Baku reminds me a little on my hometown Hanover in Germany. Ugly from the outside, a hidden gem from the inside. It is pretty much Azerbaijan in a nutshell – old Sowjet architecture with Persian/Arabic influence on the way to modernism.
When I first arrived by car and we managed our way through a forest of ugly skyscrapers I felt so intimidated I didn’t even want to leave the hostel. But once we got outside we found a nice food market on our way to the beautifully designed Heydar Aliyev Center a little outside of the city center. It is really one of the most elegant architectures I have seen in my life and manages to fit perfectly in its surrounding.
I managed to stay in Baku three times – the first time when I arrived in Azerbaijan together with Fabian as we needed a well deserved bed and hot shower after four days of wild camping. The second time by train to pick up my car, and finally to finish my trip before flying back to Germany. Unfortunately by that time, it was already so hot and humid that I could only go outside until 11am and from 7pm onwards if I didn’t want to get a heat stroke.
Baku’s historical district is a well deserved UNESCO world heritage site. One can easily wander around and getting lost in the small streets for a day without being bored. Behind the old streets and buildings, the glass flame towers rise into the sky and provide the perfect mix of historical and modern architecture.
Things to do in Baku
- Visit the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center at sunset to take pictures or during the day for the museum HeydNr Aliyev Prospekt, 1, Baku
- Buy sweets and honey at the Yasil Bazar Khatai ave, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Visit the old city district and spend the day there
- Go to the Dagüstü park at sunset and enjoy the view on the Flame Towers and city at dusk
