What do you need to know before traveling to Azerbaijan? “İçəri şəhər - Inner city in common people - Fortress, or “old” city - an ancient residential quarter and historical and architectural reserve in the capital of Azerbaijan, the city of Baku”...

The Heydar Aliyev Center immediately appeared on the list of the most amazing buildings of the 21st century. The building includes a convention center, museum, exhibition halls and administrative offices. There were practically no straight lines used in it. The wave-shaped main building seems to rush upward, while at the same time not losing its smooth connection with the ground. In 2014, this project was recognized as the best in the world and awarded the 2014 Design of the Year award.

Baku Crystal Hall

The concert hall for 25 thousand spectators was built in just 8 months. An artificial peninsula was even created in the bay for construction. Baku residents simply call the place “Eurovision”: in 2012, the country received the right to host this international competition and the Crystal Hall was built specifically for it. Now the hall is a concert venue for performances by A-list stars. At various times, concerts of Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, and Shakira took place there.

Airport named after Heydar Aliyev

For a long time, the Baku airport was content with one passenger terminal, which in the end could no longer cope with the increased passenger traffic. But in 2013, a new terminal was opened here, the top view of which is stylized as an airplane or a bird spreading its wings in flight. The state airline Azal is based in the new terminal, and arriving passengers are greeted by luxurious interiors that immediately immerse them in the atmosphere of oriental fairy tales.

White City

Once upon a time, this territory was the so-called Black City - an area of industry and workers. Now the government has decided to build a fashionable (like everything else in Baku) White City district on this site. The seaside part of the new district will be built exclusively with skyscrapers, of which Baku residents are very proud in advance.

“Sjort pobieri.” Icheri Sheher Boulevard

This place is a cult place for all fans of Soviet cinema. This is where the famous scene from the film “The Diamond Arm” was filmed. Now all that remains of the old street is the door, near which the smugglers were guarding Mironov. At this point, everyone tries to stumble and be sure to have time to take a selfie. Expensive cars are now parked along the boulevard, and around the bend there begins a whole alley of fashionable shops and restaurants.

Flame Tower

A new symbol of the city and all of Azerbaijan. And the symbol must be noticeable. The new complex is the tallest buildings in the country. Flame Towers lighting has been recognized as the best in the world. The buildings are completely covered with LED screens, onto which burning flames are broadcast, visible from the farthest points of the city. Visually, the effect of gigantic torches is created, which emphasizes the main idea of the structure, reflected in the name - “Fire Towers”.

Khazar Islands

The new wonder of the world is still under construction, but it is impossible not to mention it. Khazar Islands is an artificial archipelago of 78 islands in the Caspian Sea with a total length of 10 km. More than $100 billion will be spent on construction. According to the plan, the new city will be populated by 2016, and by 2025 its population will be 1 million people (1/9 of the total population of the country).

Jumerah Bilgah Beach Hotel

The hotel itself can be considered another miracle. Jumeirah Bilgah Beach became the first international five-star resort in Baku. The structure and design of the resort were developed by Azerbaijani architect Nazim Valiev. The 18-storey building rises directly on the coast of the Caspian Sea. Locals come here simply to breathe iodized air, which helps with heart disease. In the lobby, guests are greeted by a 58-meter chandelier consisting of 72 thousand LED lamps. It permeates the hotel building from the first floor to the roof. This is a must see.

Guests and hotel guests can admire not only the chandelier and rooms with sea views. Jumeirah Bilgah Beach has nine restaurants and bars, including a nightclub, Talise Spa, fitness center and more. The hotel's cuisine is special: two chefs: a French and an Azerbaijani. If you want to try traditional cuisine, then this is the place for you. And, of course, the hotel is an iconic vacation spot for the elite: there are Oscar-style weddings, summit meetings, and dinners with the participation of presidents and billionaires. In general, everything a curious person could want.

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 do not need a visa for a tourist trip of less than 90 days. 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

The country's main air gate is Baku Heydar Aliyev Airport. S7, Utair and Aeroflot fly from Russia to Baku. Also, Azerbaijan Airlines operates regular flights.
In order to “catch” interesting flight prices, 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 is 7 am in Moscow, it is already 8.00 am in Baku. It is better to immediately set all clocks to local time to avoid confusion.

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 weekends 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 manats. 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 the 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 with a bank card, but it is 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 are simply happy to communicate. 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.

Don't know where to go for the weekend? How about going to Baku? A spontaneous trip to Baku is an option when you get tens of times more than you expect.
The old city of Baku, the endless embankment, the Caspian Sea, oriental hospitality, delicious Azerbaijani cuisine (sturgeon!), tranquility and safety. I hope we have convinced you that you need to go to Azerbaijan.

Planning a trip: flight, do you need a visa, what kind of passport, currency

Organizing an independent trip to Baku is very simple. Russian citizens do not require a visa; a foreign passport is sufficient, which will be stamped upon arrival.
Another advantage of a trip to Azeybarjan is the low cost of air tickets. I bought tickets a week before the trip, they cost me 16,000 rubles, and if you book a month in advance, you can buy a one-way ticket from 5,000 rubles. S7 flew from Moscow, believing that our airline would organize a more comfortable flight than AZALJET (Azeybarjan Airlines), but I was mistaken.
The return flight from AZALJET was simply amazing. We boarded a large, comfortable plane; the distance between the seats allowed us to easily stretch our legs. By the way, the plane matched everything I saw in Baku. Everything here is beautiful, neat, expensive, stylish, calm, so even a regular economy class flight feels almost like business class. Takeoff and landing were not felt at all, I have never experienced such comfort, although I often fly with our normal airlines. They also fed us a delicious dinner, which is also very rare.
I won’t be able to advise you on what currency to take with you, because with current fluctuations it’s not clear whether it’s profitable to change rubles into euros or dollars. I can say for sure that there are no problems withdrawing money in rubles from a card at an ATM; rubles are also exchanged at exchange offices.

Now 1 manat (AZN) is equal to 33 rubles, it’s easy to count: you just remember the old days when the ruble to dollar exchange rate was in this range. If you count at the official rate, then exchanging rubles and dollars will give you the same amount in manats. As you can see, the exchange rate in Azeybarjan is favorable for our currency, you can travel with rubles, so we can safely put one more plus in favor of a trip to Baku.

If you don't know English, this won't be a problem in Baku. In the tourist area, I came across Russian speaking people in museums, restaurants, and hotels. Plus? Plus!
In terms of safety, the city seemed safe to me. Balanced people, even children here are calm. Baku is a modern city, you feel much safer here than in some European capitals, where they either offer you intimate services or try to steal something from your bag. I alone felt absolutely comfortable and calm walking around the sights.

How to get to the center of Baku from the airport

When you arrive in Baku, you immediately realize that you have arrived in an oil-producing eastern country. If, when you mention Baku, you associate crowds of people in caps with a string of oranges in their hands, then you do not understand what Baku is.
Airport named after Heydar Aliyev, when leaving the plane, evokes a lot of positive emotions; for a second you think that you are at an exhibition of contemporary art. Waiting for a flight takes place in a comfortable environment; you just relax in the waiting room. The city’s airport was designed and equipped by the most fashionable companies; after such beauty, we don’t even want to remember our air harbors, especially Domodedovo, which is outdated in all respects.
I arrived late in the evening alone, so I ordered a transfer in advance for 1,700 rubles.

Official taxi at the airport Baku Taxi, boarding costs 3 AZN, then according to the meter. Payment is made at the end of the trip in cash or by card. Travel time is about 20 minutes.

They called a taxi from the hotel to the airport at a fixed price of 30 manats, but I didn’t look at what kind of taxi service it was. My husband drove from the airport to the hotel for 50 manats.
You can also get from the airport to the city by public transport, especially since it runs around the clock. Baku Bus buses stop before exiting Terminals 1 and 2; tickets can be purchased from a machine located to the left of the exit door of Terminal 1 and to the right of the exit of Terminal 2.
The buses operate every half hour; there is air conditioning and even a toilet inside. The fare costs only 1.50 AZN, and if you immediately take a transport card, the price will be 1.30 AZN. On the official website you can see in real time the time until the bus arrives; the travel time is 30 minutes. http://www.aeroexpress.az/ru.
End points of the bus route: Airport and metro station May 28 (practically the center, from it there are two only metro lines of the Baku metro, as well as a railway connection), between them there is one stop Koroglu (red metro line).
The Baku metro map can be viewed here

Old city of Baku

The Old City is the heart of Baku. Those who expect to see ruins of houses here will be disappointed - every house has been restored, the doors shine. If you have never seen the Caravanserai, ancient mosques and baths, then you definitely need to come here.

To quickly explore the Old Town (take a lap of honor) two hours is enough. If you want to visit the Maiden Tower, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, and listen to the audio guide, then a whole day will not be enough for you.
There are many options for walking around the Old Town. There is a point at the Old Gate where you can purchase an audio guide and explore everything on your own at your own pace. You can also drive around the old center in an electric car.

Top attractions of Baku

I conducted a survey among several friends, do they know what to see in Baku and why go there? Of the five, one remembered the “damn it” from the Diamond Hand, the second heard about the Flaming Towers. I’m telling you briefly, as I plan to write photo reports of walks around the city to demonstrate the beauty of colorful Baku.

Old City (Icheri Sheher)
Allow at least a day to visit the Old Town.
Fortress walls of Icheri Sheher
Maiden Tower (Asaf Zeynalli St., 24)
Palace of the Shirvanshahs (Zamkovaya St., 76)
Mohammed Mosque (Mirza Mansur St., 42)
The Flame Towers (Mehdi Huseynzade St., 1a)
Heydar Aliyev Center (Heydar Aliyev Avenue, 1)
Carpet Museum
A unique modern museum dedicated to the most ancient craft of the East. In my opinion, this is a must see in Baku.
Funicular and Mountain Park Baku. All the pleasures at once: a ride on a train, a stroll through the park, and a visit to the observation deck. Advice: come to Nagorny Park when the sun is shining on the city and not in your face.
Baku embankment. The embankment seems endless - many kilometers of beauty. There are no beaches within the city, the embankment is suitable for walks along the Caspian Sea, many people ride bicycles, which can be rented here.
"Little Venice" on the territory of the Primorsky Park. Modern canals follow the picturesque park, along which you can ride on cute boats.
Street where the famous scene from The Diamond Arm was filmed: st. Kichik-Gala, 8/1

Baku embankment

The embankment in Baku stretches for many kilometers. There are no beaches here, but there is plenty of space for walking. It is convenient to rent a bicycle and go around all the sights or take a ride on a sightseeing train. I was walking.

The embankment begins with the flag square, where, as you guessed, the giant flag of Azerbaijan flutters. The Korva Museum looks impressive, be sure to check it out, there is a lot to see (review of the museum).

Pleasure boats depart from the piers, and you can look at Baku from above on a Ferris wheel. The cactus garden looks beautiful, little Venice, along whose canals everyone rides boats.

Azerbaijani cuisine Baku

Baku is a very tasty city. We were served a great breakfast at the hotel, a delicious dinner on the plane, and the street food and restaurants were simply amazing.

I still remember Baku tomatoes. And what a magnificent Caspian fish in restaurants is - you'll lick your fingers. We ate enough sturgeon for the year ahead. It is also worth trying saj, rich soups, and eggplant dishes.

It’s not so easy to find colorful Baku restaurants, as you can mostly find modern European and Asian establishments. If you want to try national cuisine, look for restaurants in the Old Town.

Observation platforms in Baku

You can look at the old city from above from the Maiden Tower, which is difficult to pass by.

Other observation platforms can be found on the wheel of obohroniya, in one of the bars of the Flaming Skyscrapers - symbols of modern Baku, and also take the funicular to the Highland Park.

Choosing hotels in Baku: how to navigate

Conventionally, when choosing a hotel, I would divide Baku into three points of attraction: the Flaming Towers (famous high-rise buildings that symbolize modern Baku), the Old City and the embankment, which stretches for 25 kilometers.
In the high-rise buildings there is a five-star hotel Fairmont Baku Flame Towers, I think it will appeal to fans of Moscow City and other areas with skyscrapers. It is relatively inexpensive for 5*, prices can be checked on booking.com. There are standard apartments and hostels nearby, from the windows of which symbols of the country's oil wealth are visible.
I decided to live in the old city, after reading the reviews, I realized that the most convenient and colorful hotel is slightly above the average price category - Shah Palace Hotel 4*

The hotel is located chicly, the sights of the old city are just a stone's throw away, the interior has great color, service and comfort. The guide recommended hotels of the same comfort level to me: Austin Boutique Hotel 4*
Azcot Hotel 4*
and simpler, but with an excellent location Du Port Hotel 3*.
I recommend opening a hotel search on the map and looking at other options from these examples, because choosing a hotel in Baku is a pleasure, because there are prices for every budget, and almost everyone has a high rating. The option when you can afford to choose a hotel at least according to the color of the wallpaper.
Closer to the embankment, I was recommended to consider the Park Inn hotel, next to it is the Hilton (and also the Marriott, Four Seasons and many others), but I wouldn’t trade the opportunity to live in the Old Town for anything. And I don’t like chain hotels, I like unique ones with a twist. When choosing a hotel on the waterfront, do not think that you can walk to the beach. Many people mistakenly think that in Baku you can swim in the center, like in most cities located on the coast. But in Baku the embankment is encased in concrete, there are no beaches. If your priority is to relax at sea, then you need to choose country hotels with beaches, and come to Baku for a walk.
Near the expensive hotels there are numerous hostels, inexpensive private hotels, and apartments for rent. Choose what is dearest to your soul and enjoy the beauty and uniqueness of Baku.

Baths

1. In the Old City of Baku there are only one functioning baths left - Agha Mikhail Baths
Aga Mikayil Bath House - Kicik Qala, 16, Baku, Azerbaijan (Price 65 manats for sauna, hammam, 30 minute massage)

Taze Bey Baths, st. Sh. Shamilya, 30, Baku, Azerbaijan
Many people compare these baths to a souvenir shop - all the walls of the bath are hung with various oriental objects. It’s worth visiting here for the beautiful interiors and special oriental flavor.

Excursions and audio guides in Baku

In the old city of Baku there are several travel agencies where you can purchase excursions both around the city and out of town. I love tours given by locals, so I chose a sightseeing tour here.

Travel agencies offer a wide range of day trips: for example, to a fire temple, to oil fields. In details we talked about it here .

What to bring from Baku

You can bring a silk scarf as a souvenir from Baku - just be careful, there are many fakes. Where does silk come from in Azerbaijan? It's simple in Sheki there is a silk spinning mill where silk scarves are produced.

Armuds are glass tea cups that resemble the curves of a woman’s body.

Wines – pomegranate wine is especially prized. Pay attention to the wine brand Salavan, Sevgilim.
Sweets – there are many variations of oriental sweets: Sheki baklava (thin, like a gossamer), Turkish delight.
Exotic types of jam - rose, olive jam, nut jam. I liked the nut jam the most, believe me, it’s very tasty!
Narsharab sauce is a sauce made from evaporated pomegranate, served with meat.
Carpet – It’s hard to say how to transport a carpet. But keep in mind that the carpet must have been woven no earlier than 1960, otherwise the goods will be confiscated at the border and returned to the owner as a national treasure.

Black caviar - there is a restriction on export, no more than 250 grams, and proof of purchase, for example, a receipt, is required.
Azerbaijani tea (Azerchay) is a very tasty tea with different fillings.

I would also like to point out that souvenirs are very expensive in the Old Town. Tea, jam, baklava can be purchased at any supermarket. It is better to buy tasty products at the local food market "Yashil Bzar" (or Green Market, not far from the railway station) - tell the taxi driver, everyone knows where it is.
You can also buy groceries in the Bazarstor and O"Bravo supermarkets.

Baku made a strong impression on me. I did not expect that it is such a modern city and at the same time colorful. Now I’m thinking about a longer trip to Azeybarjan.

My report on Baku is written in the form of friendly instructions and is full of subjective, practical comments based on my own experience. Consists of three parts. The first, which is presented below, is devoted to various practical issues that may arise for those who are planning to visit the capital of Azerbaijan in the near future. The third part will also come in handy in this case; it is dedicated to restaurants and bars in Baku. And the second is a large photo report on the sights, and it may be of interest even to those who have not yet made a final decision. You will find links to these parts and other useful resources at the end of the post.

Almost every journey begins at the airport. Having left the plane and gone through all the controls, you are instantly immersed in a new, unfamiliar environment. Getting to know her, like it or not, you have to start with currency exchange. The Azerbaijani Manat exchange rate is approximately equal to the Euro, which makes it very easy to understand the cost of everything around.

Having obtained local money, again, whether you like it or not, you will have to take it to the taxi drivers. Oh, these Azerbaijani taxi drivers! So familiar to any Muscovite, they, of course, slightly soften the immersion in a foreign culture, creating a deceptive feeling that you have never left. Out of ignorance, we gave the first taxi driver we came across 40 manats to the center. Don't repeat our mistakes! Now there will be the most important information that you need to remember if you are going to Baku; the rest, if anything, you’ll figure out somehow along the way. You've probably already watched both episodes of "Heads and Tails" about this city and are aware that English cabs were purchased in Baku for Eurovision. So, this is not just a fun attraction where you can ride once for show, as we first thought. This, in the end, turned out to be the most important means of transportation on our journey. They deliver strictly according to the meter, and their price tag is much more humane than that of private traders. So, the journey for us, already experienced, to the airport from the hotel cost 13 (!) manats. Where can I find them, these cabs? In general, they constantly scurry back and forth, and are constantly on duty at the main points. But, just in case, it’s better to get a couple of other business cards - almost every taxi driver has them. How to find them? Well... they look like this:

That is, just like the English ones, only purple.
What are their advantages, besides prices? They are very spacious, and the lack of trunk is more than compensated for by this. If necessary, six people can climb into the cab: there are additional reclining seats. The salon has air conditioning. And on top of that, there is a button that turns off the driver if we don't want to listen to him. Great!
In general, you see an “eggplant” - take it!

Well, since we're talking about local people, it's time to talk about some features of communication. The first and most important thing is the language. In a country that has changed its alphabet 4 times over the past century, this is difficult. Many people, especially the older generation, speak Russian, some better, some worse. And almost no one speaks English, not even young people. So I recommend having a hotel business card or a note with the address of the place you are going to. Well, or at least remember some names that you can focus on when talking with a taxi driver or asking passers-by. In general, if you are going to walk a lot, I still recommend downloading some offline maps to your phone. For example, I use the CityMaps2Go application. They really can find almost all corners of the world, and you can make your own marks, which is very convenient.

Second. National characteristics. Despite the fact that the city looks very modern, and young people in Baku dress in a European style, do not forget that you are in a Muslim country. So, it is not customary to address a stranger here. This works not only in the sense that you shouldn’t really impose your communication on strangers, but also in the opposite direction. If you're traveling as a heterosexual couple like we did, you'll have to accept that the only people you'll talk to will be the man. Well, that is, not a stupid and offensive ignore - no, everything looks, basically, very polite and harmless. For example, it is useless for a woman to try to explain to a taxi driver where to go. You will kill a lot of time, you will give up, and he, it turns out, is just waiting for your husband to say his word. Because here, traditionally, all decisions are made by a man.
In a restaurant, the waiter will always address the man and leave the last word to him. Well, that is, it’s not that he doesn’t listen at all to what the woman tells him, but he will direct all clarifying questions when writing down your order to the man and look only at him. And, by the way, almost everywhere only men work as waiters. During the whole time we met only one girl waitress.
Apparently, for these same deeply rooted traditional reasons, in establishments In general, you rarely meet women. Especially in places with a strong national bias. And especially in bars. Here I must make a reservation that establishments of the Ginza level here are already considered premium, and people don’t just go there, but gather for a reason. Therefore, meeting expensively dressed Azerbaijani women there is not uncommon. Families go there. And family, by the way, is valued above all else here.
But more about food and restaurants later.

Cloth. The men's dress code for Baku is very well described in this GQ article. In short, they love and appreciate expensive brands and jackets, and dislike shorts.
I can give advice to girls based on my own experience. First. Short skirts and shorts are best left at home. Not that it is prohibited or not practiced here, but it can make you feel uncomfortable. Believe me, you will already attract attention and catch the eye. I can say the same about the neckline and other similar things.
Second. The wind almost always blows in Baku. Draw conclusions.
Third. Paving stones. The entire Old Town is paved with it. So we leave the heels for the evening or for walks along the embankment (attention, very strong wind!).
Well, in fact, it doesn’t hurt to always have a scarf with you for all occasions. If it’s cold, you’ll wrap it around your neck, if it’s hot, you’ll put it on your head, if you go on a tour of the mosque, it’ll be on your face (I’m kidding, I haven’t seen tours of mosques there. I’m kidding again).

By the way, about the weather. During the May holidays, while we were there, it was really hot for only one day. The rest of the time the scorching sun was compensated by the cool wind. Accordingly, sun cream will not hurt, a jacket too, as well as sunglasses. I already talked about the constant wind.
Sea. The sea is warming up slowly. There are no equipped beaches within the city. Or rather, there are none at all: the entire Baku Bay of the Caspian Sea is dressed in the granite of the Primorsky Boulevard, along which everyone loves to stroll very smartly.

Here, as you understand, exposing your bikini is somehow not comme il faut. So for the beaches you have to go outside the city. Fortunately, there are plenty of specially designed beach complexes and villages here. The best beaches are considered to be on the northern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, on the southern shore of which Baku is located. The sea is cleaner there, they say. We visited only one such place, and it is located almost within the city. It looks quite tempting for an escape from the summer stuffiness of the city.

If, after all, you came to Baku for the sake of Baku, and not the beaches, then I personally would recommend choosing accommodation in the area of Torgovaya Street, also known as Nizami.
It’s definitely not worth settling in the Old Town: it is, most often, unreasonably expensive and inconvenient. A taxi can’t get there, tourists always shy away, and in the evening everything dies out.

Large hotels, such as Hilton or Four Seasons, located on Primorsky Boulevard, are, of course, good in their own way, but they are expensive and not interesting in themselves. For color and hospitality, go to local small hotels. Depending on the price and location, the color-comfort ratio will naturally vary. And, of course, you shouldn’t settle too far from the center, where the search for a place for a successfully overslept breakfast may take a long time. And it will be almost impossible to find decent coffee.

In general, everyone in Baku drinks all the time tea. They put just about anything in it - from the already familiar thyme with lemon to overly fragrant cloves. And for sugar they often give something similar to our “Cow”. Iranian black tea is especially appreciated by locals. I strongly recommend, if the weather permits, to drink tea in an open-air cafe near the Maiden Tower. Be sure to try the local baklava and jam, whatever you want. By the way, tea in Baku is made in samovars. I have never seen so many samovars even in Tula.

Yes, there are a lot of cats in Baku. The old city, also known as Icheri Sheher, where you will undoubtedly go first, I remember, first of all, for its narrow stone streets and cats, businesslikely inspecting their possessions. This makes it very similar to old Mediterranean towns.

But we’ll talk about the sights later, and now let’s get back to practical things. The first thing that will catch your eye in the Old Town are the carpets laid out and hung everywhere right on the streets. This is all for you: it would hardly occur to locals to buy such things here at “tourist” prices. But we will have to if we want to bring locals home from our trip souvenirs. Carpets are laid out on the street to demonstrate the quality of the product - you can safely walk on them. The price depends on the size, quality and material from which the carpet is woven. There are not many other souvenirs, so be prepared for the fact that by the end of the third day of wandering around the city, the idea of buying an Azerbaijani carpet will seem quite reasonable to you.

For more healthy shopping, head to market. Well, really, what is an eastern city without a Bazaar? Within walking distance from the center is the so-called New Market, or Taize Bazaar. We walk into the depths of the market, find sellers of fresh sturgeon and ingratiatingly ask if there is caviar. They look at you appraisingly, and then take you to a room with a table, a refrigerator and walls covered with branded government caviar labels. Usually sellers have a couple of varieties in stock - for example, sturgeon and beluga. Everyone will give it a try. They will roll up the jar right in front of you. The price varies from 80 to 110 manats per jar. You can freely export one 100-gram jar per person from the country.

We managed to get a jar of beluga caviar (it has larger and lighter eggs) for 100 manats. To go on this fishing trip fully armed, I suggest reading information on this topic in advance. The most important rule: the lighter the black caviar, the more valuable it is, no matter how strange it may sound.

What else interesting is there on the market?
The first is, of course, pomegranates, which are undoubtedly one of the symbols of Azerbaijan.

In the spring, grenades, as you understand, are no longer the same. That’s why they don’t just eat them, but make juice from them, diluting it generously with water. Be careful, the strong acidity of this juice will quickly whet your appetite. In addition to freshly squeezed juice, Narsharab pomegranate sauce, which is traditionally served with fish here, is highly valued.

The second is delicious Baku tomatoes and other seasonal fruits and vegetables. We didn’t have much luggage with us, so we stocked up well on the last day before departure. For such thrifty tourists, they sell wonderful wooden boxes with a carrying handle and with a beautiful inscription “Baki” - a really great souvenir, in my opinion. Boxes cost 8-18 manats depending on the size. Prices for vegetables greatly depend on your own charisma and the mood of the seller. But in any case, they are several times lower than the prices for the same products in Moscow markets. But it's not about the prices! Do not deny yourself the pleasure of bargaining and shopping at a real oriental bazaar!

While they are carefully putting everything in boxes for you and filling them with lids on top, walk through the rows.
The third thing you need to buy here is jam made from whole walnuts. If this is a new product for you, then I’ll explain: they make it from still young “milk” nuts, so they eat them straight with the shell. Unfortunately, most likely no one here will let you try the jam. Therefore, I advise you to try different varieties in some cafe in advance in order to go here for specific types.

The fourth is, of course, local spices and herbs. I think the main things to look out for are thyme and sumac. If with the first, most likely, everything is more or less clear, then the second is worth dwelling on in more detail. Sumac is essentially ground dried barberry. It can often be seen on the table along with salt and pepper in local cafes. It has a pleasant sour taste, so it goes well with meat dishes and cheese.

As for the local cheese, to be honest, I was not impressed. Almost all of its types, with names that are difficult to remember, end up looking like very salty cheese. I liked only one type - soft curd cheese, which we were served rolled in small balls in sumac. But this is in a restaurant. And we are returning to the market.
It remains to note only a couple of products that need to be taken from the market - these are flat cakes. Why a couple? Because the flatbreads here are both regular tandoor and fruit. We read about the latter in the article I mentioned and were already desperate to look for them: none of the sellers stubbornly understood what we needed. Until one of the more experienced customers told us that, most likely, they mean homemade marshmallow, which is rolled out into thin flat cakes here from apples and cherry plums.
At this point, you can probably finish with the market and go to the supermarket for the rest of your tasty purchases. There you need to buy baklava and various Caspian fish delicacies, except caviar. Pomegranate sauce is also probably better to buy there, just ask the sellers which one is made in Azerbaijan.

Which difficulties may occur with the products? Already in Moscow at the airport, when we received our luggage and headed towards the exit, a certain employee stopped us and asked for certificates for imported products, which, naturally, we did not have. According to him, any products imported from Azerbaijan are subject to certification. if there are no certificates, then you need to send it for examination, which will take at most 1 month. I don’t know how this is done correctly, but after a short argument about the fact that we are not going to sell this, we simply went on our way when the employee was distracted by other happy owners of beautiful Baku boxes.

Concerning other purchases, then you, of course, can go shopping on Torgovaya Street (Nizami) or more glamorous brands on Neftchiler (aka Neftchiler Avenue, which runs along the embankment), but something tells me that you won’t be surprised with rags.
What else catches your eye on the streets of Baku is the abundance of interior shops. It is clear that the city is actively being built.

Construction- this is the trouble and joy of modern Baku. Joy - for the population of a country prospering from oil money. And the trouble is for them and for you and me, tourists, for whom less and less of this city retains its authenticity and antiquity. It pleases the eye when, behind the facades lined with light local sandstone, you can hardly recognize the typical Soviet buildings that ruined the appearance of more than one beautiful city.

But it’s even more sad when you see that even the streets of the Old City are gradually filled with “new buildings”, and no one is monitoring the safety of the old houses, because they are lived mainly by poor old people, who, by the way, only consider themselves real Baku residents, and some of them even remember how the filming of “The Diamond Arm” took place here.

But I’d better write about the sights separately, because this relates more to the functional part than to the organizational one. And in this article I will finally touch upon sources of information, which we used and what we managed to dig up about Baku, since we could not find a paper guide in our chaotic preparations.
1. The same article in GQ called “Why you need to go to Baku right now.” From there we got almost all the leads on the restaurants that we ended up visiting.
2. The two releases of “Heads and Tails” I mentioned - one when they were there before Eurovision, the other after.
3. “Restless Night” program of the “Planet” channel about Baku, which can be found on YouTube and tips on Baku from the same author.
4. We found information about excursions in the information center near the Maiden Tower. There we met a friendly woman who spoke good Russian, and then a private guide, Ali, YouTube star, who blew our minds with the stream of his motley consciousness that does not stop for a minute, consisting of a mixture of data pulled from everywhere, rumors, legends and outright nonsense mixed with fragments of his colorful biography.
5. Just in case, once again a link to my favorite application with offline maps.