More ways to discover Azerbaijan
Three days, three sides of Baku
History, the fire landscapes and a flexible final day
Day one explores the Old City, oil-boom streets and Highland Park. Day two is a driver-assisted excursion to Gobustan and Absheron. Keep day three flexible for the market, modern architecture and art, then a final evening beside the Caspian.
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Three days, three sides of Baku.
Day one explores the Old City, oil-boom streets and Highland Park. Day two is a driver-assisted excursion to Gobustan and Absheron. Keep day three flexible for the market, modern architecture and art, then a final evening beside the Caspian.
City walks with metro or taxi links on days one and three; organised transport for day two. The final day can be shortened to one museum and the Boulevard.
Treat the stop list as a menu rather than a checklist. The second day is demanding; split Gobustan and Absheron if you prefer more time at each site. A metro architecture ride is an alternative to the modern-art stops on day three.
Places along the way
Day 1
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
The Shirvanshahs' palace brings medieval courtyards, carved portals and royal buildings together above the Old City.
Maiden Tower
The cylindrical Maiden Tower is one of Baku's defining landmarks on the edge of the Old City.
Icherisheher (Old City)
Baku's inhabited Old City brings stone lanes, fortress walls and caravanserais together in one walkable neighbourhood.
Ismailiyya Palace
Ismailiyya's pointed arches and stone ornament make it a distinctive oil-boom palace.
Fountains Square
Fountains Square is a lively meeting point between Baku's old stone streets and its pedestrian shopping area.
Nizami Street (Torgovaya)
Nizami Street combines a pedestrian shopping promenade with the facades of oil-boom Baku.
Highland Park (Upland Park)
Highland Park offers an elevated view across Baku Bay, the Boulevard and the changing city skyline.
Day 2
Bibi-Heybat Mosque
The Bibi-Heybat Mosque is an active shrine on the coast south of central Baku.
Gobustan Mud Volcanoes (Dashgil)
Mud cones and bare ground create a distinctive landscape in the wider Gobustan area.
Gobustan Rock Art (Gobustan National Historical-Artistic Reserve)
Gobustan's rock art connects a landscape of stone with the lives of people across many millennia.
Ateshgah Fire Temple
Ateshgah brings fire, trade routes and several religious traditions together in a courtyard complex.
Yanar Dag (Burning Mountain)
At Yanar Dag, gas escaping through the hillside feeds a line of flames.
Day 3
Taza Bazaar
Taza Bazaar is associated with the produce, spices and everyday food culture of Baku.
Heydar Aliyev Center
Zaha Hadid's flowing cultural centre is one of Baku's most distinctive contemporary buildings.
Baku Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art introduces Azerbaijani painting and sculpture in an open gallery setting.
Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum
A building shaped like a rolled carpet introduces the patterns and techniques of Azerbaijani carpet weaving.
Baku Boulevard (Seaside National Park)
The Seaside Boulevard follows the Caspian waterfront through gardens, promenades and broad views of Baku Bay.
Sources and official information
Photographs: 18
Places on this itinerary
Photographs of the stops on this itinerary. Open a place for its full collection.
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Contemporary views
Date not established
Petar Milošević · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Original title: Palace of the Shirvanshahs, Baku (Şirvanşahlar sarayı)
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Contemporary views
2016-09-26Date not independently verified
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Original title: Torre de la Doncella, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-26, DD 212-214 HDR
Date label in the source: 2016-09-26
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Contemporary views
2016-09-26Date not independently verified
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Original title: Centro histórico, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-26, DD 221-223 HDR
Date label in the source: 2016-09-26
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Contemporary views
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Original title: Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyasının Rəyasət heyətinin binası 1
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Contemporary views
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Original title: Fountains Square, Baku 01
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Contemporary views
2016Date not independently verified
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Original title: Yaşayış evi, Nizami küçəsi, 56 2016
Date label in the source: 2016
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Contemporary views
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Contemporary views
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Original title: Baku Bibi-EybatMosque 004 8705
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Contemporary views
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Original title: Gobustan mud volcanoes 07
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Contemporary views
2016-09-27Date not independently verified
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Original title: Reserva del Estado de Qobustan, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-27, DD 05
Date label in the source: 2016-09-27
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Contemporary views
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Original title: Absheron Ateshgah 004 9740
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Contemporary views
2016-09-27Date not independently verified
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Original title: Yanar Dag, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-27, DD 04
Date label in the source: 2016-09-27
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Contemporary views
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Contemporary views
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Original title: HEIDAR ALIYEV CENTER AND GARDENS.מרכז היידר אלייב והדשא
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Contemporary views
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Original title: Baku Museum of Modern Art inside
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Contemporary views
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Original title: Azerbaijan Carpet Museum 01
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Contemporary views
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Original title: Baku boulevard 0264 Panorama2
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Contemporary views
2016-09-28Date not independently verified
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Original title: Palacio de los Shirvanshah, Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-28, DD 08-10 HDR
Date label in the source: 2016-09-28
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