Baku, the Capital of Azerbaijanis a city of juxtapositions with the Baku Flame Towers in the background, the Old Soviet buildings and the modern Azeri buildings. Baku City is fascinating with contemporary architectural demeanor which is sure to leave you with a sense of excitement and joy. Azerbaijan has gone through a lot of cultural upheavals and this transition is quite evident if you take a trip to Baku. We have put together a 2 day Baku Itinerary wherein you are sure to experience the highlights of the city.
Check out our Baku Infographic below that summarizes an ideal 2 day itinerary.
2 Days in Baku Itinerary Infographic
2 Days in Baku: The perfect itinerary to discover this gem of Azerbaijan!
Day 1: Exploring the Old & New City
The Old City of Baku
When visiting a new city, there is nothing more delightful than just strolling around and taking in the vibes and surprisingly, Baku is quite a walk able city. There are free, guided walking tours of the city where the guide will give you a good background about the history of Baku along with some strange lesser known facts. Here are some places to visit in Baku that we strongly recommend:
Baku Old City
Fountain Square
Inside and outside of Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center
Sunset at the Upland Park
Palace of Shirvanshahs
Maiden Tower
Philharmonic Hall
Palace of Happiness
Bibi-Heyat Mosque
Flame Towers
Baku Fountain Square, Capital city of Azerbaijan
If you are more of a sit back and relax person, then we suggest you opt for an organized Baku City Tour. These tours give an inside perspective and if you are a fan of quirky facts about a new place, then this is your boot.
Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, Baku
We highly recommend you enjoy the sunset in the Upland Park viewpoint and stay a bit longer to attend the light show which takes place daily at 8:30 PM. Arguably one of the coolest thing about Baku is its neighboring Caspian Sea, which isn't really a sea but the largest salt water lake in the world. Enjoy the view of the entire Baku city beside the Caspian Sea from the Upland Park.
On your second day in Baku, we recommend you step out of the city a bit to experience some of the weirdest yet the most beautiful sights around.
The Mud Volcanoes
Baku is one of the very few places in the world that has mud volcanoes, which in itself is a rare phenomenon. These are naturally formed bubbly mud pots that look like mini volcanoes dotted across a flat area of dirt.
The Mud Volcanoes of Baku
Gobustan Petroglyphs
If you are a natural history nerd then this is the place for you. This landscape covers three area of a plateau like rocky boulders in a semi-desert area with an outstanding collection of 6000 rock engravings bearing testimony to more than 40,000 years of rock art all upholding intensive human history of the Ice Age, Cave Age, Paleolithic down to the Middle Ages. Due to its rich history, Gobustan Petroglyphs is a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Gobustan Petroglyphs, the oldest stone engravings in Baku
Ateshgah Fire Temple
This is a pilgrimage site for the Zoroastrian faith and this temple was built sometime between the 17th and 18th century where you can learn about the history of fire worship and the current traditions surrounding it.
Astaphor Temple, one of the oldest Zoroastrian Temple in Baku
Baku is an interesting city to visit and we would recommend dividing your two days in the city into exploring the city on Day 1 and dissecting the outskirts with some religious as well as cultural history on Day 2.
