How to travel to Azerbaijan on your own. Independent travel to Baku. Go to the local market
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 attractions of Azerbaijan for independent visiting (see at the end of the 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:
You should start exploring Baku from the historical part of the city - Old city.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 water canals on the boulevard. 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. 
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 optimal transfer option. 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’s 7 a.m. in Moscow, it’s already 8 a.m. 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:
- Bank of the Republic, near the funicular (almost on the seaside boulevard)
- 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!
The metro uses two types of special cards. 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.
Around February 2019, I started monitoring where I could go in April. The main requirement for the trip was the sea and new town, which I haven't been to yet. That's when I remembered one entertainment program(where they spend their weekends with 100 dollars) about the city of Baku (Azerbaijan). After googling plane tickets and hotels in Baku, I came to the conclusion that this city was more than satisfactory for me in terms of price and quality ratio, and I immediately booked a hotel with the possibility of free cancellation. Little did I know that F1 was scheduled to take place in this city during the period of my booking.
I decided to post my road trip to the glorious city of Baku, the capital of the former union republic of the Azerbaijan SSR, and now the Republic of Azerbaijan. I hope the information I share here will be useful to everyone who wants to drive their car in Baku. Since, after all, this direction is still not particularly popular among our citizens and useful information There is very little information about road travel to sunny Baku on the Internet or it is outdated.
When the usual annual trips to relatives in the republics of Tatarstan and Bashkiria became something ordinary, and weekend trips within a radius of 200 km from Yekaterinburg became boring, I wanted something more. According to medical prescriptions, tanning and hot climate are contraindicated for us, and the horizontal position on the beach does not appeal to us as a wife, we still want to see with our own eyes how ordinary people live. I had no travel experience, a distance of 1000 km was common (Kazan, Omsk, Tobolsk). At the beginning of June 2014, I liked the trip to Abkhazia through Volgograd, Elista and Pyatigorsk. In May 2017, after planting carrots at the dacha, it was decided to go on a road trip through the Transcaucasian republics of the former USSR.
A plan to visit the Transcaucasian republics had long been hatched, beckoning rich story this region. After reading the reviews on the Caucasus travel site, we made a decision, because... Once we cross the Caucasus ridge, then visit three capitals at once and, without wasting time on trifles, relax for a week at sea. There was one more related task, but it will be discussed below.
Our journey began on August 25, 2017, we left Irkutsk at 5 o’clock in the morning, it was raining heavily all day. During the day on the road there was only one stop for lunch at the cafe “Peter’s”, we tasted delicious cheesecakes and pancakes with homemade cottage cheese and sour cream, and also had a snack of meat. Very tasty cuisine and fast service are our recommendations. We spent the first night in a car in a forest near Mariinsk. We prepared for spending the night in the car in advance in Irkutsk before leaving: we folded the rear seats (one of the advantages of Mazda - the seats fold out into a flat area), laid out mattresses and bed linen. All the main things were loaded into the trunk on top of the car, and the cabin contained only the essentials. On the first day, 1423 km were covered.
In the first part of our journey, we got from St. Petersburg to Azerbaijan. Along the way we saw some of the museums and sights of central Russia, drove through the steppes of Kalmykia and walked through ancient Derbent in Dagestan. Finally, the border of the first of the Transcaucasian countries on our way was left behind, and the most difficult for autotourists. Now we have to literally connect three ancient Transcaucasian capitals with a route thread in just three days and see something else along the way.
ABOUT COUNTRY
Being a cradle ancient civilization, as well as being at the crossroads of the geopolitical, economic, cultural interests of many tribes and peoples, Azerbaijan has a rich cultural heritage. The country is located in the South Caucasus, on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. The republic borders with Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Turkey and Russia, and by sea with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. total area Azerbaijan is 86,600 sq. km, and the population is more than 9 million people.
The capital of Azerbaijan is one of the most beautiful cities world, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, the port city of Baku. Baku is the cultural, industrial and political capital of Azerbaijan, located on west coast Caspian Sea, on the shores of the bay of the same name in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula, rich in its oil fields. This is one of the most charming cities in the East, whose architectural sights and oriental charm attract tourists from all over the world.
How to get to Baku?
We will tell you how you can get to the “city of winds” Baku from Moscow and do it as cheaply as possible.
Select travel dates, number of passengers and click " Find tickets«
To begin with, we note that citizens of the CIS (except Turkmenistan and Armenia) do not require a visa to enter Azerbaijan. For citizens of other countries, a visa is issued on the basis of an invitation from a private or legal entity or a travel agency.
The easiest and fastest way to get to Baku is to take a direct flight. Dozens of planes fly from Baku every day, so choosing an option that is suitable in terms of departure time and cost is not difficult. There are both direct flights and routes with transfers. Flights are organized by Russian and foreign companies - Aeroflot, Azerbaijan Airlines, S7 Airlines, Belavia, Air Astana and others. A non-stop flight usually takes about 3 hours. You can select travel dates and buy plane tickets to Baku (or to another destination) at a low price through the “air tickets” section of our service.
Our website provides you with a convenient search engine that allows you to sort and thereby find the most the best option flight for you.
To do this, you need to go to our website with a simple and easy-to-use interface, enter the city of arrival and click on the “find tickets” section. Then you will need to wait a bit until a tab opens with a list of airline offers from which you can make your choice.
Please note that the information on the site is periodically updated and by leaving your email, you can subscribe to our updates, which will help you not miss the chance to purchase tickets at competitive prices.
Where to stay in Baku?
Once the issue with the air ticket has been resolved, you can begin searching and booking accommodation. There are not just many places in Baku where a tired traveler can stop, but a lot. Moreover, the rooms and service of many hotels are of surprisingly high quality. Apart from absolutely budget options, in the capital you can find a comfortable hotel at a very reasonable price.
We also recommend choosing hotels for your trip through our service, which allows you to compare room prices across most booking systems, which often leads to good savings. In the section of the site "" except detailed information and characteristics, you can also look at photographs of hotels, which will greatly facilitate your choice.
Hotel booking with discounts up to 60%
Book your room at a great price!
What to try in Baku?
The next important stage when planning a trip is food. It is impossible to leave Baku without trying the famous Azerbaijani dishes, the recipes of which are passed down from generation to generation. The whole city is full of inexpensive cafes offering their guests all kinds of kebabs, kebabs and the famous “kutabs” (lavash with different fillings). You can have a snack in such establishments for 5-10 local manats. You can find out the ruble exchange rate and calculate how much it makes by going through the following link. or on the website of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In the old town there are several small restaurants that are interesting not only for their traditional cuisine, but also for their authentic atmosphere. It can be seen in the interiors and the attitude of the staff towards visitors - true oriental hospitality. If you need a snack on the run, then you can safely go to the stalls with shawarma, donuts and other pastries. The food here is fast, tasty, and at the same time they keep the work area clean.
In national cuisine restaurants you can try unusual dishes and plunge into the atmosphere of oriental hospitality.
The city has several respectable bars, restaurants and nightclubs. The average price tag in them is much higher than in other establishments in the city, however, for the luxurious interior, European service, skillful presentation of dishes and great view to the city and the sea, you can pay.
What to see in Baku? What sights?
Once the choice of accommodation has been made and the issue of food has been resolved, you can create a walking route around Baku. Conventionally, all the sights of the city can be divided into three parts: the Old City, buildings built during the Soviet period, and modern Baku. You can find a lot of useful information about Azerbaijan and Baku on the Internet. Using certain key search terms such as "10 best places Azerbaijan”, “attractions of Baku”, etc. you will be able to get initial information about the country, its culture, and customs. We decided to offer you our list of places that you should definitely visit upon arrival in Azerbaijan:
“Icheri Sheher”, i.e. Old city
The old city of Icheri Sheher is located in the center of modern Baku. The place is unique, steeped in history, unusual architecture, and also replete with souvenirs, small restaurants and traces of the Silk Road trade. This is a monument of oriental medieval architecture preserved in Baku, which is included in the list world heritage UNESCO. " Business cards» The Old Town is an ancient fortified building, the Maiden Tower, a treasure of Azerbaijani architecture Palace ensemble rulers of the Shirvanshahs, erected here in the 15th century and the Shemakhan Gate leading to the city. In addition, you will be interested to know that the movie “The Diamond Arm” was filmed in this part of the city.
Baku is especially luxurious at night. In the evening, as soon as the sun goes below the horizon, the golden lights of the city light up before the eyes of citizens and numerous tourists. The Baku Bay of the Absheron Peninsula resembles a luxurious necklace made of gold and precious stones. This is a very romantic city, walking around which you will get a lot of emotions and positive impressions.
Baku Seaside Boulevard is one of the attractions of Baku, a favorite vacation spot for Baku residents and city guests. In 2009, he celebrated his 100th anniversary. The length of the park is 25 km. Here you can find a solid amount of entertainment for both children and adults, including many attractions, a string of cultural sites and much more. There is also the world's first specialized museum for collecting, preserving and studying carpet, the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, a shopping center, many restaurants, as well as the Baku “Venice” - a town on the water, which is one of the features of the Azerbaijani capital, one of the beautiful and favorite recreation areas residents and guests of the capital.
Nagorny Park named after Sergei Kirov, located in the very center of Baku, is considered one of the most beautiful parks in the capital, as well as favorite place recreation for local residents. The park is unique in that from its territory you can see a panorama of the city, which explains the name of the park - Nagorny. Another name for the park that has caught on among the people is Observation Deck. The park was built from Baku quarried limestone of various colors on the site of an old Muslim cemetery. Nagorny Park also houses the Alley of Martyrs, where the victims of “Black January” who died in the Karabakh War are buried, an open theater, a reading room, a cafe and other architectural monuments.
(literally “burning mountain”) is one of the most famous and popular “eternal flame” places among tourists in Azerbaijan. This is a natural eternal fire that has been burning since ancient times on a hillside in Azerbaijan. Today in the world there is no a large number of Such natural gas combustion sources, most of them are located in Azerbaijan. The natural eternal flame of Yanardag is caused by the leak of flammable natural gas from a large field under the Absheron Peninsula.
If you are planning to travel, if you want to get a lot of positive emotions, see how one country can combine two different cultures of the West and the East, try the unique taste of oriental cuisine, get acquainted with ancient sights and monuments of modern culture, touch the national flavor, then definitely come visit us!
When leaving the city, do not forget to purchase souvenirs that reflect the national character and local flavor in which they were produced and purchased. These can be keychains, figurines, magnets, backgammon, which will be a pleasant reminder of your stay in Azerbaijan, visiting old Baku, holy places, museums, cultural sites, architecture, etc.
In conclusion, we note that our service site is a metasearch system that, depending on your request, sorts information provided from 728 airlines, 40 agencies and 5 booking services, and gives you the opportunity to make a choice at the best prices .
The website contains all the services necessary for an independent traveler: purchasing air tickets, hotel reservations, insurance, etc. Also, in addition to the listed services, on the website you can get information about excursions, sea cruises, tours and many other important moments for the traveler.
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Why go and what to see in Baku
Baku is an amazingly hospitable city located on the shores of the Caspian Sea; it has its own rich history, culinary traditions, natural attractions, and Baku is modern city with developed infrastructure, modern buildings and plenty of entertainment. In addition, tourists are attracted to Baku by its mild climate coupled with opportunities beach holiday, and they are truly unlimited in the vicinity of Baku.
It’s definitely worth going to Baku to feel its oriental flavor, taste delicious dishes, see traditional and ultra-modern architecture, visit the outskirts of the city and see natural attractions, and, of course, breathe the salty air while walking along the famous Baku embankment, located right on the shore of the mighty Caspian Sea.
You can visit Baku for excursion purposes at any time of the year; for a beach holiday, the period from June to September inclusive is suitable. It is better to look for places for a beach holiday in the nearest suburbs of Baku (Bilgya, Mardakan, Zagulba, Novkhani, etc.), where there is the appropriate infrastructure, and the beaches themselves will delight you with their cleanliness, well-groomed and fine golden sand. The Baku port is located within the city limits.
Francisco Anzola/flickr
Climate and weather in Baku
The climate of Baku is mild continental, without sudden changes. The air temperature rises smoothly and reaches its peak in July-August and also gradually decreases and reaches its minimum in December-January. Even in winter time The thermometer rarely drops below zero. Autumn, winter and spring are perfect for traveling to Baku for excursion purposes; the weather is conducive to long walks, there is no sweltering heat typical for the summer period.
Summer in Baku is hot, dry, with virtually no precipitation. In July-August, when the temperature can reach +40 degrees, long walks around the city may not be comfortable, but the Baku summer is ideal for a beach holiday on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Sufficiently warm weather in Baku begins at the end of April, but swimming will only be possible starting in June, because... the water warms up more slowly.
There is not much precipitation in Baku; it is mainly typical for the period from November to March. At this time of year there are short-term rains, the weather becomes more cloudy, in some years (not every year) in Baku on a short time Snow may fall. You can read more about the weather in Baku by season in
Trevor Claringbold/flickr
Currency, language, local time in Baku
The currency of Azerbaijan is the Azerbaijani manat, designated as AZN. It is customary to pay in local currency, so you should take care of exchanging cash before or upon arrival. At Baku airport you can exchange not only dollars or euros, but also rubles. The approximate exchange rate at the beginning of 2018 is 34 rubles per 1 manat.
The official and most frequently used language in Azerbaijan, incl. in Baku, is the Azerbaijani language. Not everyone knows Russian, but tourist places They will understand you. In large hotel chains, you will be more likely to be understood if you speak English, because... The staff is dedicated to receiving foreign guests. Menus in restaurants can be duplicated in English or Russian, but this is only if you have chosen an establishment visited by tourists. If you want to try authentic Azerbaijani cuisine, then you should go to those establishments that the locals themselves visit, but in this case there is a risk of stumbling upon the language barrier, and you will have to express yourself with gestures.
The time difference between Baku and Moscow is 1 hour. Thus, Baku is in the GMT+4 time zone, while Moscow is in the GMT+3 time zone. Daylight hours in Baku last a little longer.
Aero Icarus/flickr
How to get to Baku
The most popular way to get to Baku from Russia is by air. You can fly on the Moscow-Baku route without transfers using several airlines at once. Flights, for example, are operated by Azal (Azerbaijan Airlines), Utair, S7, Aeroflot. The flight time will be on average 4 hours (there) and 2 hours (back). Azal flies from Vnukovo and returns to Domodedovo; Utair uses only Vnukovo airport, S7 is based in Domodedovo; Aeroflot departs and returns to Sheremetyevo. From other Russian cities you will need a transfer in Moscow.
In addition to planes, you can also get to Baku from Russia by train, but the travel time will be significant. So, for example, a train from Moscow to Baku takes two days, the frequency of flights is low, so there is no point in considering this option as a tourist option.
In Baku, planes from Moscow and other cities land at the international ultra-modern airport named after Heydar Aliyev. The airport is located not in the city itself, but 25 km from it, and is connected to Baku by a new generation expressway (construction began in 2008). The airport has 2 passenger terminals - for receiving international flights and local ones. International terminal was built quite recently, in 2014, and is designed in a futuristic style. The terminal amazes not only with its scale, but also with its design features.
Inside the terminal you can find everything you might need upon arrival or during transit connection– cafes, restaurants, shops, Duty-Free, Internet access, banking services, medical center, luggage packaging, airport hotel, business lounges, etc.
There are several ways to get from Baku airport to the city center. During the daytime, you can use public transport. For example, you can leave the airport by bus shuttle No. H1. The bus will take you to central station metro station "28 May". Shuttles run every half hour throughout the day. The fare is 1.3 manats (if you have a BakiKART transport card) and 1.5 manats for a one-time trip without a card. Read more about
In addition, you can also get from the airport by taxi or transfer. The option is relatively inexpensive and convenient if you are traveling with big amount suitcases, with small children or arriving at night. You can catch a taxi at the exit from the arrivals terminal, or book private transfer in advance. You can order transfer services on various international services:
- order system
-
This is quite convenient and saves you from additional fuss after arriving at the airport. The price varies from 20 euros one way.
IsaMCRosado1/wikipedia
Public transport in Baku
Baku, as a large metropolitan metropolis, has a developed public transport network, so it will not be difficult for tourists to move around the city from one attraction to another. To explore the city center, it is generally enough to use only the metro (only 2 lines). If there is a need to go to more remote areas of the city, then buses and minibuses will come to the rescue. Please note that public transport in Baku does not operate at night between midnight and 6 am.
In addition to buses, minibuses and the metro, public transport in Baku also includes the funicular, which runs along the route Nagorny Park - Neftchinikov Avenue Square. By the way, this is a great way to explore the city.
To use the Baku metro, you need to purchase a reusable card, which can subsequently be topped up with the required amount. By the way, the card can be returned to the cashier after use (relevant if you come to Baku for just a couple of days). A one-time bus fare is paid at the conductor's booth. The fare is 0.2 manats, which is quite cheap by capital standards.
Of course, you can also use taxi services to get around; they are relatively inexpensive here. For reference, the Uber taxi system operates in Baku. You can order a taxi not only to move around the city, but also, for example, to travel around the surrounding area; this is a common practice among tourists in Baku. If you wish, you can also get to natural attractions outside of Baku by commuter buses. You can read more about public transport routes in
Baku metro map/wikipedia/Boris Berdichevsky
Car rental in Baku
The car rental service is gaining increasing popularity in Baku, especially among those travelers who do not plan to limit themselves only to exploring the capital. For example, car rental is relevant both for trips around the Absheron Peninsula and for longer trips to the National Parks of Azerbaijan. You can even say that in such cases a car is the most reliable way to travel, because... public transport can not always take you everywhere.
On the contrary, in order to move only around the city, it is not at all necessary to rent a car. Baku has big problems with traffic jams, so driving here is just wasting your time. In this sense, the metro is a real lifesaver for tourists who are in a hurry to see as much as possible in Baku in a limited period of time.
If you decide to rent a car in Baku, then you need to keep in mind that the cars at local rental centers may be “worn,” so it is recommended to rent a car from trusted international services. You can find these both in the city center and at the arrival airport. For example, offices of rental companies such as Avis or Hertz are open at Baku airport. You can book the desired class of car in advance, then the on-site registration procedure will be simplified for you.
Francisco Anzola/Baku
Sights of Baku
Located in Baku great amount various attractions - historical, architectural, natural, cultural, and some of them have no analogues in the world, so Baku, in this sense, is a unique and in many ways inimitable city. It’s pleasant to walk around Baku at almost any time, a pleasant sea breeze blows from the embankment, the streets are mostly wide, there are many avenues, and quite a few park areas.
The main centers of attraction in Baku are the Baku Seaside Boulevard, Flame Towers, the Old City of Icheri Shekher, the Little Venice area, the Carpet Museum, the Nagorny Park with an observation deck, the State Flag Square and the Heydar Aliyev Center. Among the listed attractions, travel to public transport you will only need to go to the State Flag Square and the Heydar Aliyev Center. The rest of the attractions can be explored one after another, slowly, walking through the city center. Read more about the sights of Baku below:
Area Icheri Sheher, which is located in the very heart of Baku, will allow you to plunge into the history of the city. Here, unlike the rest of Baku, narrow cobbled streets and buildings built in a traditional style predominate; there are also many oriental motifs in the decoration and ornamentation of buildings. Well, concentration historical monuments and it’s completely off the charts. These, for example, include the fortress walls, the palace of the Shirvanshahs, the baths of Haji Gaib, the Maiden Tower, which, by the way, you can climb. The area is small, you can get around it in 1-1.5 hours. Entrance to the territory of the old city is free. Entrance fees are charged only at the Shirvanshahs' Palace and the Maiden Tower.
Francisco Anzola/flickr
From the old town you can directly access Primorsky Park, and from there to Baku embankment to breathe fresh air and admire the sea views. The embankment in Baku is a particularly beloved part of the city by local residents, which they are proud of and carefully monitor. In the Primorsky Park you can find several modern glass buildings, pedestrian promenades, and all this splendor is decorated with real baobabs! Near the boulevard there is also "Little Venice" area, which is a system of water channels along which you can sail in rental gondolas in the summer. The place is very romantic, especially in the evening.
Carpet Museum- this is true unique place in Baku. Here you can learn about how real oriental carpets are made, what the history of their creation is, and you can see magnificent examples of this art. The Carpet Museum is located near the Little Venice area and is open every day, seven days a week. You can explore the museum on your own, with an audio guide or with a guide. The entrance fee is 8 manats. By the way, the museum building itself will also not leave indifferent all lovers of unusual architecture.
Another interesting area of the city is Nagorny Park. You can get here by cable car or on foot along the stairs. The park is notable for the fact that there is an excellent observation deck with views of the city. In addition, from the park you can walk to Alley of Shahids, Turkish mosque and to towersFlameTowers. The towers are generally one of the most beautiful modern buildings not only in Baku, but throughout Azerbaijan. At night, the towers are illuminated with amazingly beautiful illumination. Inside the towers, in addition to administrative offices, there is the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers hotel (description on Booking.com ), whose windows also open scenic views to Baku. It would be hard to find a more luxurious place to stay in Baku.
By State Flag Square It’s more interesting to walk in the evening when the illumination turns on. Looks especially interesting Water Palace, which has an interesting architectural shape, and is also illuminated in the evening.
Fans of unusual architecture in a la futur style will also enjoy Cultural Center Heydar Aliyev. It is located away from the main attractions, so it is better to get here by transport. The building itself has smooth, streamlined shapes; inside there is a museum and the cultural center itself; around the building there is a vast park with funny sculptures and the inscription “I love Baku”. In the evening the center is also illuminated.
Niyaz Bakılı/flickr
Excursions to Baku
You can explore Baku on your own; the logistics of travel are quite convenient, but if you want to learn a little more about the city, you can contact local guides who will be happy to give you a tour of your favorite city. There are excursions to Baku for every taste - group, individual, walking, bus, car, city and country. It all depends on your specific interests. You can book an excursion in advance using specialized services:
- online booking of groups and individual excursions Worldwide;
- unusual excursions from local guides in Russian.
For example, the city sightseeing tour is very popular. " The services also offer excursions to the outskirts of Baku - to mud volcanoes, to the Ateshgah temple, to the burning Mount Yanardag, to Absheron villages and to natural park"Gobustan".
You can also find excursions upon arrival in Baku; they are often offered in the central part of the city, but in this case you cannot guess the quality of services. Alternatively, you can use by tourist bus"Hop on hop off”, which makes a circle around all the main attractions of Baku, and audio guides are offered on board in different languages.
Francisco Anzola/flickr
Beaches of Baku
Despite the fact that there are city beaches in Baku, tourists still prefer to relax in the outskirts of the city - in resort villages Mardakan, Zagulba, Novkhany, Bilgya, Shikhovo. Firstly, within the city limits there is major port, which makes swimming not very comfortable; secondly, resort villages offer their guests developed infrastructure and service in a European style, so it is not surprising that lovers of beaches and swimming choose a country holiday.
The distance from Baku to the villages is as follows: to Mardakan - 31 km, to Zagulba - 34 km, to Novkhana - 17 km, to Bilgah - 31 km, to Shikhovo - 25 km. The beaches at these resorts are mostly sandy, with a gentle entrance to the sea. The topography of the Absheron Peninsula does not favor a rocky bottom at all. Many beach areas belong to specific hotel chains, in which case the place will be equipped with umbrellas, sun loungers, showers, and toilets. If you are not a guest of this hotel, then you will have to pay for using the equipment. The level of hotel service at resorts in the vicinity of Baku can be compared with European ones, so some tourists come here specifically for a beach holiday.
You can get to resort villages from Baku by public transport or taxi. A wide network runs from Baku commuter buses that will take you to the right place. True, the bus network changes frequently, so it is better to check the route with the driver so as not to go the wrong way. If you go to the resorts directly upon arrival from the airport, without visiting Baku itself, then it makes sense to order a taxi (transfer) to the place so as not to get confused with public transport transfers. Taxis in Baku are relatively inexpensive. You can order an individual transfer in advance using the following services:
- order system taxi transfers from airports, train stations and hotels around the world;
- system for self-booking tourist transfers to/from hotels via the Internet.
Trevor Claringbold/flickr
Baku Hotels
Baku offers a wide variety of accommodation options. Here you can find hotels, apartments, hostels, villas, guest houses, vacation homes, bed and breakfasts, resort hotels, etc. The budget can also be quite varied from budget and minimalist options to chic and luxury. The middle price segment is also widely represented. Conventionally, all hotels in Baku can be divided into city and resort. The first are located within the boundaries of Baku, the second - in resort villages in the vicinity of the city.
In Baku you can find hotels of all star categories, while hotels in the 4* and 5* categories often have such additional services, such as the presence of a sauna, swimming pool, fitness center. Meals in Baku hotels most often include breakfast. IN resort hotels You can also find options such as “half board” or “ full board" If you are staying in the suburbs of Baku for a beach holiday, then it makes sense to consider hotels located on the first beach line, often such hotels have their own private beach areas.
Standard options that are often provided by Baku hotels also include free connection to the wi-fi network (everywhere), parking spaces, a restaurant on site or nearby, the ability to order a transfer to the airport for an additional fee.
Largest quantity tourist hotels of different categories are concentrated in areas such as Fountain Square, Flame Towers, Nagorny Park, Heydar Aliyev Center, and the Old City. By the way, by choosing the last option, you can feel the real atmosphere and flavor of Baku, because... the buildings in which these hotels are located have centuries-old history. A complete list of hotels, inns and apartments in Baku can be found on the sites for booking accommodation:
- hotel reservations in 120,000 destinations around the world;
Hotellook - search and comparison best prices for hotels, inns and apartments;
There you can book the desired option in advance. By the way, about early booking. There are so many accommodation options in Baku that you don’t have to worry about not finding accommodation for the night. Another question is that by booking a hotel in advance, you will avoid overpaying on the spot. As is known, best hotels In terms of price/quality ratio, they sell out the fastest.
Adam Jones/flickr
Shopping in Baku
Baku has a real oriental flavor, while at the same time it has a European level of service. That is why shopping in the city is very diverse - from elite mono-brand boutiques and shopping centers to colorful oriental bazaars and spontaneous flea markets. The best shopping streets can be considered the city center - N. Gyadzhevi, Z. Aliyeva, A. Aliyev and R. Rzy streets, as well as Neftchinikov Avenue, which are replete with the names of fashion brands of clothing, shoes, accessories, and jewelry.
There are many shopping malls in Baku. These, for example, include Ganjlik Mall, Port Baku Mall, 28 Mall, Metropark. Here you can also find a wide variety of brands, labels, brands, as well as various recreation areas – cafes, restaurants, cinemas, children's playgrounds. In fact, these are real " trading cities» with its developed infrastructure.
If you want to wander around the oriental bazaar and feel its bustle, delicious smells and see and taste southern fruits and oriental sweets, then you should definitely go to one of the Baku bazaars. One of the largest food markets in Baku is the Teze Bazaar market. If you want to find unusual souvenirs and bring them back from your trip, then what could be better than oriental spices, herbs and honey, of which there is a great abundance on the market. What else is worth trying at Baku bazaars is sheep cheese, southern dried fruits, oriental sweets, as well as simply fresh fruits and vegetables (especially in season).
shankar s./oriental bazaar
Food in Baku
Food in Baku can be either familiar European (what most tourists are used to) or national Azerbaijani. In the city you can find a great variety of restaurants and cafes that offer both European cuisine and Azerbaijani cuisine. It is worth considering that, in general, National cuisine Azerbaijan is fattier and hotter, you need to keep this in mind in case of exacerbation of chronic diseases and gastrointestinal disorders.
In the center of Baku you can find catering establishments for every taste; they are usually open all day until late in the evening. Prices excluding a few restaurants haute cuisine, lower than Moscow. If you want to try real Azerbaijani food, then you should pay attention to dishes such as shish kebab, kebab, kutab, khingal, pilaf. More often, meat dishes will be made from lamb or beef, because... They don’t eat pork in Azerbaijan. The proximity to the sea also makes it possible to try fresh sea fish and dishes made from it. As for desserts, kurabye, baklava, mutaki and shekerbur are popular.
When choosing a restaurant, you should pay attention to its location. For example, in the Old Town, restaurants will have beautiful views to historical sights, and on the embankment - to the sea. Some restaurants in summer time years offer guests to sit on open terraces with panoramic views. In addition to restaurants and cafes, you can also buy food in numerous supermarkets. This food option is considered more budget-friendly. Supermarkets in Baku are not much different from Russian or European ones, so here you can find any familiar food and drinks.
shankar s./restaurant dish khinkali
Prices in Baku
Prices in Baku for accommodation, food, public transport and sightseeing are generally lower than in European capitals or Moscow. Of course, the price tag largely depends on the class of the establishment you visit or stay at. So, for example, lunch in a cafe without alcohol will cost, on average, 20-30 manats, in a restaurant - from 25-30 manats, a snack in fast food establishments - a little cheaper, around 10-15 manats. Products in supermarkets have “store” prices, while in markets you can bargain and the food is often fresher.
Prices in Baku for food are as follows: packaged chilled meat - 5-6 euros per kg, boiled sausage - 4.5-5 euros per kg, sausages - 4 euros per kg, baked goods (buns, bagels, croissants) - from 20 to 60 eurocents, lavash - 30 eurocents per pack of 10 pieces, hard cheese - 6.5-7 euros per kg, pickled cheese - 3.5-4 euros per kg, milk - 1.20 euros per liter, yoghurts - 1 euro per package of 4 pieces, or for 1 large jar, semi-finished dough products (such as pizza) - from 2 to 3 euros per package, local wines - from 3 to 6 euros per bottle.
The standard price for travel on public transport (one-time trip) is 0.2 manat. Entrance prices to the attractions are as follows: Maiden Tower - 4 euros, Palace of the Shirvanshahs - 2 euros, Heydar Aliyev Center - 7.5 euros, Ateshgah Temple - 1 euro, Burning Mount Yanardag - 1 euro, natural Park Gobustan – 1 euro. (Prices are indicated at the beginning of 2018 and are subject to change).
Raymond Zoller/flickr
Where to go from Baku for one day
Baku is beautiful in itself, but the attractions in the vicinity of the city are quite unusual, many can only be seen here, so if you have time, they are definitely worth visiting. Such places include, for example, a unique Gobustan Nature Reserve, where unusual rocks and rocks are covered with mysterious hieroglyphs and rock paintings. The Gobustan Nature Reserve is considered an archaeological site under UNESCO protection. It is located 30 km from Baku.
Mount Yanardag- Another unusual place in the vicinity of Baku. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it burns all year round, i.e. Tongues of flame burst out onto the surface of the earth. This fact is explained by the fact that there is an accumulation of natural gas near the surface. It's a similar story with Ateshgah temple, where you can also find the source of the eternal flame. Both places are popular among tourists and travelers.
If you are determined to see not only Baku and the surrounding area, then you may be interested in: National parks Azerbaijan. There are eight of them in total, and each of them has its own unique features and characteristics. The names of the parks: Zangezur, Ag-Gol, Shirvan, Girkan, Altyagadzh, Absheron, Shahdag and Goygol, they are located in different parts Azerbaijan.
David Davidson/Azerbaijan
Practical and eventful travels to you!