Azerbaijan in 4 days: an itinerary city by city
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 7 of 16 free; 9 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 4 days, 9:30 to 16:53 each day
- Start and finish
- Maiden Tower → Juma Mosque
- On foot
- ≈ 1 h 9 min in total
- Transport
- 2 rides, ≈ 1 h 25 min; 1 transfer between cities
- Lunch
- around 13:18
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Spring and autumn. Sheki is cooler than Baku.
Cities in order
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Baku09:30–16:53 · 4 places · 7 h 20 min
Maiden Tower
· 45 min · 19 AZN for foreign visitors
- 3 min on foot
Old City (Icherisheher)
· 3 h · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 4 min on foot
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
· 1 h 15 min · 24 AZN for foreign visitors
- 16 min on foot
Flame Towers and Highland Park
· 1 h · Free
Day 2 · Baku09:30–15:32 · 3 places · 6 h
Baku Boulevard
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 3 min on foot
Azerbaijan Carpet Museum
· 1 h 30 min · 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN
- Lunch · 1 h
- 29 min · transport or taxi
Heydar Aliyev Center
· 1 h 30 min · 15 AZN; classic cars +10 AZN
Day 3 · Baku09:30–12:11 · 2 places · 2 h 40 min
Yanar Dag
· 45 min · 15 AZN foreigners, under-12s free
- 56 min · transport or taxi
Ateshgah Fire Temple
· 1 h · 15 AZN for foreign visitors
Day 4 · Sheki09:30–15:43 · 7 places · 6 h 10 min
Morning transfer: bus or car · ≈ 4.5–5 h
Gilahli Mosque Minaret
· 15 min · Free
- 10 min on foot
Sheki Old Town (Yukhari Bash)
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 3 min on foot
Palace of the Shaki Khans
· 45 min · 15 AZN for foreigners (unofficial)
- Lunch · 1 h
- 3 min on foot
Sheki Fortress
· 40 min · Free
- 3 min on foot
Round Temple
· 30 min · Free outside; museum fee not published
- 6 min on foot
Upper Caravanserai
· 30 min · Courtyard free (unofficial)
- 18 min on foot
Juma Mosque
· 20 min · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
7 of 16 are free; 9 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Maiden Tower | 52 | 45 min | 19 AZN for foreign visitors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Palace of the Shirvanshahs | 45 | 1 h 15 min | 24 AZN for foreign visitors |
| 6 | Azerbaijan Carpet Museum | 37 | 1 h 30 min | 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN |
| 7 | Heydar Aliyev Center | 41 | 1 h 30 min | 15 AZN; classic cars +10 AZN |
| 8 | Yanar Dag | 29 | 45 min | 15 AZN foreigners, under-12s free |
| 9 | Ateshgah Fire Temple | 28 | 1 h | 15 AZN for foreign visitors |
| 12 | Palace of the Shaki Khans | 41 | 45 min | 15 AZN for foreigners (unofficial) |
| 14 | Round Temple | 40 | 30 min | Free outside; museum fee not published |
| 15 | Upper Caravanserai | 44 | 30 min | Courtyard free (unofficial) |
| Other 7 places | 8 h 30 min | Free | ||
| Total | 16 h 50 min | 7 of 16 free |
Who this route is for
- First trip to Azerbaijan
- Flying in and out of Baku
- By metro and taxi; bus or car to Sheki
- Gobustan is not included — another half day near Baku
- The mountains around Guba and Lahij need more days
Spring and autumn. Sheki is cooler than Baku.
Azerbaijan itinerary: how the four days work
The first three days are the 3-day Baku itinerary: the Old City and Highland Park, then the seafront and the Heydar Aliyev Center, and on day three a trip to Absheron for Ateshgah and Yanar Dag. Day four is Sheki, 4.5–5 hours' drive north-west.
Get to Sheki the evening before and stay the night: the morning then starts in the old town, not on the road.
The towns on the route
Baku — Icherisheher, a walled town on a hill by the Caspian where people still live, the Flame Towers and a waterfront laid out in 1909. Sheki — the protected Yukhari Bash quarter, the khans' summer palace with painted walls, the Round Temple and the Juma Mosque.
How to plan the days of the week
The Carpet Museum and the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku are closed on Mondays — a good day for Absheron or Sheki.
Azerbaijan in 5 or 7 days
Five days — add Gobustan with its rock art and mud volcanoes, 60 km from Baku. Baku has itineraries for 1, 2 and 3 days.
How to do it right
- The Ateshgah + Yanar Dag joint ticket is 25 ₼ for 72 hours.
- Photography is usually not allowed inside the Palace of the Sheki Khans.
- The Carpet Museum and the Heydar Aliyev Center are closed on Mondays.
- Azerbaijan uses the manat (AZN, ₼). Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Baku; small cafés and markets in Sheki want cash.
- Take an overnight in Sheki rather than a long day trip from Baku.
Questions
What is a good Azerbaijan itinerary for 4 days?
Three days in Baku with a trip to Absheron, and a day in Sheki.
Where should I start?
In Baku: flights arrive there, and Sheki comes at the end.
How do I get from Baku to Sheki?
By bus or car, 4.5–5 hours.
Can I travel around Azerbaijan on my own?
Yes: the metro and taxis in Baku, a bus or car to Sheki.
How much does it cost in tickets?
Maiden Tower 19 ₼, Palace of the Shirvanshahs 24 ₼, Ateshgah and Yanar Dag 25 ₼ with the joint ticket, plus museums and transport.
What is the best time to go?
Spring and autumn; summer in Baku is hot and windy.
What about 5 or 7 days in Azerbaijan?
Add Gobustan for a fifth day, and the mountain villages around Guba or Lahij for a week.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: the Old City, the boulevard and Yanar Dag are interesting for children, and under-12s get into the Absheron sites free.
Is Sheki worth a day?
Yes, with an overnight: the drive from Baku is about five hours each way.
What currency is used in Azerbaijan?
Azerbaijan uses the manat (AZN, ₼). Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Baku; small cafés and markets in Sheki want cash.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Icherisheher State Reserve
- Ateshgah and Yanar Dag reserves
- Wikipedia: Palace of Shaki Khans