Things to do in Baku: top sights and where to go
Baku's walled Old City puts the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs five minutes apart, with the seaside Boulevard, the Carpet Museum and the Flame Towers on Highland Park just outside its gates. Spend the first day in the centre on foot plus a taxi to the Heydar Aliyev Center; keep the Ateshgah fire temple, the burning hillside of Yanar Dag and the rock art of Gobustan for a second day by car.
Sights
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
Baku, Azerbaijan
1 h 15 min24 AZN for foreign visitorspalaceshistorymuseums
Azerbaijan Carpet Museum
Baku, Azerbaijan
1 h 30 min10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZNmuseumshistory
Gobustan rock art and mud volcanoes
Baku, Azerbaijan
3 h≈ 10–15 AZN, volcanoes extrahistoryancient ruinsmuseums
Baku itineraries
Baku travel guide
Before you go: the old city and Flame Towers, the boulevard, Yanar Dag and Gobustan, the airport, weather by month.
Baku on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 3–4 days: the city, Gobustan, Absheron
- When to go
- April–June and September–October
- Visa
- Most visitors apply for an e-visa (ASAN) online
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Currency
- Azerbaijani manat (AZN); cards widely accepted
- Airport
- Heydar Aliyev (GYD) ≈ 25 km — express bus and taxi
- Wind
- Baku is the City of Winds — bring a windproof layer
- Time zone
- UTC+4 all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 958Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 1076Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Baku Boulevard”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Flame Towers”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Caspian Sea”Things to do in Baku
Baku’s highlights are the Old City (Icherisheher) with the Maiden Tower and the Shirvanshahs’ Palace, the seaside Boulevard, the Flame Towers and Zaha Hadid’s Heydar Aliyev Center. Outside the city are the burning hill of Yanar Dag, the Ateshgah fire temple and the Gobustan rock carvings. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above; the “Map” button shows them on a map.
| Old City | Icherisheher, Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs | ½ day |
|---|---|---|
| Seafront | Boulevard, Carpet Museum | ½ day |
| Above the city | Flame Towers | sunset |
| Architecture | Heydar Aliyev Center | 1–2 h |
| Absheron | Yanar Dag, Ateshgah | ½ day |
| South | Gobustan | ½ day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries for 1–3 days, with places in a sensible order.
Baku airport to the city centre
Heydar Aliyev Airport (GYD) is ≈ 25 km from the centre. An express bus runs to 28 May metro station, and taxis via an app take about 30 minutes.
| Express bus | 28 May metro | ≈ 40 min |
|---|---|---|
| Ride-hailing app | City centre | ≈ 30 min |
| Transfer | To your hotel | ≈ 30 min |
Buses and the metro need a BakuCard, sold by machines at the airport.
Baku weather by month
The best time to visit Baku is April–June and September–October — warm and dry. Summer is hot, about 30 °C, and people swim in the Caspian on the Absheron beaches. Winter is mild, about 7 °C by day, but windy. Baku is windy in every season.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 7° | 7° | 10° | 16° | 22° | 27° | 30° | 30° | 26° | 20° | 14° | 10° |
| Night | 2° | 2° | 4° | 9° | 14° | 19° | 22° | 22° | 18° | 13° | 8° | 4° |
| Sea | 8° | 7° | 8° | 11° | 17° | 22° | 25° | 26° | 23° | 18° | 14° | 10° |
| Rain | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: April–May and September–October
- day ≈ 7°
- night ≈ 2°
- sea ≈ 8°
- rain 7 days
Cool and windy, about 7°. Museums and the Old City. Too cold to swim, water — about 8°.
- day ≈ 7°
- night ≈ 2°
- sea ≈ 7°
- rain 7 days
Windy, sometimes snow. Too cold to swim, water — about 7°.
- day ≈ 10°
- night ≈ 4°
- sea ≈ 8°
- rain 7 days
Spring; Novruz, the main holiday, late in the month. Too cold to swim, water — about 8°.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 9°
- sea ≈ 11°
- rain 5 days
Warm, about 16°. Good for Gobustan. Too cold to swim, water — about 11°.
- day ≈ 22°
- night ≈ 14°
- sea ≈ 17°
- rain 4 days
Warm and dry — one of the best months. Too cold to swim, water — about 17°.
- day ≈ 27°
- night ≈ 19°
- sea ≈ 22°
- rain 2 days
Hot, about 27°. Evenings on the Boulevard. Swimmable, the water is fresh — about 22°.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 22°
- sea ≈ 25°
- rain 1 days
The hottest month. Absheron beaches. Warm for swimming, water — about 25°.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 22°
- sea ≈ 26°
- rain 2 days
Hot, the sea about 26°. Warm for swimming, water — about 26°.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 18°
- sea ≈ 23°
- rain 3 days
Warm, about 26°. A great time for trips. Swimmable, the water is fresh — about 23°.
- day ≈ 20°
- night ≈ 13°
- sea ≈ 18°
- rain 6 days
About 20°, mild and sunny. Too cold to swim, water — about 18°.
- day ≈ 14°
- night ≈ 8°
- sea ≈ 14°
- rain 8 days
Cool and windy. Too cold to swim, water — about 14°.
- day ≈ 10°
- night ≈ 4°
- sea ≈ 10°
- rain 8 days
About 10°, a festive Boulevard. Too cold to swim, water — about 10°.
The sea is the Caspian; people swim on the Absheron beaches in summer, not in the city. The khazri wind can blow in any season.
What to eat in Baku
Azerbaijani food means plov, qutab, dolma, kebabs and tea with jam. Tea is drunk all day — in the Old City’s tea houses and on the Boulevard.
- Plov — with chestnuts and dried fruit; shah plov baked in lavash for celebrations.
- Qutab — thin flatbreads with herbs, meat or pumpkin.
- Tea with jam — in armudu glasses, with white-cherry jam.
- Pakhlava — Baku and Sheki versions taste quite different.
Baku ticket prices
The Old City streets, the Boulevard and the Flame Towers from outside are free. You pay for the Maiden Tower, the Shirvanshahs’ Palace, the Heydar Aliyev Center, Gobustan, Yanar Dag and Ateshgah.
| Maiden Tower | 52 | 45 min | 19 AZN for foreign visitors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palace of the Shirvanshahs | 45 | 1 h 15 min | 24 AZN for foreign visitors |
| Heydar Aliyev Center | 41 | 1 h 30 min | 15 AZN; classic cars +10 AZN |
| Azerbaijan Carpet Museum | 37 | 1 h 30 min | 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN |
| Yanar Dag | 29 | 45 min | 15 AZN foreigners, under-12s free |
| Ateshgah Fire Temple | 28 | 1 h | 15 AZN for foreign visitors |
| Gobustan rock art and mud volcanoes | 19 | 3 h | ≈ 10–15 AZN, volcanoes extra |
Free — 3 places: Old City (Icherisheher), Flame Towers and Highland Park, Baku Boulevard.
Tips
- See the Flame Towers at night from the Boulevard, or take the funicular up to Highland Park.
- Visit Yanar Dag at dusk — the flames burn all the time but glow brighter in the dark.
- Bring a windproof layer — Baku is windy even in summer.
FAQ
Is Baku worth visiting?
Yes, for the contrast of a UNESCO-listed walled Old City with futuristic architecture like the Flame Towers and the Heydar Aliyev Center, plus fire temples and ancient rock art nearby.
What to do in Baku in one day?
The Old City with the Maiden Tower and Shirvanshahs’ Palace, the seaside Boulevard and Highland Park for the Flame Towers at night.
Do I need a visa for Azerbaijan?
Most visitors apply online for an ASAN e-visa before the trip; some nationalities are visa-free. Check the rule for your passport before you travel.
What is the weather like in Baku in October?
About 20 °C by day and 13 °C at night, sunny but windy.
How do I get from Baku airport to the city?
By express bus to 28 May metro station in about 40 minutes, or by ride-hailing app in about 30.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List, Nos. 958 and 1076
- Wikipedia, “Baku”; “Baku Boulevard”; “Flame Towers”; Baku climate (1991–2020 normals)
- Heydar Aliyev International Airport — official website
- ASAN Visa — official e-visa portal of Azerbaijan