Independent travel to Baku. Independent travel to Baku. Observation platforms in Baku

Part 2.
Amazing Azerbaijan, a country from which I expected less, but received more

A country that in my mind consisted of kishlaks and small villages and was some kind of outback. But in fact, now it is a dynamically developing country, which pleasantly surprised me and which would definitely be interesting to travel around. Wonderful people live here with a great love for building fences :) And here you can also try delicious tomatoes and other vegetables and fruits. I hope my propaganda will not be in vain, and I think we will come back here again :) But our goal is Georgia, so Azerbaijan is only passing through, although for some people a trip like ours is considered a full-fledged vacation :)
List of Azerbaijan attractions for independent visit(see end of report).

... Now the moon is floating over the quiet sea,

And the night waves tell me

What are you, Baku, both in joy and in sorrow

Forever my beloved blood brother.

We will never part with you forever,

We are bound by a common destiny,

Let him speak of our eternal brotherhood

Caspian triumphant surf.

Rasul Gamzatov

Gobustan Nature Reserve / Petroglyphs in Azerbaijan

This reserve is definitely a must visit. Azerbaijan has invested a lot of money and effort into this reserve and it is really cool. The way everything is decorated in it, what kind of museum is located in this place, its technical equipment - all this meets the highest European requirements. Overall recommended.

After the reserve we headed towards the border with Georgia. Of course, we didn’t see all of Azerbaijan, but our goal is not it, but Georgia. We examined all the complexly located objects around Baku, so that later we could simply fly here by plane and wander around the city without a car. But as promised, here is a list of the remaining attractions of Baku, which in my opinion are worth visiting:

List of other attractions in Baku:

1. Old town of Icheri Sheher (Icheri Sheher metro station)
2. The place where The Diamond Arm was filmed ( st. Kichik-Gala, 8/1)
3. Palace of the Shirvanshahs (Opening hours: 10.00-18.00 seven days a week)
4. Bathhouse Gadzhi Gaib
5. Maiden Tower of Gyz Galasi
Next, we leave the old city and go towards Primorsky Boulevard. There is a small system of walking paths on the boulevard water channels. In the summer they float on gondolas.
6. Little Venice in Baku
7. Carpet Museum
The Carpet Museum is another architectural landmark, located on the embankment immediately behind Little Venice, across the road from the funicular.
8. Funicular to the observation deck.
If the funicular works, then good, but if not, then there is a staircase to the left of it. Follow it vertically upward for 15 minutes to get to Nagorny Park
9. Nagorny Park. Blue Mosque (Turkish mosque in Baku)
It may not be worth going here specifically for it, but if you’re in Nagorny Park, you can come and have a look.
10. Towers of Flame.
Flame towers are the most high buildings countries, visible from anywhere in Baku. A unique symbol of the city.
11. Bibi Heybət Mosque
12. TV Tower
13. Heydar Aliyev Center
14. Teze Pir Mosque
(The list of Baku attractions is more like a note for yourself for the future, but maybe it will be useful to someone)
Update from 01/26/18
15.

Having settled in the apartment, we went to look for where to swim, and first went somewhere to the Shikhovo area - a suburb of Baku, found a ramp to the sea, cars drive straight onto the sand, but the view of the coast did not please us. There is no beach, dirty, windy, waves, swimming is prohibited, there is an oil platform.


The man who was still swimming told us to go to Mardakan. And we went in the other direction from Baku - Mardakan - this is a village 35 km from the capital of Azerbaijan, there are equipped beaches, where we swam all the following days.
Returning from Shikhovo, we decided to stop at the Bibi-Heybat mosque. Old mosque The 13th century building was blown up in 1936 and reconstructed in 1998-1999.


Inside the mosque.




Women's department, I'm trying to take photos without worshipers, although no one prohibits anything.


After visiting the Bibi-Heybat mosque, we went further to the beach. We moved around Baku using a navigator. Peculiarities of driving in the capital of Azerbaijan: they drive to Baku without bothering to follow any rules - turn signals do not show, they turn from the extreme left lane to the right, cutting off another, 5-6 cars are “wedged” into three lanes, they stop right in the middle of the extreme right lane, including the emergency lights, and constantly honking. On the morning of September 14, when we once again went for a swim, the following incident occurred on the road. There was always a traffic jam in one place; we had to “get into” a turn not from the main street. “I got in” with difficulty, a “Nissan x trail” stops in front of me, turns on the hazard lights, “now go around it as you want.” While driving around, I took a little to the right, as cars were “pushing” on the left, and hit him with the mirror of my car. My mirror folded. I asked my husband to open the mirror again, and without stopping, I drove on. When entering Azerbaijan, insurance is issued; you could, of course, stop and find out. What I had time to think: “I don’t want to hang around in this traffic jam right now, and it’s unlikely that I could cause any harm to the big car with my mirror.” No one was chasing us or looking for us. But on the 16th, already leaving Baku completely, we were standing at a traffic light, in the next car a man was gesturing to me, I opened my window, the following dialogue took place: he - “And you hurt me two days ago”, I - “What are you doing? Was there any damage to your car?”, he - “No, but you hurt me”, I - “Well, everything is fine.” We smiled at each other again, the traffic light turned green, and we parted ways.
Movement.


"Livestock" is being transported.


The road to Mardakan was excellent; in general, the roads in Baku itself and its suburbs are wonderful; when you drive away from the center, a modern highway begins with a speed limit of 90, then 120. Therefore, it took us 15 minutes to get to the beach.










On the way to Mardakan we pass the airport.


And one more thing - along the road there is a working clock with a pendulum.


We went to the same beach every day. The sea was clean, warm, and you could find sunbeds, tables, and chairs on the beach. We always took one sunbed - 5 manats or 215 rubles. The beach itself, I wouldn’t say it’s clean, there’s trash on the sand, and the smell is terrible in the toilets, and we didn’t dare eat in the cafe next to the beach. In general, we arrived, parked the car under a canopy, changed clothes right in the car so as not to go to dirty changing rooms, took a sunbed and went for a swim. It’s not far to go to the depths of the sea, but the shallows and depths are repeated, you can swim closer, you can go further. There was wind, but it wasn’t stormy, big waves did not have. After swimming, we dried off and left.
Pavel is bathing.


After the beach, we had lunch somewhere and walked around the city. Not far from the house where we rented an apartment, there was a fairly large grocery store; we bought groceries, ready-made food, and fruits there. Sometimes we had lunch or dinner in the apartment, sometimes somewhere in a restaurant, depending on our mood. And the evening usually ended in the apartment with wine and fruit. A wine store was also nearby; the wine they bought was essentially Azerbaijani. And also - very tasty local compotes in Baku! We even miss them in our north.
On the evening of September 11th we arrived at Primorsky Boulevard.
A park.


You can walk around Baku both during the day and in the evening, the city will look different, in the evening various lights turn on, it’s very beautiful! And in Baku in the evening, traffic on the roads does not decrease, but increases; on any day, not necessarily on a weekend, everyone walks around the city, free parking in the center there is almost none, either you stop under the supervision of parking attendants (people who monitor paid parking lots) for a fee, or you drive into parking buildings, which also costs a fee. We usually looked for a place on the street under the supervision of parking attendants; 1 hour cost 1 manat. Sometimes they could stay somewhere for free - just to “hide” for a while.
This huge beautiful building is a parking building on the boulevard!


Primorsky Boulevard, the Flame Towers complex is visible, the picture on them was constantly changing.


Embankment.



House of the Government of Azerbaijan, Freedom Square, 1936 -1952.


We arrived at the State Flag Square.


View of the city from the square.


And this is visible from Baku concert hall, as it is called - “crystal”. It hosts large concerts, the Eurovision Song Contest took place in 2012, and this hall was built for it.


And this is just a restaurant on the water.


09/12/2016 After the beach we stopped for a walk near the Heydar Aliyev Center. This center was built in 2010 by the world famous architect Zaha Hadid. Zaha Hadid is an Iraqi-British architect, designer of Arab origin, who has built very interesting buildings all over the world. Azerbaijanis are simply great for having such a work of world architecture! Zahi died on March 31, 2016.


The center building houses exhibition and conference rooms and a media center. And all around - the most beautiful landscape park with swimming pools, waterfalls, lawns, sculptures.




That day we had lunch with Azerbaijani cuisine in a restaurant near the center.



And after lunch we went for a walk around the city again.
Church Immaculate Conception The Blessed Virgin Mary, 2006, was closed.

Baku Museum contemporary art, opened in 2009. The day was Monday, the museum had a day off, we didn’t come to it again. I am a fan of looking at everything from the outside; I don’t like walking through museums.


And around the museum there are modern sculptures.




This sculpture is called “The Thousand-Year Man”, the author is Fazil Najafov, born in 1935, considered the founder of avant-garde art in Azerbaijan. He created this sculpture in 1990.


We returned to the apartment, rested a bit and went riding again.
The Church of the Savior is a Lutheran church built in 1896-1899, currently a concert hall for chamber and organ music. Was closed.

Cathedral of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, 1909. Christian Orthodox Church.


Having arrived at the Christian temple (it was located inside residential areas), we left the car where we found a place, and we ourselves climbed the mountain on foot. And it turned out to be from the car beautiful view to the Crystal Hall.


The Heydar Aliyev Palace is also a concert hall.




We went for a walk on Rashid Behbudov Street, where pre-revolutionary buildings have been preserved. Rashid Behbudov is an Azerbaijani singer.
Song Theater named after Rashid Behbudov.


City library building.


This building houses the music school named after Rashid Behbudov, a building built in 1964.

R. Behbudov street.


The building of the Pedagogical Institute, where big hall V.V. Mayakovsky repeatedly read his works.

House of Culture named after Shahriyar, and formerly there was a House of Culture named after Dzerzhinsky.


This building is also located on R. Behbutov Street.



And this is Nizami Street. The Baku Opera House, a pre-revolutionary building, was damaged by fire even before the revolution, but was repaired. Two wonderful local women told us about this. In general, people in Baku were willing to make contact, they talked a lot about everything, and about their lives too, everything was positive, we talked in shops, in shops with sellers, and on the street, and with taxi drivers...
Theater.


On the contrary, there is a theater for young spectators.


Decorations on the facade of the theater for young spectators. Ceramic tile.





This is the street where our apartment was - Uzeri Hajibeyov Street.



The building of the House of Composers of Azerbaijan.


Almost everything was nearby, but wandering everywhere on foot gets tired, so we moved both by car and on foot.
09/13/2016 After swimming, this time we returned to the apartment, had lunch, rested a little and went for a walk around Baku again, this time without a car.
"Lily" - right in the Caspian Sea.


We went out onto Neftchinikov Avenue, probably the largest street in the city.
Once it was the Lenin Museum, now this building houses a museum center, which includes three museums: independence, theater, history of religion.


The museum is decorated on both sides with strange sculptures. One of them.

And we saw such pictures in the underground passage when we crossed the avenue from one side to the other.


The White Lilies fountain, however, for some reason did not work.


Azerbaijan State Puppet Theater named after Abdulla Shaig, building built in 1908.


We came to the old city - “Icheri Sheher”. Maiden Tower "Gyz Galasy", 12th century.

These beautiful trees grow near the maiden tower.



Icheri Sheher is an ancient residential area and a historical and architectural reserve. In the old city there are museum exhibitions, hotels, embassies, shops, restaurants, people live, and cars drive, although pedestrians have priority.

Excavations.


Sculpted tombstones, they are currently located in the former market square, surrounded by pointed arches.


Bronze Age Tombs.


Streets of Icheri Sheher.


The films “The Diamond Arm” and “Amphibian Man” were filmed in the old town.


Monument to Hasan-bey Zardabi, an Azerbaijani educator and publicist who lived in Russian Empire before the revolution, is located in front of the building of the Main Editorial Office of the National Azerbaijan Encyclopedia.

This building is what remains of the Church of St. Nicholas.


Salyan Gate, 12-15 centuries.

Quadrangular tower.


Fortress wall.


Views of the old city.




Defensive structures and weapons of defense.



Fountain.

We came to the Palace of the Shirvanshahs. Palace Mosque.


There is a museum inside the palace. We went there.
Carpets.

Throne room.

Ceramic tiles - “kashi”, were originally made in the Persian city of Kashan, hence the name. Later, ceramic tiles began to be produced in Azerbaijan. Interiors were decorated with such tiles.

Vaults.

Jewelry.

Stained glass.

Costumes.

Bath shoes, 20th century.

Palace complex, palace mosque.

In the old city there is a workshop of the artist Ali Shamsi.


And even the tree is painted next to the workshop.

Mosque, 17th century.

From the old city you can quietly enter the modern one. We went to the embankment.
Another concert hall in Baku.


Carpet Museum.


After wandering around the old city and modern Baku on foot, we decided to get to the apartment by the famous Baku taxi - “cab”. The cars were purchased specifically in England.


09/14/2016 On this morning, we moved to another apartment, not far from the first one, also in the center, we rented this apartment for another two days, it cost us 2,200 rubles per day. The apartment is one-room, and we liked it even more than the first one, it was rented by a woman, and when we moved out of the first apartment, it was offered to us by the same young man who rented the first one to us. Then, as usual, we went to the sea, and then, after taking a rest, we went for a walk in the center again. True, we didn’t dare to walk completely from home again. We arrived by car, parked nearby, this time we “bumped” for free, the locals actually tried to warn us that we shouldn’t park in this place, but we decided to leave the car anyway, there were a lot of cars around, but it turned out okay. Then we set off on foot.
We came to “Istiglaliyyat” street, translated as “Sovereignty”. In general, this street surrounds the “Old Town”; there are also many old houses on it.

This is the building of the Institute of Manuscripts.



Azerbaijan State Economic University.

Istiglaliyyat street.




This building houses the Baku City Hall.

More beautiful buildings on this street.






Baku metro station "Icheri Sheher".


Baku Philharmonic named after Muslim Magomayev, building built in 1911-1912.

Muslim Magomayev, the grandfather of the singer Muslim Magomayev, was a composer and conductor.

"Almost Venice"

The building of the presidential apparatus. The security guard on the opposite side of the road kept waving at me so that I wouldn’t take pictures, I pretended that I didn’t understand.


Istiglaliyyat Street turned into Niyazi Street, Niyazi Street was formed in 1885. Building National Museum Arts of Azerbaijan, first building.


The De Boer Mansion, a 19th-century building, together with the previous building belongs to the art museum.


Sculpture next to the museum.

We walk along Niyazi Street. As you've probably already noticed, the Flame Towers complex is visible from everywhere in the city.






There is very heavy traffic on Niyazi Street in both directions, I wanted to cross to the other side to take a photo. In general, in Baku, even through very large streets with heavy traffic, people cross freely, not necessarily through a pedestrian crossing; cars are often stopped and let through. I saw that the man was also about to cross. I tell him: “I want to go too.” He took me by the hand like a little child and led me across the road. She said thank you. I already crossed back on my own and they let me through.



We went out onto Neftyanikov Avenue. The building was built at the beginning of the 20th century.


Having walked along the streets of Istiglaliyyat, Niyazi, going out onto Neftchinikov Avenue after Niyazi Street, we essentially walked around the old city, and we decided to wander into Icheri Sheher again.
Excavations of buildings from 1878.


Two-story caravan barn (“Mugham House”).




More buildings in the old town.




Juma Mosque, 1899, 15th century minaret.




Muhammad Mosque (“Synig-Gala”), 11th century.

Even a sewer hatch with the inscription “Icheri Sheher”.


Khydyr Mosque, 1301.

Bathhouse of Haji Gaib, 15th century.


After walking around Icheri-Sheher, even managing to get a little lost, since I like to wander somewhere off-route, running into the fence of a residential building, we went out again to the street where the restaurants are located, and decided to dine there again with Azerbaijani cuisine, and they brought us a very tasty drink feijoa compote.
09/15/2016 Last day of rest in Baku.
In the morning, like all the previous days, we went shopping, then had lunch at home, rested, and in the evening we went for a walk around the city by car again. This time we arrived at Nizami Street. The parking attendant helped us park on the edge of the roadway; after learning that it wouldn’t be long, he didn’t take any money.
The old building that now houses the presidential library.

Opposite is a modern building in which the State Bank of Azerbaijan is located.


Armenian Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, now inactive, 1887

After Nizami Street we went down to the fountain park. The fountain in the background was turned off to wash the “floor” around it and remove excess water.




After the park we went to the shopping area.



After walking in a circle, we left to see the remaining sights of the city.
The former Mukhtarov Palace, 1911-1912, currently the Wedding Palace.



And finally we arrived at the Tezepir mosque, 1905-1914.


Courtyard of the mosque.

Inside the mosque.

I took pictures from the outside through the door, since it was impossible to go inside, and nothing was visible from the women's section.



Women's territory.

We ended our last evening in Baku with dinner at a fish restaurant. It started to rain (the first time in all these days), so they set us up inside, and the local visitors gave us the “office”, saying: “You are guests, come in.” The restaurant itself is simple, but they served us very politely and kindly, and the fish was incredibly tasty.


09/16/2016 In the morning, after renting out the apartment to the owner, I was the first to go out into the street and discovered that there was no car. Having asked the ubiquitous taxi drivers, I found out that the car was taken by tow truck to a parking lot. As I already wrote, it is almost impossible to park a car in Baku for free. All streets are divided as follows: one side is paid parking with a parking machine, the other side is no parking. The cost of paid parking: 1 hour - 1 manat, that is, 43 rubles at that time. If we paid honestly through the machine all the time, we would pay 400-500 rubles a day. You can’t go into the courtyards, there are barriers everywhere. When we stood at the first apartment, we gave the parking attendant 5 manats for 5 days (I, of course, smiled at him every day). And at the second apartment there was no parking attendant, they didn’t know how to park it, they parked it where it was not allowed. We survived one night, but no luck the second. They took the car from the impound lot, paying a fine of 41 manats. We left Baku under heavy rain, and this rain and a slight cold snap were in the forecast, so we rented a second apartment until September 16th. True, this rain caught up with us more than once on the way back, but this was already “The Way Home.” On the way back, we refueled with gasoline one more time (the second time) in Azerbaijan. Before reaching the border we had lunch at a small private restaurant not far from the road. We also passed the return border without any problems, in 1.5 hours - both borders, and at 20.00 we were in Makhachkala.

An interesting trend has been observed recently. Information about travel to the former republics of the USSR began to appear more and more often. On the one hand, it is interesting to look at the life of our neighbors, but on the other hand, the dollar has not returned to 35 rubles, and travel lovers are constantly looking for a reasonable alternative to expensive trips.
Azerbaijan appeared on my travel wish list relatively recently. You could say it was spontaneous. Quite by accident, I found out that every year on May 10 a grand flower festival is held in Baku. “Why not,” I thought and set up daily monitoring of the cost of air tickets for the desired destination.
So...How to plan a trip to Azerbaijan? What should you pay attention to first when going to Baku?

1. Facilitated visa regime

Russians for tourist trip For a period of less than 90 days, a visa is not required. At the border they do not ask for hotel reservations, medical insurance or financial support. All you need is a passport.
If you stay in Azerbaijan for more than 10 days, you will need to register with the migration service. However, the hotel can easily handle this issue.
This is the first plus - ease of entry into the country and savings on a visa.

2. Airport

Main air gate countries - Baku Airport named after Heydar Aliyev. S7, Utair and Aeroflot fly from Russia to Baku. Also, Azerbaijan Airlines operates regular flights.
In order to "catch" interesting prices for a flight, the most convenient way is to subscribe to Aviasales. My tickets cost me 12,500 rubles, but, for example, now there are “delicious” Moscow – Baku air tickets for October 2016 – March 2017 for 6,700 rubles. (round-trip fare).
The H1 express bus runs from the airport to the city center. This is the most best option transfer. A ticket costs only 1.3 manats and is bought from a special machine. The express stops directly opposite the arrival terminal.

3. Hotel

Everything is fine with housing in Baku. If you like to feel at home when traveling, choose AirBnb; if you don’t like making your bed, book a hotel on Booking or through any other booking site.
I recommend renting housing closer to the old city (Icheri Sheher), and even better - within walking distance. Hotels in the historical part cost a lot of money, so to save money, you can consider a hostel for accommodation (about 18 manats per day).

4. Time difference

The difference is small, only 1 hour, but it is there. When it is 7 am in Moscow, it is already 8.00 am in Baku. It is better to immediately change all clocks to local time so as not to get confused.

5. Currency exchange

The national currency of Azerbaijan is the manat. The current rate is ≈ 45 rubles for 1 manat, but the rate is currently not stable, so it is better to clarify the information immediately before the trip.
You can safely travel to Azerbaijan with rubles. Here is the second positive point.
Of course, both dollars and euros will be easily exchanged for you, but when buying currency in Russia and exchanging it in Baku, you can lose due to the difference in rates.
As such, exchange offices have been abolished in Azerbaijan. Money can only be exchanged at a bank. If you arrive in Baku on the eve of the weekend or holidays, be sure to play it safe and exchange money at the airport. There's a pretty decent exchange rate there.
There are a lot of ATMs in Baku, almost at every step. As a last resort, you can withdraw cash there.
Two currency exchange points are open on weekends:

1. Bank of the Republic, near the funicular (almost on the seaside boulevard)
2. on Fuzuli Street, not far from the 28 May Square.

6. Public transport

Baku has two large metro lines and many buses. A one-time trip costs only 0.2 manat. Converted to rubles - about 10 rubles. The third obvious plus!
Used in the subway special cards two types. Plastic for 2 manats and paper (disposable) for 0.2 manats. It is profitable to buy a card for 4 trips; the total cost of the card will cost 1 manat.

There are different buses in Baku. In more modern “models” payment is made with the same transport card. On older buses, including intercity buses, the driver needs to pay the fare.
The funicular cannot be called public transport, but it operates absolutely free. Nice as hell. :)

7. Food

The religion of the country leaves some imprint on local cuisine. For example, in Azerbaijan they don’t eat pork, but there are a lot of lamb dishes on the menu. For Russian people, Azerbaijani cuisine will not seem very specific, because many dishes have been known to us since childhood - dolma, pilaf, lula kebab.
Be sure to try kutab - flatbread stuffed with meat, herbs or cheese. It is served in almost any cafe and costs 0.5 - 1 manat.
In Baku they drink tea from small glass cups called “armud”. If you are offered jam for tea, first ask about its cost.
In many cafes you can pay by bank card, but it’s better to play it safe and always have some cash with you.

8. Security

It so happened that I went to Azerbaijan alone. I can safely say that Baku is a safe city for a girl. Azerbaijanis are very friendly towards tourists - they give directions, optimal bus routes and just enjoy talking. They definitely ask what city you came from and have heard very well not only about Moscow and St. Petersburg. :)
Also, there are a lot of police on the streets in Baku.

9. Language barrier

He's gone. :) Absolutely everyone understands Russian and speaks it at least a little. I didn't have to use my limited knowledge of English at all.
This is a huge positive moment for those who are afraid to go on an independent trip due to lack of knowledge of the language.

10. Local color. Sights of Baku

Baku surprises with its architectural mix. The heart of the city is Icheri Sheher (old city). Such cute narrow streets where Nikulin, and then Mironov, cursed and fell. Here you need to dissolve and just get lost. Just don’t forget to look into the local souvenir shops, they are here with the subtlest touch of antiquity.

What to do in the old town? Be sure to climb the Maiden Tower, look into the art salon of local artist Ali Shamsi and take a cinematic photo near the treasured “damn it” door. You can also go to an ancient bathhouse and look into the unique Museum of Miniature Books.

At the end of May 2018, a group of nine tourists (8 women and one man) challenged themselves: could they drive around three countries and one republic without going crazy from the impressions? In 17 days they visited Dagestan, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. This story is about the Republic of Azerbaijan.

More than 9 million people live in Azerbaijan. It is a secular state, the majority of whose residents profess Islam. Today, thousands of tourists flock there to see the place where the East meets the West. In addition, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is included in the list of the most beautiful cities peace.

Baku is called the city of lights and the city of winds. I called it the white city. Look how white everything is around - like a stone desert.

We spent three days in Azerbaijan at the end of May. We looked for a booked hostel on Babek Avenue, but never found it. But they found a prince on a white horse, a friend and son-in-law. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves - let's talk about everything in order.

Suitcase, money, passport, key. What do these words have in common? That's right, travel! The journey begins with preparation.

We prepared for the trip for two months: we gathered a group, plotted routes, studied the sights - no one from our company had been to Azerbaijan before.

A group of tourists leaves Nizhny Novgorod. Baku is 2213 km away or approximately 5 days, 5 hours and 5 minutes.

Making a plan

When going on a long road trip, it is important to plan everything down to the smallest detail. How to get there, where to sleep, what to eat, what to take, where to go? We tried to answer these and other questions in advance.

1. How to get there? We studied maps and reviews from other travelers to plan our route. For example, they will not be allowed into Azerbaijan after Armenia. Because there is a conflict between countries. Would we have known about this if we had not read a good hundred reviews a couple of months before the trip? Is not a fact! Read reviews from previous travelers in advance.
2. How much should I take? We decided to collect 20 thousand rubles per person - this is money for gasoline, overnight accommodation, a common table and unforeseen expenses. It turned out to be 180,000. We divided the amount by four, since this is the budget of 4 countries, and in the end 45,000 went to Azerbaijan. This amount was quite enough for our group: we didn’t indulge in luxury, but we didn’t deprive ourselves of excursions and wine.
3. Where to sleep? We booked a hostel in advance, but were unable to get there. We'll talk more about this later. However, our case is rather an exception, so we recommend that everyone else book beds in advance. Moreover, the money was returned to us.
4. What is? We decided that we cook on our own twice a day and visit a cafe once - so we try local food, and do not go bankrupt in the process. Who is responsible for cooking and who is responsible for washing dishes was also discussed in advance.
5. What to take? Our vacation was more sports than beach or entertainment. And the things in the suitcase were selected based on this remark: sneakers, shorts, comfortable clothes.
6. Where to go? We looked at the sights of Baku in advance and decided that for our first trip it would be enough for us to see the city center - Baku is included in the list of the ten most beautiful cities in the world - the old city and the Caspian Sea. We don’t spend money on a guide - we Google and read.

Light snack at a gas station on the way to Azerbaijan. Still on the Russian side.

Note: The Republic of Azerbaijan is a Muslim country. They look bad at exposed ankles and cleavage. If you want to avoid sidelong glances, choose your wardrobe more carefully.

We were in Azerbaijan at the end of May. The thermometer had not yet reached its maximum height, and we were not hot in knee-length trousers and sundresses. However, in the city center there are many locals who, for the sake of world fashion, allow themselves to wear shorts and other revealing looks.

Useful applications

Today, the Internet is replete with an abundance of applications for travelers: from Google maps to virtual guides. We have collected the top 10 most useful in our opinion:

1. Diary. You can write everything down here so you don’t forget anything.
2. Calculator (the one on your mobile phone will do). Will help you create a travel budget.
3. Translator . When translation difficulties arise.
4. Calculation of fuel consumption. When traveling on your own, it is very important to know how much money you will spend on gasoline. We know in advance how much a plane or train ticket costs. You can also calculate the cost of a car ticket.
5. Google Maps . Moreover, our experience shows that it is better to download them rather than use them online. Different situations may arise on the road; it is better if you have a good compass up your sleeve.
6. Currency Converter . Convert manats to rubles, rubles to manats, dollars to rubles, manats to dollars - in order not to get confused with all this, you need a currency converter.
7. - on aggregators you can find accommodation to suit your budget and taste.
8. Audio tour. The guide in your pocket automatically begins to talk about objects as you approach them.
9. audio guides have also been selected, excursion routes, and the service also connects strangers for joint trips so that you can save money.
10. Couchsurfing - people invite you to stay with them for free.

Azerbaijanis use the Latin alphabet, but in Soviet times they wrote in Cyrillic.

In addition to services, you can look in advance at the websites of local museums, cinemas, shops to understand the average cost of services in the country, book tickets and, based on reviews, figure out in advance whether it’s worth going there.

• State Museum of Musical Culture of Azerbaijan

How to prepare a car for travel?

When traveling on your own, it is very important to check your motor and wheels in advance. This will be done best in special diagnostic centers. We would not recommend relying on chance. On the way to Azerbaijan they will meet mountain roads, serpentines and horsemen. Do you want to take risks?

In general, when talking about preparing a car for a trip, we would divide it into three points.

1. Checking the "health" of the car.
2. Checking documents: passport, driver's license, property rights - everything should be at hand. You should also make sure that you have paid your car tax and have no outstanding fines. Otherwise, the border may not be opened for you.
3. First aid kit. There should always be a first aid kit in the car - this is a priori, a fact!

We had two Nissan cars and three drivers for nine of us. When traveling around the city, a personal car is more of a plus than a minus. But it’s more convenient to get to the resort by plane or with fewer passengers. We drove quite tightly. But, as they say, in cramped conditions, don’t be offended. To warm up, we made green parking lots.

Green parking lot in an almost lavender field.

Salam Azerbaijan [Hello, Azerbaijan]!

Border crossing

Azerbaijan has five land borders: with Russia, Armenia, Turkey, Georgia, Iran and Armenia. The border between Armenia and Azerbaijan is closed - there is a conflict.

From three borders which we passed during our trip, Azerbaijani customs officers are the fiercest. At first they asked us for a long time whether we were really Russians - each of the nine, as if they couldn’t tell from their faces! Then they clarified whether we maintained relations with Armenia, why we were going to Baku, etc.

In conclusion customs control asked to empty the entire trunk! And we were driving from the Izberbash Brandy Factory and were already quite loaded. It was very difficult for us to empty the trunk. Only the compliment made by the customs officer somehow brightened up the impression of the border.

Long, difficult, hard! We didn't like the border!

Watching the sunrise in the car

Search for a hostel, or sightseeing auto tour of Baku

As soon as we entered Azerbaijan, the adventure began. The Internet there is generally expensive, and in roaming mode it’s a direct path to ruin. Our money in our mobile account was immediately eaten up by online Google maps. In a foreign country we were left without maps and without the Internet. We got to Baku blindly.

Note: Internet in Azerbaijan is expensive, but almost every establishment has free Wi-Fi.

On the website where we booked a hostel from home, it was said that Babek Avenue is located a few kilometers from the city center. We drove into the center and started looking for Babek on the signs. Signs indicated to go straight. We went straight - we arrived in the wrong place. We went back - again we arrived in the wrong place. As a result, we drove around half of Baku - there is no Babek Avenue!

Azerbaijani streets. Center

We stopped at the store. Those who smoke smoked, calmed down and began asking passers-by: “Excuse me, how can we get to Babek?” It turned out that passersby did not understand Russian. Someone was smoking nervously, someone was reading indifferently (this is the author), and someone was looking out for passers-by who could help us. He came to the rescue.

- Excuse me, you are looking at me like that, do you want to know something?

- Yes. But we will speak Russian.

- No problem.

We explained the situation. Nice young man... Remember that there were eight of us women? And the six older ones began vying with each other to talk about this to the two younger ones, so that the latter would come out and show themselves. But we didn’t want to get out of the car. Fortunately, the young man did not refuse to help us. But the fact that he found a wife in this way is a completely different story.

The streets, the houses - everything is beautiful.

There is a very aggressive movement in Azerbaijan. Cars fly like lightning flashes. That is why, just starting to follow our new acquaintance, the third car quickly fell behind the first two. At one of the turns other cars simply didn’t let us through, and when they did, our trail disappeared.

We returned to the store parking lot to find a new guide. This time we found him quickly - he was a middle-aged Azerbaijani who, in fact, was in a hurry to get to work, but could not refuse us. He rode ahead, cutting across the road, and we tried our best to keep up with him. But Babek is still gone.

It turned out that it was quite difficult for Azerbaijanis to find our address. The driver-guide stopped every few kilometers to clarify the route. We drove for another half hour through traffic jams and thorns and were already somewhere very close when an SMS arrived on the phone from an unfamiliar number:

"Go to the Botanical Garden"

We signaled to our guide to stop. He got out of the car, listened to us, sighed heavily, but didn’t give up halfway. He just said the legendary phrase:

Oleg, I noticed that you are driving a little slowly.

From the Botanical Garden

When we got to the Botanical Garden, part of our group was there, making an order for lunch at a cafe on the territory of the Botanical Garden. We thanked the man who drove us around the city for free, and said goodbye to him, giving him a box of chocolates WITH LIQUOR!

It was later that we learned that most of the Azerbaijanis obediently follow the Koran and do not drink wine. That is, sweets with liqueur are generally not a suitable option for thanking someone.

Note: Most Azerbaijanis do not drink, do not eat pork, and pray five times a day.

While half of the group was looking for Babek, the other was investigating. It turns out that the address we need on the avenue is not 10 minutes from the center, but in the middle of nowhere. That is, it really begins near the center, and ends unknown where. But this is not the worst thing: for a month and a half now they have not provided housing for tourists! But there was either a glitch on the site, or some other misunderstanding...

National character

Our new young acquaintance, whose name is Samir, left us for lunch and returned to work. He promised to arrive in a couple of hours and during this time to find a suitable one for us inexpensive option for accommodation for three days.

The cafe was a long narrow street with separate guest rooms hidden on the right and left. Azerbaijanis generally like to be alone.

Cafe near the Botanical Garden

We ordered some of local dishes. Over lunch we discussed the Baku driving style, the locals who are so willing to help if they understand Russian, plans for the remaining two days, because half past twelve was already coming to an end, and we still hadn’t unloaded our suitcases.

There are many European-style establishments in Baku, but it is much more interesting to visit those filled with oriental flavor: with carpets, armouds and oriental sweets.

Then we spent two hours in Botanical Garden, walking along the paths, looking at the exhibition of roses and other plants, taking photographs, reading... In other words, whoever could while away the time. We even started to worry, maybe we shouldn’t wait for Samir, but go looking for housing ourselves?

Blooming water lilies

Rose exhibition

However, exactly two hours later the phone rang. Samir said that he had found an apartment for us, now they are preparing it, and he is already on his way to pick us up.

This is where the story with Babeko ends, and the story of love, oh, vacation, of course, begins.

We wait a couple of hours and have already climbed every tree in the Botanical Garden.

On the way to rented apartment we stopped at Icheri Sheher - the old city. But we decided to explore its sights another time. We just went into the store, bought it using a magnet, and went to look at the apartment.

Carpets are the property of the republic, each one is like a work of art.

We wanted to quickly take a shower, change clothes and feel like a human being. It was the second day since we were on the road.

They found an excellent apartment for us. Three rooms almost in the central part of the city on the 19th floor. The view from the window is stunning: the famous Baku flame towers are at arm's length from us. There was one thing: there weren’t enough beds in our new apartment for everyone. Some had to sleep on the floor.

The Flame Towers are on the list of attractions for which thousands of tourists from all over the world travel to Baku.

Our new acquaintance, already almost a friend, left us to settle down and went back to work. Yes, it’s not for nothing that Azerbaijanis are considered one of the most hardworking peoples. This applies only to men; women, as a rule, do not work there at all.

We were left alone: ​​we washed ourselves, shared rooms, went to the store. From local products, we bought a bottle of pomegranate wine, cheese (be sure to try Azerbaijani cheeses!), and fruits.

Oriental sweets for tea

We started preparing dinner. An hour later Samir came to us with rice and chicken for Kurdish pilaf.

Azerbaijan has a rich ethnic composition. Our new friend is a Kurd.

This is interesting: In different regions of Azerbaijan, cheese is prepared according to different recipes. Here you can try the whole variety of Caucasian cheeses. Hard and like you're eating butter. My favorite was Motal - the most delicious and most expensive cheese in the country.

We persuaded Samir to cook pilaf next time. In the meantime, they sat him down at the table, put naval pasta in front of him, and poured him some Russian cognac. Samir squirmed, but drank. We asked him about the sights of Baku, about Azerbaijani traditions, about whether they still have patriarchy. The first evening in Baku was coming to an end. In the morning we had a big tour of the city, and it turns out that our new friend has a birthday tomorrow.

Icheri Sheher and other reasons to come to Baku

The morning was leisurely. From 9 o'clock everyone began to wake up, prepare breakfast, and prepare themselves to go out. Baku - modern city with developed infrastructure. And since we took a sightseeing car tour yesterday, today we decided to go to walking. Our house was 10 minutes from the metro.

Our friendly company is going to Icheri Sheher

Please note: d Traffic in the Baku metro is circular. Before the train arrives, a board lights up indicating which direction the train is traveling.

Icheri Sheher metro station. Very soon we will see the old city

We left the subway and almost immediately the wall began. Once upon a time, behind this wall there was the city itself, and even earlier - the entire state.

Historical reference: Icheri Sheher, or “fortress”, or “old city” of Baku. Here is the palace of the Shirvanshahs, here is the Maiden Tower, here Nikulin said “damn it.” A large fortress wall, behind which is located the whole city, or, as it is also called, the inner city.
The first mention of Icheri-Sheher dates back to the 5th century. Today, the Old Town is a unique historical ensemble, where tourists from all over the world come and where real residents live. The locals also call them serfs. Their total number is about 1300. And they have their own measures.

At first it seems that Icheri Sheher is very small, but in reality it turns out that even a whole day is not enough to explore it.

Icheri-Sheher Scheme

5 must-see attractions in Icheri Sheher

1.Maiden's Tower. 28 meters of a huge stone cylinder on a ledge of a coastal cliff. In the old days, the city ended here and the sea began. The purpose of the tower is unknown.

There are many legends about its construction. According to one of them, the Shah decided to marry his own daughter. Then the girl, in the hope of dissuading her father, asked to build his tower and wait for the completion of construction. The Shah complied with the request. Then the girl went upstairs and threw herself from there into the sea.

There are always crowds of tourists near the Maiden Tower, and entrance to it is paid - about 4 manats.

We didn’t go to the Maiden Tower: it’s a waste of money and the queue is too long.

2."Damn it." Many famous Soviet films were filmed in Icheri Sheher, among them “The Diamond Arm”. In the Old Town there is a cafe “Damn it,” and at the place where Yuri Nikulin said the legendary phrase, hundreds of tourists wipe their pants every day.

There is a sign attached to the place where the movie was filmed, so you won’t confuse it with anything else.

Local residents show photographs of film stills and offer to navigate through them.

3. Palace of the Shirvanshahs. The complex, which includes the Divan Khan, the tomb of the Shirvanshahs and the palace mosque, built from the 13th to the 16th centuries. The construction is associated with the transfer of the capital of the Shirvanshahs from Shemakha to Baku. Shirvan - historical region in Transcaucasia from Derbent to the Kura River delta. Currently, it is part of the territory of Azerbaijan.

You can enter the palace territory, but we chose a different course - we went to the market.

Street trading - you don’t even need tables, all the goods are on carpets.

I remember the stories of Sinbad the Sailor, here they are - the colors of the east.

4. Shops and street trading in Icheri-Sheher. We got the impression that all 1,300 inhabitants of the fortress city were exclusively merchants. There are so many of them on the streets! They offer everything from oriental sweets to carpets. We liked one lamp, but it was very expensive, having decided that the Genie, who would grant three wishes, would probably not fly out of it, we put the lamp in place and began to try on national hats.

Papakha. What do you think of the new hairstyle?

5. Baths of Icheri-Sheher. Oriental baths resemble oriental mosques - just as round and beautiful. No match for our black baths. Recessed into the ground, only the entrance halls are visible from the outside.

Can you really say that this is a bathhouse?

We liked Icheri Sheher, every street and every house there - World Heritage: the streets are narrow, the people are friendly, the locals not only want to sell something on, but are also willing to talk for hours about their city for free. So you can save on a guide and without a twinge of conscience ask passers-by and merchants about their national heritage. Be sure to try oriental sweets at the market.

On the red carpet - this is actually the entrance to the carpet museum.

Beautiful panorama, on the left is the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum.

There are 6 embassies in Icheri Sheher.

Having walked several kilometers and worn out our legs, we sat down on a bench and watched. Opposite, men were playing street chess. This is generally accepted among Azerbaijanis; here on every side street you can meet men playing cards or backgammon at a table. And women stay at home.

On the streets of Baku you can meet groups of men playing chess, backgammon or cards.

Representatives of the fair sex walking along the streets were divided into three categories:

1. Completely naked are mostly young people. In tops with exposed navels and shorts that cut to the fifth point.
2. Moderately naked - these are the majority. Girls in knee-length dresses look like they are going to the theater.
3. Completely closed. Yes, you can still meet women in burqas on the streets of Baku.

Baku Sydney

Street sculptures Baku

Having rested a little and waited for our Azerbaijani friend Samir, we hit the road again. This time we walked past the Baku Boulevard, the flame towers, the Philharmonic (did you know that Muslim Magomayev was an Azerbaijani?), past the area where the Rally took place, past Torgovaya Street.

Baku is considered one of the most beautiful cities not only because here the East meets the West, but also because historical Center was built around the same time. The city is architectural ensemble, every building is worthy of praise!

We took the funicular up to Nagorno-Karabakh - the best observation deck with a view of the whole of Baku.

We walked along the Alley of Martyrs, or Alley of Glory in Russian. Completely tired. The day rolled smoothly towards evening. Samir offered us a ride, and - attention! - nine people and one driver got into a white Toyota and drove home.

Samir is a traffic cop, so we could afford it. He was the only traffic police officer with whom we managed to “make friends.” It is clear that after meeting with him we had no unpleasant situations on the road to Baku.

We started preparing dinner, some were getting ready, because Samir, with the permission of the adults, invited two young girls to the restaurant for his birthday. When he arrived again, we congratulated him by giving him a Russian souvenir - a bottle of vodka hidden in a matryoshka doll and left for Hollywood - one of the coolest clubs and restaurants in Baku.

In “Hollywood” everything is expensive and rich: golden toilets and sinks, a lot of red, luxuriously dressed and carefully made-up women. We rented a separate room with karaoke, and that’s where our knowledge of “Hollywood” ended.

In the restroom of one of the restaurants in Baku

Remember, I already said that Azerbaijanis like to sit in little rooms? This is the same as sitting in the kitchen in Russia. It’s just that in Baku guests are taken not to a house, but to a restaurant.

Interestingly, their prices for “sit in a restaurant” are not high. For 30 manats, which is about 1,200 rubles in our money, we are ready to close the room. And, what we didn’t know before, but this will come in handy, in Baku there is not much difference in the menu between luxury establishments and shacks. Unless the cost of tea will be different. In elite establishments, just drinking tea costs 30 manats.

Miami Beach on the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is turquoise green

In Azerbaijan there is the Caspian Sea. It differs from Black in its characteristic turquoise-green color. Most cool beach in Baku - Miami Beach. That's where we went on the third day of our journey. By bus, because there are racers all around and because we drove around Baku a year in advance on the first day. In addition, public transport in Baku runs well in all directions.

We liked the beach. They say it is very expensive there during the season. But we were there at the end of May, when it was not the season: entry, sun beds, and houses were still free.

The coolest beach in Baku Miami Beach

If you imagine a little, you can imagine that we are in Bali.

We spent the whole day on the beach, relaxing, sunbathing and running for beer.

This is the most delicious beer in Baku - be sure to try it.

In the evening, someone was packing their suitcases - in the morning we were leaving for Georgia, and someone else went to night walk. This time at karaoke: sing Emin, dance “jeirani” - a folk dance of Azerbaijan, drink pomegranate wine.

Time stop - I don’t want to leave Baku

Results of the trip

A few words as a summary about your vacation in Azerbaijan:

1. People friendly. The majority professes Islam, and according to Islam, helping for free is considered a good deed.
2. Money- Azerbaijani manat is equal to approximately 40 rubles. It is very profitable to buy fruits; they are sold there in gapiks, kopecks in our language, and usually cost less than 1 manat.
3. Entertainment- carousels, cinemas, and in Russian, theaters, excursions, cafes - there is everything!
4. Language- Azerbaijani. The percentage of Russian speakers is 50/50, decreasing with distance from the center. All schools study Russian, English and Azerbaijani languages.
5. Movement - very aggressive movement. It’s more convenient to get to Baku by car; it would be good to go out of town or visit other big cities, but in Baku itself, if you are not a horseman and are not going for thrills, it is better to travel by public transport or taxi. The price for a taxi is from 2 manats, that is, from 80 rubles. The metro costs 30 gapiks, less than 20 rubles, the same amount for bus fare.

If you have not yet chosen where you will live and want to save money when booking, we recommend using the RoomGuru service. Firstly, it contains hotels, apartments and guest houses from many different booking systems, so you won’t miss out on a worthwhile option. Secondly, you can immediately compare prices for one place in different services and book where it is cheaper (this is not always Booking!).

Don't know where to go for the weekend? How about going to Baku? A spontaneous trip to Baku is an option when you get tens of times more than you expect.
The old city of Baku, the endless embankment, the Caspian Sea, oriental hospitality, delicious Azerbaijani cuisine (sturgeon!), tranquility and safety. I hope we have convinced you that you need to go to Azerbaijan.

Planning a trip: flight, do you need a visa, what kind of passport, currency

Organize independent trip It's very simple in Baku. Russian citizens do not require a visa; a foreign passport is sufficient, which will be stamped upon arrival.
Another advantage of a trip to Azeybarjan is the low cost of air tickets. I bought tickets a week before the trip, they cost me 16,000 rubles, and if you book a month in advance, you can buy a one-way ticket from 5,000 rubles. S7 flew from Moscow, believing that our airline would organize a more comfortable flight than AZALJET (Azeybarjan Airlines), but I was mistaken.
The return flight from AZALJET was simply amazing. We boarded a large, comfortable plane; the distance between the seats allowed us to stretch out our legs. By the way, the plane matched everything I saw in Baku. Everything here is beautiful, neat, expensive, stylish, calm, so even an ordinary flight in economy class feels almost like business class. Takeoff and landing were not felt at all; I have never experienced such comfort before, although I often fly with our normal airlines. They also fed us a delicious dinner, which is also very rare.
I won’t be able to advise you on what currency to take with you, because with current fluctuations it is not clear whether it is profitable to change rubles into euros or dollars. I can say for sure that there are no problems withdrawing money in rubles from a card at an ATM; rubles are also exchanged at exchange offices.

How to get to the center of Baku from the airport

When you arrive in Baku, you immediately realize that you have arrived in an oil industry. eastern country. If, when you mention Baku, you associate crowds of people in caps with a string of oranges in their hands, then you do not understand what Baku is.
Airport named after Heydar Aliyev, when leaving the plane, evokes a lot of positive emotions; for a second you think that you are at an exhibition of contemporary art. Waiting for a flight takes place in a comfortable environment; you just relax in the waiting room. The city’s airport was designed and equipped by the most fashionable companies; after such beauty, we don’t even want to remember our air harbors, especially Domodedovo, which is outdated in all respects.
I arrived late in the evening alone, so I ordered a transfer in advance for 1,700 rubles.

Official taxi at the airport Baku Taxi, boarding costs 3 AZN, then according to the meter. Payment is made at the end of the trip in cash or by card. Travel time is about 20 minutes.

Old city of Baku

The Old City is the heart of Baku. Those who expect to see ruins of houses here will be disappointed - every house has been restored, the doors shine. If you have never seen the Caravanserai, ancient mosques and baths, then you definitely need to come here.

Top attractions of Baku

I conducted a survey among several friends, do they know what to see in Baku and why go there? Of the five, one remembered the “damn it” from the Diamond Hand, the second heard about the Flaming Towers. I’m telling you briefly, as I plan to write photo reports of walks around the city to demonstrate the beauty of colorful Baku.

• Old City (Icheri Sheher)
• Allow at least a day to visit the Old Town.
• Fortress walls of Icheri Sheher
• Maiden Tower (Asaf Zeynalli St., 24)
• Palace of the Shirvanshahs (Zamkovaya St., 76)
• Mohammed Mosque (Mirza Mansur St., 42)
• The Flame Towers (Mehdi Huseynzade St., 1a)
• Heydar Aliyev Center (Heydar Aliyev Avenue, 1)
• Carpet Museum
• A unique modern museum dedicated to the most ancient craft of the East. In my opinion, this is a must see in Baku.
• Funicular and Mountain Park Baku. All the pleasures at once: a ride on a train, a stroll through the park, and a visit to the observation deck. Advice: come to Nagorny Park when the sun is shining on the city and not in your face.
• Baku embankment. The embankment seems endless - many kilometers of beauty. There are no beaches within the city, the embankment is suitable for walks along the Caspian Sea, many people ride bicycles, which can be rented here.
• "Little Venice" on the territory of the Primorsky Park. Modern canals follow the picturesque park, along which you can ride on cute boats.
• Street where the famous scene from The Diamond Arm was filmed: st. Kichik-Gala, 8/1

Baku embankment

The embankment in Baku stretches for many kilometers. There are no beaches here, but there is plenty of space for walking. It is convenient to rent a bicycle and go around all the sights or take a ride on a sightseeing train. I was walking.

The embankment begins with the flag square, where, as you guessed, the giant flag of Azerbaijan flutters. The Korva Museum looks impressive, be sure to check it out, there is a lot to see (review of the museum).

Pleasure boats depart from the piers, and you can look at Baku from above on a Ferris wheel. The cactus garden looks beautiful, little Venice, along whose canals everyone rides boats.

Azerbaijani cuisine Baku

Baku - very delicious city. We were served a great breakfast at the hotel, a delicious dinner on the plane, and the street food and restaurants were simply amazing.

I still remember Baku tomatoes. And what a magnificent Caspian fish in restaurants is - you'll lick your fingers. We ate enough sturgeon for the year ahead. It is also worth trying saj, rich soups, and eggplant dishes.

It’s not so easy to find colorful Baku restaurants, as you can mostly find modern European and Asian establishments. If you want to try national cuisine, then look for restaurants in the Old Town.

Observation platforms in Baku

You can look at the old city from above from the Maiden Tower, which is difficult to pass by.

Other observation platforms can be found on the wheel of obohroniya, in one of the bars of the Flaming Skyscrapers - symbols of modern Baku, and also take the funicular to the Highland Park.

Choosing hotels in Baku: how to navigate

Conventionally, when choosing a hotel, I would divide Baku into three points of attraction: the Flaming Towers (famous high-rise buildings that symbolize modern Baku), the Old City and the embankment, which stretches for 25 kilometers.
In the high-rise buildings there is a five-star hotel Fairmont Baku Flame Towers, I think it will appeal to fans of Moscow City and other areas with skyscrapers. It is relatively inexpensive for 5*, prices can be checked on booking.com. There are standard apartments and hostels nearby, from the windows of which symbols of the country's oil wealth are visible.
I decided to live in the old city, after reading the reviews, I realized that the most comfortable and colorful hotel is slightly above the average price category - Shah Palace Hotel 4*

Baths

1. In the Old City of Baku there are only one functioning baths left - Agha Mikhail Baths
Aga Mikayil Bath House - Kicik Qala, 16, Baku, Azerbaijan (Price 65 manats for sauna, hammam, 30 minute massage)

Taze Bey Baths, st. Sh. Shamilya, 30, Baku, Azerbaijan
Many people compare these baths to a souvenir shop - all the walls of the bath are hung with various oriental objects. It’s worth visiting here for the beautiful interiors and special oriental flavor.

Excursions and audio guides in Baku

There are several in the old city of Baku travel agencies, where you can purchase excursions both around the city and out of town. I love the excursions they give local residents, so I chose a sightseeing walk here.

Travel agencies offer a wide range of day trips: for example, to a fire temple, to oil fields. In details we talked about it here .

What to bring from Baku

You can bring a silk scarf as a souvenir from Baku - just be careful, there are many fakes. Where does silk come from in Azerbaijan? It's simple in Sheki there is a silk spinning mill where silk scarves are produced.

I would also like to point out that souvenirs are very expensive in the Old Town. Tea, jam, baklava can be purchased at any supermarket. It is better to buy delicious products locally grocery market“Yashil Bzar” (or Green Market, not far from the railway station) – tell the taxi driver, everyone knows where it is.
You can also buy groceries in the Bazarstor and O"Bravo supermarkets.

Baku made a strong impression on me. I didn’t expect that it was such a modern city and at the same time colorful. Now I'm thinking about more long journey to Azeybarjan.