3 Days Itinerary Baku + Everything You Should Know
Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, mixture of Asian, Russian and European cultures is one of the interesting travel destinations. 3 days will be enough to see touristic places and enjoy your time there.
Just a few notes before we dive into details:
• Islam is the majority religion is Azerbaijan but it is a secular country. Non-muslims are mainly Russians, Georgians, and Armenians.
• Azerbaijan is called “Land of Fire” thanks to its vast supplies of oil and natural gas.
• Azerbaijan is fond of marble and granite especially travertine and limestone which you’ll see on buildings, in hotels etc.
• The lands are oil-rich and it affects the lifestyle in Baku. Not surprisingly you might see a lot of luxury items in the city. There are many high-end shops and big shopping malls, nice cars, nice restaurants …
• Baku is located by the Caspian Sea, which means HIGH HUMIDITY especially in summer. Imagine that taxi driver was cleaning steering wheel in every 5 minutes.
• When you arrive to airport, you’ll see there are many taxis. But be careful with that, they charge a lot of money. So, I recommend you to use Bolt or Yandex when you need taxi in Baku.
• No need to rent a car. You can use Bolt and it is way cheaper than renting the car. But if you do rent a car, be careful while parking. Even if you think the parking lot is free, it is not and a guy will come towards you the charge money.
• Azerbaijanis are so welcoming, I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time there. Baku is a safe city even if you are a solo traveler woman.
• In Azerbaijan, the safest way to convert USD to local currency Manat is through the banks. So just go to a bank when you arrive, get a number from kiosk and wait for your number to be called.
• The airport is so big. I advise you to arrive early considering your flight time.
Day 1
We arrive to the hotel and leave our luggage. I’ll be strolling around by myself on the first day.
Baku has UNESCO status for its historic attractions. So I start the day with one of my favourite parts in Baku, “Icheri Sheher”.
Take a morning stroll alond the Baku Boulevard while it is not extremely hot yet and arrive to Icheri Sheher. Here you’ll have Maiden Tower, Palace of Shirvanshahs, carpet shops, and old city walls.
Your visit might take up to 3 hours max.
Here you’ll probably spent max 1 hour. You can buy the ticket when you arrive.
After visiting these historical places, for food; I recommend Muse Café and here you can try baklava, Düşbere soup and düşbere qızardılmış and of course kebabs.
After lunch, walk towards the South Baku and walk by the Caspian Sea to enjoy view and have a cup of local coffee.
Day 2
Heydar Aliyev is one of the iconic figures in Azerbaijan. He is the former president, the father of the current president, and also the 3rd president of the republic. You can see many boulevards, streets, shopping streets etc are named after him. So today, we’ll go such a place.
The Heydar Aliyev Center is designed by well-known architect Zaha Hadid and the place is accepted as the famous icon of “crown jewel” like many other buildings in Azerbaijan. It’s built in 2012. From outside, it looks like a wave rising to the sky and as many others say, it symbolizes the connection between past and present. Within the Center, there are museums, exhibitions and a café. In the entrance, there are locks where you can store your bags.
There are musical instruments museums, presents to Azerbaijan, museums about Azerbaijani culture and famous paintings.
Your visit might take up to 3 hours. You can purchase your tickets on the main door.
For food; I recommend you restaurant Dolma.
After lunch, lets’s take a stroll to Nizami street for shopping time.
For dinner; I highly recommend Hard Rock Café. Some evenings, there are local groups who sing, worths considering. The food and cocktails are amazing.
Day 3
It is one of the largest museums in Azerbaijan. The museum covers ancient times from prehistory to Soviet Union period. It is important to note that the location of the museum belongs to Azerbaijani oil millionaire. Inside the museum, there’s also a part that you can learn more about his life. Visiting this place will take max 1 hour.
If you’d like to do some shopping, Port Baku Mall offers you everything you need. Most of the times, there are sales in many shops. Inside, there is a nice restaurant where you can buy original Azerbaijan products.
For the last night, do not forget to enjoy sunset by the Caspian Sea. From the kiosks, buy an ice-cream or cold drink and sit by the Sea, listen to the crowd.
Where to stay?
Have a nice holiday!
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