How many days in Baku?

The headline things to do in Baku

From the Baku guide — these are the items that anchor a 2-day visit. For the full breakdown, read the Baku travel guide.

1. Old City (Icherisheher / İçərişəhər) — Old City (Icherisheher)

   Baku's UNESCO-listed walled medieval city — a labyrinth of narrow lanes, caravanserais, mosques, bath houses, and carpet shops compressed within 22 hectares of fortified walls. The atmosphere inside is dramatically different from the modern city surrounding it: quieter, shadowed by stone, with cats everywhere and the smell of bread from traditional bakeries. The Old City contains both the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs. Entry to the Old City is free; major sites charge separately.

2. Maiden Tower (Qız Qalası) — Old City

   The most recognizable landmark in Baku — an 8-story cylindrical tower with a mysterious projecting spur whose purpose has never been definitively explained. The interior has been converted into a museum with displays on Baku's history and the tower's archaeology. The rooftop terrace has a 360° view of the Old City, Baku Bay, and the Flame Towers. Open daily 10am–6pm; ~5 AZN.

3. Palace of the Shirvanshahs — Old City

   A 15th-century royal palace complex — the residence of the Shirvanshah dynasty that ruled much of Azerbaijan — comprising a throne room, mosque, divan-khana (ceremonial hall), and a burial vault, all in beautifully carved local limestone. Among the finest examples of medieval Azerbaijani architecture. The carved stonework detail rivals anything in the Islamic world. Open daily 10am–6pm; ~4 AZN.

4. Flame Towers — Şüvəlan Heights (above Old City)

   Three skyscrapers (182m, 161m, 156m) clad in 10,000 LED panels that display flame animations at night — Baku's most recognizable modern icon, visible from across the city and the Caspian. The tallest contains a Fairmont hotel; the others are residential and office. The LED show runs from dusk to midnight. The best viewpoint is from Baku Boulevard or from the Old City walls to see both ancient and modern Baku simultaneously.

5. Heydar Aliyev Center — Heydar Aliyev district (north of center)

   Zaha Hadid's masterpiece — a continuous white flowing structure with no sharp angles, housing exhibition halls, a concert space, and a museum dedicated to Azerbaijani culture and the Aliyev political legacy. The building itself is the exhibit: spend time walking around the exterior before entering. The permanent collection is less impressive than the building; the temporary exhibitions are often outstanding. Open Tue–Sun 11am–8pm; ~8 AZN.

6. Baku Boulevard (Bulvar) — Baku Bay waterfront

   A 3.75 km seafront promenade along the Caspian Sea — one of the finest urban waterfronts in Central Asia/Caucasus, with manicured gardens, the Carpet Museum (shaped like a rolled carpet), the Ferris wheel, tea houses, and the best view of the Flame Towers across the water. Baku residents walk here in the evenings as a matter of daily ritual. Free, open 24 hours.

7. Gobustan National Park — Gobustan (65 km south)

   65 km south of Baku, Gobustan contains two extraordinary things in one location: 6,000+ Paleolithic rock carvings (petroglyphs) depicting bulls, boats, humans, and deer dating back 40,000 years — and the world's densest concentration of mud volcanoes bubbling quietly across a surreal grey landscape. The petroglyphs museum is excellent. Open daily; ~8 AZN including museum. Combine in a half-day from Baku.

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