2 days in Baku

Day by day

1. Day 1: Old City (İçərişəhər) and Maiden Tower

   Old City (İçərişəhər), Maiden Tower, Palace of the Shirvanshahs and Museum of Miniature Books, then Flame Towers in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Old City (İçərişəhər)

      The double walls and gates such as the Double Gates (Qoşa Qala) date mainly from the 12th century onwards.

   2. Late morning

      Maiden Tower

      Inside, a museum tells its legends and history across several levels, and the roof gives views over the Old City and the bay.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Plov

      Traditional restaurants in the Old City and around Fountain Square; shah plov is often ordered for groups.

   4. Afternoon

      Palace of the Shirvanshahs

      The 15th-century palace complex of the Shirvanshah rulers stands at the highest point of the Old City and includes the palace, a mosque, a mausoleum, a bathhouse and a divan-khana pavilion with carved stonework.

   5. Late afternoon

      Museum of Miniature Books

      The collection was assembled by a private collector over decades.

   6. Evening

      Flame Towers

      Watch the light show from the Boulevard or the Old City walls after dark.

2. Day 2: Heydar Aliyev Center and Highland Park and the funicular

   Heydar Aliyev Center, Highland Park and the funicular, Baku Boulevard and Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, then Fountain Square and Nizami Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Heydar Aliyev Center

      Inside are exhibitions on Azerbaijani history and culture, a collection of classic cars and changing art exhibitions. The landscaped grounds are free to explore.

   2. Late morning

      Highland Park and the funicular

      It includes Martyrs' Lane, a solemn memorial avenue. The Baku Funicular climbs from Neftchilar Avenue to the park in a few minutes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dolma

      Most traditional restaurants; Azerbaijani dolma-making is recognised by UNESCO.

   4. Afternoon

      Baku Boulevard

      It is the city's favourite place for an evening walk.

   5. Late afternoon

      Azerbaijan Carpet Museum

      It explains the patterns and techniques that distinguish regional styles.

   6. Evening

      Fountain Square and Nizami Street

      Come in the evening, then walk through the Old City gates for dinner.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Ateshgah Fire Temple (Surakhani): Combine it with Yanar Dag in the late afternoon and stay for sunset at the burning hillside.
• Swap in National Museum of History of Azerbaijan (Fountain Square and Nizami Street): Ask for directions to the oriental hall and the ballroom-style rooms; they show the scale of oil-boom wealth.
• Swap in Baku Metro stations (Fountain Square and Nizami Street): Buy a BakuCard and ride a few stops between Sahil, Nizami and İçərişəhər to see the station décor.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–15 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.3 hours in December to 15 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. Baku Metro's lines connect the centre with residential districts; stations such as İçərişəhər, Sahil and 28 May serve the main sights.

More or fewer days

• One day in Baku
• 3 days in Baku
• 5 days in Baku

Questions travellers ask