Baku

Baku, also known as Baky or Bakı, is the largest city in the Caucasus and the capital of Azerbaijan. Baku is on the coast of the Caspian Sea on the southern tip of the Absheron Peninsula. There are three major divisions in Baku: İçəri Şəhər (the Old Town), the Soviet-built city, and the newest part of the city. The population as of January 2012 was 2,122,300.
The city of Baku is on the semi-arid and dusty Absheron peninsula. The center of Baku is a patch of green in a largely brown area because of the many liters of water that is piped to the city every day. The city has a metro, a well developed bus and mini bus network, and a large area for walking including the Inner Walled City, The Boluvar, and Fountain Square.
Reading the book Ali and Nino is a good way to get into the mood.

Climate

A curious fact about Baku is that its average year-round temperature (14.2°C/57.6°F) matches the average temperature of the entire landmass of the earth to within a tenth of degree. Summers are hot and humid, winters cool, wet and breezy. However, seasonal temperature variations are less than in many continental regions at this latitude (about 40 degrees north) owing to the presence of the Caspian Sea.

By plane

• Heydar Aliyev International Airport

  phone: +994 12 497 2727
  address: Khazar, Absheron peninsula (Xəzər, Abşeron yarımadası)
  It is served by major airlines including Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways, and a whole host of smaller airlines. The least expensive way to get between Baku and Europe is via Aeroflot, with inexpensive flights to/from Moscow daily. Air Baltic also offers flights with good prices from/via Riga. - This is the Hub for Azerbaijan Airlines, Silk Way Airlines and Turan Air

Getting from/to airport:

• Bus T1 Airport Express runs between the airport and the railway station (the bus waits across the street from the station) with an intermediate stop at Koroglu metro station. The ride costs 1.30 manat, payable by BakiKart (the same one as in the metro). The bus runs every 30 minutes. Additionally, N16 runs between the airport and Samed Vurgun Park, in the heart of Baku. The trip costs 1 manat and takes approximately 40–60 min. Service runs every 30 minutes beginning from early in the morning until late night. The bus leaves outside the airport building, across the parking area. The service terminates at

  Samed Vurgun's Park

  address: on the 28 May Street
  .
• Minibus 135 runs between the airport traffic circle (15-min walk from the airport) and the 28 May Metro Station. The journey takes an hour and costs 0.40 manat.
• Taxi: Getting a smooth ride from the airport to town can be a hassle. The lowest price you can get for a taxi to the center should be around 15 manat (old Lada, unmarked taxi). Only one taxi company is permitted to do business at the airport. This monopoly drives up the price to nearly 50 manat and many times it leaves you with no other options, especially when arriving at late hours. Police occasionally force out all cab drivers trying to do business on the fringes of the airport, leaving you stuck with a high fare. Taxis don't have meters so you must negotiate in advance. If you are not finding a reasonable price, go out of the airport, past the taxi stand, and ask the cabbies in the far end of the parking lot. Be cautious since the majority of Baku cabs are unmarked. Don't let the cab driver renegotiate the price with you. It is a common trick to ask for much more on arrival to your destination. You are not obligated to pay what they demand. For 5 manat you can take a cab from the airport to Metro Azizbeyov. From there it's four to six stations to the city center - but only from 06:00 until 00:00.

By train

• Baku railway station

  address: Nasimi
  Departure point for all international and overnight connections, as well as the local train to Sumqayit. Buying a train ticket happens the old-fashioned way with separate windows for buying a ticket and paying for it. But don't worry, most station staff understand English and are willing to help.

Domestic trains are very cheap, and most journeys cost less than 10 manat. Which makes it cheaper than staying in a hostel.
International trains are available from Georgia, Russia and Ukraine on a regular basis.

• Tbilisi – An overnight train leaving daily. The journey takes 13-14 hr depending on the length of border checks. The train makes a stop-over in Ganja and several smaller towns. It's a comfortable journey because the border checks do not take place in the middle of the night (so be careful with your visa opening date). The train is an old soviet train, amenities are not very good, so be prepared. Tea is available en-route for 1 manat. Upper beds are actually 5 lari less.
• Moscow – The journey takes 51 hr and departs once a week, and there are also connections from Rostov and Kharkiv. Trains running through Russia are operated by Russian Railways, schedule and tickets are available at rzd.ru.
• Kiev – Despite the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, the rail link between Baku and Kiev seems active. Once a week a train does the 60 hr journey.
• Ankara – The long-delayed rail link between Georgia and Turkey opened on 30 Oct 2017 for freight only. Passenger services via Tbilisi is expected to start in Aug 2019.

Departure (UTC offset)	Arrival (UTC offset)	3rd class (platskart, seat)	2nd class (kupe, bed)	1st class (SV, bed)	comments
Tbilisi 20:35 (UTC +4)	Baku 08:50 (UTC +4)	33 lari as of Sep 2017	50 lari	86 lari	every day; cannot be bought online, only on-spot at Tbilisi central station
Baku 20:40 (UTC +4)	Tbilisi 08:55 (UTC +4)	23 manat as of Mar 2019	33 manat	56 manat	every day; buy tickets online
Baku 03:25 (UTC +4)	Rostov 09:09 (UTC +3)				2 times per week
Baku 01:35 (UTC +4)	Moscow 03:22 (UTC +3)				every week
Baku 01:35 (UTC +4)	Kiev 11:34 (UTC +3)		158.93 manat (till Valuyki)	223.86 manat (till Valuyki)	Saturdays; online tickets just until Valuyki (Russia) available
Kiev 14:50 (UTC +3)	Baku 04:10 (UTC +4)	3416.49 грн (€122 as of Aug 2019)			Mondays; buy tickets online

By bus

• Baku International Bus Terminal

  phone: +994 12 499 7038
  address: Sumgait highway
  The complex handles up to 950 bus movements every day across domestic and international routes, serving around 20,000 passengers. The terminal has four floors served by 14 escalators and 10 lifts. It also features a 93-bed hotel, 700-space car park, shopping mall of 800 shops, 500-seat canteen, bank, medical center, postal office, and waiting and VIP rooms. There is also a station supervisor's office and bus drivers` rest room facilities. Buses also operate from destinations in Iran, Turkey and from Tbilisi. Also see Intercity routes and tariffs.

From specific destionations:

• Agstafa – 7-8 hr, 8 manat
• Sheki – hourly from 06:30-18:00, 6 hr, 6-9 manat
• Lankaran – 4 connections per day, 5-6 hr, 5 manat
• Khachmaz – 3 hr, 3 manat
• Saatli – 5 hr
• Imishli – 4 hr
• Ismailli – hourly in the morning and afternoon, 6.20 manat

• Tbilisi – Take a marshrutka for 4 lari from Station Square to "Tsiteli Khidi" (the border, Red Bridge). Then catch a marshrutka or bus from the other side to Baku for 12 manat. The journey takes about 9 hr in total.

By boat

• Baku International Sea Trade Port

  phone: +994 12 447 7314, +994 12 493 1963 (Passenger Terminal)
  address: Neftchiler Avenue
  The port consists of the Main Cargo Terminal, Dubendy Oil Terminal, Ferry Terminal, and Passenger Terminal. Ferries operate between Baku and Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan (irregularly, approximately every 7–10 days), and Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan (steerage bed, US$50, 2-day trip, bring food). Make sure you have appropriate visas before embarking, if necessary.

On foot

There are pedestrian alleys and streets around the Fountain Square, the seafront, and the old town. You can walk to other places, too, but you might have to cross busy streets since there aren't always pedestrian tunnels available. The zebra crossings work with an "I'm feeling lucky" principle and aren't usually exactly safe, especially at night. At night, use your phone screen (not your flashlight) to indicate to the approaching cars that you are crossing the street, and follow other people.

By bicycle

Baku is a great town to get around in by bicycle. Except for the up-town, the city, including old town (İçəri Şəhər) and down-town is fairly flat, and though there are some streets that are dangerous to ride, there is almost always a safe, fast route to your destination.
While there are no separate bike lanes on the streets, and cars and cyclists often share narrow streets of Baku, the city is very bike-friendly. While cycling on the street, be very careful watch out for other cyclists, always keep closer to foot-walk side of the street, and show other traffic where you are going (e.g., by holding out your hand) in order to avoid accidents and smoothen the traffic flow.

• MyBike

  address: Asef Zeynalli Street, Ichari Shahar
  A bicycle rental shop. Make sure to get a good lock (or two), and to use it. If you want to know the best routes, you should get a copy of the beautifully designed Baku by Bike plan, which is available at all bike rental points of MyBike. A passport or identity card must be shown and a refundable deposit is required. While this service is quite convenient, be sure to bring ID or passport and contact information, including hotel phone number, to speed up the paperwork.

By bus/minibus

Buses and minibuses cost 0.30 manat per person and can take you to almost any place within Baku. Destinations are usually posted on the front and the right side of the bus.
Newer buses (the red ones) only accept electronic cash in the form of metro cards, available at any metro station. Some larger bus stations have machines to top-up cards, but not to buy new ones.
There are some buses which cost 0.35 manat, e.g. the one to Bibi Heybət Mosque in the south. This makes charging disposable electronic cards a challenge: if you buy the single use tickets, they might not be sufficient if you just load them with 0.40 manat, thinking of going forth and back once.

By metro

The metro goes many places throughout Baku and it costs only 0.30 manat. It is the least expensive way to get around Baku besides walking. Ask a cashier or attendant. You must obtain a Bakı Metropiliten Kart (2 manat refundable deposit) and load it like a normal metro pass. You can also buy a limited card (0.2 manat) with 1, 2, 3, or 4 trips (the last one costing 1 manat). More than one person may use the same card. Alternatively, you can use a Azerbaycan Sosial Kartı like the ones on some Azerbaijani ATM cards. The metro workers will be more than happy to help if spoken to in either Azeri or Russian, and some may understand English.
You can buy a metro card at the metro station and some bus stops from a ticket machine. You can change the language of the machine to English.
It runs from 06:00 until 24:00 and gets very crowded in rush hours.
Be careful when transferring trains at the transfer stations (28 May and Jafar Jabbarli Cəfər Cabbarlı) as the signage is not easy to spot.
There have been reports of people being arrested while taking photographs of the metro station. There are clear signage on the stations which prohibits taking photos, on the outside it is ok.
The Avtovaghzal metro station is worth seeing from the outside as it is a giant glass pyramid.

By train

The Baku electric train runs through several parts of Baku and the surrounding area including Sumqait. 1 manat.

By funicular

The Baku funicular is a great way of getting to the Viewpoint and Flame Towers. It is not too expensive.

By taxi

London taxi cabs have been introduced in Baku, and travel fees are 0.70 manat per km. Other vehicles however also are available. A taxi costs 4-10 manat for trips within the center of Baku. It's important to agree on the price of the fare before beginning the trip or you can expect to be asked to pay far more than you should.
Most taxi drivers simply double the price for tourists. So, halving it while negotiating and doing the walk-away trick, should reveal the genuine price. Doubling a price is seemingly much easier than tripling it. Otherwise, just use Bolt (a taxi app for your mobile) as indicator or/and negotiator.
Going out of Baku with a taxi, you better rely on Google Maps and direct the driver. Many driver just seem to know one way in and out to sights outside of Baku, but not efficient ways in between.

• Baku Airport TransferOffers online booking and printed receipts/invoices for airport transfers between downtown and Heydar Aliyev International. English is spoken.

• 189

  phone: 189
  Call 189 from an Azeri phone, ask for English language, wait for a moment and then you can arrange a pickup point destination and get a fair price. Wait for 5-10 min. Get notified by SMS after calling and when your cab arrived including the licence plate, destination and price. Very easy. Also works after midnight when public transport stops.

By rental car

• AVIS

  phone: +994 50 2230248
  address: Huseyn Javid Ave
  Avis Rent a Car provides cars, SUV and 4WD. Airport pick up and delivery service is also available.

• Aznur Car Rental

  phone: +994 4503460308 (Rufat)
  The local rental service, very reliable and friendly.

There are also many good deals available with the usual reservation websites. Just beware of hidden extra fees (of the website itself) for insurances you do not really need.
Note that Baku und Azerbaijan in general have many automated speed cameras, and it is not uncommon to get a ticket—which will be sent via SMS directly to the car owner. So, don't be surprised when you have to pay a little extra when giving back the car. Locals say, 60 manat for a weekend trip is not uncommon.

Old Town (Icheri Sheher)

There are a number of interesting sites within Baku's walled fortress, the Old City (a UNESCO World Heritage site), which can all be seen on foot in one day:

• The Palace of the Shirvan Shahs

  phone: +994 12 492-1073
  address: Sabayil
  The medieval palace of the Shirvan Shahs is the highlight of the Old City and a must see for any tourist in Baku. The complex contains the main building of the palace, Divanhane, the burial-vaults, the shah's mosque with a minaret, Seyid Yahya Bakuvi's mausoleum, a portal in the east - Murad's gate, a reservoir and the remnants of the bath-house. - The main building of the complex was started in 1411 by Shirvanshah Sheykh Ibrahim I. The two-storey building of the palace numbers about 50 different dimensions and outlines of the constructions connected with 3 narrow winding staircases. The big lancet portal directly leads from the courtyard to the second floor, into a high octahedral lodging covered with a cupola. A small, also an octagonal vestibule, located behind it, connects it with the rest of the lodgings in the palace. - Divankhana is a small stone pavilion. It is situated inside a small courtyard surrounded by a gallery-arcade on three sides. The Divankhana pavilion consists of an octahedral hall covered with a stone cupola both inside and outside. The well-proportioned high portal of the main entrance is decorated with an ornament and Arabic inscription. The ornament pictures the interlacing fig and vine leaves. The portal is also decorated with two medallions inside of which there are inscriptions in Kufic Arabic. - The Mausoleum of the Shirvanshahs is of a rectangular shape and crowned with a hexahedral cupola which is decorated from outside with multi-radial stars. The inscription on the entrance doorway indicates the purpose of the building, "Khalilullah I, the greatest Soltan, Great Shirvanshah, the namesake of the divine prophet, the defender of the religion ordered to construct this light burial-vault for his mother and son in 839" (1435–1436). On two drop-shaped medallions in the flannel parts of the portal there are inscriptions with the architect's name - Memar Ali (architect Ali). - The Palace Mosque (1430s) is situated in the lower court of the complex. The laconicism of its prismatic volumes, completed with two slightly pointed cupolas, is shaded by a well-proportioned vertical line of the minaret rising above in the north-eastern corner of the building. There are 2 chapels for prayers in the mosque: a hall of a large size for men and a hall of a small size for women, also a couple of small subsidiary rooms. There is an inscription laid under the stalactite belt of the minaret which reads, "The greatest Soltan Khalilullah I ordered to build this minaret. May Allah exalt the days of his governing and reign. The year of 845" (1441–1442). - Seyid Yahya Bakuvi's Mausoleum is situated in the southern part of the complex. Seyid Yahya Bakuvi was a royal scholar in the court of Shirvanshah Khalilullah. The Mausoleum is of an octahedral shape and covered with an octahedral marquee. It consists of ground and underground parts. The upper part of the Mausoleum served to perform the cult rites, and the lower one housed the sepulchral vault. There are three small lancet windows with a stone bar - shabaka on the southern, eastern and western verges of the Mausoleum. - The Shirvanshahs' Palace complex also includes the portal of Eastern Gates, the so-called "Sultan Murad's Gate" (1585). It was built within the walls of the citadel rather later than all the other constructions of the complex during Ottoman occupation of 1585-1603. The gates were named by them in honor of Sultan Murad III. - The Palace Bath-house is situated on the lowest terrace of the complex. It was discovered in 1939 and dates to 17th century. The archaeological excavations exposed a big bath-house consisting of 26 rooms. On the basis of the surviving remains of the walls of the bath-house one can say that its rooms used to be covered with cupolas and the light penetrated through the openings in the cupolas. The bath-house was semi-underground for keeping the heat in winter and the cool in summer.

• Saray MosquePlan of the mosque is rectangular. There is a small hall, small prayer room for women and serving rooms. The northern portal, rotated to a burial vault of Shirvanshahs is more solemn than the eastern one. The latter, which was coming down to underground exit, was intended for habitants of the palace. - Interior. Two-tier windowed prayer room is covered with cupola with spherical sails. Mihrab is located in the southern end of the palace. Cupola area over one a tier women prayer room ceding to cupola of the hall with its dimensions and replacing its outlines. Aperture of the mosque’s portal is clearly described on severe background of prismatic volume, ended with two cupolas with slightly sharpening calottes. - Minaret. Trunk of the minaret is surrounded by an inscription, a ligature of which has a date of 845 (1441/42). Details of sherefe’s stalactites are subtly modeled.

• Maiden's Tower

  address: Qüllə
  This mysterious and eccentric tower was built somewhere between the 7th and 12th centuries and may have served as a fire beacon, defensive fortification, astronomical observatory, or Zoroastrian temple. The tower, which is Baku's most distinguished landmark, described as the "most majestic and mysterious monument of Baku, the Gyz Galasy", built on solid rock foundation, demonstrates right on the coast line, a fusion of Arabic, Persian and Ottoman influences. It was constructed alongside a natural oil well. It is a cylindrical eight story structure that rises to a height of 29.5 m with a base diameter of 16.5 m. The internal space available in the tower is said to be adequate to accommodate 200 people. A long solid projection to the main tower faces east, which is oriented towards sunrise pointing to the equinoxes, which has led to the conclusion that it was built as an astronomical tower; while the buttress faces east, the door access to the tower faces southeast. Each floor of the tower has a shallow vaulted roof, "a stone cupola" that has a central opening. The thickness of the walls varies from 5 m at the base tapering cylindrically to 3.2–4.2 m at the top floors. All floors are connected by staircase which abuts the circular wall and are lighted by narrow windows or niches which flare inward. The structure built in stone masonry exhibits varying finished surfaces, which is inlaid with local grey limestone. The alternate courses of stone laid in gypsum plaster gives a black and white banded effect. The northwestern part of the tower retains the original surface finish. There is also a beak-like projection, a buttress, curved in shape, made in masonry. The earliest stonework has square corners. A detailed examination of the construction features of the tower by archaeologists suggests that the stone masonry, both on its interior and exterior surfaces, is diamond shaped and is seen at the top as well as at the bottom of the tower wall. The diamond shaped cut seen as a decorative feature, particularly on the outer face of the west side wall, is ornate at the top and plain at the bottom of the wall; a subtle feature noted throughout the tower suggests that it was built as one monolith unit at one period. However, the renovations are crude. Water Well: Another notable structure seen in the tower is a water well of 0.7 m diameter, which is 21 m deep (its depth is up to the aquifer) that has been discovered at the second floor of the tower. It has an entrance also at the ground level which was discovered by Archaeologist Abbas Islamov during a recent study of the tower. This well has been interpreted as rainwater harvesting structure and the water is said to be clean and fresh (though close to the sea). The ceramic pipe (30 cm in diameter) plumbing seen running down from the niches of the tower into the well was meant as a supply source. Since the ancient plumbing system is said to be in its original form, it needs to be cleaned and its layout ascertained by further studies to describe the drainage network that was built as part of the tower. The ceramics of the plumbing system and the silt deposited in them could also help to fix the age of the tower by using thermo-luminescence technique Also seen in the tower, between the 2nd floor and the 7th floor, is a gutter of semicircular shape at every floor. It is made of ceramic pipes fitted one above another and joined by lime mortar. The pipes are presumably produced with the potter's wheel technique. They are 20–25 cm in diameter with 2.2 cm thick walls and each segment is 40–45 cm long. Similar gutters are seen from the ground floor up to the foundation level but with the four cornered ceramic pipes of 22 cm × 18 cm size, which run outside through the wall. Unfortunately, there is no good view from the top, because it is bared by a glass wall, keeping your distance from the edge.

• Fortress walls and towersBuilt in 11th–12th centuries.

• Bukhara Caravanseraiin late 15th century

• Multani Caravanserai

• Hajji Gayyib bathhouseBuilt in 15th century. Intake portal of the bathhouse is rectangular shaped. Whole complex of the bathhouse is divided into 3 groups: dressing-room, changing room and a bathing area. The dressing and changing rooms have octagonal halls, surrounded by small rooms. Vaults and domes have various figured outlines and were implemented thoroughly. There is a pool with warm and cold water in the centre of the hall. Floors are covered with stone plates. Heating is promoted by ceramic pipes or channels under the floors of the rooms. Warm air, produced by water heating circulates along these channels.

• Agha Mikayil bathhouse

  address: Kichik Gala street 16?

• Small Caravansaray

  address: Asef Zeynally St
  Built in 1500s.

• Molla Ahmad’s mosqueBuilt in 1290s.

• Myrzhy Ahmad’s mosque

• Two-Storeyed CaravansarayConstructed in 17th century.

• Hadji Bani (Hajji) mosqueThis is constructed by architect Hadji Bani in the 16th century.

• “Chin” mosqueConstructed in 1375.

• Gasim-bek bath

  address: Kichik Gala street
  Constructed in 17th century near the Salyan door (gate).

• Gasim-bek Caravanserai

  address: Asef Zeynali

• Madrasah-mosque

  address: A.Zeynalli street
  The chapel constructed in the 15th century in the yard of Jame mosque

• Seyed Yahya mosque

  address: Asef Zeynally Street ~16
  Constructed in the early 17th century.

• Jame mosque and minaret remains

  address: Kiçik Qala
  Founded in 1309-10. The mosque was repeatedly reconstructed during its existence period. A new Friday Mosque was constructed in the place of old mosque in means of Baku merchant Haji Shikhlali Dadashov, in 1899. It was constructed in place of old Friday Mosque and it is considered that it was appeared in that place, where a temple of zoroastrians located. A minaret, constructed in 1437, adjoins Friday Mosque.

• Bazaar Square

• Baba Kukhy Baku mosque

• Cell-madrasa

• Gileyli mosquebuilt in 1309, rebuilt 1800s

• Lezgi mosque / Ashur Mosque

  address: Asef Zeynally Street

• Portal of a residential building

  address: Böyük Qala

• Sultan oglu Sultan Sheikh Ibrahim mosqueBuilt in 1415-16.

• Salyan Gates and Shemakha Gates

• Muhammad MosqueThis is the mosque built in the 11th century in Icheri Sheher, Baku. The mosque is also known as Siniggala, for the name of its minaret – Siniggala (“damaged tower”). The mosque acquired its second name in 1723, when military squadron of Russian army, consisting of 15 warships and led by Admiral Matyushkin approached the city from seaside and demanded its surrender. Russian warships began to bomb the city after refusal. One of the shells hit in the minaret of Muhammad Mosque and damaged it. At that time blew stormy wind and took the Russian ships away to the sea. Population of the city interpreted it as a divine scourge sent to the occupants. From that time till the middle of the 19th century minaret of the mosque wasn’t reconstructed and was the symbol of persistence and courage of defendants of the tower. - It is the first building in Azerbaijan, which is related to Islam and dated for its architectural ligature. - According to Arabic inscription which was saved in front of doorway of northern wall of the mosque, it was built by ustad-rais Muhammad the son of Abu Bakr in 471 of Hijra (1078/79). It means that the architect was not only a master-ustad, but also a rais-head of artificers’ corporation. - A Minaret adjoins new mosque, which was constructed on the basis of the older one’s plan. Trunk of the minaret is strong and slightly thinning. It is constructed from carefully drafted stone. Coarse and flat stalactites of tabling retain sherefe – muezzin’s balcony enclosed by stone plates. A ribbed dome completes the trunk of minaret. Narrow winding stairs are winded within the trunk. Ligature with Koranic inscription was traced under the tabling with archaic kufi alphabet.

• Beyler Mosque

• Haji Eybata Mosque

  address: Kichik Qala, dönge 8

• Khan's house

• Khidir mosqueBuilt in 1300s.

• Khanlarov mosqueBuilt in the late 19th century.

• Tetragonal towerIn the northern mid part of the fortress wall.

• Underground constructions, water reservoir

• TakiyaA chapel for dervishes constructed in the 13th century.

• S. Gregory Armenian ChurchThis Armenian Church was built in 1887. The church closed in 1990, when the Armenian population had to leave. The building is now used as a presidential library.

Out of Old Town

• Mosque of the Martyrs

  address: Izzat Nabiyev
  This is a mosque, near the Martyrs' Lane. The mosque was built in the beginning of 1990s with assistance of the Turkish government. The mosque is used as an official residence of religious attaché of the Turkish embassy. Opened in 2009. The 154th ayah from Al-Baqara chapter of Quran is written on the façade of the mosque in Arabic and Turkish: “Do not say “Dead!” about those, who died for the sake of Allah. No, they are alive! But you do not feel.”

• Taza Pir Mosque

  address: 7 Mirzə Fətəli Axundzadə
  This is a mosque with two minarets. Its construction began in 1905 and was finished by 1914. The idea for the mosque as well as its financing was provided by an Azeri philanthropist, a female, Nabat Khanum Ashurbeyov (Ashurbeyli) - Architecture. Interior of the mosque has an area of 1,400 m² and decorated with ornaments of painting schools of Azerbaijan plus with samples from eastern ornaments. The height of the dome and a half meters. The mihrab and dome of the mosque made of marble, while decorative elements of the mosque, the tops of minarets and labels are made of gold. - The dome, on which 6 times written La ilaha ilallah from Muslim proclamation of faith or Shahada, made from Qızılqaya (Gyzylgaya) stone.

• Saint Gregory the Illuminator's Church

  address: Street Nizami (ул. Низами)
  Built in 1887. Now a government building.

• Holy Myrrhbearers Cathedral / Russian Orthodox Church

  phone: +99412 440-4352
  This Russian Orthodox cathedral was founded in 1909. Hit by a Russian missile in 1990, it was reconstructed and reopened in 2001. It holds a shrine of the apostle St. Bartholomew.

• Former Church of the Saviour

  address: Dilara Aliyeva and 28 May Street (ул. 28 Мая) cnr
  Built in German donation. This was a Lutheran church, opened in 1899. Now it is a concert hall. The Gothic style church features a portal crowned with a decorated pediment. In 1898, a 213-kg gilded cross was raised atop the church. In early 1899 a bell and an organ were installed.

• Church of Michael the Archangel

  phone: +99 412 497-3596
  address: Zargarpalan street (Zərgərpalan, Заргярпалан), 38
  This is a Russian Orthodox church. Founded in 1850.

• Church of the Virgin Mary’s Immaculate Conception

  address: İzzət Oruczadə küç. ?
  This is a Roman Catholic church. Built in 2006.

Museums and galleries

• National Art Museum of Azerbaijan

  phone: +994 12 923 931
  address: 31, Istiglaliyat st
  The museum consists of two buildings standing next to each other. The museum's total collection includes over 15,000 artworks. There are over 3,000 items in 60 rooms on permanent display. Seven of the rooms in the first building feature European art, and ten rooms feature Russian art. European art includes works of Italian, French, Dutch/Flemish, German and Polish painters. - The second edifice built in 1885 houses Eastern art, represented particularly by Persian, Turkish, Chinese and Japanese art. Russian art is encompassed notably by paintings of different painters. There are also restored samples of Russian avant-garde. The museum also holds easel and book miniatures of 17th-19th centuries, lacquered miniatures of 18th-19th centuries and collection of sherbet spoons, made from mulberry tree.

• National Museum of History of Azerbaijan

  phone: +994 12 493 2387, +994 12 498 5211
  address: 4 Hadji Zeynal Abdin Taghiyev str.
  The museum was built in 1893–1902. The Italian Renaissance-style mansion is immense and takes up an entire city block. There are four floors in some parts of the building. It was designed by Polish architect Józef Gosławski. On the second floor of Taghiyev's residence, side by side there are two major ballrooms. One is based on Oriental designs (Mauritanian) style and the other, on Occidental design. The Oriental Room has enormous plate glass windows, gilded arches, highly ornamental walls, ceilings and chandeliers. The lines in the Occidental Room are more perpendicular to each other – rectangular. The museum has more than 2,000 exhibits and includes the following departments: Modern history, Ethnography, Ancient and medieval history of Azerbaijan, Scientific excursion, Fund of Numismatics, Art design group.

• Azerbaijan Carpet Museum

  phone: +994124972016
  address: Bakı ş., Mikayıl Useynov pr-ti, 28
  The museum hosts a wide range of different carpets, both old and new. It moved to its current location in 2014 (on the waterfront). The building itself is shaped as a carpet.

• Heydar Aliyev Center

  phone: +994 12 505 60 04
  address: Heydər Əliyev prospekti
  This is a 64,103 m² building complex in Baku, Azerbaijan designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid and noted for its distinctive architecture and flowing, curved style that eschews sharp angles. The Heydar Aliyev Center represents a fluid form which emerges by the folding of the landscape’s natural topography and by the wrapping of individual functions of the Center. All functions of the Center, together with entrances, are represented by folds in a single continuous surface. This fluid form gives an opportunity to connect the various cultural spaces whilst at the same time, providing each element of the Center with its own identity and privacy. As it folds inside, the skin erodes away to become an element of the interior landscape of the center. The center houses a conference hall (auditorium), a gallery hall and a museum.

• Stone MuseumAn old factory transformed into a stone exhibition, with samples and replicas from Gobustan and other stone carvings in the region. Free English-speaking guide.

• Art exhibitionOn a reformed old factory, two free art exhibitions in two adjacent buildings. Free english-speaking guide.

Other sites

• Baku Boulevard

• Fountain SquareThis is a pedestrian street along the center of Baku that has many shopping, dining, and sitting places. The Fountain Sq is a public square in downtown. The square is a public gathering place, especially after business hours and during the weekend. It is an attractive tourist destination with many boutiques, restaurants, shops, hotels and passage. The city authorities hold many public festivals, shows and celebrations here.

• Nizami (Torgovaya) StThis is a large pedestrian and shopping street in downtown Baku, named after famed classical poet Nizami Ganjavi. Nizami Street is home to various outlets, from banks to fashion stores and is one of the most expensive streets in the world. The street also accommodates the embassies. - Buildings mostly from late 19th-early 20th century, 1950s-1970s and a modern period. Most of the buildings, constructed in the first level, were constructed in “neo-renaissance”, “neo-gothic”, “baroque” and “neoclassicism” styles as other buildings of the city constructed in that period. “Neo-Moorish” style also dominates, in which architects attempted to use elements of national architecture in its construction. Houses are dressed with limestone – aglay. - Famous houses: No.20 The building of Caspian—Black Sea Oil and Trade Society (built in 1898-1899); No.30 The building of Central Universal Magazine. - No.34 "Nargiz" shopping center - No.38 Central Library - No.38 St. Gregory the Illuminator's Church (built in 1869), - No.48 Musa Naghiyev's house, built in 1911 - No. 50 Neoclassical apartments of Tagiyev brothers, built in 1912 - No.58 Residential house, constructed by architect I.V.Edel, in 1902. - No.64 Lev Landau house, built in 1911 - No.66 Oilmen's house built in 1956 by Mikayil Huseynov - No.67 "ISR Plaza" office center - No.69 International Bank of Azerbaijan - No.72 Azerbaijan State Theater of Young Spectators, built 1965 - No.74 National Library of Azerbaijan, opened in 1923 - No.75 Haji Rajabli House, built in 1896 - No.76 Azerbaijan State Song Theater named after Rashid Behbudov. - No.79 Murtuza Mukhtarov House, built in 1896. - No.85 Nasimi Park - No.87 State Committee on Capital Issues - No.90 Former mill - No.93 Musa Naghiyev house, built in 1911 - No.95 Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, built in 1911 - No.96 Office center "Landmark" - No.103 residential house, built in 1952 - No.115 Russian Imperial Technical Society, erected in 1899 - No.117 Azerbaijan State Oil Academy

• Dendro Park

• Oil RocksTourists wanting to see the oil rock complex must get authorization from the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan.

• National Flag SquareThis is a large city square.

• Alley of Honor

  address: Parlament Prospekti
  This is a public cemetery and memorial in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Alley includes burials of famed Azerbaijanis and Azerbaijan-affiliated expatriates, including several Presidents, scientists and artists. There are 242 burials in total.

• Martyrs' Lane

  address: İzzət Nəbiyev street
  Formerly the Kirov Park, it's a cemetery and memorial in Baku, dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January and later to those killed in Nagorno-Karabakh War.

• International Mugham Center of Azerbaijan

  address: Baku Boulevard (Neftçilər Prospekti, просп. Нефтяников)
  This is the center of Azerbaijani arts and music aimed to promote, preserve and popularize specific genre of Azerbaijani music Mugam. The center covers 7,500 m² and has 3 stories. The design of the building was based on elements and shapes of Tar, Azerbaijani musical instrument used in performing Mugham. The concert hall fits 350 people. The center also has a club, restaurant, study halls and record studios.

• Magomayev Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall

  phone: +994 12 497 29 05
  address: 2, Istiglaliyyat St
  Built in 1912 and inspired by the Monte Carlo Casino. Houses the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra among others.

• Palace of Happiness

  address: Sabail Raion, Istiglaliyyat St. 4
  This is a historic building in the center of Baku, Azerbaijan, built in Neo-Gothic style in 1912. The building was built by an Azerbaijani Oil Baron Murtuza Mukhtarov for his wife Lisa. The designer was the Polish architect Józef Plośko. After the Sovietization in 1920 the building was given to the Club of Liberated Turkic Women, after which it functioned as Shirvanshahs Museum. During the existence of Azerbaijan SSR, the palace functioned as the Palace of Marriage Registrations. On 2 August 2001, by a resolution issued by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, the building was listed as real estate of historic and state importance and was to be protected as a monument of Azerbaijani culture. The street lying on the right side of the building carries the name of Murtuza Mukhtarov.

• Gulustan Palace

  address: 1 Istiglaliyyat Street,
  The Complex during the Soviet era is the main state convention center of the Azerbaijani government. From here overlooking the whole city of Baku and Baku Bay. The palace serves as an official facility for governmental and non-governmental organizations holding various types of formal events. It is notable for having hosted such important events as the Contract of the Century and other significant oil and gas contracts, signing of TRACECA project, the wedding of Leyla Aliyeva, the daughter of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, international and state conferences, etc.

• Ismailiyya building

  address: Istiglaliyyat Street,
  This is a historical building that serves as the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. - The palace was constructed in 1913, for the Muslim Charity Society by Józef Plośko at the expense of the millionaire Musa Naghiyev in commemoration of his deceased son Ismayil, and was named Ismailiyya after him. The building was constructed in the Venetian Gothic style.

• Baku TV Tower

  address: Sabail district
  Built in 1996, is a free standing concrete telecommunications tower in Baku. With a height of 310 m, it is the tallest structure in Azerbaijan and the tallest reinforced concrete building in Caucasus. The tower has become one of the most prominent trademarks of Baku. - A rotating restaurant on the 62nd floor (175 m) of Azeri TV Tower was opened in 2008. Friendly staff.

• Flame Towers

  address: Mehdi Huseyn Street
  This is the tallest skyscraper in Baku, Azerbaijan with a height of 190 m (620 ft). The buildings consist of apartments, a hotel and office blocks. The estimated cost of Flame Towers is around US$350 million. Construction began in 2007, with completion in 2012. The facades of the three Flame Towers are turned into gigantic display screens with the use of more than 10,000 high-power LED luminaires, supplied by the Osram subsidiary Traxon Technologies and Vetas Electric Lighting. Definitely worth seeing from the old town.

• Oil Pump FieldsThe famous oil pump fields from the opening scene of the James Bond picture The World is Not Enough.

• Bibi-Heybat Mosque

  address: Salyan Highway (Salyan şossesi)
  This is a historical mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan. The existing structure, built in the 1990s, is a recreation of the mosque with the same name built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan II, which was completely destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936. The Bibi-Heybat Mosque includes the tomb of Ukeyma Khanum (a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad), and today is the spiritual center for the Muslims of the region and one of the major monuments of Islamic architecture in Azerbaijan. It's locally known as "the mosque of Fatima" The old mosque was situated in the southern part of the tomb, while there was a 20 meter high minaret in the west part of the mosque. Later a crypt and two niches were added to the mosque to the south of the minaret. On the niches there were inscriptions containing the name of Fatali Khan, whose tombstone marble slab is now in the Azerbaijan State Museum of History. From 1305 to 1313, Mahmud Ibn Saad built the mosque's minarets. The top of the thread and stalactites, raised by a small pillar, surmounted by a semicircular dome of Rebrov. Railing minarets were patterned with stone grill. Graphic studies showed that the height of the minaret was about 22 m. The rich interior of the complex has been decorated with ornaments. The inside of mosque included an oblong rectangular room with a lancet arch. Under the dome, there were chandelier-candlestick (shamdan), and a hook on which it hung was surrounded by stained glass. - On the north side of the minaret and the mosque immediately adjoining the tomb, there was an inscription which was discovered by Johannes Albrecht Bernhard Dorn. From the inscription it was clear that this mausoleum was built in 1619 and interred here by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Bin Abid, who died the next day after work. The modern restored mosque is a classic example of the Shirvan architectural school. The mosque has three domes, which have kept the traditional corrugated galvanised iron shape of the old mosque and two minarets. The domes are decorated with the green and turquoise mirrors, which are bordered with gilded inscriptions from Qur'an. Men's praying room is located on the south side of the complex, while women - on the north side. Between them is the mausoleum. The builders used local varieties of limestone such as Gulbaht. On the inside the walls of marble carvings with calligraphic inscriptions such as muhaggah, Suls, Jami-Suls, Kufic, kufi-shatrandzh, musalsag, sofa and tugra. Also widely used such ornamental compositions as islimi, shukyufa, Bandy-Rumi, zendzhiri Selcuk (Seljuk chain), Shamsi, Jafari and Achma-yumma. Also western women can enter, when wearing a veil.

• AF MALL

  phone: +994 12 5965506
  address: in the heart of the city just off the Torgovaya on Samed Vurgun St 34
  This mall has many trendy shops, summer lounge with tropic garden and pool on rooftop opening by the end of 2011.

• Park Bulvar Shopping Mall

  address: Along the boulevard, right across Park Inn Hotel
  This mall has many trendy shops, a cinema, a planetarium, a bowling alley and many cozy cafes. There are many famous fast food chains located there, such as KFC and Sbarro.

• Philharmonic Fountain ParkA charming park with fountains and kiosks you can pass through when going to the boulevard from the Metro.

Baku Region

Outside the city, on the Absheron Peninsula, there are several interesting sites, like Yanar Dag (the burning mountain) and the Atashgah Fire Temple (with roots to ancient Indian migration), for a day or evening trip that are easy to reach via taxi or public transportation. Moreover, the scenery along your route is itself a fascinatingly ugly sight to be seen, a desert wasteland with white salt flats and natural oil pools seeping up to the surface.
In addition, the Baku Region is famous for its active mud volcanoes that might also be reached within a day. The according to several online maps. It's a mud volcano but without any active mud vents, but instead the waste of the neighbouring communities. However, it might provide for a quite apocalyptic photo scenery, in case you have too much time on your hands or are nearby.
See Baku Region for all the details.

In the evening, go to the opera at the national opera on Nizami street. Otherwise, go to the rooftop bar at Sultan Inn in the Old City for a drink and excellent views of the Maiden Tower, Caspian sea and the TV tower.

• Boat tours of BakuOffered from the Baku Blvd. Lasts 40 minutes.

• Pantomima theatre

  phone: +994 12 4414756
  address: 49 Azadliq Ave
  Offered from the Baku Blvd. Lasts 40 minutes.

• National Opera and Ballet

  phone: +994 12 4931651
  address: 95 Nizami St

• Baku Funicular RailroadYou can take this funicular train from the square on Neftchilar Avenue up to the Alley of the Marytrs.

• Aqua Park Baku

  phone: +994 12 4470303
  address: Rashid Behbudov, 59

• Baku Entertainment Center

  phone: +994 12 490-22-22
  address: Khatai District, F. Bayramov St, 1130/33
  Baku Entertainment center has been around for more than half a decade. It has a shopping center, bowling alley certified by AMF, health club, conference venue with a capacity of 350 people, and various restaurants and clubs.

• Mini-VeniceA charming little complex of man-made waterways accessible on a boat. There are also some restaurants in the immediate proximity. The ticket booth is 10-15 meters to the right when coming from the North. It doesn't cost too much but the signage to the ticket booth is lacking.

• Watch football – Three teams in the city play in the Premier League, the top tier of football in Azerbaijan. These are Qarabağ FK who play at Azersun stadium, Keşla FK (formerly Inter Baku) at Inter Arena, and Neftçi PFC Bakı at Bakcell Arena. As these are all small by European standards, big club games may play at the international venue, Tofiq Bahramov Stadium.

• Azersun stadiumcapacity 5,800

• ASK Arenacapacity 8,200

• Bakcell Arenacapacity 11,000

• Tofiq Bahramov Republican StadiumA host venue for the Euro 2020 tournament

• Baku Olympic Stadium29 May 2019 will be UEFA Europa League Final between England's Chelsea and Arsenal

Baths

• Hamam MehellesiThis is the oldest public bath in Baku located near the Icharishahar metro station, inside the walls of the old city. There are men's and women's days at this public bath, Mondays and Fridays are for women, the rest of the days are for men.

• Aga Mikayil Bath House (XVIII century hamami)

  phone: +994 503452144, +994 124927421
  address: Icheri sheher, Kichik Gala 3/16
  Sauna and pools, nice ambiance.

• Naftalan BathOil baths are famous for Naftalan, a city close to Ganja. However you can also get an oil treatment in Baku, with Naftalan oil imported from there. It's like a small hospital and it's not a recreactional thing to do usually. However it's great fun and positively strange to dip for 15 min into hot crude oil. Choose yourself whether this is a save and healthy thing to do.

• The Spa at Park Hyatt Baku

  phone: +994 12 4901234
  address: Park Hyatt Baku Hotel, 1033 Izmir St

• Teze Bey HamamiPublic baths (Hamamlar). This public bath is in the old town and is a male-only hamam. They have different types of baths (Finnish, Turkish, etc.), so it may be a bit pricier than the other public baths in Baku.

Beaches

There are a couple of beaches including Shikhov Beach, but they are polluted by sewage and industrial waste. Outside the city, however, there are a few very nice sandy beaches on the Caspian. In particular Bilgəh and Amburan beaches, on the north coast of the Absheron Peninsula are great spots to cool off from heat. Further afield are the northern beaches and resorts of Northeastern Azerbaijan.

• AF Beach Club

  phone: +994 12 448-30-30
  address: Novkhani
  This complex has 5 swimming pools, fast food, restaurant with cooks from Azerbaijan and Europe, disco, game hall, Wi-Fi, water sports, beach volley, beach football, entertainments, professional animation team .

• Amburan Beach Club

  phone: +994 12 453-86-85
  address: Bilgah
  This complex has a 3 swimming pool, fast food outlets, restaurant with cooks from Azerbaijan and Europe, disco, game hall, Wi-Fi, water sports, beach volley, beach football, entertainments, professional animation team.

Festivals

• Baku Jazz Festival

  phone: +994 12 437-55-33
  Organised by famous saxophonist and Baku resident Rain Sultanov to showcase Azerbaijan's love of Jazz which grew during the Soviet era when it was banned by the authorities. Features acts from around the world, the annual festival lasts for a week, and will run from 7-14 Jun.

What

• Antiques from Old City (İçəri Şəhər)
• Rugs
• Apples from Quba
• Tea and Talish Stockings from Lankaran
• Halva from Sheki
• Traditional dolls created by ladies' groups in Barda

Where

• Mega MemiA chain for second-hand clothes, which has a few outlets around Baku, offering a good range of second-hand clothes at fairly low prices (1.5-manat scarf, 5-manat shirt, etc.).

• Chiraq bookstore

  address: Istiqlaliyyat 47, (Zərgərpalan, Улица Истиглалият)
  Phrase books, maps and guides can be found here.

• Taza BazaarA huge food and spices market, probably one of the best known in Baku. Nonetheless, very much a market for the locals rather than tourists. Haggle to your heart's content (best to know a couple of phrases in Russian for this one).

• Sabunchu Flea MarketA huge flea market next to some oil fields, seems to be mainly Azerbaijani families selling off old stuff from their homes. Some great finds to be had but it does take a while to sift through all the mounds of odd clothing and random bits of scrap metal. Women visiting alone should be more cautious than in central Baku, foreigners attract attention here and being followed isn't unheard of.

Money (ATMs)

Bankomats (ATMs) are available all around the city, mainly in downtown and metro stations exits. If you have a cell phone with either a Bakcell or Azercell SIM card, you can recharge your account balance using various ATMs. The International Bank of Azerbaijan has a list of their ATMs in Baku. Some of them have Euros and US Dollars available.

There are many restaurants in Baku and kebab shops can be found easily for a quick meal.

Budget

• Half Way Inn

  phone: +994 12 5980905
  address: 6, 28 May St
  International cuisine.

• L’aparte

  phone: +994 12 497-77-79
  address: 51, Istigaliyyet St (ул. Истиглалият)
  European and Azeri cuisine.

• Lebanese

  phone: +994 12 4937849
  address: 12, Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev Street
  Lebanese cuisine on Fountain Square.

• Onassis

  phone: +994 12 4391734
  address: 3, Inshaatchilar Ave ( İnşaatçılar prospekti)
  Greek and International cuisine.

• U Dali

  phone: +994 12 4949356
  address: 5, Mirza Ibrahimov Street
  Georgian cuisine.

• Lavas/FasaliTwo take-away places, one next to the other, run by the same people. Do a wide range of usual Azeri/Turkish take-away food - but good quality, very popular with the locals, expect to queue!

Mid-range

Azerbaijani/Turkish

• Anadolu

  phone: +994 12 498-87-58, +994 012 498-804
  address: Pushkin St 5 & Rasul Rza St 3/5
  Turkish/European restaurant.

• Bəh Bəh

  phone: +994 12 496-18-10
  address: 20 Shihaliyev St

• Firuze Restaurant

  phone: +994 503186545, +994 124939634
  address: 14 Tarlan Aliyarbeyov
  Serves one of the best Piti in Azerbaijan, and one that is so filling that you almost cannot move afterwards. Website.

• Izmir Garden Restaurant

  phone: +994 12 436-93-73
  address: 5 Izmir St

• Jennet Baghi

  phone: +994 12 449-91-98
  address: 82, Acad, Hasan Aliyeve St

• Karvan Saray

  phone: +994 12 456-62-33
  address: 1 Gala St, Ichiri Sheher
  Have Azeri food dinner in a unique ambience.

• Lido

  phone: +994 12 462-94-49
  address: Cnr of Nkhchivani St
  European and Azeri cuisine.

• Masal

  address: Khagani St

• Mugam Club

  phone: +994 12 492-40-85
  address: 9 A. Rzayeva St
  European and Azeri cuisine.

• Namli Kebab

  phone: +994 50 201-44-45
  address: Targoviy Centre, Gogul St
  European and Azeri cuisine.

• Respublika Luks

  phone: +994 12 598-10-56
  address: 24 Khagani St
  European and Azeri cuisine.

• XVII esr

  phone: +994 12 598-17-00
  address: 215 B. Safaroglu St
  Club-restaurant.

Former USSR

• Dukhan

  phone: +994 12 598-22-29
  address: 81/13 Nizami St
  Georgian cuisine.

• Georgian Home

  phone: +994 12 493-85-36, +994 12 493-43-85
  address: 215 Bashir Safaroglu St & 18 Mirza Irahimov St
  Georgian cuisine.

• Khutor

  phone: +994 12 437-22-23
  address: 9 M. Mukhtarov St
  Ukrainian cuisine.

• Maksim

  phone: +994 12 492-20-45
  address: 4/3 Gala St
  Georgian cuisine.

• Rasputin

  phone: +994 50-355-57-71
  address: 9 A. Aliyev St
  Russian cuisine.

Western

Sultan Inn rooftop or Meridien hotel rooftop restaurants for European/fusion with excellent views) or head back to the Fountain Square for greater variety of inexpensive cuisine.

• Caviar

  phone: +994 12 490-70-90
  address: 1025/30 Tbilisi Ave
  International cuisine.

• Corleone

  phone: +994 12 498-82-46
  address: 40 Khagani St
  Italian cuisine.

• Ego’s

  phone: +994 12 493-11-01
  address: 19/13 Khagani St
  European cuisine.

• Gazelli Evi

  phone: +994 12 493-96-88
  address: 93 Nizami St
  International cuisine.

• Dolce Vita

  phone: +994 12 492-75-72
  address: 9 Aziz Aliyev St
  Italian restaurant.

• Grand Hotel Europe

  phone: +994 12 490-70-90
  address: 1025/30 Tbilisi Ave
  International cuisine.

• Greasy Barney’s

  phone: +994 12 491-23-63
  address: G. Abbasov 72, Apt 1A
  Sandwich shop.

• Le Mirage

  phone: +994 50-622-05-90
  address: 34 Nizami St
  European cuisine. Nightclub.

• Cafe City

  address: Rashid Behbudov St
  Mixed cuisine cafe.

• Le R Restaurant

  phone: +994 12-437-21-80
  address: 123/6 Remontov St
  European cuisine.

• Mexicana

  phone: +994 12 498-90-96
  address: 17 Z. Tagiyev St

• München

  phone: +994 12 493-76-00
  address: 125 Nizami St
  German cuisine. Large selection of draft beer.

• Nara

  phone: +994 12 497-12-55
  address: 4 Aziz Aliyev St
  French cuisine.

• Park Inn's Glory

  phone: +994 12 490-00-01
  address: 1 Azadlig Ave
  European cuisine.

• Pauza

  phone: +994 12 493-70-03
  address: 28 May St
  International cuisine.

• Pizza Holiday

  phone: +994 12 497-37-72
  address: 119 Lermontov Kuchasi
  Pizza and Italian cuisine.

• Soho

  phone: +994 50-319-38-19
  address: 6 R. Aliyarbekov St
  International cuisine.

• The Red Lion Inn

  phone: +994 12 493-03-54
  address: 7 Mammadaliyev St
  English cuisine.

• Universal Club

  phone: +994 12 493-29-12
  address: 16 Z. Tagiyev St
  International cuisine.

• Paris Bistro

  phone: +994 12-404-82-15
  address: 1/4 Zarifa Aliyeva street
  French cuisine.

Asian

• Buddha

  phone: +994 12 493-10-05
  address: 2 A.Z. Tagiyev St
  Fusion Cuisine.

• Maharaja

  phone: +994 12 494-63-00
  address: 131 Akivsat Gykuyev St
  Indian cuisine.

• Taj Mahal

  phone: +994 12 498-03-62
  address: 18 Khagani St
  Indian cuisine.

Splurge

• Chinar

  phone: +994 12 492-08-88
  address: 1 Shovket Alekperova St
  Pan-Asian cuisine, modern tea house and late night cocktail bar.

• House of Sultans

  phone: +994 12 437-23-06
  address: Icheri Sheher Boyuk Gala #20
  International and Azeri cuisine.

• Mezzo

  phone: +994 12 496-12-34
  address: Bakikhanov St
  Mediterranean cuisine.

• Shanghai

  phone: +994 12 495-45-10
  address: 31 Rasul Rza St
  Chinese fare.

• Terrace Garden

  phone: +994 12 437-23-05
  address: 20 Boyuk Gala
  European and Azeri cuisine.

• Toscana

  phone: +994 12 436-80-47
  address: 12 Basti Bagirova St, Kermur Plz
  Italian cuisine.

Tea houses (Çayxanalar)

There are many outdoor tea houses (çayxanalar) that serve tea and sweets to people in their own individual nooks. Going to them can be a great way to get a sense of the local culture. If you are adventurous, try challenging a local Bakuvian to a game of backgammon (nard) or dominoes.

Cafés

There is a good selection of cafés dispersed throughout Baku. Expect to pay Western prices for your coffee.

• Aroma Cafe

  phone: +994 12-598-07-07
  address: 18, U. Hajibayov St

• Azza Cafe

  phone: +994 12 437 0111
  address: 1, I. Safarli St/Fountains Sq

• Baku Roasting Company

• Chocolate

  phone: +994 12-492-35-26
  address: 21, Boyukgala St/4 Mamedaliyev St

• Cottage Café

  phone: +994 12-497-48-30

• Gourmet Shop

  phone: +994 12-49-12-34
  address: 5, Mardanov Gardashlari St

Bars and pubs

Although tea houses (çay xanalar) (found throughout Azerbaijan) serve local beer (piva) - draft at 50 qapick/glass or bottles at 70 qapick/bottle or vodka (araq) at 2 manat/bottle, for anything exotic (e.g. tequila, gin, or rum), you will have to go to a normal bar or hotel and pay Western prices there.

• Beluga Bar

  phone: +994 12-496-12-34
  address: Bakikhanov St

• Britannia Pub

  phone: +994 12-496-12-34
  address: Bakikhanov St

• Caspian Bar

  phone: +994 12-490-70-90
  address: 1025/30, Tbilisi Ave

• The Corner Bar

  address: 77, Nizami St

• Finnegan’s

  phone: +994 12-498-98-57
  address: 4, A. Aliyev St
  Next to History Museum. Free wifi. Good beer prices and Happy Hour offers. Ridiculously expensive wine, however. It doesn't serve Guinness. April 2016.

• Golden Ridges Pub

  phone: +994 12-493-17-72
  address: 5, Mardanov Gardashlari St

• Hampstead

  phone: +994 12-436-79-81
  address: 12, Basti Bagirova St

• Park Inn's Victor’s Bar

  phone: +994 12-490-60-00
  address: 1, Azadlig St

• Pub Viking

  phone: +994 12-499-18-86
  address: 49, Bul-bul St

• Queen’s Head

  phone: +994 50-368-77-33
  address: 95, Neftchilar St

• Tequila Junction

  phone: +994 12-498-43-32
  address: Next to ISR Plz

• Tiger Bar

  phone: +994 12-598-41-21
  address: 19, Mamed Aliyv St

• The Phoenix Bar

  phone: +994 12-305-90-90
  address: 10, Mammadaliyev St

• Tj’s Pub

  phone: +994 12-498-46-21
  address: 9, Aliyarbekov St

• Caledonia Bar

  phone: +994 12-494-28-53
  address: 38, Rasul Rza
  Offers a familiar pub atmosphere with photos and memorabilia from Scotland. Screens for watching sporting events.

Nightclubs

• Caravan Jazz Club

  phone: +994 12 97-11-39
  address: 4 Aliyev St
  You might not expect it, but Baku has a great jazz tradition of its own and this is the place to go. No entrance fee and has a free, western-style toilet.

• Room 103

  phone: +994 12 92-65-03
  address: 103 Neftiçilər Prospekti
  An upscale cocktail bar with nightly live jazz.

• Otto Club

  phone: +994 55 744-63-93
  address: Tarlan Aliyarbekov st., 3B
  Club for dancing on the weekend. Make sure to arrive after midnight if you don't want to be alone. Expect electro and dance music from a DJ as you would expect it in European countries

Budget

• Caspian Hostel

  phone: +994 503778444
  address: Asef Zeynalli 29
  Great location in the Old Town. 2 dorm rooms and 1 private room.

• Guest House Inn

  phone: +994 12 4371262, +994 55 6827714
  address: Harbci St? 17, Icheri Sheher
  This hotel is in the center of Old Town in a calm area, 10 minutes on foot to the nearest metro station, very friendly staff.

• Hotel VelotrekA few kilometers north of the centre, this budget hotel has clean rooms with TV, private bath and hot water in the mornings.

• Baku City Center Guest House

  address: Nizami küçəsi 78 (not 87)

• Cheeky Carabao Backpackers Hostel

  phone: +994 12 596 37 29
  address: 171 Tolstoy Street 1st floor.
  Upbeat hostel with lots to do. Ping pong, Wii, movies on the projector etc. Very clean has kitchen, dorms, privates, laundry service. Good location.

Mid-range

• Araz Hotel

  phone: +994 12 490 5063
  address: (Y səfərov küç, Сафарова Юсифа) 30, Xatai/montino
  About a kilometre from the ferry port.

• Altstadt Hotel

  phone: +994 124926402, +994 503260595, +994 506857879
  address: Mammedyarov str. 3/2A (Ilyas Efendiyev str.3/2A), Icheri Sheher, AZ1001, Baku
  A "better" two-star hotel, with buffet breakfast, spotless private facilities, A/C, Wi-Fi, colour TV. Offers excursions, helps with visas if necessary. Run by the very friendly Mr. Elmin (Beatles fan) who is always happy to give info and help guests.

• Consul Hotel

  phone: +994 12 498 6095, +994 124651282
  address: 92c Hasan Aliyev St
  This is a hotel option in the Genclik district.

• Days Hotel Baku

  phone: +994 12 4967400
  address: Babek Prospect, 21/99
  15 minutes’ drive from the Heydar Aliyev International Airport and 10 minutes from the city center. 102 rooms with Wi-fi internet access, one international restaurant, one lounge-bar and two conference rooms.

• Diplomat Hotel

  phone: +994 12 596-11-27
  address: Suleyman Rahimov St, 185
  Located centrally. Credit cards accepted.

• Empire Hotel

  phone: +994 125982123, +994 125982128
  address: Xaqani St 49

• Guesthouse Inn

  phone: +994 50 626 2173
  address: Azadlig Pros. 16/21
  Between the Oil Academy and the Landmark, the Guesthouse Inn should not be confused with the Guest House Inn in the old town. 4 Single and 5 Double rooms, all ensuite with air conditioning, fridge, satellite TV, internet access.

• High Park Hotel

  phone: +994 12 480 1215
  address: 10 B Babek Ave

• Holiday Inn Baku Airport

  phone: +994 12 437 4949
  address: Heydar Aliyev International Airport
  Facilities include a kids stay and eat free program, internet access in all rooms, various restaurants, complimentary shuttle to downtown and a spa.

• Hotel Hale Kai

  phone: +994 12 596 50 56
  address: 18 Mirza Ibrahimov St
  American boutique hotel, 24 all-suite rooms, free Wi-Fi throughout hotel, breakfast included.

• Park Inn

  phone: +994 12 490 6000
  address: Azadlig Ave 1
  Fully-equipped business centre, restaurant, bar and coffee shop, five modern conference rooms and an elegant ballroom with a large foyer. Also offers Wi-Fi in all guest rooms, gift shop, free airport shuttle, 24 hour room service, workout room, open parking facilities, 24 hour concierge.

• Rigs Hotel

  phone: +994 12 493 92 41
  address: 27 Gadjibekov St
  24 rooms

• Swan Hotel

  phone: +994 12 492 0508
  address: Rostropovich (Leopold və Mstislav Rostropoviçlər), 17
  Near Icheri Sheher Metro station.

Splurge

• AF Hotel Aqua Park

  phone: +994 12 448-30-30
  address: Novkhana, 1130/33
  There have been complaints with this hotel – please check online reviews. AF Hotel is the largest hotel and resort in the Caucasus. This complex houses pools, saunas, salons, water slides, entertainment center, and hotel facilities.

• Amburan Beach Club

  phone: +994 12 453-86-85
  address: Bilgah
  This complex has a 3 swimming pool, fasfood outlets, restaurant with cooks from Azerbaijan and Europe, disco, game hall, Wi-Fi Internet, water sports, beach volley, beach football, entertainments, professional animation team.

• 12 Bulvar Inn Baku

• Crescent Beach Hotel

  phone: +994 12 497-47-77
  address: Salyan Hwy, Shikhov
  This complex has an indoor and outdoor pool, beach front, bar, and tourism services. High-speed Wi-Fi zone covering 10 hotel buildings, Hotel yard, restaurant, bars and beach. Please contact Hotel reception.

• Excelsior Hotel Baku

  phone: +994 12 496-8000
  address: 2 Heydar Aliyev Ave
  With a 5-star rating, the Excelsior Hotel is one of the nicest hotels in Baku.

• Hyatt Regency Baku

  phone: +994 12-496-1234
  address: 1 Bakikhanov
  Services include: high-speed internet access, chauffeur-driven limousine rental, hotel shops, Wi-Fi, business center, The Grill, Gourmet Shop, Beluga Bar, Club Oasis Fitness Center, swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts, ballroom, 10 meeting rooms, 2 boardrooms, and pre-function and social function space.

• Olimpik Hotel

  phone: +994 50 380 9999
  address: Absheron d, Novxani Settlement
  A 4-star resort 20 km from Baku city centre and 2 km from the northern coast on the Caspian Sea at Absheron peninsula.

• Park Hyatt Baku

  phone: +994 12 490 1234
  address: 1033 Izmir St
  5-star hotel adjacent to a comprehensive Meeting & Conference Centre. Club lounge for free continental breakfast, evening cocktails and boardroom access.

Internet

Many cafés in Baku now have free WiFi. In general, internet cafes in Azerbaijan are called "internet klubs" and they are found throughout Baku. Public WiFi service is available in central areas and attractions, making it comfortable to the tourists to connect.

Post office

Azerbaijan Post locations are dispersed throughout Baku. Mailing an international letter generally costs 0.8 manat.

AZAL (Azerbaijan Airlines)

As Azal seems to be in a permanent state of flux as to where their offices are located, pop into a travel agent and ask about tickets very carefully before buying anything. In some cases, like Naxcevan or last-minute flights, you will absolutely have to go the ever-moving central office during a few random opening times in order to get your tickets processed. One travel agent who can guide you buy phone is reachable at +994 55 4201220 or +99412 5551320 or 5981619.

Baku is considered a safe city, nevertheless common sense is useful as in all other big cities. Homeless people do not harass or attack people and are very safe to be around. The biggest problem in Baku is driving. Many drivers do not obey rules and speed.
The security is rather high, with regular security checks at some attractions and metro stations. The metro has police guarding on the both ends of the escalators.

Emergency contact numbers

• Ambulance: 103
• Fire: 101
• Gas Emergency 104
• Speaking Clock 106
• Police: 102

You must speak in Azeri, Turkish or Russian to communicate your needs. It would be a good idea to memorize key phrases before coming to Azerbaijan - see the Talk section for phrasebooks. The police are friendly and nice and try to help you as much as they can. Try to be nice and understanding and don't get frustrated if you don't understand each other immediately. Write down your phone's IMEI code in case it gets lost so it is easier for the police to find.

Safety tips

The roads can be treacherous at night due to unseen potholes and dimly lit cars. Most areas in and near the downtown are mostly safe. There are some underpasses under particularly busy roads (some with escalators), and some zebra crossings and traffic lights. Watch out for traffic police if otherwise crossing a busy road, they may try to fine you 20 manat for a traffic offence (even though the locals do it constantly).

Embassies

Many details can also be found here: https://www.embassypages.com/azerbaijan

• Bulgaria

  phone: +994 12 441-43-81, +994 12 441-41-38
  address: Oktay Kerimov str. 34

• China

  phone: +994 12-4936933, +994 12-4936587 (24-hr)
  address: 67 Khagani St

• Georgia

  phone: +994 12 497-45-60
  address: AZ 1069, Narimanov raion, Yashar Huseynov St. 13-15

• Greece

  phone: +994 12 492-01-19
  address: Kichic Gala 86-88

• United Kingdom

  phone: +994 12 4377878
  address: 45 Khagani Street (Əfzələddin Xaqani), AZ1010

• United States

  phone: +994 12 488-3300
  address: 111 Azadlig Ave

Within Azerbaijan

• Nabran – Relax by the Caspian on the beach or in a resort. Azerbaijan's biggest tourist destination for international travellers and a coastal city close to Xachmaz.
• Quba – Its urban suburb is home to the largest Azerbaijani Jewish community in the mountains and is considered one of the largest Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union.
• Khinalug (Xinaliq) – A scenic, remote and ancient mountain village, and the mountain of the same name nearby. Once a centre of Zoroastrianism; today the few inhabitants are an ethnic isolate believed to be descendants of the Caucasus Albanians (unrelated to modern-day Albanians of Albania).
• Sheki – A 7-hour bus ride to the northwest. A beautiful city in the Caucasus mountains with lots to see and do. It has one of the largest densities of cultural resources and monuments that span 2,700 years of Azerbaijani history.
• Lahich – A cozy and remote highland village, on the way to Sheki. Famous for its copper work.
• Shamakhi – A town that used to be the capital of the Medieval state of Shirvan. Famous for its traditional dancers, Şamaxı dancers, and its impressive mosque. An ancient history and once one of the key cities along the Silk Road.
• Naftalan – A well-known petroleum spa resort, the centre of medical tourism in Azerbaijan. Go and enjoy the oil baths.
• Ganja – One of the oldest cities in the Caucasus.
• Nakhchivan (region) – The Baku Airport is one of the few in the world offering flights to Nakhchivan and travelers heading that way should book a flight from here.

Outside Azerbaijan

• Georgia – There are direct buses and trains into Tbilisi from Baku.
• Iran – Buses take international travellers onwards from Baku there.
• Turkmenistan – A ferry departs daily from Baku across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenbashi. This ferry has become something of a sleeper hit with backpackers on the Silk Road, but is very uncomfortable and should only be taken by adventure-seekers.
• Kazakhstan – A similar ferry (often the Merkury-1 or the Professor Gul) leaves from "Baku International Port" in Alat, 60 km south of Baku (the ferry previously left from Baku harbour proper until late 2018). The cabins are basic but clean and (fairly good) food is served on board, three square meals a day. It takes approximately 30 hours, and arrives at the port of Kuryk in Kazakhstan (be warned! The port is in the middle of nowhere and the cabbies there are hustlers. Best to try to hitchhike a truck out of the port, many of the drivers are friendly Ukrainians, to avoid US$30 or more for a taxi). US$70 4-person cabin, US$80 2-person. Cars, motorbikes and bicycles also taken.