals have been expropriated to make the city ready for big events, like the specially built stadium where the Eurovision Song Contest took place in 2019.

The country wants Baku to become a Dubai on the Caspian Sea, and I think they are well on their way. It's not yet ready to compete but they probably soon will.

I was wondering how Baku looks like as I only heard good feedback from people who visited.

Arrival in "the new Dubai" called Baku

The flight from the strange city Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) to Baku was very pleasant as there were only 6 passengers in the 200 person plane. Since most of the departures from Turkmenistan happened in the middle of the night, I arrived at 4am in the morning and was picked up from the hotel.

Not much of sleeping was possible as here in Baku are too many things to see. Only needed an E-Visa and so getting here was no hassle.

Was in neighboring Georgia and Armenia last year and back then I hoped to see these three countries all in a row, but the flight and train connections between the countries are not so good as Armenia and Azerbaijan are still in something like a cold war.


Map of Baku:

Day 1 - Lots of things to see in the city center

Starting google maps and followed the pins. I have 2 days time to check these out, but already now in the evening after one day, I can say that Baku is well worth more days to visit, let alone the rest of Azerbaijan. Food is also very good and cheap for the amount paid.

In summer it's very hot there. But the sea constantly sends some wind and there were many buildings and trees to get shelter from the sun.

Formula 1 Stage at around the "Freedom Square"

It's was one of the large international events this year, the F1 car race. Other events which are held this year are for example are the Eurovision Song Contest or the Europea Olympics Festival. The city is becoming more and more popular in every branch. When I took photos someone told me:

It’s not the stereotypical track for exciting races but Baku is nice city, and that’s always a bit of a bonus.

The F1 stage in front of the "Freedom Square". They will remove it and re-build it next year for the next race.

Along the Boulevard „Milli Park“

It's the huge boulevard which was nice to walk, and it's long with almost 4 kilometers. Many restaurants and stalls with food and drinks are there. The view up to the flamethrowers and onto the Caspian Sea will remain in memory.

Passing through the core oft he city center around the "Fountain Square"

The main public square of Baku has many restaurants and a shitload of shops built for tourists. Not much to add here as it is comparable to almost every other public square and walking road in any other bigger popular city.

Nice cobblestone floor there, but just walked through without a longer stop.

Entering the Old Town via « Gosha Gala Gapisi“

The old town couldn't be easier identified as this as it simply begins when walking through the big ancient gate and basically ends when walking through another gate.

What's inside? A lot of ancient historical landmarks and souvenir shops and art restaurants.

Walkhrough the Old Town „Icherisheher“

Convenient to walk the city as the old town is one junk of neighborhood and even walled and almost impossible to get lost or walk too far. Its was like a zoo without animals but ancient houses where people still live in. Even balconies are meanwhile under UNESCO protection.

I went there to walk through more or less quickly and get to the palace. It was simply too hot to spend much time within the walled alleys.

Visit the "Palace of the Shirvanshahs"

The palace of the Old Town. As in many other cities and its castles, the castles have a long boring history with many rulers and revolutions. I didn't inform myself what this thing is all about and I wasn't really interested to know it as I forget it anyway. However, it was nice to see and walk through the rooms which are accessible to the public.

Inside there is a miniature version of the whole Old Town on a large table. I found that more interesting than the real old town as it has a switch to turn on and turn off the lights of all windows in the small houses.

Exit the Old Town passing by the "Maiden Tower"

Once walking around the Old Town, one exit (or entry) is beside the Maiden Tower. As I figured out on several coins, advertisement papers and chocolate bars and stuff, this is one of the most important landmarks in Azerbaijan.

A museum is inside but didn't go see it.

Ride the funicular up to the "Flame Towers"

The Flame Towers are the most famous buildings that relate to Azerbaijan. They are spectacular and change color in the night. I didn't know the purpose of it so briefly went asking the reception:

We are a hotel, we have 250 hotel rooms and over 60 appartments and lots of offices. But it wasnt cheap as it cost 300 million dollar.

A funicular drives up every 10 minutes and costs almost nothing. The road up there was not that steep but didn't want to walk upwards in this heat.

Walk to through the „Martyr Alley“

When exiting the funicular and just beside the Flame Towers, there is the aisle to one of the main monument in Baku with the "Eternal Flame" Monument at the end of the alley.


This thing is built for the fallen freedom fighters and national heroes who died all the same day about 30 years ago. I don't know exactly what they were fighting for but back then Soviet soldiers attacked the country.

The Russian presidents frequently come here to visit and apologize to Azerbaijan.

See the view over Baku from the lookout "Eternal Flame" 

The public main lookout over Baku and the harbor. As there is no public lookout from the Flame Towers this was the most convenient place to see the city from "above".

Spot the "Baku Flyer" and the "Eurovision Song Contest Arena"

I didn't go tot he Baku Flyer as I saw it from above here. Also, the famous carpet museum is visible from above here. So this position is very convenient as almost all of Baku can be seen from here. For lazy people, this is the best spot imaginable to see the city.

The 60m tall Baku Ferris Wheel opened in the new extended section of the Boulevard.

Day 2 - Extended things around Baku

Went up early today to be ahead from the sun. Ist not yet highest summer but even in June, the weather here can be very hot.

It's only an easy bus ride down here and the building is just across the bus stop in bibiheybat. Also, it was easy to get back to Baku city center as the ride was without changing the bus.

People are very helpful here in Azerbaijan, I think over the last recent years they smell that tourists bring a lot of money and that we like to see the city like Baku. Also maybe the recent F1 races and the Eurovision Song Contest were like next level bootcamps for the infrastructure and the locals.

What I realized here in Baku that I didn't hear any Muslim prayers and the mosques don't have speakers or at least not using them. In many other Muslim countries, the decibel of these mosques sound blasters wakes people up already at 4 in the morning. But not here.

A trip to the South of Baku to see “ Bibiheybat“

I took the bus all the way to the south of Baku to a town called „Bibiheybat“, as there is a big mosque.


This one was completely destroyed and then rebuilt 30 years ago. That's the reason it looks so new. The view from there over the Caspian sea is nice – from here ist just 250 Kilometer to the coast of Turkmenistan.

On the way to the Fire temple is the „Heydar Aliyev Center“.

From the south of Baku back tot he city center ist about 30 minutes and from the city center tot he east of Baku ist about 45 minutes. As the internet told me there is the Fire Temple in the east and I thought it looked interesting, I decided to spend the afternoon going there.

The deformed exhibition center is fantastic. Can even compete with the buildings in Turkmenistan.

Now, its time for the "Fire Temple"

It was hot again this afternoon. Had to change from bus to train to bus and the last stop was called „Surakhani“. On google maps, it looks like there is a train going there but that's fake news. The train is not working anymore and only locals buses drive there… or taxis… of course. But the bus was easy for people again very helpful when asking for the fire temple.

What?? Fire temple? What fire temple? You mean the Atashgah Zoroastrian Fire Temple of Baku?

Well yes, I'm glad there is only one fire temple in Baku and the locals all seem to know it by all its nicknames. And so they show the right buses and ways and then there it is.

It's only in a small area but it has a lot of tourist buses.

It's not crowded though. Enough space to get around and also see the small fire in the middle oft he compound. Around the fire are like stalls, each oft he stalls has a different theme and show some history. Some oft he stalls have life-sized figures and animal dummy and are appearing behind a curtain like in a horror theatre.

Day 3 - The Airport Express brings me to Iran

My flight to Iran was in the morning. Baku is very touristic and so ist he transport to and from the airport. I came from the airport with a taxi but used the so-called „Airport Express“ for only 2 Euro from the „28th may“ central train station.

Change money back ? - easy

Also, it's no problem to exchange money back to USD or EUR. Unlike as in many other countries where I had to leave with a pocket full of foreign currency which is worth like piece of stone outside the country, just because it was IMPOSSIBLE to exchange it back to another currency.

Airport Express leaves every 30 minutes from there and takes about 30 minutes to the airport.