Self-guided itinerary · free
Baku in 3 days: the Old City, modern Baku and the fire sites
The plan starts in Icherisheher, Baku's walled historic core, follows the Boulevard along the Caspian into the modern city and then heads out to the fire sites of the Absheron peninsula. Day one is all within walking distance: the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the Maiden Tower, the stone lanes, the Carpet Museum on the Boulevard and Fountains Square in the evening. Day two is for modern Baku: the curving Heydar Aliyev Centre in the morning, the view of the bay and the Flame Towers from Upland Park in the afternoon, and sunset on the Boulevard. Day three explores the city's "land of fire" identity at the Ateshgah fire temple and the ever-burning hillside of Yanardag; you can swap it for the Gobustan rock art and mud volcanoes. Plan a car for the out-of-town sites. Hours and fees link to the official source with the date we last checked them.
Prepared by: Kolay Seyahat content teamLast updated 22/10/2026Every fact links to an official source
This is not a package tour. This itinerary is free information. Flights, hotels and experiences are each sold separately, under their own seller’s terms, with separate payment and a separate contract. Prices are never linked to one another.
Day by day
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Day 1 · The Old City and the Caspian shore
Start at the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower, wander the Old City's stone lanes, step outside the walls to the Carpet Museum and the Boulevard, and end the evening on Fountains Square.
Day 1 · 1 · 10:00–11:30
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
The Old City's most complete group of buildings, the 15th-century former residence of the Shirvanshah dynasty. Palace, mosque, mausoleum, bathhouse, divan hall and gates sit together around a single layout, which makes the city's medieval seat of power easy to understand. Take your time over the stonework, the passages between courtyards and the sunken bathhouse; early in the morning the crowds have not yet arrived.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
Daily 10:00–19:00; ticketed entry.
Source: Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Check the official site for current information
Source: Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The palace is part of Baku's Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Address: 76, 1st Gasr Lane.
Source: Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Entry is ticketed; check the current price at the gate. The Old City Tourist Information Centre at 55 Boyuk Gala Street is open daily 10:00–19:00.
Day 1 · 2 · 11:30–12:30
The Maiden Tower
Baku's emblem, the Maiden Tower is a building wrapped in legend, its construction date and original purpose still uncertain. Rather than a single definitive story, enjoy the legends told over the centuries; its thick stone body and its position facing the sea explain on their own why it is part of the city's identity.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
Daily 10:00–19:00; ticketed entry.
Source: Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The Maiden Tower was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 together with Baku's Old City. Address: 99 Neftchilar Avenue.
Source: Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Entry is ticketed; check the price and access to the top at the entrance.
Day 1 · 3 · 12:30–14:00
The Old City's lanes and lunch
Ringed by 12th-century walls, the Old City is a "city within a city" of stone lanes, caravanserais and mosques. Wander without a plan: the Muhammad Mosque and the Miniature Book Museum, home to one of the world's smallest books, both recommended by the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, are on your way. Try qutab for lunch; according to the tourism board, some national-cuisine restaurants in the Old City also run qutab-making workshops.
Getting there
- Walk
Good to know
The Old City is Baku's historic core and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, enclosed by 12th-century walls.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
People still live in the Old City; ask before entering courtyards.
Day 1 · 4 · 14:30–16:30
Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum
Stepping outside the walls down to the Boulevard brings you to the museum where Azerbaijani carpet-making is shown region by region. Seeing how patterns, colours and weaving techniques change from place to place teaches you to read the carpets you saw in Old City shop windows this morning. On a rainy day, staying longer here eases the plan.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
Check the official site for current information
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The museum is on Baku's Boulevard.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Opening hours, closing day and prices could not be read from an official source; check the ticket page on the museum's site before you go.
Day 1 · 5 · 16:30–20:00
The Boulevard, Fountains Square and Nizami Street
From the museum, walk the Boulevard along the Caspian, the promenade that links the Old City with the centre. In the late afternoon turn inland to Fountains Square and the pedestrian Nizami Street, where the city's evening life gathers in cafés, shops and restaurants. Have dinner around here.
Getting there
- Walk
Good to know
The Azerbaijan Tourism Board lists Baku's Caspian seaside boulevard and the Carpet Museum among the city's sights.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
It can be windy on the shore; bring a light jacket.
Day 2 · Modern Baku and the city view
See the Heydar Aliyev Centre in the morning, look out over the bay and the Flame Towers from Upland Park in the afternoon, and end with a sunset walk on the Boulevard.
Day 2 · 1 · 10:30–13:00
Heydar Aliyev Centre
The Azerbaijan Tourism Board invites visitors to "admire its curves and collections". Its flowing white surfaces and the surrounding park make a photo stop in their own right, while the exhibitions inside round out the city's modern face. Walking around the building to see it from different angles is half the visit, even before you go in.
Opening hours
Check the official site for current information
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The Azerbaijan Tourism Board lists the Heydar Aliyev Centre among Baku's sights for its curves and collections.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Hours, closing day and prices could not be read from an official source; see the E-Ticket section on the centre's site. A taxi is the easiest way there.
Day 2 · 2 · 15:00–17:00
Upland Park and the Flame Towers
In the afternoon go up to Upland Park above the city, which the Azerbaijan Tourism Board presents as one of Baku's most striking viewpoints. The bay, the Boulevard and, right beside you, the three skyscrapers known as the Flame Towers fit into one frame. The way up passes through the Alley of Martyrs, a memorial site, so keep quiet and respectful. Watch the Flame Towers from the park's viewpoints.
Good to know
The Azerbaijan Tourism Board recommends Upland Park as Baku's viewpoint and the three skyscrapers called the Flame Towers as a photo spot.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
You can walk or take a taxi up to the park; if you plan to use the funicular, check on the spot whether it is running.
Day 2 · 3 · 17:30–19:30
Sunset on the Boulevard
At the end of the day head back down to the Caspian. The Boulevard you walked yesterday afternoon looks entirely different at sunset: the sea glows on the horizon and the Flame Towers' evening look appears behind you. Return to the centre for dinner or keep walking along the shore.
Getting there
- Walk
Tips
Sunset time changes with the season; time your walk accordingly.
Day 3 · Absheron: Ateshgah and Yanardag
Drive out to the Absheron peninsula for the Ateshgah fire temple and the ever-burning Yanardag hillside; or swap the day for the Gobustan rock art and mud volcanoes.
Day 3 · 1 · 11:00–12:30
Ateshgah Fire Temple
Shaped around the "eternal flame" of natural gas seeping from the ground, Ateshgah is the essential stop for understanding Baku's "land of fire" identity. Its roots reach back to ancient times when Zoroastrianism prevailed; pilgrims began arriving in the early 17th century, and the temple took its present form in the early 19th century. The fire at the centre of the courtyard and the cells around it tell the story of pilgrims who came from afar.
Getting there
Buses 191, 113 and 213 from Gara Garayev metro, 184 from Koroglu metro and 104 from Hazi Aslanov metro. Address: Atamoghlan Rzayev Street, Surakhani settlement.
Source: Ateshgah Temple Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Foreign visitors 15 manat, locals 2 manat, students 1 manat. Ateshgah + Yanardag combined ticket 25 manat; for one person, valid for 72 hours after first use.
Source: Ateshgah Temple Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The temple's roots go back to ancient times when Zoroastrianism prevailed; pilgrims began flocking to Surakhani from the early 17th century, and the temple took its present form in the early 19th century.
Source: Ateshgah Temple Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Opening hours are not published on the official site; check before you go. If you visit Ateshgah and Yanardag on the same day, buy the combined ticket.
Day 3 · 2 · 13:30–15:00
Yanardag
The natural-gas flame that burns continuously from the hillside in Mammadli village is the high point of the fire-themed day. It keeps burning through wind and rain; standing in front of the slope and feeling the heat on your face is the most vivid explanation of why Absheron is called the "land of fire". The flame looks more dramatic at dusk, so if you have time, move your visit towards sunset.
Opening hours
Daily 10:00–19:00.
Source: Yanardag State Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Locals 2 ₼, foreign visitors 15 ₼, university students 1 ₼. Combined ticket (one person): Yanardag + Ateshgah 25 ₼; including the mud volcanoes 35 ₼.
Source: Yanardag State Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
Yanardag is in Mammadli village on the Absheron peninsula, about 27 km from Baku.
Source: Yanardag State Reserve · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
The official site lists no bus line, so go by car. Keep children supervised at all times; smoking only in designated areas.
Day 3 · 3
Alternative: Gobustan and the mud volcanoes
If you would rather head south on day three, go to Gobustan, about 60 km south of Baku, for Stone Age rock art in the reserve between the Boyukdash, Kichikdash and Jingirdag mountains. A short drive away are the mud volcanoes, counted among Azerbaijan's most unusual natural phenomena, their grey bubbling mounds like a moonscape. With time and a car, you can combine both with Ateshgah on the way back and Yanardag at sunset.
Opening hours
The Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex is open daily 10:00–19:00, including weekends and public holidays.
Source: Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
At the mud volcanoes it is forbidden to leave the marked route, go closer than 5 metres to the volcanoes, light fires or fly drones.
Source: Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
Gobustan lies between the Boyukdash, Kichikdash and Jingirdag mountains, about 60 km south of Baku.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Gobustan's hours and fees could not be read from an official source; check before you go. No public transport could be confirmed, so go by car.
Getting around
Getting there
The H1 Aeroexpress bus runs from Terminals 1 and 2 to Baku Railway Station (28 May metro) in about 30 minutes, every 20 minutes 06:00–23:15 and every 45 minutes overnight. Pay with a BakuCard or the M10 and Birbank apps.
Source: Heydar Aliyev International Airport · last checked 2026-10-22
Getting there
The metro accepts the BakuCard, QR tickets, local NFC bank cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Trains between 28 May and Nizami are temporarily suspended for line-separation works, with express buses on that section; check metro.gov.az for the current situation.
Source: Baku Metro · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
H1 bus 1.30 AZN; the BakuCard costs 2 AZN and is sold and topped up at the machines outside the terminals.
Source: Heydar Aliyev International Airport · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The currency is the Azerbaijani manat (AZN, ₼); cards are widely accepted in the city. Emergency numbers: 102 police, 103 ambulance, 112 Ministry of Emergency Situations. Time zone GMT+4.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
What and where to eat
Recommended places
Shakh Garden Qoruq Restoran
Old BakuAzerbaijani culinary heritage
The Azerbaijan Tourism Board lists this historic venue, in a building dating back to the 15th century, among its Baku dining picks.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Agabala
Baku19th-century Azerbaijani cooking
According to the tourism board, it takes guests on a journey into 19th-century Azerbaijani cooking.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Sumakh Restaurant
Near Khatai metroTraditional Azerbaijani with a modern touch
The tourism board highlights its dolma, kebabs, plov and national starters, and its careful use of original spice blends.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
CHAYKI Restaurant
City centreModern Azerbaijani
The tourism board mentions its tandoor-baked breads and the chef's reworked regional dishes.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Chörəkdə Café
White CityHome-style breakfast
According to the tourism board, it serves breakfasts of organic produce, motal cheese, homemade jams and fresh tandoor bread.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Notes Gastronomy
BakuEuropean cooking with traditional flavours
The tourism board mentions its signature cooking, which reinterprets familiar flavours with an experimental eye.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
What to eat and where to look
Qutab and qutab-making workshops
National-cuisine restaurants, especially in the Old City, and street stalls
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Local specialities
Dolma
Small fillings wrapped in leaves or stuffed into vegetables; the tradition of making and sharing dolma was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list for Azerbaijan in 2017.
Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage · UNESCO intangible cultural heritage · last checked 2026-10-22
Tea culture
Inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2022 through a joint nomination by Azerbaijan and Türkiye; in some regions cinnamon, ginger or thyme is added, and it is served with jam and dried fruit.
Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage · UNESCO intangible cultural heritage · last checked 2026-10-22
Plov
Saffron rice cooked with plenty of fresh herbs, vegetables and dried fruit, served with meat, fish or fruit.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Shakarbura
A sweet pastry filled with ground hazelnuts or walnuts and sugar, usually made as a team.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Gogal
A savoury or sweet pastry that graces the Novruz table; savoury gogal with sweet tea is a classic breakfast pairing.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Sherbet
A drink made from sugar, lemon, saffron, mint, basil, fruit and nuts, served with plov and dolma.
Source: Azerbaijan Tourism Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Opening hours and prices vary by venue; check the venue’s own site before you go. Recommendations are not paid placements.
Where to stay
Candidates were picked by distance to the area, star rating, guest rating (weighted by number of reviews) and completeness of hotel details. Ratings, review counts and details come live from our catalogue. Tiers follow the star rating.
Sample dates: 26.11–28.11 (2 nights), 2 adults. Prices change with dates; choose your own dates on the hotel page.
Around the Old City and the Boulevard
Every day-one stop is within walking distance, with Icherisheher metro station nearby. In the evening the Boulevard and the old lanes are on your doorstep.
Good for: First-timers, couples and groups of friends
Budget
Mid-range
Fountains Square and Nizami Street
The city centre, busy with restaurants, cafés and shops, within walking distance of the Old City and the Boulevard.
Good for: Travellers focused on evenings out and food
Budget
Mid-range
Around 28 May and the railway station
The last stop of the H1 airport bus and a metro hub. With the 28 May–Nizami metro section temporarily closed, you may need an express bus or taxi to the centre.
Good for: Late arrivals, early departures and budget travellers
Budget
Mid-range
Photos: Pexels (Miguel Cuenca, Fakhri Baghirov, Rahib Yaqubov, Tahir Xəlfəquliyev, Zulfugar Karimov, Tom D'Arby)
