Baku – Where East Meets West and Old Meets New

Baku is a city of contrasts, with the time-worn sandstone walls of the Old City offsetting utilitarian Soviet-era buildings and shiny post-Soviet developments. Though it's eye-catching architecture, this fascinating city offers a true confrontation of old and new, and East and West. A quirky, playful feel characterises much of the modern architecture – perhaps a conscious effort to throw off the shackles of Soviet utilitarianism. The Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum resembles a roll of carpet, while the evocative Flame Towers pay tribute to Azerbaijan’s adopted Land of Fire motto, and colourful rabbit statues surround Zaha Hadid's famous, undulating Heydar Aliyev Centre. Families with children will appreciate the many parks that defy Baku’s desert surroundings and numerous play areas that are made available at or near many of the attractions, while foodies will relish discovering mouth-watering local delicacies such as levengi, baci dolmasi or dushbara, or visiting the traditional Yasil Market.

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Top Attractions in Baku

Soak Up the Past in Baku's Old City

With well-preserved city walls dating back to the 12th century, Baku’s Old City (Icheri Sheher) is both an epic monument to the past and home to a bustling community. Highlights include the 15th-century Palace of the Shirvanshahs described by UNESCO as one of the pearls of Azerbaijan’s architecture, and the iconic, comma-shaped Maiden Tower, which features prominently on Azerbaijan’s currency. Food-lovers will enjoy trying out the national cuisine in traditional surroundings at one of the city's caravanserais – former roadside inns for travelling merchants, which are typically structured around a courtyard – that house restaurants, such as the Bukhara Caravanserai.

Visit the Stunning Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre

The gleaming white exterior of the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre houses a state-of-the-art, acoustically designed auditorium, a multifunctional gallery hall, a museum and a Classic Car exhibition. Fans of architecture will marvel at the building’s endless curves and folds, as well as the absence of straight lines, and will enjoy the permanent ‘Mini Azerbaijan’ exhibition, displaying models of many of the nation’s most famous buildings, both ancient and modern. The interior lives up to the stunning exterior and it is well worth visiting the museum or attending a concert in the auditorium if you can.

Baku Boulevard – Pretty as a Picture

If you wish to relax after a long day touring the city, why not take a stroll along Baku Boulevard? Lined with trees and planted flower arrangements, this seafront promenade is a perfectly picturesque place for photos. Stretching over around six kilometers, the Boulevard and the 60-metre Baku Eye ferris wheel afford wonderful views of the seafront, National Flag Square (featuring one of the world’s tallest flagpoles), and many of Baku's architectural attractions. The Park Bulvar Mall caters for everyone, with over 100 stores including luxury and high-street brands, a cinema, planetarium, children's playground, and numerous cafés and restaurants.

Ateshgah Fire Temple – A Fiery Monument to the Past

For a flamboyant display, visit this ancient site of fire worship by night to see impressive flames rising up from the four corners of its altar. Return by day to learn about this former temple’s history via museum exhibits lining the courtyard. One of Azerbaijan's many shrines of fire worship built on top of a natural flame, fire worship at Ateshgah dates back at least to the 10th century, with the current temple structure constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries. The site, once sacred to both Zoroastrians and Hindus, will delight history buffs with beautiful architectural elements and inscriptions from both cultures.

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