Baku- a fusion of ancient History and Futuristic Architecture

Some interesting facts about Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan

• Baku is the largest city on the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus region
• It is situated some 90 feet below sea level making it the lowest-lying  capital city in the world
• Baku is a beautiful blend of Eastern, Persian, and European culture and architecture
• The old city and the New City of Baku merge so effortlessly that you will find yourself landing from old to new in the blink of an eye.

Baku when translated into the Persian language refers to the city of pounding winds. You can find the city to be super windy throughout the year. Baku is fondly called ”the city of winds”. If Baku needs another nickname, I would like to name it” the city of Cats”. You can see cats here on the streets and homes like nowhere else in the world that I have been to. Azeris clearly have a special liking for cats.

Baku city Video

Things to do in Baku

Baku has a plethora of things to do for every kind of traveler. Right from History to Nightlife, you can find everything to keep you occupied for days together. It really depends on what your interests are and where you would like to explore. Some of the places and things I suggest are:

Exploring Icheri Sheher or the Walled Old City

 

No trip to Baku would be complete without exploring the Old City which is called the Icheri Sheher. It is the oldest part of Baku and is surrounded by fortress walls. The old city has cobbled streets and lanes with a lot of interesting ancient buildings some of which are converted into boutique hotels. There are some 3000 residents living here peacefully.

 

You can also see the Silk Road times Carvansarais that are now being run as cafes. Streets are vibrant with a lot of merchants selling ancient silver artifacts. There are plenty of shops to find Azerbaijani Silk Scarves and handmade Carpets everywhere. It is also a common sight to see local men playing different board games.

Maiden Tower

One of the important and interesting structures in the city is The Maiden Tower. This was constructed in the 12th century. There is a museum inside where you can find details about Baku’s history. The entrance fee is 15 AZN per person. You can reach the top and get a beautiful view of the city.

Palace of the Shirvanshahs

The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is an important landmark of Baku and is located next to the Maiden Tower. This palace was built in the 15th century by the Shirvanshas. Here, you can see how the Azerbaijani people used to live in those times. The entrance fee is 8.50 AZN

Appreciate the beauty and feel the divinity of the Ateshgah temple or the Fire temple

Ateshgah Temple is some 20 km from the city of Baku. This temple was built somewhere between the 17th and 18th centuries by Hindu merchants. It is believed that an older temple existed here that was built years ago. As you leave the parking area, you will see a fortress-like structure. There are about 20 rooms. Each room is dedicated to different religions such as Zoarastriasm, Hinduism, and Sikhism. It looks like a caravanserai. The place is more like a museum now and you can still feel the divinity in the ambiance that has been preserved.

The main temple is in the center from where you can see the fire burning from the natural gas. The fire was burning eternally due to the gas resources beneath until 1969 when it stopped due to the over-exploitation of oil extraction in the area.

Now it burns with natural gas that is supplied through a pipeline from Baku city. There is always a debate on whether it was a Zoroastrian or a Hindu temple since both religions believe in fire and the place has traces of Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. We would just leave it to be a spiritual place.

Recorded Sanskrit mantras can be heard and idols of Natraja, Ganesha, and inscriptions in Persian, Sanskrit, and Punjabi can be seen outside the rooms. In one of the rooms, there are pictures showing it to be mainly a Zoroastrian temple and how the fire was worshipped. Zoroastrians chose this place due to the eternal burning flames and considered this to be a mystical place of worship. This temple is also frequented by the locals .

Yanar Dag or Burning Mountains

The burning mountain has flames eternally in all weather conditions due to the natural gas deposits in the area. According to some locals, it is burning since the 1950s. I am sure it should have been on flames much earlier than that. Presently, there is only a portion of the mountain that burns. The flames are decreasing due to the vast depletion of oil resources. As I went near the flames, I felt the whole area was filled with the smell of petroleum. The entry fee for Yanar Dag and the Fire Temple is 10 AZN.

Hyder Aliyev Centre

This impressive building is a masterpiece that anybody would admire. It is clearly one of the most notable architectural landmarks of ultra-modern Baku. There is not a single noticeable sharp angle in the construction of this majestic building which makes it very unique. The centre is spread over an area of 57500 sq m. It is surrounded by some residential apartments and there is a huge beautiful landscaped garden for the public.

Flame Towers

Wherever you go in Baku, you will surely be able to see the trio Flame Towers. The towers are in the shape of flames. This architecture was created keeping in mind Azerbaijan’s history of worshipping fire.

The best time to see these towers is at night when the LED lighting system creates a range of patterns and images that is a real beauty to behold.

Baku Boulevard

After a long day exploring the city and around, this is the place to relax along the coast of the Caspian Sea. The boulevard leads to the coast. You can take a leisurely walk here in the garden, and pass by small eateries and it was nice to watch the locals playing Chess in a laid-back way.

Enjoy the Turkish ice cream Dondurma and watch the sun sink in the sea. It felt very relaxing to spend time there watching the lighting up of the flame Towers and other iconic buildings as the sun was setting.

Nizami Street

Nizami Street is a very popular pedestrian street bustling with cafes, bars, souvenir shops, and whatnot. This is an ideal place to see Baku’s vibrant nightlife. Located right in the city centre, it is a great place for shopping for local and international brands.

Azerbaijani Cuisine

Azeri cuisine is unique, rich, and delicious. People love meat in their dishes. The Azerbaijani cuisine is influenced by Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Iran. I found it to be highly related to Persian cuisine since the country was part of the Persian empire for a noticeably long period.

That said, vegetarians also have a variety of dishes to try. I could find a few vegan places to eat and most of the other restaurants have plenty of vegetarian options to choose from. The most popular dishes to try as a vegetarian are Lentil Soup, Shah Pulav, Dovga, Qutabs, and a variety of bread. Dishes made with eggplants like Serdakh are very common. Azeri food is moderately spiced and the use of Walnuts and saffron is common in many dishes. They do have a sweet tooth with a variety of sweets available varying from province to province, Baklava being the most popular sweet with many variations.

A few places that I loved visiting more than once during my stay in Baku :

Art Club Restaurant

I got a chance to try dining at this restaurant for the first time as I was staying at their hotel. They have a variety of dishes that can be customized and made vegetarian or even Vegan. Their way of presenting the food is awesome.

I dined here a few times while I was in Baku. The price is more expensive than a few other restaurants nearby but the quality of food and service is great. You can expect to pay somewhere between 25 and 50 AZN. They serve everything in large portions.

Manipura Ethic Cafe & Bar

I was so happy to find this place that is completely Vegan. It is a bit difficult to find the location as Google maps didn’t quite do a good job here and many locals were also not aware of this place. The best way to find any hidden gem in Baku is to ask the locals by telling them the street name. If you ask anyone, they will make sure to walk you there. Another good reason to visit Azerbaijan is its people and their helpful and friendly attitude.

After finding the place, I had to climb up some stairs and found myself in someone’s living room. I thought it to be the wrong place but was guided by a person there to enter another room and go upstairs. Well, it was all a great experience. Manipura was definitely playing hide and seek with me..haha.

There was no one when I went there. After a few minutes, I saw a girl ready to take the order. We had a brief chat about the place and came to know that the place is run by a Yoga Teacher. I was so happy to hear that and it was good to know that quite a handful of people here learn Yoga and follow a Vegan diet. Some local non-vegans visit this place out of curiosity to see how the food tastes. People started coming in later in the evening. They have an outdoor seating area too.

Now coming to the food, it was excellent and fresh. Shiva Bowl was delicious and the view from here was spectacular. The price is reasonable. A meal will cost you around 20 AZN

Other places that I tried and would recommend are Qayana, Sehrli Tendir and Old Manqal. All these places have great ambiance and wonderful food with Qayana being the most expensive and a long waiting time to get a table.

Gobustan Museum and Petroglyphs

The rock carvings depict rituals of those times, animals, and hunting scenes. There is a huge boat-shaped musical stone. If you wish, you can try playing it. It is ideal to visit the museum first since you would get an idea of what you see in the rock engravings. The museum has interesting things on display and details about the petroglyphs. You will have to walk up the rocks and hills to see the Petroglyphs. There are display boards everywhere giving details about the rock engravings but a guide will definitely make things easier. There are huge rocks and rock engravings that date back to the Stone Age.

Make sure to carry sunglasses, a Hat, and a bottle of water. Wear a comfortable pair of shoes as the walk will be exhausting and it is usually very sunny and hot there.

Mud Volcanoes

After the Petroglyphs, a short drive will take you to the vast semi-desert area where the Mud Volcanoes can be seen. As we arrived, we could see vast expanses of desert and craters filled with bubbling surfaces. Does it sound something like the planet Mars? Well, yes if you want to feel like you are on Mars, then this could be one of the places on our planet Earth. No wonder, some movies have been shot here to get a Martian atmosphere.

Azerbaijan has the most mud volcanoes in the world. An interesting fact about Mud Volcanoes is they are not hot as you might think by the name ‘volcano’. A mud volcano is formed by the eruption of water, gases, and mud.

The mud volcanoes here are cold and you can actually touch them. Yes, I mean it. I felt my hands smelling of Petroleum on touching them. Be prepared, your hands will get messy ..so carrying an extra bottle of water to wash your hands will be great. I enjoyed seeing and feeling the mud volcanoes a lot. They are quite a spectacle.

Depending on your interests and the amount of time you have, there are many other things to do in Baku like:

Bibi Hebat Mosque

Miniature Book Museum

Visit a Hammam

Visit the Carpet Museum

The list goes on…

Where to Stay

I loved the old city that has plenty to offer. There are a number of hotels ranging from Budget to High end. Art Club Hotel is a beautiful boutique hotel with all the facilities and a wonderful restaurant. Their hospitality is great.

However, if you are looking for a room with a sea view and a balcony at an affordable rate, then Two Seasons is a good choice, It is also a Boutique hotel. The rooms are very clean and spacious. You can have a wonderful view of the sea and the city from the huge balcony.

Both the above-mentioned hotels are in the old city and do not have elevators. If that is not a problem, their location, service, and rooms are the best.

Tips

• Take the metro or the Bolt Taxi to travel within the city
• Before taking photos of some government buildings, make sure that you are allowed to take pictures. I had an experience of a cop stopping me while I was taking pictures of the Baku Bus Terminal. I was asked to delete the pictures from my camera. I heard some similar stories from other tourists who were not allowed to take pictures of the metro station even from the outside but they were allowed to take pictures of the Bus Station unlike me. It is all a bit confusing.
• If you are traveling alone to other cities, opt to travel by bus rather than Marshrutkas which can get cramped and uncomfortable.
• Joining a day group tour to go to the Fire temple and Mud Volcanoes is a good idea rather than taking a taxi to each of these places separately as they are in different directions. I used Smile Tours and the price was 59 AZN excluding lunch and entrance fees to the museums.

Baku can be kept as the base to explore other cities of Azerbaijan as many of the places can be covered by a day trip. Depending on the number of days you have in Azerbaijan, you can either stay in Baku and explore other places in the country or travel to other places. I went on a full-day trip with a group to Quba(Guba) and Xinaliq( Khinalig) and honestly, it was very hectic. I found most of the time we were traveling and were left with little time to explore the places. Nevertheless, it was a great trip. If you have a total of just 3 days in Azerbaijan, then shortlist a place and go on a day trip and return to Baku. If you have a week or more, it will be best to travel to the chosen city or place by bus or taxi and spend a night or two so that you have enough time to explore the place.

You may also like to refer to my post Azerbaijan Travel Guide