| Airport of arrival: | Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport |
| Flight time from Izmir to Baku: | 3 hours |
Baku, the biggest city of Azerbaijan, its capital, but also the oldest and most important port on the Caspian Sea. About 25% of all countries residents live in the Baku metropolitan area. That is an impressive introduction for a city that is not a primary touristic direction. Labeled by some as “the next Dubai," Baku still has some work to do to make it come true. Regardless of that, you will be thrilled to see its magnificent old town, and the variety of high-quality food will not only be surprising but also rewarding after you have already tried all (or at least most) of the local specialties. Sounds good? The cheap flight tickets are waiting for you to buy them and explore Baku by yourself!
Transportation
About the Airport
The airport that you will fly with us to is Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport, situated 20 kilometers northeast of Baku.
Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport
The airport, with passenger traffic of almost 4.5 million, is well facilitated; there are many restaurants and cafes in the airport, a few comfortable lounges, including a spa. There is free WiFi access throughout the terminal. There are also free computer desks in case you want to use a regular computer and charging stations in case your batteries are running out of power.
Transport from Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport to Baku City Center
You can get from the airport to the city center in 30 minutes by the airport shuttle; they depart every 30-60 minutes, around the clock. There is also an option to take one of the taxis waiting just outside of the airport – this is not a bad option considering that, in general, taxis are quite cheap in Azerbaijani. As for car rental, there are some opportunities available.
Accommodation
The city is vast and crowded, and therefore you might consider staying somewhere a little further from the heart of the town. Public transport works well and so it might be worth to balance the calmness of the neighborhood with the convenience of reaching the city center.
It is recommended to take care of your hotel reservation in advance.
Food
- Lavangi: A traditional Azerbaijani dish; it is a stuffed chicken (toyuq levengisi) or a stuffed fish (baliq levengisi) with walnuts, onions, etc., and then baked all together. It is not too easy to find in restaurants, but once you do, the satisfaction is guaranteed.
- Tika kabab: A variation of russian “shashlyk” or turkish “shishlyk”, tika kabab is marinated lamb put on a stick.
- Piti: Piti is a traditional Azerbaijani soup, where mutton and vegetables are cooked in a broth and then served separately.
- Kourma plov: Plov is ubiquitous in the region; there are multiple different recipes. The base is always rice, and it is accompanied by a variety of things, sweet, salty, and sour, depending on the recipe. Kourma plov is served with mutton and with onion – one of the main themes in the Azerbaijani cuisine.
- Shekerbura: Very popular sweet pastry filled with a variety of nuts; what makes this dessert exceptional is the pattern on the dough, produced explicitly by people called “maggash"
Food and Beverage section of the Baku Travel Guide provides more detailed information about what to eat in Baku.
Useful Information
In the following subsections, you will find the essential information for planning the details of your trip.
Neighboring Cities
- Sumqayit: 28km
- Ardabil: 274km
- Ganja: 300km
- Rasht: 347km
Weather
There are strong winds in Baku regardless of the season, but in general, the climate is moderate and semi-arid.
Essential Numbers
- Country code: +944
- Ambulance: 103
- Police: 102
- Fire: 101
- Airport: +994 12 497 27 27
Places to see
Baku has several historical attractions such as mosques and museums. Moreover, city has beautiful parks. Below, you can find the must-seen places of Baku:
- Icharishahar: The heart of the city, and the certificate of its past. Stuffed with fancy restaurants and ordinary bars, this is the part of Baku that you should take your time to get familiar with. Honestly, it won't hurt if you spend a full day in that neighborhood – there is so much to see and so many places to visit, that this way you would avoid some unnecessary time-related stresses.
- Bibi-Heybat Mosque: Recreated in 1998, initially built in the 13th century, that mosque is a must-see when you are visiting the capital of Azerbaijan. It is not very close, but easy to reach. And it is worth to go there because of how beautiful it is. There is also a view of the sea.
- Upland Park: Huge, green, gorgeous park from which you will have a magnificent panoramic view of Baku and the Bay of Baku. Don’t leave before taking a walk along the Martyrs Alley; this is a very symbolic place for the Azerbaijani people.
- Philharmonic Fountain Park: Magnificent fountain in a beautiful and one of the oldest parks of the city, just outside the charming old town. This is a perfect area to take a short break in the middle of the Icharishahar sightseeing, to catch a breath, snack something, rehydrate.
- Nizami Museum of Literature: The building is stunning outside, and the museum inside is mesmerizing. It is not very well advertised, but the tour is very enlightening. A gem for people interested in arts and literature.
More information about the places to visit in Baku can be found in Baku Travel Guide.
