Places to Visit in Baku

1. Icheri Sheher: During the rule of Shirvanshahs in the medieval period, Icheri Sheher used to be the capital city. This old city is surrounded by a grand wall and has the iconic Maiden Tower in its heart. This UNESCO listed city has a rich history and houses traditional carpet weavers, bars, and restaurants.

2. Maiden Tower: This cylindrical tower was built in the 12th century and has a mysterious history. This tower has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower offers a fascinating view of Icheri Sheher.

3. Palace of Shirvanshahs: The Shirvanshahs were the ruling dynasty of Azerbaijan for almost 800 years. An image of this palace can be seen on Azerbaijan’s 10 manat banknotes’ back. This 15th-century complex has been listed by UNESCO, has a palace, a mausoleum, a mosque, and burial vaults.

4. National Museum of History of Azerbaijan: It is the largest museum in Baku and has more than 300000 artefacts in its vicinity. This museum is located in a mansion with an Italian Renaissance style of architecture. It has an extensive collection of coins (numismatic collection), including Ancient Greek coins.

1. Flame towers: It is a set of three flame-shaped high buildings, linking Baku with the futuristic concept. The towers house several posh kinds of stuff like Fairmont Hotel, a Lamborghini dealer store, etc.

2. Heydar Aliyev Center: This futuristic building is a centre of attraction in Baku, designed by an Iraqi-British architect named Zaha Hadid. The building hosts many temporary exhibitions. Besides the weird statues around the building, it is also famous for curved walls, making it a perfect example of modern art and innovation.

3. Fountain Square: It is the best place to complete your day and many local people gather here at night to hangout. There are several restaurants, bars, parks, hipster cafes, and fashionable shops here. The beautiful lighting around the fountains makes it even more mesmerising after a long day.

4. Explore clubs and restaurants: You can also enjoy the nightlife at any one of the several clubs and restaurants in Baku. Some of the famous restaurants are Xezer restaurant, Sumakh, and Gourmet Pendir & Chorek. Heading over to one of the most sought after places to visit in Baku, you can get traditional as well as fast-food, whichever you like.

1. Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center: Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center is a building complex designed by an Iraqi-British architect named Zaha Hadid. The building is designed in a flowing, curved style with sharp angles. The distinctive architecture of the building houses a museum, a gallery hall, a restaurant, and a conference hall.

2. Baku Old City: Icher Sheher or the Old City of Baku is a historical fortified city in Baku, Azerbaijan. Here you can explore the palace of Shirvanshas, climb the Maiden tower for a view of the city, visit the Muhammad Mosque, trace the old city walls, etc. where you can take photographs.

3. Baku Boulevard: Baku Boulevard is located on the seafront looking towards the Caspian Sea. It has a beautiful green surrounding with different types of flowers and trees planted in an arrangement. You can take a romantic walk along the path of the boulevard and also take photographs.

4. Highland Park: Highland Park, also known as Viewing square is one of the best places in Baku to have a walk and enjoy the beautiful sea view. You can relax here and also enjoy tea in the Highland Park Cafe.

1. Shikhov Beach: Shikhov beach is located in the south of the city centre. There is an Aqua Park with water slides, adjoining the beach. You can use colourful umbrellas, loungers, and even enjoy a drink from the bar.  Heading over to this place, you will be able to enjoy clear sandy shore and azure blue water of the ocean. There are a number of cafes and eateries perched on the beach side where you can chill out with your loved ones enjoying the pristine natural beauty.

2. Crescent Beach: Crescent Beach stretches for around 400 meters and has clean sand, along with lifeguards and a safety cordon. It is a family-friendly beach providing swimming pool access, changing rooms, and a whirlpool. You can also get food and drinks in the restaurants and cafes located on the beach.

3. Bilgah Beach: Bilgah beach is one of the most famous beaches located at a distance of 30 minutes from the city centre of Baku. The Bilgah beach has sandy stretches and clean, unpolluted water. There are also several hotels and restaurants around this beach as it is one of the best places in Baku.

4. SeaZone Beach Baku: SeaZone Beach Baku is located in Nardaran and is a clean spot to enjoy your time without the crowds. The beach has sun loungers and clean sand, giving you a beautiful place to relax.

- By Flight: The international airport of Baku which is Heydar Aliyev International Airport connects to a number of major cities across the globe. You will get flights from Istanbul, Bahrain, and Dubai on a regular basis. Some of the major flight operators in Baku are Air Arabia, Air France (SkyTeam), airBaltic, Austrian Airlines (Star, Alliance), Belavia, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa (Star Alliance), and Qatar Airways (Oneworld).

- By Rail: Baku has got rail connectivity with some of the Russian cities, Moscow, and Kiev in Ukraine.

- By Road: You can also reach Baku by road through some of its neighbouring cities like Bilasuvar and Mingecevir. You can take highways E119 and E60 to reach your destination in the city of Baku.